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Russell Harvard. Photograph by David Gordon

Top 10 Interesting Facts about Russell Harvard

Russell  Harvard was born on April 16, 1981, in Pasadena, Texas. His parents are Kay and Henry  Harvard.  Russell and his brother were born deaf.

When the boys were old enough to start school, the family moved to Austin, Texas so they could attend the Texas School for the Deaf (TSD). Russell attended TSD from kindergarten through the twelfth grade and graduated in 1999. After graduation, he enrolled at Gallaudet University, a deaf college, in Washington D.C., and graduated in 2008.

He has played several roles in his Acting  Career such as Nina Raine’s “Tribes”, William Shakespeare’s “King Lear” (as the Duke of Cornwall) with Glenda Jackson in the title role, and Aaron Sorkin’s adaptation of Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird” (as Link Deas and Boo Radley).

 His applauded performances in “King Lear” and “To Kill a Mockingbird” also marked a historic milestone for deaf actors on Broadway in roles that are not defined by their deafness. He also acted in TV masterpieces such as Paul Thomas Anderson’s There Will Be Blood (2007), Oren Kaplan’s The Hammer (2010), and Noah Hawley’s Fargo (2014).

Let鈥檚  learn  more about the  Top 10 Interesting Facts about Russell Harvard

1. He Comes From Three Generation oDeaf Family

Harvard was born in Pasadena, Texas into a third-generation Deaf family. He is the last born of two deaf sons of Kay and Henry  Havard. Both his parents and his paternal grandmother are deaf.

鈥淚 come from three generations of deaf people,鈥� says Russell Harvard, the charming American actor.

2. His Mother Could not Come up with a Name for him for Three  Days after his Birth

During his birth, his mother could not come up with a name for him. Thus, he stayed three days without a name. Interestingly, his grandmother named him Russell. 

鈥淢y grandmother named me Russell since my mum couldn鈥檛 come up with a name for me for three whole days after I was born.鈥�

3. He has Speech Capability  and Residual  Hearing

Due to his speech capability and residual hearing,  he was placed in an oral college. This oral college is a college for children who learn to lip read. However, he was unhappy and his parents switched him to a deaf school.

Harvard began his studies at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C.  During his college education, he took a hiatus to work as a teacher’s assistant for preschoolers at the Alaska State School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in Anchorage, Alaska.  

4. Harvard  was first   Smitten  with Acting  as a Child

Havard expressed his interest in acting as a child. This is when he saw his cousin play a witch role in The Wizard of Oz. This made me fall in love with dark roles.

In grade school,  he said he would love to play an all-deaf production of Macbeth on or Off-Broadway with Mr. Gold directing. However,  his grade students told him that boys could not play the role of a witch but he managed to play a female witch in a play while in fifth grade.

鈥淎nd my dad came and he saw the show,鈥� Mr. Harvard said. 鈥淎nd after, he came up to me and he鈥檚 like, 鈥榃hy? Why did you have to play a female witch?鈥� He was a little disappointed. And I said, 鈥榃ell because I wanted to.鈥欌��

5. He Wanted a Cochlear Implant

Havard wanted a cochlear implant. This was before he was totally against it. With modern technology, Havard is afraid that the Deaf character will be extinct and their language is forgotten.

鈥淚t might sound funny, but I鈥檓 afraid that in the future, the deaf community culture would be extinct because technology is taking over and there would be no more deaf people. In the future, genetic engineering, cochlear implants, the language will be forgotten 鈥� I was terrified of that.鈥� He said

6 He is Openly  Gay

Havard is gay. However,  he broke the news to his parents he was gay, it was difficult for his parents as the father expected a different scenario. His wish was for his son to have a wife, and kids as the ideal American family.

However, Harvard鈥檚 mother was easy with the news. 鈥淢y mom was easy and of course O.K. with it and my dad now admires me, but we just don鈥檛 quite talk about it, I guess you could say.鈥�

7. Harvard is well Recognised  for his Role in There Will Be Blood Film

Harvard鈥檚 film break came when his college professor received a casting call for deaf actors. This was for a Hollywood production. Russel took that chance of trying his luck by applying.

Interestingly, he eventually won the role of H.W in the film, There Will Be Blood. This movie made him more famous.

In addition, the role of Billy in Tribes’ film made him well-established. He portrayed a deaf who struggled to be heard in an outspoken hearing family. However, Billy learns sign language and finally finds his voice.  He also acted in the role of wrestler Matt Hamill in The Hammer.

8. He is always concerned about Casting in only  Deaf Roles and Theatre

Harvard casts in only deaf roles and theatre. However,  this is a bother to him as the roles are typically the same. His wish is to be part of other kinds of jobs.

In one of his interviews, he said 鈥淪ometimes. Roles are typically the same. I wish there was something else, but at the same time, I鈥檓 still glad that there鈥檚 a job out there for me. I try to be more optimistic. Hopefully one day, I鈥檒l get more different kinds of jobs.鈥�

9. Harvard  has Expressed  His Lifelong Passion for Music

Apart from acting, Harvard has expressed just lifelong passion for music.  He performs both lives at Deaf culture events and in amateur videos. 

On his YouTube channel, he enjoys popularity through his music. Harvard posts videos of himself performing  American  Sign language renditions of contemporary songs. His styles range from rock, pop ballads, rap, and hip-hop to dance-pop, rock, and synth-pop.

10. He is a Co-Founder of the Hip Hop Deaf Dance Troupe

Harvard founded the hip-hop Deaf dance troupe, Hipzu Funk, based in Austin, US. He founded the troupe along with  Jessica (JessKay) von Garrel, Sabrina Valencia, and Jesse Jones III.

Havard identifies himself as Deaf and considers  American  Sign  Language to be his first language.  However,  he can hear some sounds with the use of a hearing aid,  including speech and music.

His sublime qualities of profoundness, charisma, and insights as one of the best actors of his generation are also expressed through his superb screen work of memorable tour-de-force interpretations in film.