First Look: Jharrel Jerome Stars As A 13-Foot-Tall Black Man in Upcoming Boots Riley Series ‘I’m A Virgo’

The first teaser for the upcoming Amazon Prime series “I’m A Virgo,” created by Boots Riley, has just been unveiled ahead of its scheduled debut at the SXSW Film & TV Festival on March 11th.

Jharrel Jerome, who won an Emmy for his lead performance in the limited series “When They See Us,” is the star of the coming-of-age dark comedy series. Jerome plays Cootie, a 13-foot-tall Black man from Oakland, California who grew up hidden away and therefore has spent the bulk of his life binge watching TV and reading comic books. He decides to breaks free from his secluded lifestyle to experience the adventure of the world beyond his room. Along the way, our protagonist forges new friendships, encounters awkward scenarios, and even crosses paths with his idol, the real life superhero known as The Hero (Walton Goggins).

In 2020, Riley spoke to IndieWire about the series. “I don’t want to give people a sense of what to expect. That’s my whole thing,” he said. “What I’ll say about it is it’s about a 13-foot tall Black man who lives in Oakland. It deals with a group of kids at an age that, because they’re Black, they’re not allowed to be kids. They’re not allowed to come of age. It’s about the way the world sees him, as opposed to how he sees himself.” 

Riley noted that the narrative comes from a place of integrity rather than manipulation. “For me, it’s really experiential. How do I keep you interested and wanting to keep watching, and how do I get you to feel something? I don’t want you to keep watching because I have done this easy, manipulative thing that makes you have to press ‘watch the next one’ again. I hate stories that don’t end… I’m not saying how many seasons it will be, but there’s a story that ends.”

The innovative and creative approach to storytelling appears to be a trademark of Riley’s work, who’s known for his mind-bending 2018 directorial debut “Sorry to Bother You.”

In the preview, we’re given a glimpse of Cootie’s newfound zest for life, including joy rides in a convertible with new friends. “Well, I’m a virgo, and virgos love adventure,” said Cootie in the trailer. 

“I’m a Virgo” stars Jharrel Jerome, Mike Epps, Walton Goggins, Brett Gray, Carmen Ejogo, Olivia Washington, Kara Young, and Allius Barnes. It was created, written, and executive produced by Riley. Jerome is also an executive producer of the series.

The series features seven episodes, and they are set to be released on Prime Video this summer. 

Watch the teaser below:

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