Amazon has ordered the Boots Riley series I’m A Virgo with Emmy winner Jharrel Jerome attached in the lead role. Albert Cheng, television co-head and COO of Amazon Studios released a statement.
“’I’m A Virgo’ is refreshingly original and there’s nothing else like it on television,” Cheng said. “No one is quite like Boots, and we’re so excited to be working with him and Jharrel on this fantastical, funny, and utterly unique new series. We can’t wait for our Prime Video customers to see it.”
Written and directed by Riley, the half-hour series will follow a 13-foot-tall Black male who resides in Oakland, CA. Riley will executive produce alongside Jerome, Tze Chun, and Media Res’ Michael Ellenberg.
Transitioning from the world of music as the leader of the band The Coup, Riley made his feature film directorial debut with the 2018 fantasy sci-fi Sorry To Bother You, garnering him critical acclaim and mainstream recognition.
“I’m thrilled to be working with Amazon on this project,” Riley said. “This show will either have me lauded or banned, and as such, I have demanded payment up front.”
Jerome first landed a feature film as the 16-year-old version of Kevin in the award-winning Moonlight. Since then, he’s acted in the courtroom drama series All Rise, Ava DuVernay’s mini-series When They See Us, and the TV series Mr. Mercedes.
