For creator, writer, director and co-showrunner Boots Riley, the idea for his Amazon Prime Video series “I’m a Virgo” came from “just wanting to talk about the differences between perception of people and how they perceive themselves.” Specifically, “if you saw a 13-foot-tall Black man walking down the street, the last thing most people would think about is what he thinks about himself, so I wanted to talk about that” and explore “people connecting to each other on a personal one-to-one level, but also on a societal level.”
But how did he turn lead actor Jharrel Jerome into that gentle giant? We gathered Riley and Jerome, along with costume designer Deirdra Elizabeth Govan, production designer Maxwell Orgell and visual effects supervisor Todd Perry for a special roundtable panel to discuss the making of the unique social satire. Watch it above.
See‘I’m a Virgo’ reviews: Emmy contender for 2024 is...
But how did he turn lead actor Jharrel Jerome into that gentle giant? We gathered Riley and Jerome, along with costume designer Deirdra Elizabeth Govan, production designer Maxwell Orgell and visual effects supervisor Todd Perry for a special roundtable panel to discuss the making of the unique social satire. Watch it above.
See‘I’m a Virgo’ reviews: Emmy contender for 2024 is...
- 5/20/2024
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
“Definitely the most challenging thing I’ve had to do thus far as an actor, a lot of mental gymnastics involved,” Jharrel Jerome admits about the uniqueness of his role in the Boots Riley-created absurdist series I’m A Virgo, on which he plays a previously extremely sheltered 13-foot-tall Oakland teen. “At no point do I look my scene partners in the eye, and as an actor that’s so critical, you know, as connection.”
Jerome, an Emmy winner for When They See Us, was joined by Riley and co-stars Olivia Washington and Walton Goggins, plus costume designer Deirdra E. Govan, for a conversation about their series at Deadline Studio at Prime Experience.
Watch the interview here and see photos from the event below.
Launched in June 2023 with all seven episodes, the small-screen debut of Coup frontman and Sorry to Bother You director Riley is a true display of originality...
Jerome, an Emmy winner for When They See Us, was joined by Riley and co-stars Olivia Washington and Walton Goggins, plus costume designer Deirdra E. Govan, for a conversation about their series at Deadline Studio at Prime Experience.
Watch the interview here and see photos from the event below.
Launched in June 2023 with all seven episodes, the small-screen debut of Coup frontman and Sorry to Bother You director Riley is a true display of originality...
- 5/13/2024
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
Jharrel Jerome in “I’m a Virgo” may play a 13-foot tall giant, but as he receives accolades for his performance during this awards season, he says it’s important to remember the “little moments” along the way. The 26-year-old star is starting to dream both big and small.
“When you become an actor, I feel like you forget to dream of these little moments here. You dream of the big screen, you dream of the flashing lights, you dream about the big red carpets and the photos, but you forget about the intimate moments like this, when you get into a room with artists who are as passionate as you,” Jerome said upon accepting the Performance Prize at the IndieWire Honors ceremony on December 6. He added that he didn’t know what to expect stepping into NeueHouse Hollywood for the occasion. But seeing the intimate space, he said, “this is dope.
“When you become an actor, I feel like you forget to dream of these little moments here. You dream of the big screen, you dream of the flashing lights, you dream about the big red carpets and the photos, but you forget about the intimate moments like this, when you get into a room with artists who are as passionate as you,” Jerome said upon accepting the Performance Prize at the IndieWire Honors ceremony on December 6. He added that he didn’t know what to expect stepping into NeueHouse Hollywood for the occasion. But seeing the intimate space, he said, “this is dope.
- 12/7/2023
- by Brian Welk
- Indiewire
On December 6, the 2023 IndieWire Honors ceremony will celebrate 11 filmmakers, creators, and actors for their achievements in creative independence. We’re showcasing their work with new interviews leading up to the Los Angeles event.
Hours away from attending the 33rd annual Gotham Awards as a nominee for both producing and acting in “I’m a Virgo,” an exuberant Jharrel Jerome, sitting inside The Beekman Hotel in New York, says “I’m ready to go do anything now.”
