Miles J. Harvey is a rising actor known for his dynamic performances and natural screen presence. In Riff Raff, he takes on the role of DJ, a college-bound teenager who becomes entangled in family drama after uncovering long-buried secrets. Starring alongside Gabrielle Union and Ed Harris, Harvey brings depth to his character, portraying a young scientist whose curiosity leads him down an unexpected path. With Riff Raff premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival and receiving critical acclaim, Harvey continues to make a name for himself in the film industry.

Riff Raff has a powerhouse cast, including Jennifer Coolidge, Ed Harris, and Pete Davidson. What was it like working alongside them, and did you pick up any valuable lessons from your co-stars?

I had such a great time working alongside everyone. Jennifer, Bill, and Pete are comedic superstars for a reason. They brought their best every day and made it extremely hard not to break character. It was also great to develop a relationship with Ed and Gabrielle. They play my parents, Vincent and Sandy, in the film, and they made it important from day one to get to know me as a person. They also made themselves easy to approach if I had any questions or if I just wanted to have a conversation. Most importantly, they were also extremely kind to me. So I’d say the most valuable lessons I picked up from everyone is always to show up to work prepared and bring your best on every take, and that no matter how big of a star you become, you should always remain humble and be kind to others. 

Your character in Riff Raff is part of a gritty, crime-driven narrative. What drew you to this role, and how did you prepare?

In this movie, where there are a lot of edgy characters, I liked the innocence of DJ. I liked that he wasn’t your typical teenager. He’s intelligent and considers himself a scientist, so that’s how he forms his opinions on everything. Love, family, life, etc. I liked that this role was different from the roles I’ve played in the past.  While this movie is about Vincent and his former life, the audience is kind of figuring out the dynamics of this family along with DJ, and he cuts in throughout the movie somewhat like a narrator, and I thought doing that would be fun too. The director, Dito Montiel made those parts fun and interesting. He played a big part in how I prepped for this role. I could call or text him if I had any questions about DJ or a specific scene. Any ideas I had, I could bounce off of him, and having a director that was willing to have those conversations as well as having trust in my ability to play the part was huge in making this character happen.

Without giving too much away, what was your favorite scene to shoot in Riff Raff, and why?

It’s a tie between my first encounter with Ruth, who's played by Jennifer Coolidge, and the scene where Rocco, played by Lewis Pullman, tells the story of why they showed up at the house. Jennifer was so much fun to work with. In the scene, I startle her out of a deep sleep, and she jumps awake and holds a knife to my neck. In the scene, she says something along the lines of “I’d sell my left tit for some Advil and a drink”. There were some takes where she improvised a bunch of combinations of what she’d sell her left tit for and I was cracking up the whole time. In the second scene, DJ is grilling steaks while Rocco is telling Ruth and Vincent the very violent story that led them to skipping town, and right at the peak of the action, DJ interrupts to ask Vincent for help because he can’t get the grill to light. He leaves and then comes back about three more times before the family screams at him, begging him to get lost. After seeing the movie with an audience a couple of times, those are usually the biggest laughs that DJ gets. So I love both of those scenes. 

You’ll next be seen in Lemonade Blessing. Can you tell us a little about the film and your role in it?

Lemonade Blessing is a coming-of-age story about a freshman in a catholic high school who falls in love with a girl who is an atheist. She forces him to do dares that make him go against the religious beliefs that his devout Catholic mother raised him by. In the movie, I play Angelo, who is John’s (the main character) best friend. Angelo and DJ are exact opposites. Angelo is the friend who's funny because he says the most vulgar and raunchy things. If he’s not making a joke about fornicating with someone’s mother, he’s casually talking to John and his friends about his favorite porn videos. Deep down, Angelo’s also dealing with the recent loss of a loved one. And a lot of the jokes and the wild statements he makes are almost an act that he puts on, hoping no one notices how hard of a time he’s having. 

Lemonade Blessing seems to have a very different tone from Riff Raff. How did you approach transitioning between these two projects?

While DJ has some funny moments in Riff Raff, he’s not used as the comedic relief in the film. Whereas Angelo was used as the comedic relief for a lot of his scenes. I’m also more familiar with that kind of role, so the approach I had for Angelo was similar to other roles I played in movies like The Babysitter and Supercool. I enjoyed the transition from Riff Raff to Lemonade Blessing, I’m extremely proud of my involvement in both films. It’s funny, though, I went from working on a set where I’m the youngest person there to a set where I’m one of the oldest “kids” in the cast. I was 23, playing a college freshman in Riff Raff, and then I was 24, playing a high school freshman in Lemonade Blessing.

Every role comes with its challenges. Was there a particular moment in Riff Raff or Lemonade Blessing that tested you as an actor?

I won’t give too much away, but there’s a moment that is foreshadowed in the very beginning of the film, where DJ, in full-on tears, is put in a position where he has to make the toughest decision a kid could ever make. Ed Harris, Gabrielle Union, Lewis Pullman, etc., are all in this scene. All great dramatic actors. It can be a little intimidating when you have a big scene like that next to these experts. You second-guess yourself, wondering whether you’re doing too much or too little. Once again, Dito was crucial for me in this scene and did a great job in getting me in the right headspace and giving me the confidence that I could handle it. But that was a challenge for me.

What kinds of roles or genres are you most excited to explore in the future?

I always love doing comedy. I liked the combination in Riff Raff, being a crime-dark comedy, and I would love to be part of another film like this. 

If you could work with any director or actor in the industry, who would be at the top of your list and why?

I’d 100% work with Dito again. I had a blast working with everybody. Gabrielle, Ed, Lewis, Emanuela, Jennifer. Hopefully, I’ll work with at least one of them again. Outside of the Riff Raff cast, I’ll say Kevin Hart. I’ve been a fan of his since I was a kid. I saw all of his stand-up specials and his movies. It’d be great to work with him someday.