When Naomie Harris Decided it Was OK to Play a Crack Addict (Video)

Naomie Harris, arguably best known for playing Moneypenny in the latest set of James Bond films, never wanted to play a crack addict.

But with Barry Jenkins’ sophomore film “Moonlight,” she couldn’t resist the opportunity to portray Paula, who she described to TheWrap as having “many more layers and complexity.”

Understandably, Harris has always sought to avoid the cliched roles often handed to black actresses. “I’d always drawn the line and said, ‘I’ll never play a crack addict’ — because I want to portray positivity,” the English actress said during an interview at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival.

Also Read: 'Moonlight' Debuts to Rapturous Applause, Tears in Emotional Screening at Toronto Film Festival

“But the script was so beautiful,” she said of the film, which debuted to ecstatic applause at the annual film festival on Saturday night in Toronto.

The film is about the treacherous world of drug dealing, crack addiction, love, poverty, family and sexual identity in 1990s Miami and marks the long awaited followup to Jenkins’ widely celebrated 2008 drama “Medicine for Melancholy.”

“Barry was so convincing in terms of telling me why it was an important role to take on,” Harris said of the writer-director.

Also Read: 'Moonlight' Telluride Review: Barry Jenkins Tracks a Tragic Childhood in Powerful Sophomore Film

“Here’s an opportunity to play a crack addict in a completely different way,” she added, citing her character’s multiple layers and added complexity.

“As actors that’s really what we’re doing — we inhabit souls,” said Harris.

A24’s “Moonlight” is executive produced by Brad Pitt and stars relative newcomer Trevante Rhodes as a man named Chiron. The film covers three different time periods in his life, as he confronts the struggles presented by his rough neighborhood and comes to terms with his sexuality.

Also Read: Watch the Gritty, Dreamy Trailer for 1980s-Set Drama 'Moonlight' (Video)

The film is based on the play “In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue” by Tarell Alvin McCraney and marks the first feature to be developed in-house at indie film distributor A24.

77 Eye-Popping Portraits From TheWrap's Toronto Film Festival Studio (Exclusive Photos)

Actor Gael García Bernal, "Neruda"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actors Gael García Bernal and Luis Gnecco, "Neruda"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actor Luis Gnecco, "Neruda"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Director Pablo Larraín and actor Gael García Bernal, "Neruda"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actress Holly Hunter, "Strange Weather"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actor Rami Malek, "Buster's Mal Heart"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Director Sarah Adina Smith and actor Rami Malek, "Buster's Mal Heart"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Director Sarah Adina Smith, "Buster's Mal Heart"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Director Ben Younger and actors Miles Teller and Aaron Eckhart, "Bleed for This"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actor Hisham Fageeh, "Barakah Meets Barakah"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actor Fatima Al Banawi, "Barakah Meets Barakah"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Director Mahmoud Sabbagh and Actors Hisham Fageeh and Fatima Al Banawi, "Barakah Meets Barakah"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Director Mahmoud Sabbagh, "Barakah Meets Barakah"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Director Kenneth Lonergan, "Manchester by the Sea"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actress Angela Sarafyan, "The Promise"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actress Shohreh Aghdashloo, "The Promise"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actor Marwan Kenzari, "The Promise"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actor Jarkko Lahti and Director Juho Kuosmanen, "The Happiest Day in the Life of Ali Maki"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actress Sônia Braga, "Aquarius"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Director Kleber Mendonça Filho and actress Sônia Braga, "Aquarius"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actor Ryan Gosling and director Damien Chazelle, "La La Land"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Director Damien Chazelle, "La La Land"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actress Riley Keough, "American Honey"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actress Sasha Lane, "American Honey"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actors Raymond Coalson, Sasha Lane, Riley Keough and McCaul Lombardi "American Honey"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Director Morgan Spurlock, "Rats"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Director Morgan Spurlock and Producer "Rats"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Producer Jeremy Chilnick, "Rats"

