“A 13-foot-tall black man from Oakland.”
That's how “I'm a Virgo” creator Boots Riley introduced his latest show to actor Jharrel Jerome. “This is the harshest email subject line I have ever seen. “I don’t know what he’s talking about.” Jerome says: Diversity's awards circuit podcast. A week later, Riley was in the hotel room with a briefcase with a drawing of what this show would look like and a mini-doll for Jerome to visualize.
And yes, Jerome was worried. He thought he would have to act in front of a green screen all day. But that wasn't true. Riley, who had the entire show in mind long before the streaming service launched, wanted to do everything practical and in-camera. As part of his presentation, Riley demonstrated how to make Jerome look like a giant by using specific camera angles and incorporating a set of miniatures.
In this edition Diversity Awards Circuit Podcast Jharrel Jerome discusses the casting process for “I'm a Virgo,” working with co-star Walton Goggins, his burgeoning music career, and more. Also in this episode, “Fargo” executive producer Noah Hawley talks about his stellar season 5. Listen below!
The Amazon Prime Video series follows 19-year-old Cootie (Jerome), a 13-foot-tall “giant.” When the city of Oakland becomes aware of his presence, he ends up being attacked.
Jerome, whose works include 'Moonlight', 'When They See Us' and 'Concrete Cowboy', admits he was both scared and excited about the prospect of taking on the character. Revealing how things were done on set to create the illusion that Cootie was a giant, he said: “I never looked my scene partner in the eye during any of the scenes. “I had to see the X in the eyeliner or the miniature dolls they designed.”
Due to the practicalities of the camera's internals, scenes often took up to two hours to film due to the specificity involved.
“I Am a Virgo” explores themes of capitalism, poverty, and police brutality and their impact on the black community, while using fantasy elements to tell the story. Kuti experiences the real world for the first time after escaping from the safe house where her parents had kept her. Along the way, he makes new friends, including staunch leftist Jones (Kara Young). Kuti, who wants to be treated like a normal person, begins to find ways to use his size to fight against the evils of capitalism as part of his journey.
To explore Cootie's mindset, Jerome explains that he has stopped seeing the character as a giant. Instead, he approached the character as someone experiencing childlike wonder. “I almost took advantage of his vulnerability and his naivety.” He continued, “He is only 19 years old, but he has been locked in the house his whole life by his parents.”
Jerome also talks about his quiet fanboy moments. In the series, he stars opposite Walton Goggins, who plays the hero, an evil vigilante who goes toe-to-toe with him. Appreciating Goggins' work in “The Hateful Eight” was a moment for the young actor. “He is a legend.” Jerome said.
Later in the episode, Jerome admits to being a huge Quentin Tarantino fan, having seen his movies in school. “I saw ‘Reservoir Dogs’ first. And then I immediately saw ‘Pulp Fiction’. After that, I decided what kind of movies I liked. He determined what kind of movies I fell in love with, and that was character-driven movies.”
When not acting, Jerome turns his attention to his other love: music. He made his music debut in 2020 with the single “For Real”. And he's released singles here and there, but for now, that space is just for him. “You’re doing this because of me. “No one ever told me to do that.”
He considers writing music therapeutic and is constantly inspired. He takes out his phone and opens the Notes app. It's an endless scroll of notes he took throughout the day. He has an idea for a song he wants to write, inspired by something that is no longer present in a person's life. “It could be a heartbreaking song. “It’s a song about this house far away,” he teased.
He definitely has the material to put out an album. He has over 400 songs on his phone. “I was able to listen to my music continuously for 10 days,” he said with a laugh. “I will succeed in music. “I have confidence in that,” he promised.
After filming “I Am Virgo” and being immersed in the fantasy world, he admits that he watched more fantasy films and gained a deeper appreciation for them. No, he’s never seen the Harry Potter movies or the “Lord of the Rings” movies, but they’re on his list.
“I could play a talking dragon,” he joked.
If you're listening, Boots Riley…
“Fargo” stars Juno Temple as Dorothy “Dot” Lyon and Jon Hamm as Roy Tillman. (Michelle Fay/FX)
Meanwhile, in this episode, which first aired last November, Juno Temple appears as Dorothy “Dot” Ryan, a Minnesota housewife whose dark secret is about to be revealed. Written by Jon Hamm) found her. Roy is a rancher, preacher, and framer of the Constitution who believes he alone is above the law.
“Fargo” executive producer Noah Hawley said the challenges of filming globally, including filming in Canada for “Fargo” and Thailand for the upcoming “Alien” TV series, and how tax incentives and sound stage availability made filming difficult. We discussed whether it was necessary.
Hawley also discusses the unique tone and atmosphere of 'Fargo' despite changes in setting, cast, and time period. “I really wanted to see the Minnesota Nice idea that Joel and Ethan came up with. [Coen] As defined in the movie Fargo. Basically, these are people who don't know anything other than being polite. So, as your stress level increases, you don't know how to express yourself. So they can't bend, they just break.
“But there is nothing passive about the attacks we see in our country today,” he says. “No one pretends to be nice anymore. How can we restore that basic decency, that social contract? What is the biggest part of Dot’s journey? [in Season 5]. She wants to be that classy person. She loves being married and raising her daughter. Her world keeps telling her no. We will force you to live in this other world. And she refuses to live in that world.”
Hawley notes that both British and Jewish humor influenced his writing style and can be seen in “Fargo.” “Douglas Adams in ‘The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’ was a big influence on me,” he says. “And his father brought back a lot of Goon Show records, Peter Sellars and Spike Milligan from his time in England. I grew up listening to really outrageous radio stations. And of course, ‘Monty Python’ appeared. So all those elements of that kind of dryness and absurdity are a little mean, but not unkind. But on the other hand, it also has a long tradition of Jewish humor. And in some ways, there are some interesting similarities, which is why I think the tone of Cohen's voice suits the British sensibility. Especially when you get to the Midwest.”
About casting Hamm, who has moved between comedy and drama in recent years, Hawley says: “Jon Hamm is a Muppet. When you hang out with him, he's one of those bouncy faces, anything is his game. “He understands comedy instinctively, but he’s also a straight man.”
Later, we discuss the season finale, focusing on Roy Tillman's character and his expression of Trumpism, a satisfying conclusion to Jon Hamm's character storyline, and themes of justice and responsibility in society.
Hawley then shares his thoughts on reinventing the 'Alien' franchise, explaining how it will be separate from the film franchise and have its own mythology.
Variety's “Awards Circuit” podcast, produced by Michael Schneider, is your one-stop destination for lively conversation about the best in film and television. Each week, “Awards Circuit” features interviews with top film and television talent and creators. Discussions and debates about award ceremonies and industry headlines; And much more. Subscribe through Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes are published every week.