Aaron Harris We’re very happy to have some time today with acclaimed actor Aaron Harris; greetings and salutations Aaron and welcome to Vents Magazine! Before we dive down the proverbial Q&A celluloid rabbit hole, how is the back-end of 2024 treating you and yours? It’s been a great year – and I’ve been having a lot of fun! I’ve been spending most of my time on location or on set filming – which is what I love doing the most! I also have to go to school at the same time, which is important, but not that much fun to talk about… Major congratulations on your upcoming bravura turn in CBS’s Matlock reboot which is set to premiere this October 17! For anyone not in the know, can you explain what this new iteration of Matlockis all about and how your character of Alfie figures into the proceedings? Well, I can’t say all that much about it, because there are some surprises in store for our audience that I don’t want to spoil. But I can say that it’s definitely not the “Matlock” everyone may be expecting. It’s more than just a show about lawyers and the legal cases they deal with – and there’s a whole lot more to Kathy Bates’ Matlock than what you see on the surface. Did you know as soon as the chance came across your professional desk to work on the new Matlock series that this was a production you wanted to be a part of?
Photo credit Ryan West
Beau Bridges! What was it like exercising your own considerable acting chops alongside this talented group of actors? I have to pinch myself sometimes when I’m on set because it’s still surreal that I get to act with such incredible talent. I definitely feel very lucky – as someone just getting started in my career – that I get to learn from the absolute best! Speaking of collaborations, you have an incredible pool of talented directors who have been tapped to helm the first season of the reimagined Matlock series! What was it like collaborating with the likes of Kat Coiro and Daniel Willis on the series? Are they what some actors might refer to as “an actor’s director”? Every director I’ve had the chance to work with on Matlock has been fantastic. As a kid working with all adults, I really appreciate that they’ve been so supportive, and treated me just like the adult actors in the cast. Kat has been amazing from the start, and her enthusiasm for the show and the cast is definitely contagious. Can you give our ever-inquisitive readers a hint or three as to what they can expect and look forward to with the new Matlockseries? All I can say is that it has something for everyone – drama, mystery, suspense, comedy, you name it. The writing is incredible – which also makes our jobs as actors very easy!
I definitely knew it was a great opportunity – and I was excited to audition for it – mostly because I knew it would be a chance to work with an absolute legend, Kathy Bates! Acting-wise, who inspires you? Going into this new version of Matlock, how familiar were you of the original classic version of the series which starred the legendary Andy Griffith? I’m only 13, so I have to admit I didn’t know much at all about the old TV show, so I had to learn about that from my parents, who filled me in on the history. You work with such a talented ensemble in the new Matlock, including the likes of Kathy Bates, Skye P. Marshall, David Del Rio, Jason Ritter, and
Well, as I now tell everyone who asks, my favorite actor – my favorite person – is Kathy Bates! She’s incredibly kind and generous, and from day one has treated me the same way she treats all of her adult cast-mates on the show. I am learning from her every time we share a scene, and I have enjoyed every minute of it. Any final thoughts you might like to leave readers with regarding CBS’s upcoming Matlock series? I promise it will be fun to watch – just get ready for lots of twists!