Go to the wine

and cheese night.

But I went to a wine and cheese night and I met someone there at my friend's party and she said, you're really funny.

You should audition for my fiance's new show.

And I was like, I don't do those kind of films anymore.

not anymore not anymore okay people pay me you know so they were like no no I'm serious you should audition for my fiance and I was like sure who's the casting director and I was like oh my gosh it's someone that I've never gone in for because Allison had cast you know The Office Golden Girls Fresh Prince of Bel-Air all these classics and I was like I need to go in for her and I thought that I was like I'm not gonna get this part it's not for me I'm sure she's just being nice The character was 25 years older than I am.

So I was like, it's not right for me.

else that you're doing professionally that you want to talk about?

Yeah, like it's basically you go

to schools and you do a production and there's different shows like, you know, bullying or like the high school one even talked about teen pregnancy and like HIV, like, you know, things that go through your mind when you're in high school.

And so I turned that job down and take the Japan job.

So they saw that I was in L.A. because I posted things on MySpace or something back then.

And they're like, we saw that you're are you in L.A.? And I was like, yeah, I'm here for only the week.

And I go back to New York.

Do you want to come in for a meeting? And I was like, oh, I was like, OK, yeah.

Sherry Renee Scott's in it.

No sé si la Vuelta Ciclista a España hace esto o no lo hace con nadie.

No, no, no lo hace.

No lo hace con nadie porque lo hubiéramos hecho antes.

Entonces, no, no lo hace con-- absolutamente con nadie.

Además, más allá de las posibilidades que haya, eh, lo que yo creo que no puedes abrir es melón.

Si lo quieren hacer otros, que lo hagan.

Hay cauces para hacerlo, está regulado, pero nosotros, eh, no lo, no lo hacemos.

Es por eso, ¿no? Entiendo.

Moving on to Atlanta, whose side were you on, uh, Shamia or Porsha?

I'm always on Porsha's side 'cause I feel like Porsha has really good retort [laughs] like with anyone who fights with her.

Uh, Shamia and her being friends and not being friends anymore really breaks my heart.

I feel like there was a genuine friendship there.

I just want them to get back to a good place.

Ooh.

Yeah.

And, uh, we were villains together in that and became besties.

like,

No one would want to visit or touch the victims who were, you know, in the hospitals and whatnot.

So she would go and, like, visit and whatnot.

And she started a program called Operation Teddy where we purchased and donated bears to people who were in hospitals and hospitals.

Living with AIDS to not feel alone.

And looking back, that was heavy material to be giving seventh-grader and eighth-grader.

But I actually applauded for doing that because that made me think about stuff in a more mature way.

not true, not

If you could look back at your most difficult in-between period, the time before the big breaks and everything, what would you tell yourself? What would you say to the younger Harvey?

Oh, man.

Don't waste so much time trying to fit everyone else's description of you.

Don't waste so much time trying to fit a mold that was never made for you.

You know, I spent so many years, 'cause I didn't know the business in Hollywood, and hearing people who I, I admired and, and thought, you know, they're, they're in the business.

They know what they're talking about.

So when they tell you stuff, you gotta listen, you know? I like...

Yeah.

A- as an artist, as somebody who is so deeply rooted in your space, can you just tell us how, how is it all fitting into your head?

Well, my home was damaged.

It caught on fire, but it is still standing.

To tell you a little backstory, the day that we were evacuated for the house, I, I'm a first-generational homeowner, and I bought this house a year ago, and I just announced it to my mom last Christmas.

I had tricked her into thinking we were going to an Airbnb, and I told her the news that I bought this house, that it wasn't an Airbnb, and she cried, and I cried, and that for me was one of my favorite moments to have.

So It's important for me to let people know that I'm very lucky.

I am very lucky.

Like, you grew up as Javier."

Can you tell me like who could be like the party room, the host? What do people say? You know, there's a rumor that it's you.

Well, legally I can't say it's me, but if I...

I was acquitted, first of all.

Yeah, obviously.

I was acquitted.

It's just, yeah, I feel like we turned into our dressing room, which is the original Club Cummings, by the way.

It's kind of insane.

Now, what shenanigans can you tell us about? Ooh,

Put your hands on your hips.

Do the chameleon twist.

Do the turtle make love.

Do the monkey.

Do the same.

Let's do the Time Warp again.

[audience cheering]

What's your message to anyone watching right now?

How did you first want to be an actor? Like when you were a kid, like how did that come about?

I wanted to be a kid because I was watching Annie, the musical, the film.

That's what we Really? And so I literally watched Annie and I was home on winter vacation with my mom, single mom.

Like, you know, we were home and like, we're just like hanging out and I was watching this thing, which I thought was a new TV show.

And I was like, oh, that's a pretty long show, but it's really good.

And I remember just looking over my mom and I was like, mom, I want to be that when I grow up.

I want to be an orphan.

What was your first like, so did you go to acting school or did you go

Does it feel real yet?

It, it doesn't and it does because this cast is so amazing.

I mean, the talent that you just mentioned, and, and besides everyone else who's in the cast, it's just like, uh, going to, like, summer camp with people that you like and doing what you love every day, which is singing and dancing.

Uh, it's just been incredible.

And I...

it hasn't hit me yet.

I think it's gonna hit me.

Yes.

Yeah.

And so, like, and through my window I could see the fireworks.

And so I always wanted to go, and then when I was actually old enough to go and my mom and dad took me as a surprise, 'cause I would nag them, I, they finally took me when I was, like, six.

And that was the one time I went, and I did not go.

So expensive to go to Disneyland.

Mm-hmm.

And like, I think we were planning, like, a trip or something, a group trip, and I group text everyone and included their current, like, partner in the group text, like, "Hey, guys, blah, blah," and got a text like, "What are you doing?" And I was like, "What? What do you mean?" "Why is he in the group chat?" And I was like, "'Cause is, didn't you say he's coming to the thing?" "If you want to convey something to them, text me and I'll let them know."