Ed Harris found himself reflecting on a chapter from his past while preparing for his latest role. The 74-year-old actor and filmmaker portrays an emotionally closed-off army veteran in his new film, My Dead Friend Zoe. In the lead-up to this role, he couldn’t help but think back to his time living with a former roommate who had undergone severe physical and emotional trauma from combat.
“In the early ’70s, I lived with a fellow who had lost his right arm and left limb in combat,” Harris recalls to PEOPLE. “He was a mechanic, and I worked with him in his gas station, and he was suffering. He had left his wife and kids, and he was drinking a lot. We spent a lot of time together.” This poignant memory underscores the impact Harris’ former roommate had on him, as he reflects on the depth of his friend’s suffering. “His pain was so deep, and you just can’t forget that,” he explains. “It’s just part of you. You understand something. I couldn’t help but think back on those days.”
In addition to the memories of his former roommate, another man significantly influenced Harris’ decision to take on his latest role, which includes Travis Kelce as an executive producer. “What inspired me was Kyle Hausmann-Stokes, the director and the writer of the movie,” the actor shares. “I met with him, and he talked to me about his own experiences in combat and how he lost two of his buddies when he came back to the States who killed themselves. He wanted to make this film to save lives.” Harris’ enthusiasm for the project was evident as he noted the importance of the script: “It was a really good script, an interesting character, and I really wanted to work with this man, a first-time director. I think I was the first person cast in the film, and I said, ‘Yeah, man, let’s do it. I want to help you do this.’”
This project marks Harris’ first collaboration with Hausmann-Stokes, but it’s not his first time portraying a veteran. “I did one film called Jacknife where I got to know a lot of the vets, Vietnam vets, who were in a VFW post in Naga Tuck, Connecticut,” he recalls. “I spent a lot of time with those guys and really got a sense of how they were dealing with their own experiences individually.” This background has given Harris a unique perspective that enriches his portrayal in My Dead Friend Zoe.
Working alongside Sonequa Martin-Green, who plays Merit—his granddaughter struggling with PTSD after losing her best friend in combat—made the experience even more rewarding for Harris. “She was just so committed to playing this character, and she had worked so hard in preparation,” he says of Martin-Green, who starred alongside him and Morgan Freeman in the film. Harris adds, “And so it was a really good experience because when you’re working with actors who give a damn and who are totally committed, and who are really good at what they do, it heightens your own experience and you just want to give it your best shot. And so you do.”
My Dead Friend Zoe isn’t the only film of Harris’ that is debuting in theaters on February 28. The actor also stars as an ex-criminal in the upcoming comedy Riff Raff, alongside Jennifer Coolidge, Pete Davidson, Bill Murray, and Gabrielle Union. “The director, Dito Montiel, sent me the script, and it was fun, it was a good character, and I mean, Jennifer was attached,” he reveals.
Harris is excited for viewers to experience both films, especially after watching his performance in the war comedy. “I thought it worked and it made me laugh, and I was emotional, and I always thought it was powerful, and I thought Kyle really achieved what he wanted to,” he shares. “I’m very proud to be a part of it.”
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, or text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741741, or visit 988lifeline.org.