While he came off a couple of years out the spotlight with a whole surge of acclaimed 2023 projects like “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” and Max series “Full Circle,” it is the aforementioned Prime Video satire helmed by Boots Riley that’s earned him the Performance Award at IndieWire Honors on December 6 in Los Angeles, and become the most transformative experience for him — though playing the 13-foot-tall Cootie did not actually require putting the 5-foot-8-inch actor into the taffy puller.
Hours away from attending the 33rd annual Gotham Awards as a nominee for both producing and acting in “I’m a Virgo,” an exuberant Jharrel Jerome, sitting inside The Beekman Hotel in New York, says “I’m ready to go do anything now.”
While he came off a couple of years out the spotlight with a whole surge of acclaimed 2023 projects like “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” and Max series “Full Circle,” it is the aforementioned Prime Video satire helmed by Boots Riley that’s earned him the Performance Award at IndieWire Honors on December 6 in Los Angeles, and become the most transformative experience for him — though playing the 13-foot-tall Cootie did not actually require putting the 5-foot-8-inch actor into the taffy puller.
- 11/30/2023
- by Marcus Jones
- Indiewire
The Emmy-nominated creatives behind Prime Video‘s shows have sat down for another series of Master Crafts conversations with Variety‘s senior artisans editor Jazz Tangcay, drawing back the curtain on the complex process of bringing these wide-ranging series to the small screen.
In five separate conversations, Tangcay spoke with the teams behind “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “Daisy Jones and the Six,” “Jury Duty,” “Swarm” and “I’m a Virgo,” broaching everything from last-minute script changes to set building. In another conversation, Tangcay also spoke with the “Gen V” team.
Here are five takeaways from the creatives behind Prime Video’s latest hits:
‘Daisy Jones and the Six’: Collaborative Problem Solving
Costume designer Denise Wingate, production designer Jessica Kender; music supervisor Frankie Pine; co-creator, co-showrunner and executive producer Scott Neustadter and executive producer Lauren Neustadter gathered to discuss their adaptation of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s novel about a 1970s band reminiscent of Fleetwood Mac.
In five separate conversations, Tangcay spoke with the teams behind “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “Daisy Jones and the Six,” “Jury Duty,” “Swarm” and “I’m a Virgo,” broaching everything from last-minute script changes to set building. In another conversation, Tangcay also spoke with the “Gen V” team.
Here are five takeaways from the creatives behind Prime Video’s latest hits:
‘Daisy Jones and the Six’: Collaborative Problem Solving
Costume designer Denise Wingate, production designer Jessica Kender; music supervisor Frankie Pine; co-creator, co-showrunner and executive producer Scott Neustadter and executive producer Lauren Neustadter gathered to discuss their adaptation of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s novel about a 1970s band reminiscent of Fleetwood Mac.
- 11/6/2023
- by Jaden Thompson and Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
Editor’s note: This article contains spoilers from the Season 1 finale of “I’m a Virgo.”
With its launch on Amazon Prime last month, “I’m a Virgo” brought a burst of fresh attitude to the dense streaming landscape of new shows. While its future is unclear, there’s a lot more story to tell, if Amazon decides to greenlight a second season whenever the strike gridlock ends. “There has been a writers room for the other episodes besides the first episode of the second season,” creator and co-showrunner Boots Riley told IndieWire. “I’m trying to figure that out right now.”
Riley said that around 60 percent of the original script for the season had to be cut back for budgetary reasons (Season 1 cost $53 million), and the climax ending of the final, seventh episode was initially followed by two more scenes. “That would’ve wrapped a lot of stuff up,” Riley said.
With its launch on Amazon Prime last month, “I’m a Virgo” brought a burst of fresh attitude to the dense streaming landscape of new shows. While its future is unclear, there’s a lot more story to tell, if Amazon decides to greenlight a second season whenever the strike gridlock ends. “There has been a writers room for the other episodes besides the first episode of the second season,” creator and co-showrunner Boots Riley told IndieWire. “I’m trying to figure that out right now.”
