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• Interview with Ms. Harris
• Official Pirates of the Caribbean site
• Miami Vice movie

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Tavis: As if Naomie Harris' summer wasn't going well enough already with the record-breaking success of 'Pirates of the Caribbean,' next week her other summer film, something you might have heard of called 'Miami Vice,' hits theaters. We gotta stop Naomie from being so lazy. Only two films this summer? The British-born actress stars opposite Jamie Foxx and Colin Farrell in the movie version of the classic TV series. But first, from the biggest film on the planet, here she is in a scene from 'Pirates of the Caribbean, Dead Man's Chest.'

Tavis: All right, Naomie, we'll put you on the spot. What do you recall right now about that particular scene during the filming?

Naomie Harris: I recall that I had caught a cold on my way from London to Los Angeles to film that, and so I didn't have very much voice left to do it, which was very embarrassing, 'cause it was my first scene in the movie, first time acting with Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom. And everyone was there, waiting for me to speak, and there was very little voice left.

So it was all due to Orlando giving me, like, homeopathic remedies (laughs) to make me feel better. We had this doctor who came on-set; he said that I wasn't allowed to speak in between takes. I was miming in between takes. An embarrassing (unintelligible).

Tavis: So now that it's the biggest film on the planet, you feel redeemed that...

Harris: Yes.

Tavis: ...you didn't do so bad.

Harris: Yeah, I feel better.

Tavis: It all worked out.

Harris: Yes, I do (unintelligible).

Tavis: It's nice to meet you. I'm glad to have you here.

Harris: Thank you. It's great to be here.

Tavis: I think the most remarkable thing about what I read with regard to your role in that film was that you were filming 'Pirates' at the same time you were doing 'Miami Vice?'

Harris: That's right, yeah.

Tavis: So you were going between two sets. First of all, how'd that happen, and why would you do something like that to yourself? (Laughs)

Harris: (Laughs) You do something like that to yourself because you can't turn down two such fantastic roles coming along at the same time. And you can't say no to either of them, 'cause they're both fantastic roles, really. And it wasn't so hard, actually. It wasn't as hard as it sounds. Because 'Miami Vice' is such a completely different character to the character that I play in 'Pirates of the Caribbean.'

One's this earthy woman from the Bronx, and the other's this larger than life character from Jamaica. So, it wasn't as though I got the two characters confused ever, (unintelligible).

Tavis: Now, I know folks with dual personalities, but these two roles are diametrically opposed, though. The role in 'Pirates' is nothing like the role in 'Miami Vice.' Were you familiar with the TV series, 'Vice,' before you did the movie?

Harris: I wasn't, to be quite honest with you, I wasn't really of an age where it kind of resonated with me when it was at the peak of its popularity. But once I found out that I was doing the film, I went out and I got all the DVDs and watched it, and I thought it was fantastic. Although I think it's difficult to appreciate what an amazing series it was now, because then it was really pushing the boundaries of what was allowed to be on television. And now we've gone so much further.

Tavis: You said it so sweetly, and your accent is so kind, but you just insulted a whole lot of people watching. (Laughs) I was not of an age.

Harris: I take it back. I take it back, I take it all back.

Tavis: I feel old. I was not of an age to remember 'Miami Vice.' So you knew nothing about Crockett and Tubbs.

Harris: Well, I knew about the fashion. I knew about the black loafers and the white socks. (Laughs) I liked that, it reminded me of Michael Jackson.

Tavis: Yeah. I can see that, I can see that. So you were filming 'Vice' in Miami, and you were filming the 'Pirates' out here.

Harris: Yes, and also, 'cause I was filming 'Pirates III' as well.

Tavis: Right.

Harris: 'Cause we've started that, as well. So, two and three.

Tavis: Wow. So this is what you wanted to do, this acting thing was what you wanted to do growing up in...

Harris: It's what I've always wanted to do. I never wanted to do anything else. So it's a dream come true. It's fantastic.

Tavis: And you knew this when, at what age?

Harris: I've always known. I've never, ever wanted to do anything else.

Tavis: Never.

Harris: No. Never, ever. It's amazing. I don't know how I knew. Because it wasn't as though any of my family were in the film industry or anything like that. But I just knew.

Tavis: Tell me about your mother.

Harris: My mother is an incredibly inspirational woman, and she had me at a very young age, when she was 18. And she raised me by herself. And she made a promise to herself and to me when I was born that she would always go back to school once I reached the age of five, and I could go to school. And she did. She went back to school when I went to school, and went to university and got a degree, and changed her life. And has become this fabulous writer.

Tavis: Mm hmm. How empowering is it for a young girl, then, to see her mother go back to school, get a degree, raise you by herself. So you must be, like, you must feel like you're superwoman, you can do anything.

