Kelvin Harrison Jr. Tapped as Jean-Michel Basquiat in Upcoming Biopic ‘Samo Lives’
Award-winning actor Kelvin Harrison Jr. is set to take on his latest role as the famed New York-born Haitian Puerto Rican artist Jean-Michel Basquiat.
According to Variety, the Waves star will be portraying the artist, who initially gained popularity during the 1980s for his graffiti and abstract paintings, in the forthcoming biopic, Samo Lives, directed by Julius Onah.
As per its description, the film “will celebrate the life, career, and impact of the groundbreaking New York-born, Haitian-Puerto Rican American artist whose seminal paintings and street art defined the Neo-expressionism arts movement of the 1980s.”
The movie is funded by Endeavor Content and produced by the team behind Luce — the critically acclaimed project Harrison and Onah worked on together. The Monsters star will also be executive producing. Harrison most recently starred as Christian in the musical drama Cyrano alongside Peter Dinklage and Haley Bennett.
Portraying the legendary artist was described as a “dream come true” for Harrison, whom Onah praised in a lengthy statement for his unique “ability to locate and channel the spirit of whoever he inhabits.”
Samo Lives is reportedly the first film about the acclaimed artist by a Black filmmaker.
Production is expected to begin sometime this fall.
