Jharrel Jerome

Jharrel Jerome was born on October 9, 1997, in the Bronx, New York, where he was also raised. His acting journey commenced in eighth grade when his mother encouraged him to pursue acting, leading him to join the Riverdale Children’s Theatre, a local youth organization. He later honed his craft at Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School, commuting daily to Manhattan. Shortly after enrolling at Ithaca College, Jerome secured his first professional acting role in the 2016 independent film “Moonlight” as a young Kevin.

Jerome gained significant recognition for his portrayal of Korey Wise in Ava DuVernay’s 2019 Netflix miniseries, “When They See Us.” This role earned him the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie, making him the first Afro-Latino to achieve this honor. His career continued to advance with roles in major productions such as the Amazon series “I’m a Virgo” (2023), where he also served as executive producer, and the animated film “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” (2023), lending his voice to Miles G. Morales and The Prowler. Looking ahead, Jerome is slated to appear in “Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse” in 2027.

Beyond acting, Jerome has established himself in the music industry. He released his debut single “For Real” in 2020, followed by “Someone I’m Not” in 2022 and “Chinatown” in 2023. These releases are part of his upcoming four-part project, “Someone I’m Not,” with the first part, “Rap Pack,” released in 2023 through Sony Music. His diverse talents and compelling performances have earned him numerous accolades, including a Performer Award from the TIFF Tribute Awards in 2024 for his work in the film “Unstoppable,” where he portrays wrestler Anthony Robles.