Riley said that around 60 percent of the original script for the season had to be cut back for budgetary reasons (Season 1 cost $53 million), and the climax ending of the final, seventh episode was initially followed by two more scenes. “That would’ve wrapped a lot of stuff up,” Riley said.
- 7/13/2023
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
From the fiery sparks singeing the palms of Roman candle wielders nationwide, to the turgid temps threatening to burst the bulbous skulls off of every analog thermometer, to the spicy Scoville units lustily applied to backyard barbecue options, July is all about heat. And if like David Johansen’s alter ego, you like your Don’t-Miss Indies hot, hot, hot, well… Just keep reading. Just don’t go anywhere without sunscreen!
Flamin’ Hot
When You Can Watch: Now
Where You Can Watch: Hulu, Disney+
Director: Eva Longoria
Cast: Jesse Garcia, Annie Gonzalez, Dennis Haysbert, Emilio Rivera, Tony Shalhoub
Why We’re Excited: Most famous for her role as feisty and stunning Latina housewife Gabrielle Solis in the ABC megahit Desperate Housewives, Eva Longoria’s directorial debut is a biographical dramedy based on Richard Montañez’s (admittedly disputed) memoir, A Boy, a Burrito and a Cookie: From Janitor to Executive. The...
Flamin’ Hot
When You Can Watch: Now
Where You Can Watch: Hulu, Disney+
Director: Eva Longoria
Cast: Jesse Garcia, Annie Gonzalez, Dennis Haysbert, Emilio Rivera, Tony Shalhoub
Why We’re Excited: Most famous for her role as feisty and stunning Latina housewife Gabrielle Solis in the ABC megahit Desperate Housewives, Eva Longoria’s directorial debut is a biographical dramedy based on Richard Montañez’s (admittedly disputed) memoir, A Boy, a Burrito and a Cookie: From Janitor to Executive. The...
- 7/4/2023
- by Su Fang Tham
- Film Independent News & More
In “I’m a Virgo,” Jharrel Jerome plays a 13-foot-tall teenager in Oakland named Cootie raised by his aunt and uncle (Carmen Ejogo and Mike Epps) in secret. Over the course of the show’s first season, Cootie comes out of hiding, makes friends, and contends with media obsession over his height. Like Riley’s first feature “Sorry to Bother You,” the series develops its own internal logic as it transforms into a scathing indictment of capitalism from some very unexpected directions.
None of that would hold up without its central conceit, which proved challenging, given that Jerome is actually five feet and eight inches. Riley made the show with Amazon on a relatively modest $53 million budget (around the same time that its first season of “Lord of the Rings” cost a reported $1 billion). However, the minimal effects budget wasn’t the only reason he turned to puppets and forced perspective...
None of that would hold up without its central conceit, which proved challenging, given that Jerome is actually five feet and eight inches. Riley made the show with Amazon on a relatively modest $53 million budget (around the same time that its first season of “Lord of the Rings” cost a reported $1 billion). However, the minimal effects budget wasn’t the only reason he turned to puppets and forced perspective...
- 6/29/2023
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
[This story contains spoilers from the finale of I’m a Virgo.]
In the opening scene of Boots Riley’s mystical coming-of-age, superhero/supervillain origin story about a 13-foot Black teenager in Oakland, I’m a Virgo shows its giant protagonist Cootie (played by Jharrel Jerome), experiencing trauma when he was born. Still covered with blood after entering the world, viewers learn that his mother died at childbirth and see his adoptive mother, Lafrancine (Carmen Ejogo), frantically trying to calm the giant baby, who is about half the size of her petite frame.
Creator, writer and director Riley (known for his 2018 critically acclaimed film Sorry to Bother You) keeps that edge from the very first scene throughout his seven-episode Prime Video series. The limited series, an anti-capitalist satire, explores how those who are different and don’t quite seem to fit into society may just be the most normal. To the world at-large (no pun intended), Cootie appears as...
