Elijah Kelly Talks Strange MagicPosted by Brad Balfour
January 21, 2015
Upon meeting singer/actor Elijah Kelley, you can see how he infused his high-energy style into that of the lovable and loving Sunny — one of the key characters in the animated feature Strange Magic, the latest offering from Star Wars creator George Lucas, also the master producer of such other series as the Indiana Jones films.
From days in his hometown’s show choir, the 5’61/2 performer went from being a child actor in Coca-Cola commercials to landing a part in the film Mamma Flora’s Family. He also performed in his church choir and with his family’s gospel band before moving to Los Angeles after graduating from high school.
Appearances in such films as 28 Days, and Take the Lead, established Kelley as a capable actor; he’s also released several singles, continuing to write and record music as well.
Through a role in the 2007 musical film re-adaptation of Hairspray, this 28-year-old Georgian made his mark; the film received positive notices and spotlighted him enough that he came to George Lucas’ attention when the director was casting his war film Red Tails.
In many ways, Kelley as Sunny adds an energy and personality to Strange Magic that stands out. In this breezy one-on-one held at the Regency Hotel, the spry actor/singer makes so much of an impression that I hoped for the sequel, just to further the snappy conversation.
Some of the actors in this film have an extensive film resume, but you’re the only one that started out having a personal rep with George Lucas after having been cast in Red Tails — his film about the Tuskegee Airmen of World War 2. He even said he created the character Sunny with you in mind. What’s it like to have such status?
Elijah Kelley: It’s not something you want to take advantage of. At the end of the day it’s still work, it wasn’t a job filled with nepotism or favoritism, it was just me battling it out. And I later hear that George told people, “I wrote this with you in mind.”
He said that. You have the best press agent in the world there.
EK: He’s my guy. I slip him a twenty and he helps me out sometimes.
You said earlier that your mom commented on your character’s nose saying that she was proud to see it placed on Sunny’s face so prominently…
EK: My nose is very keen, it’s very pointed and small, so to get that…. You see what the animators were attracted to.
They focused in on it….
EK: The beard and the hair on the King looks like George’s.
What did you think of Sunny’s freckles?
EK: I don’t know where they came from, but they’re cute.
You have to evolve a character in an animated film in a whole other way from what you do as an actor in a live action film. Did you create a backstory in your mind for him and for Elf culture. How far did it go? Did you write a guide on Elf culture?
EK: I’m not going to write the glossary on Elf culture, but this character in particular stands for everybody that’s kind of looked over. The guy that’s in the friend zone [with girls], the guy that doesn’t get the first opportunity. He’s like Rudy. But then he does finally get his opportunity to prove himself and he does that. I feel Sunny speaks to those people that no one really expect anything from, but at the end of the day they provide the happiness and love that get people through their day.
You’re also doing a lot of singing, and it’d be a hell of a workout if you had to sing and do the things your character does while acting in a live action setting. Were you familiar with some of the songs?
EK: The song Strange Magic I had never heard before, ever, in my life. I had never heard of ELO, or any of it. It flipped my head. That was not my generation or a genre that piqued my interest. But as I grew more musically aware, became more eclectic, this movie opened my mind to a whole new musical world.
Did they tell you that some of your signature songs would have a reggae feel?
Elijah Kelley: They didn’t tell me that, they just told me the music would span five or six generations and everything encompassed in that timeframe could count as a selection. It was very vast.
In many ways you really establish the funny elements of the film. How did you feel carrying the movie as the comic relief?
EK: You don’t look at it like that. I feel I’m very goal oriented, as is Sunny. You never look at the end because it will intimidate you. So every mission Sunny took on was like me taking on the comedy relief portion of this film. You gotta do your portion and if you worry about the whole thing you get overwhelmed and intimidated.
Don’t take this the wrong but you’re not the tallest guy — so how did it feel to be play a really diminutive character.
EK: Much like Sunny, I don’t see size as thing that stops you from doing anything. He sees this tall handsome guy and he’s very condescending at times because he knows what he has on the inside is more than anything this guy could amount to. So I put that inside my character.
Is it weird that this could end up being the biggest movie you’ve done so far?
EK: I used to set out and do a film and say, “this is going to be the biggest film I’ve ever done.” But that’s not the right approach. The approach should be the work. But to have this kind of reaction to the film in this short an amount of time, it’s amazing.
When I took this job I never imagined it could be what it is. When you think of some animations, some animations go on to be amazing. Frozen started off as something no one really cared about it and now everyone is singing those songs. You never know, but you should always be prepared for the journey.
Do you also have an album on the way? How does this making this film influence where you want to go musically or professionally?
EK: It influences where I’m going because the level of work, the bar, just got raised a little higher. I have a growing resume, but it’s because I’m very selective. There are a lot of actors in my position, that are like me, they have an opportunity to make a lot of money early in their career, and they do that, and after that there’s nothing to sustain that. There’s no art or interest in your craft from the people that want to see you.
Were you recording your own album while working on this?
EK: I was recording bits of my own stuff, but I was mostly working on this project that I had been producing for the band Farrow. It’s two Somalian girls that were raised as refugees and they were the first Somalis in their country to get a major record deal. A lot of the subject matter they talk about is overcoming adversity, female empowerment, but it’s done in a very, very dope way. It’s not Kumbaya, it’s not corny. It’s very competitive music.
Is there music with African elements?
EK: There’s African undertones in a lot of the stuff. They say all the time “we don’t want to go so hard African because that’s who we are.” You don’t want to totally go there because I think the drums from Africa are like the heart of the music I want to do with them, but you want to compete and there aren’t a lot of Lion King songs on the radio. It has a special place that lives, but you want to hear real things, real subject matter. You want to hear someone’s heart smile and you want to hear someone’s heart break. There are different styles of music that usher that in.
You performance here was very distinctive. Have you learned something from doing it?
EK: Absolutely. Doing these interviews I learned a lot about myself and I learned a lot about love just doing this interview. A lot of us are super duper shallow and the fact that these ugly creatures are falling in love with each other, it’s like man, you’ve got to get your stuff together and think about the big picture. That’s what I think people will get out of it. Love comes in all shapes and sizes.
Are you looking forward to seeing your action figure?
EK: I am.
Did you tell George that?
EK: He knows I want an action figure, I want a sequel, I want a spin off theme park, I’m very ambitious.