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Director Chan-Wook Park, "The Handmaiden"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Director Adam Leon and actors Grace Van Patten, Michal Vondel and Callum Turner, "Tramps"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actress Grace Van Patten, "Tramps"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actor Callum Turner, "Tramps"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actor Michal Vondel, "Tramps"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Director Adam Leon, "Tramps"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Director Claude Barras, "My Life As A Zucchini"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Director and actor Nick Cannon, "King of the Dancehall"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actress Natalie Portman, "Planetarium" and "Jackie"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actress Natalie Portman, "Planetarium" and "Jackie"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actress Lily-Rose Depp, "Planetarium"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actor Emmanuel Salinger, "Planetarium"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Director Rebecca Zlotowski, "Planetarium"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Director Rebecca Zlotowski with actors Natalie Portman, Emmanuel Salinger and Lily-Rose Depp, "Planetarium"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actors Kathryn Hahn, Gaby Hoffman, Jeffrey Tambor, Amy Landecker and Jay Duplass with creator Jill Soloway, "Transparent"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actor Jeffrey Tambor, "Transparent"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actress Gaby Hoffman, "Transparent"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actor Jay Duplass, "Transparent"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actress Amy Landecker, "Transparent"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actress Kathryn Hahn, "Transparent"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Creator Jill Soloway, "Transparent"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actress Isabelle Huppert and director Mia Hansen-Løve, "Things to Come"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actress Isabelle Huppert, "Things to Come"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Director-producer Fisher Stevens, "Before the Flood"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actor and director Ewan McGregor, "American Pastoral"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto

Also Read: ‘American Pastoral’ Toronto Review: Ewan McGregor Travels to Philip Roth Country, and Fits Right In
Actor and director Ewan McGregor, "American Pastoral"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actor and director Ewan McGregor, "American Pastoral"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actor and director Ewan McGregor, "American Pastoral"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actress Jennifer Connelly, "American Pastoral"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actress Jennifer Connelly, "American Pastoral"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actress Jennifer Connelly, "American Pastoral"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actress Uzo Aduba, "American Pastoral"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actress Uzo Aduba, "American Pastoral"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actress Dakota Fanning, "American Pastoral"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actress Dakota Fanning, "American Pastoral"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actors Uzo Aduba, Jennifer Connelly, Dakota Fanning and Ewan McGregor, "American Pastoral"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actors Uzo Aduba, Jennifer Connelly, Dakota Fanning and Ewan McGregor, "American Pastoral"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Producers Tom Rosenberg and Gary Lucchesi, "American Pastoral"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actress Fan BingBing and Director Xiaogang Feng, "I Am Not Madame Bovary"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Director Xiaogang Feng and actress Fan Bingbing, "I Am Not Madame Bovary"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actors Guo Tao, Dong Chengpeng, director Xiaogang Feng and actress Fan Bingbing, "I Am Not Madame Bovary"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Director Oliver Stone, "Snowden"

Also Read: ‘Snowden’ Toronto Review: Oliver Stone Plays It Aesthetically Safe

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Director Oliver Stone, "Snowden"

Also Read: ‘Snowden’ Director Oliver Stone Accuses Modern Hollywood of ‘McCarthy Era’ Self-Censorship (Exclusive Video)

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Director Oliver Stone, "Snowden"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actor David Oyelowo, "United Kingdom"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actor David Oyelowo, "United Kingdom"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Director Amma Asante and actor David Oyelowo, "United Kingdom"

Also Read: ‘A United Kingdom’ Review: David Oyelowo Drama Is a Ho-Hum Crowd Pleaser

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Director Amma Asante, "United Kingdom"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Director Amma Asante, "United Kingdom"

Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto

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Toronto 2016: Ryan Gosling, David Oyelowo, Miles Teller and Natalie Portman are among the stars who stopped by TheWrap’s studio at The Thompson Toronto

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