In the opening scene of Boots Riley’s mystical coming-of-age, superhero/supervillain origin story about a 13-foot Black teenager in Oakland, I’m a Virgo shows its giant protagonist Cootie (played by Jharrel Jerome), experiencing trauma when he was born. Still covered with blood after entering the world, viewers learn that his mother died at childbirth and see his adoptive mother, Lafrancine (Carmen Ejogo), frantically trying to calm the giant baby, who is about half the size of her petite frame.
Creator, writer and director Riley (known for his 2018 critically acclaimed film Sorry to Bother You) keeps that edge from the very first scene throughout his seven-episode Prime Video series. The limited series, an anti-capitalist satire, explores how those who are different and don’t quite seem to fit into society may just be the most normal. To the world at-large (no pun intended), Cootie appears as...
- 6/26/2023
- by Demetrius Patterson
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The mysterious antagonist of the Amazon series I’m a Virgo, directed by Boots Riley, is Jay Widow, also known as The Hero. Portrayed by Walton Goggins, The Hero captivates viewers with his unique and darkly humorous endeavors. Hero, whose journey is motivated by severe loneliness and a desire to escape the routine, intertwines fake heroism, disappointment, and the search for a meaningful connection in his life. Let’s delve deeper into his psyche to get to know him better.
Spoilers Ahead
How Did The Hero’s Perception Of Fake Heroism Get Shattered?
The Hero, also known as Jay Widow, was once a renowned comic book author who wanted to break free from the pages of a comic book and decided to bring his superhero alter-ego to life. Donning a superhero costume with a drone attached to it, he soared through the city. He intended to challenge what was regular and mundane,...
Spoilers Ahead
How Did The Hero’s Perception Of Fake Heroism Get Shattered?
The Hero, also known as Jay Widow, was once a renowned comic book author who wanted to break free from the pages of a comic book and decided to bring his superhero alter-ego to life. Donning a superhero costume with a drone attached to it, he soared through the city. He intended to challenge what was regular and mundane,...
- 6/24/2023
- by Poulami Nanda
- Film Fugitives
When Boots Riley was 12 years old, he wanted to be a superhero.
Growing up in the Eighties in East Oakland with a civil rights attorney father, the younger Riley was drawn to a different version of justice. He remembers losing himself in comic books — he loved Daredevil, and anything with ninjas — and coming away determined to make “caped crusader” a career path.
“I was in serious gymnastics, martial arts, throwing stars, doing nunchucks. I was practicing sneaking into rooms silently,” he recalls, some 40 years later, over lunch in Oakland on a warm afternoon.
Growing up in the Eighties in East Oakland with a civil rights attorney father, the younger Riley was drawn to a different version of justice. He remembers losing himself in comic books — he loved Daredevil, and anything with ninjas — and coming away determined to make “caped crusader” a career path.
“I was in serious gymnastics, martial arts, throwing stars, doing nunchucks. I was practicing sneaking into rooms silently,” he recalls, some 40 years later, over lunch in Oakland on a warm afternoon.
- 6/24/2023
- by Emma Silvers
- Rollingstone.com
There is simply nothing else on TV like “I’m a Virgo,” the new seven-episode series from creator Boots Riley for Amazon’s Prime Video. And that’s the point.
“The first time I heard of the project, Boots actually personally emailed me. And the title was ’13-foot-tall Black man in Oakland,'” series lead and executive producer Jharrel Jerome told TheWrap. “Like anybody else, when you read that you’re just immediately intrigued and curious. I just knew that this was something that was going to not only challenge me but challenge the audience.”
“I’m a Virgo” was actually the first idea for a TV series Riley pitched to Michael Elleberg, executive producer, founder and chairman of Media Res Studio. The show follows a 13-foot-tall Black man who leaves the house for the first time at the age of 19. Starring Jerome as Cootie, “I’m a Virgo” starts as an absurdist...
