Keith Powers Kills It In His First Major Leading Role in Netflix’s ‘The Perfect Find’

The Perfect Find— a new romantic comedy that premiered at Tribeca Film Festival Wednesday night, and will stream on Netflix next week—would never work without the perfect leading man. The story, which is based on the 2016 novel of the same name by Tia Williams, asks audiences to believe that a 40-year-old career-driven woman would risk it all for romance with her boss’s twenty-something son. In other words, that son had better be extremely dreamy, charming, lovable, and yes, hot. Luckily, actor Keith Powers, who plays Eric in The Perfect Find, is all of the above.

Directed by Numa Perrier (known for her buzzy debut feature, Jezebel), with a screenplay adapted by Leigh Davenport, The Perfect Find tells the story of Jenna Jones (Gabrielle Union), who goes to her old frenemy, Darcy (Gina Torres) to ask for a job after undergoing a public break-up with her famous, longtime boyfriend. Why is he famous? Don’t worry about it! What exactly is Jenna’s new job? It’s not super clear! (It has something to do with a fashion magazine, but there doesn’t seem to be any reporting, writing, or editing involved.) But none of that matters, because when Jenna meets a beautiful young man named Eric (Powers) at a party, sparks fly.

The chemistry between Union and Powers is instantaneous and electric, so much so that you don’t even question it when Jenna climbs into Eric’s lap in the middle of a party. Things get complicated when Jenna finds out the next day that the man she drunkenly made out with at a party is, in fact, her boss’s son. Not only that, but she and Eric will now be working together in a professional capacity, on a vague magazine project. (Eric is an amateur filmmaker. It’s not clear how this relates to the fashion magazine. Just go with it!) After some bickering and hurt feelings, Jenna and Eric agree to leave their romance in the past, and work together as colleagues.

Their resolve doesn’t last long. At a wine-and-weed-fueled dinner party, Jenna and Eric are drawn to each other like magnets. Here, Powers demonstrates his ability to employ “The Look,” aka his ability to gaze longingly at his love interest. Powers puts everything he has into that smolder, his eyes flickering over Union’s face as he drinks in her beauty. His desire is palpable, so much so that you’ll find yourself squealing with delight when Jenna catches the back of his shirt as he turns to leave, and pulls him in for a heady kiss instead.

And it’s not just the romantic longing and kissing, though Powers is very good at both of those things. He also deftly handles Eric’s more dramatic moments, from naked, post-sex confessions about his late father to his understandable dismay at the movie’s shocking third-act twist. No matter how contrived or ridiculous the story gets, Powers’ reaction always feels authentic.

This is not Powers’ first time on screen, but it is his first time in such a major leading role. Previously, he had a small role in 2015’s Straight Outta Compton, and he also played a regular on the 2017 BET miniseries The New Edition Story. Before The Perfect Find, Powers was perhaps best known for his public four-year relationship with actress and singer Ryan Destiny, until the couple split (via an announcement in People) in early 2022. Now that he’s had a chance to show off his considerable acting skills, it’s a wonder he’s not a bigger star. And yet, The Perfect Find is Powers first-ever offer, according to the actor.

“I was super appreciative because offers aren’t something you take for granted in this industry,” Powers said during the post-premiere Q&A on Wednesday night. “This was literally my first offer, and it means so much to me.” His admission was met with enthusiastic applause from the audience.

Powers explained that he got a call during the pandemic from the film’s producer, Tommy Oliver, to read The Perfect Find script, and didn’t realize he was being offered the lead role at first. “I was like, ‘So what’s my role?’ He was like, ‘You’re [Gabrielle Union’s] love interest!’ I was like, ‘Me?!'”

Powers may have been surprised, but he was undoubtedly the perfect man—and the perfect find—for the job. Hopefully, this is just the first of many more leading man roles to come for Powers. That man knows how to make an audience swoon.