Damson Idris is stepping into the legacy of one of music’s greatest cultural disruptors, but for him, playing Miles Davis isn’t just about embodying a legendary jazz icon. It’s about capturing a deeply human love story.
In the upcoming film Miles & Juliette, Idris portrays Davis opposite French actress Anamaria Vartolomei as Juliette Gréco, bringing to life the real-life romance between the groundbreaking musician and the French singer-actress during their time in post-war Paris.
Produced in part by Mick Jagger, the film explores not just Miles Davis the genius, but Miles Davis the man; a lover, dreamer, and Black artist navigating systems far bigger than him.
Speaking recently in A Rabbit’s Foot magazine, Idris shared why the role resonated so personally.
“As a lover of jazz, he’s someone I was excited to portray,” he said. But his journey to Miles didn’t begin with trumpet solos or jazz club; it started with home.
Idris credits Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti as his gateway into jazz rhythms. Growing up around Nigerian sounds, the saxophone led him to the trumpet, and eventually to the unmistakable aura of Miles Davis.
“Very quickly, you find yourself at Miles Davis,” Idris said. “And like Fela, his story is a very African story. It’s about trying to succeed in a system you can’t control.”
He connected not just to Davis’ brilliance, but to the complexity of his experience. Davis came from privilege, yet still had to fight race, perception, and limitation.
“Even as a famous artist, he still had to face what so many Black people face,” Idris reflected.
But Miles & Juliette isn’t simply a biopic about struggle or artistic evolution, it’s a beautifully complicated love story. And that element was just as important for the Snowfall star.
“For me, the project was deeper than portraying Miles Davis,” he explained. “I wanted to exist in a romance. I wanted to play a role where I could be in love.”
He sees himself in the story of passion, distance, timing, and heartbreak. Like Miles, Idris lives life on the go, traveling, working, leaving, returning, bonding, and sometimes letting go.
“I related to Miles and Juliette’s story because I’m always on the road, meeting new people, falling for them, and then… having to say goodbye,” he shared.
That layered emotional perspective is exactly what makes Idris one of the most intriguing storytellers of his generation. Instead of simply “becoming” Miles Davis, he wants audiences to feel Miles Davis, the vulnerability, desire, cultural weight, and humanity beneath the legend.
Stay tuned for more details on Miles & Juliette.
With Miles & Juliette, Idris isn’t just stepping into history; he’s honoring it. And if his reflection is any indication, viewers should expect a performance rooted in depth, culture, love, and authenticity — the kind of storytelling Miles himself might have appreciated.