“The first time I heard of the project, Boots actually personally emailed me. And the title was ’13-foot-tall Black man in Oakland,'” series lead and executive producer Jharrel Jerome told TheWrap. “Like anybody else, when you read that you’re just immediately intrigued and curious. I just knew that this was something that was going to not only challenge me but challenge the audience.”
“I’m a Virgo” was actually the first idea for a TV series Riley pitched to Michael Elleberg, executive producer, founder and chairman of Media Res Studio. The show follows a 13-foot-tall Black man who leaves the house for the first time at the age of 19. Starring Jerome as Cootie, “I’m a Virgo” starts as an absurdist...
- 6/23/2023
- by Kayla Cobb
- The Wrap
This article contains spoilers for all seven episodes of I’m a Virgo.
There’s a lot going on in I’m a Virgo, Boots Riley’s seven-episode series on Prime Video. The mere premise of the show itself – that of a 13-foot tall young Black man from Oakland finding himself – is a lot to unpack. And that’s before the Sorry to Bother You filmmaker begins to introduce other elements of magical realism.
Cootie’s (Jharrel Jerome) journey to self discovery features: a cult cartoon called Parking Tickets that has the potential to drive people insane, a billionaire comic book writer who becomes his own fascist creation called The Hero (Walton Goggins), and of course: plenty of revolutionary labor politics.
All of those disparate threads come to a head in the I’m a Virgo finale in which Cootie and friends have sabotaged a power facility in a fruitless attempt at...
There’s a lot going on in I’m a Virgo, Boots Riley’s seven-episode series on Prime Video. The mere premise of the show itself – that of a 13-foot tall young Black man from Oakland finding himself – is a lot to unpack. And that’s before the Sorry to Bother You filmmaker begins to introduce other elements of magical realism.
Cootie’s (Jharrel Jerome) journey to self discovery features: a cult cartoon called Parking Tickets that has the potential to drive people insane, a billionaire comic book writer who becomes his own fascist creation called The Hero (Walton Goggins), and of course: plenty of revolutionary labor politics.
All of those disparate threads come to a head in the I’m a Virgo finale in which Cootie and friends have sabotaged a power facility in a fruitless attempt at...
- 6/23/2023
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
“I’m a Virgo” certainly has a unique premise. The Amazon Prime Video series, which premiered on June 23, tells the story of a 19-year-old named Cootie (Emmy winner Jharrel Jerome) who’s 13 feet tall and hidden away from the world until he sets out and meets a superhero named The Hero (Walton Goggins). That summary is less surprising when you realize the series was created by Boots Riley, the filmmaker behind the outlandish satire “Sorry to Bother You.” But what do critics think of his foray into television?
If TV journalists are any indication, “I’m a Virgo” is an early Emmy contender for 2024. As of this writing it has a MetaCritic score of 86 based on 17 reviews that have been counted thus far — all of them positive. It also has a Rotten Tomatoes freshness rating of 97% based on 33 reviews, only one of which is listed as rotten. The Rt critics’ consensus says,...
If TV journalists are any indication, “I’m a Virgo” is an early Emmy contender for 2024. As of this writing it has a MetaCritic score of 86 based on 17 reviews that have been counted thus far — all of them positive. It also has a Rotten Tomatoes freshness rating of 97% based on 33 reviews, only one of which is listed as rotten. The Rt critics’ consensus says,...
- 6/23/2023
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
At the end of Boots Riley’s 2018 debut feature, “Sorry to Bother You,” Cassius (Lakeith Stanfield) gets stretched and mutilated beyond recognition until he becomes a horse — all in service of the film’s cutting narrative about how capitalism is crushing us all. In “I’m a Virgo,” Riley’s new Amazon Prime Video series, that stretching comes before the story begins: 19-year-old Cootie (Jharrel Jerome) is 13 feet tall, and he ends up under attack when the city of Oakland learns about the giant living in its backyard — again, all in service of a cutting narrative about how capitalism is crushing us all.
“I believe that people should democratically control the wealth that we create with our labor,” says Riley, 52. The writer-director has identified as a communist since before he gained recognition for founding the political hip-hop group the Coup in 1991. “How do you get the working class to organize together?...
