Laura Harrier on the chance encounter that landed her a role in the year’s biggest biopic, Michael.
The stars have aligned for Laura Harrier. In 72 magazine’s Spring 2026 issue, the actor recalls the moment Steve McQueen plucked her out of drama school for her first major acting gig, and how a chance encounter landed her a role in Michael Jackson’s biopic
The universe seems to be on Laura Harrier’s side. By chance, at a dinner, it just so happened that she was seated next to Suzanne de Passe, the Oscar-nominated former President of Motown Productions and the pioneering powerhouse behind The Jackson 5. Serendipitously, De Passe just signed on as a producer on Michael, Antoine Fuqua’s biopic chronicling the making, missteps, and miraculous rise of Michael Jackson. “We got to talking,” recalls Harrier, “She was like, ‘You remind me a lot of my younger self and I would love for you to play me in this movie…’ And that’s literally how it happened.”
De Passe wasn’t married to the idea of the character being exactly like her. “It was more about capturing her essence, and it was just about telling her story as truthfully and honestly as we could.” De Passe first found success as the right hand to Berry Gordy, the founder of Motown Records, who supported the likes of Diana Ross, The Supremes, and Stevie Wonder in reaching superstar status. From mentee to collaborator, Gordy and De Passe would go on to launch Gordy/de Passe Productions together before De Passe founded her own entertainment company in 1992. Harrier puts it best: “She was one of the first Black women to have a role in the production side of the music industry. She really was a trailblazer.”
Suzanne de Passe was one of the first Black women to have a role in the production side of the music industry. She really was a trailblazer.
LAURA HARRIER
Well before its April release, the project has already generated a significant buzz. Michael, which also stars the musical legend’s nephew, Jaafar Jackson as the title role,currently stands as the most-watched biopic trailer in history.
When Harrier, 35, joined the New York performing arts school William Esper Studio, after a roll call of modeling assignments for the likes of Garnier, Bulgari and Calvin Klein, she had zero expectations. “I wasn’t like,‘This is it and there’s absolutely no turning back.’ I figured that after drama school I would be doing off-Broadway shows and I’d have to climb the ladder,” reflects the Chicago native.
But Harrier wouldn’t be clambering to the top. Instead, revered director Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave and Small Axe) scooped her up from the halls of acting school for Codes of Conduct, a drama series that recounts the compelling story of a young Black man’s first foray into New York’s elite circles. “Steve was the first person to take a chance on me. I learned so much on that set,” she says. “I don’t think I actually told anybody on the job that I was still in school. I was just like, ‘Yeah, I’ve got this. I know what I’m doing…’ whilst I was going incompletely blind.” The show might not have come to fruition beyond a pilot episode, but the experience was enough to set her on her path.
Steve McQueen was the first person to take a chance on me. I learned so much on that set. I don’t think I actually told anybody on the job that I was still in school. I was just like, ‘Yeah, I’ve got this. I know what I’m doing…’ whilst I was going in completely blind.
LAURA HARRIER
Her big break came in 2017, in the shape of Marvel sensation Spider-Man: Homecoming, starring as the high school crush of Tom Holland’s Peter Parker. Shortly after, her name cropped up in the credits of Spike Lee’s Oscar-winning sociopolitical comedy BlacKkKlansman, Hulu’s Mike Tyson biopic series, and theWhite Men Can’t Jump remake.
But when the story of “arguably the most beloved artist of all time” found its way to her, the stakes soared to new heights. When it came to filling de Passe’s shoes, her replica outfits helped.“Suzanne is an incredible archivist and still has all of these clothes that she actually used to wear.”
As for what life after Michael looks like, Harrier’s schedule is fit to bursting. She’s between London, her home in LA, and Morocco for the filming of Lords of War. “Most of my scenes are with Bill Skarsgård who’s such a great actor and a lovely person,” she says. Perhaps, in the future, there’s another real-life story she’d love to tell? “Oh my God, yes. But I don’t want to say it out loud and jinx it.”
PHOTOGRAPHY ALEC MAXWELL
STYLING ENIOLA DARE
HAIR DAVID HARBOROW
MAKEUP LAURA DOMINIQUE
NAILS MICHELLE CLASS
PRODUCTION FERNANDA DUGDALE, TOMASINA-LEBUS PRICE,TOM HARDERN
DIGITECH ALJAŽ HABJAN
LIGHTING TECH LUKE REGAN
STYLING ASSISTANT JUSTINE DOMEJEAN
HAIR ASSISTANT TOM ARNETT
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT ELISE SMALL
LIGHTING ASSISTANT MATT DAVIES
SHOT AT YOU STUDIO, LONDON
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