DETROIT – From his hit ABC TV drama The Good Doctor, to his coffee shop business in Detroit, and what he loves most about our city, actor Hill Harper joined Michigan Chronicle recently to chat it up with Digital Anchor Andre Ash.
“What makes Detroit so special, are the people,” said Harper. “I think folks in Detroit are some of the best people in the world.”
He also let it be known he wished Detroit has a better sports team. “Lets just hope the sports team can do a little better. I want the Pistons to be great. I want the Tigers to be great. I want the Lions to be great!”
The TV and movie star owns the Roasting Plant coffee shop inside the First National Bank building in downtown Detroit. He says the shop has remained open throughout the pandemic, despite losing money.
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“Coffee brings people together, great coffee shops …we wanted the put a flag in the ground and say we’re here, we’re not going anywhere and we’re going to support the city.”
Harpers currently stars in the ABC TV drama, The Good Doctor. The show centers around a young surgeon who is dealing with autism and how he adds value to his medical profession and society. Filming the show which takes a cast and crew of 200 people hasn’t always been easy in the middle of a pandemic. “One of our cast members was hospitalized for COVID while we were filming,” Harper said.
From being an actor, philanthropist, author, and business owner – this is a busy man! So what gets Hill Harper through the day? His son.
“My son is Peirce, he 5 year’s old. He’s a huge part of my life and my heart.” But music also gets Harper through his busy schedule. Music artist HER stays on his rotation, he says.
“I’ve been listening to a lot of HER. She is just amazing, her music is incredible.” He recalls listening to Sade and Lauren Hill and believes HER has that same soul vibe with a modern twist.
Harper was recently in Detroit to help raise funds for free suicide prevention training at the 2021 Reach for Hope Benefit. The benefit featured a performance of the critically acclaimed play “Right Before I Go”, written by Southfield native and “Golden Girls”, “Gilmore Girls” writer Stan Zimmerman, starring actor Hill Harper and directed by Emilio Rodriguez.
“In this time and window of COVID, we know that levels of depression has increased dramatically,” said Hill Harper. “We know folks not convening publicly and not coming together has impacted people’s level of loneliness, frustration, depression, feelings about suicide – having a play that goes in that I think is very powerful.”
More on suicide benefit event, here: bit.ly/3jxgaRg
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