“I believe that people should democratically control the wealth that we create with our labor,” says Riley, 52. The writer-director has identified as a communist since before he gained recognition for founding the political hip-hop group the Coup in 1991. “How do you get the working class to organize together?...
- 6/23/2023
- by Selome Hailu
- Variety Film + TV
Jharrel Jerome is larger than ever - in real life and on screen. The 25-year-old actor stars in Prime Video's surreal series "I'm a Virgo" as Cootie, an overgrown, 13-foot-tall sheltered teen living in Oakland, CA. It's the first time Jerome has led a project since starring in award-winning titles like Oscar best picture "Moonlight" and Ava DuVernay's true-life-inspired series "When They See Us," making it his biggest role to date - and his biggest challenge. Really, everything about "I'm a Virgo" is big. Jerome is best known for his emotional performances in the aforementioned, the latter of which he tells Popsugar "was one of the hardest things I'll ever do." But "I'm a Virgo" - which, per Prime Video, follows Cootie as he "escapes to experience the beauty and contradictions of the real world" for the first time - was the ultimate acting test for him. The Boots...
- 6/23/2023
- by Njera Perkins
- Popsugar.com
Boots Riley's "I'm a Virgo" is his most daring and socially conscious work to date, and its ending still has our heads spinning. The "fantastical coming-of-age joyride" stars Jharrel Jerome as a 13-foot-tall awkward teen named Cootie living in Oakland, CA, who, for the first time in his sheltered life, ventures out into the city to discover everything he's ever missed out on - from young love and friendship to his obsession with Bing-Bang burgers. Most of all, though, the Prime Video series spotlights the harsh realities of being Black in America.
Over the course of seven episodes, now streaming, viewers step into Cootie's whimsical and slightly depressing world as he navigates all that his overprotective aunt and uncle (Carmen Ejogo and Mike Epps) have warned him about since he was a kid. But Cootie's curiosity is too strong to deter him from exploring his surroundings - even when they start to villainize him,...
Over the course of seven episodes, now streaming, viewers step into Cootie's whimsical and slightly depressing world as he navigates all that his overprotective aunt and uncle (Carmen Ejogo and Mike Epps) have warned him about since he was a kid. But Cootie's curiosity is too strong to deter him from exploring his surroundings - even when they start to villainize him,...
- 6/23/2023
- by Njera Perkins
- Popsugar.com
Boots Riley is sharing his approach to his genre-defying mystical limited series — an anti-capitalist satire — that drops on Prime Video Friday, I’m a Virgo. The Sorry to Bother You director, writer and musician, and vocal supporter of the ongoing writers strike, aims to spur action with his tale of a 13-foot protagonist, played by Jharrel Jerome, who is let out into the world at age 19.
In Riley’s creation of 13-foot-tall Cootie (Jerome), a giant growing up in Oakland who meets a group of teen activists, the director says his creativity uses the absurd to point out the obvious in real-life situations.
“I’m attracted to large contradictions,” Riley told Wired magazine in a recent interview. “I think about what I would think of as a good lyric. There’s this setup, which hopefully is good and says something in and of itself. But then there’s this other...
In Riley’s creation of 13-foot-tall Cootie (Jerome), a giant growing up in Oakland who meets a group of teen activists, the director says his creativity uses the absurd to point out the obvious in real-life situations.
“I’m attracted to large contradictions,” Riley told Wired magazine in a recent interview. “I think about what I would think of as a good lyric. There’s this setup, which hopefully is good and says something in and of itself. But then there’s this other...
- 6/23/2023
- by Demetrius Patterson
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
I’m a Virgo, an Amazon series directed by Boots Riley, is a story of self-exploration and the complexities of existing in a world that often rejects individuality. Set against a contemporary backdrop, this thought-provoking series delves into the life of Cootie, a 13-foot-tall, gigantic teenager, as he embarks on a transformative journey of discovering his true self. Although Cootie thought he could fly high and do amazing things, he was faced with many difficult situations where people wanted to take advantage of him because of his size. But as he went through these challenges, Cootie learned that real heroes are not just characters in colorful comic books. Being a hero requires thinking carefully and being patient. It’s not about having superpowers or being big but about making wise choices and staying calm in tough times.
