Jharrel Jerome made Emmy history when he won television’s top prize for his work in Ava DuVernay’s “When They See Us.” Just 21 years old, Jerome became the youngest person to win Lead Actor in a Limited Series and the first Afro-Latino actor to be nominated for and win an Emmy in any category. Five years later, Jerome has returned to the awards race, playing a 13-foot-tall man in Boots Riley’s genre-bending “I’m a Virgo.” The “Sorry to Bother You” filmmaker turns to television with a coming-of-age story that is equal parts heart-warming, thought-provoking, and evocative. A sharp satire about capitalism, race, and media (among many other things), Jerome infuses the many turns of Riley’s script with empathy, tenderness, and seriously impressive range. In conversation with Next Best Picture, Jerome is deep in thought, and his curiosity and humanity as an actor and artist are on full display. He discusses capturing the psyche and physicality of a larger-than-life yet vulnerable character and trusting in Riley’s vision for “I’m a Virgo,” a collaboration that has yielded some of the year’s best television. Please be sure to check out “I’m a Virgo,” which is available to stream on Prime Video and is up for your consideration in all eligible Emmy categories. Thank you, and enjoy!
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