Photo by: Larry Horricks/Searchlight Pictures
When thinking of classical music, Beethoven, Bach, and Mozart might immediately come to mind, but after the recent biopic film Chevalier, his name will be added to the list. Based on the true story of 18th century composer Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, Kelvin Harrison Jr. stars in Chevalier as the illegitimate son of an African slave and a French plantation owner who rose to heights in French society as a composer and violinist.
Growing up, one of Kelvin’s first instruments was the violin, then he migrated to playing the piano and the trumpet. Playing the role of the composer in Chevalier, Kelvin really wanted to channel the fullness of the artist. “I think he was such an artist, and Mozart was an artist you know he did his thing too, but I think it was just so cool to see someone that was more laid back and not like so high strung. It’s just a different type of artist,” Kelvin told Petey Beats during a chat with Popternative.
He added, “I like Joseph’s showmanship; he was a real performer in the way that we love watching Prince and we love watching Michael Jackson perform at the Super Bowl performances and their live shows. Joseph was someone you needed to see live, and obviously you can listen to his composition, but he did both. I was interested in kind of embodying the fullness of what that guy kind of brought to the table.”
Watch the full interview with Kelvin Harrison Jr. below.
Chevalier is playing now in theaters and coming to Hulu on June 16.
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