Spoilers Ahead
Was Cootie Really A Villain?
Played by Moonlight actor Jharrel Jerome, Cootie...
Spoilers Ahead
Was Cootie Really A Villain?
Played by Moonlight actor Jharrel Jerome, Cootie...
- 6/23/2023
- by Poulami Nanda
- Film Fugitives
Boots Riley’s coming-of-age joyride series, I’m a Virgo, is like one of those dreams that leave you wondering, “What was that?” My reaction throughout the series, from the start to the middle and all the way to the end, was just like that. The series starts off with a woman carrying a giant baby, immediately setting the absurd tone of the series. This baby, named Cootie (Jharrel Jerome), grows up to be a gigantic 13-foot-tall man, hidden away from the world by his adoptive parents, who fear others might exploit him. While this may seem like a typical fantasy plot, the true madness of I’m a Virgo unfolds gradually. So, let’s delve into this madness and attempt to decipher what was really happening in the series.
Spoilers Ahead
Plot Summary: What Happens In ‘I’m A Virgo’ Season 1?
Lafrancine (Carmen Ejogo) and her husband Martisse (Mike Epps) brought home...
Spoilers Ahead
Plot Summary: What Happens In ‘I’m A Virgo’ Season 1?
Lafrancine (Carmen Ejogo) and her husband Martisse (Mike Epps) brought home...
- 6/23/2023
- by Poulami Nanda
- Film Fugitives
“All art is propaganda,” Cootie is told in Amazon’s new series I’m A Virgo. Cootie leans a lot about propaganda over the course of the show. His friend Jones is a Black activist trying to fight the effects of the “crisis of capitalism” that is bringing so much hurt into the world. Cootie, meanwhile, could use some consciousness-raising, since he has spent the first 19 years of his life hiding in his parents’ house because he is — apologies for not mentioning this sooner — 13 feet tall and super strong.
I’m A Virgo,...
I’m A Virgo,...
- 6/23/2023
- by Alan Sepinwall
- Rollingstone.com
Cootie (Jharrel Jerome) grew up idolizing superheroes. The 13-foot-tall teen at the center of the surrealist comedy I’m a Virgo spent his childhood sheltered by his Aunt Lafrancine (Carmen Ejogo) and Uncle Martisse (Mike Epps), who vowed to protect him a world not yet ready for a Black man of such towering height. And during that time, Cootie became fixated on The Hero (Walton Goggins), a real-life, mega-rich vigilante who started as a standard fictional comic book superhero written by his alter ego, Jay Whittle. Cootie faithfully read the comics, glued to the TV every time The Hero held a news conference, continuing to build his own fantasy of who The Hero was and how he served the world — for 19 years, it was his only connection to what was happening beyond his door.
- 6/23/2023
- by Brianna Wellen
- Primetimer
It’s a coming-of-age story of epic proportions! New from Amazon Studios is the highly anticipated comedy series “I’m a Virgo,” which will be available to watch on Amazon Prime Video on Thursday, June 22. “When They See Us” and “Moonlight” star Jharrel Jerome leads the cast as Cootie, a 13-foot-tall Black man living in Oakland, California, and experiencing the world in all its guts and glory for the first time. The fantastical, absurdist series comes from “Sorry to Bother You” filmmaker Boots Riley, who directs all episodes of the comedy. All seven episodes will be released simultaneously on June 22 on Prime Video. You can watch I'm a Virgo: Season 1 with a 30-Day Free Trial of Amazon Prime Video.
How to Watch ‘I'm a Virgo’ Series Premiere When: Thursday, June 22, 2023 Where: Amazon Prime Video Stream: Watch with a 30-Day Free Trial of Amazon Prime Video. 30-Day Free Trial$8.99 / month amazon.com...