Harris: Yeah. And that's exactly what my mum always told me. She said to me, from the moment I was born, she just kept reinforcing the idea that anything is possible. And I've always believed that. And I think my life is a testament to that. And be fantastic if more children could be raised with that belief, because it is totally true. I've heard so many doubters along the way who said, you wanna be an actress, oh, but so many people don't make it, you're never gonna make it.

And my mum's always said to me, 'Don't ever listen to those people. Listen to your knowledge that anything is possible.' And I always have, and that's why I'm sitting here. (Laughs)

Tavis: Yeah. And I'm glad you're sitting here. (Laughs) I don't know how to ask you this question, 'cause I'm not sure you can actually make the comparison, but I've often wondered whether or not the hope, the dream, the aspiration, the possibility of being an actor is anywhere akin in Europe, in Britain, specifically, as it is here, Stateside. Because here, the media has such a huge presence in our lives, and so many people are impacted by it.

So many kids grow up wanting to be a star, because of the influence that media has here. So you do have some experience, obviously, with the way we do things here. Is it anywhere near that kind of...

Harris: We have the cult of celebrity also in England, and I think it's for our worse, in some respects, because our paparazzi are much more brutal over there.

Tavis: Oh, that's true. Much more aggressive, yeah.

Harris: Yeah, and there's a real invasion into people's private lives. And you have so many people who want to be stars for the sake of just being stars. That's never been something that I've wanted to be. Fame was never, in fact, part of my game plan. I just always wanted to be an actress. And fame is something that unfortunately follows with being a successful actress.

So, the two kind of go hand in hand, and you have to find a way of dealing with fame. But that was never what I wanted. And that's not what I'm in this for. I love playing completely different characters; I love the whole imagination and immersing myself into another world, and so on. And working with great writers and great directors. And that's why I'm in it for.

Tavis: All right, so, hate to break this to you, but once you're in, like, 'Miami Vice' and 'Pirates' at the same time in the same summer, that fame thing is coming.

Harris: I know. (Laughs)

Tavis: It's really gonna come. So have you started the process now, how you handle that?

Harris: No, because I live in London still, and nobody recognizes me. Ever. I wander around on the tube and the buses, and I get, nobody recognizes me at all. I was actually, I remember I did this, I think a program called 'White Teeth,' which was an adaptation of a Zadie Smith novel. And I got on the tube, and I realized that I was sitting under the poster of myself on the tube, and people were sitting opposite me, but nobody recognized me. (Laughs) Oh, this is great.

Tavis: Of course, now, this really isn't fair, 'cause if people expect you to look as you did in 'Pirates' when they see you on the tube, they would recognize you anywhere.

Harris: No, that's right.

Tavis: But let's hope not, at least.

Harris: That's why I chose the role, I think. (Laughs)

Tavis: Yeah. So you're cool, then. You like that, though. You like being able to get around and not be able to (unintelligible). Not know who you are.

Harris: Yeah, I do. I like to live an ordinary life. There's a real distinction that I like to make between work and my home life, and in my home life, I'm a very private person. Very quiet; I'm not really a party sort of animal, or anything like that.

Tavis: What do you enjoy most? I want to go back, 'cause I'm still fascinated by this notion that this is the only thing. I knew that whatever I was gonna do would be in running my mouth at some point. All I can do is talk. I have no other gift, no other talent, except to talk.

Harris: It's a fantastic gift, though.

Tavis: And some would argue that, well, some would argue that it's a gift, in fact. But that's another issue. (Laughs) But that's all I know how to do. But there are other things along the way that I thought about doing. You only wanted to do this. Why do you love it so much?

Harris: I think because I've always just lived in the world of fantasy, really. And I was bullied when I was at school, and...

Tavis: You were bullied?

Harris: Yeah.

Tavis: About what?

Harris: (Laughs) (unintelligible)

Tavis: Not you.

Harris: I don't know. I just wasn't popular, and people just would pick on me and find all sorts of things to make fun about, about my appearance and (unintelligible).

Tavis: So this is like the ultimate (makes noise).

Harris: (Laughs) Exactly.

Tavis: Yeah, okay. (Laughs)

Harris: So I kind of retreated into this fantasy world when I was at secondary school. And this world of imagination, and the world in which I was gonna marry Michael Jackson. So, (laughs) I felt safe there.

Tavis: That was real fantasy.

Harris: I know. (Laughs)

Tavis: (Laughs) As a matter of fact, that's something beyond fantasy. But we ain't gonna talk to that. He's in Bahrain, if you wanna go check him out (unintelligible). Anyway, for all of you watching in London, you haters, (laughs) and you bullies back in the day, Naomie Harris is a star. Don't believe me, check her out in 'Pirates of the Caribbean' and 'Miami Vice' at a theater near you real soon. It's an honor to meet you.

Harris: Well, thank you, you too.

Tavis: Glad to have you here.

Harris: Thank you.

Tavis: That's our show for tonight. Catch me on the weekends on PRI, Public Radio International. Check your local listings. See you back here next time on PBS. Until then, good night from L.A., thanks for watching, and as always, keep the faith.