How to Watch ‘I'm a Virgo’ Series Premiere When: Thursday, June 22, 2023 Where: Amazon Prime Video Stream: Watch with a 30-Day Free Trial of Amazon Prime Video. 30-Day Free Trial$8.99 / month amazon.com...
- 6/23/2023
- by Ashley Steves
- The Streamable
Afro-surrealism has been on Hollywood’s radar for some time now. From Donald Glover’s groundbreaking series “Atlanta” to Terence Nance’s thought-provoking “Random Acts of Flyness” and Jordan Peele’s critically acclaimed films “Get Out” and “Nope,” this formerly niche genre seems to be thriving in mainstream entertainment.
Writer, producer and musician Boots Riley, whose 2018 film “Sorry to Bother You” catapulted him to prominence as a filmmaker, returns with his latest project: “I’m A Virgo” on Prime Video. This highly anticipated series solidifies his position among the pioneers of the Afro-surrealist genre.
Afrofuturism and Afro-surrealism, often seen as interchangeable, are different. Where Afrofuturism blends the African diaspora’s art, science and music to speculate on the future, Afro-surrealism is about the now. Why romanticize a dystopian future when so many working-class Black and brown bodies live in oppressive spaces at this moment?
Also Read:
The Most Anticipated TV Shows...
Writer, producer and musician Boots Riley, whose 2018 film “Sorry to Bother You” catapulted him to prominence as a filmmaker, returns with his latest project: “I’m A Virgo” on Prime Video. This highly anticipated series solidifies his position among the pioneers of the Afro-surrealist genre.
Afrofuturism and Afro-surrealism, often seen as interchangeable, are different. Where Afrofuturism blends the African diaspora’s art, science and music to speculate on the future, Afro-surrealism is about the now. Why romanticize a dystopian future when so many working-class Black and brown bodies live in oppressive spaces at this moment?
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The Most Anticipated TV Shows...
- 6/23/2023
- by Karama Horne
- The Wrap
I’m a Virgo is a triumph of imagination and ideology.
A boomerang throwback to Amazon’s early streaming years when poignant oddballs like Transparent and Patriot dominated Jeff Bezos’ slate, the Boots Riley-created series that launches Friday on Prime Video is a revitalizing return to originality both for the platform and the franchise-heavy small screen itself.
Watch it, with both eyes open.
With dead-end basketball and branding deals, societal toxicity, fast food and a faster-moving love interest played in breakout fashion by Olivia Washington, the heart of the poetic show is 13-foot-tall Cootie, portrayed in towering fashion by Jharrel Jerome. Leading the 19-year-old Oakland native’s unsure steps to the outside world after years of being hidden, the When They See Us Emmy winner ups his already considerable game to unfurl a naturalism that grounds the magical realism all around him.
Too late for this year’s Emmys, regardless...
A boomerang throwback to Amazon’s early streaming years when poignant oddballs like Transparent and Patriot dominated Jeff Bezos’ slate, the Boots Riley-created series that launches Friday on Prime Video is a revitalizing return to originality both for the platform and the franchise-heavy small screen itself.
Watch it, with both eyes open.
With dead-end basketball and branding deals, societal toxicity, fast food and a faster-moving love interest played in breakout fashion by Olivia Washington, the heart of the poetic show is 13-foot-tall Cootie, portrayed in towering fashion by Jharrel Jerome. Leading the 19-year-old Oakland native’s unsure steps to the outside world after years of being hidden, the When They See Us Emmy winner ups his already considerable game to unfurl a naturalism that grounds the magical realism all around him.
Too late for this year’s Emmys, regardless...
- 6/23/2023
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
Happy Juneteenth! The holiday that commemorates the emancipation of Black people in the United States from slavery is here, and that means the official start of summer is just a few days off. In a normal year, scripted TV shows would be busy ramping up production in preparation to release new episodes for the fall schedule.
But the Writers Guild of America is currently on strike, ensuring this won’t be a normal year. The strike has put a halt to the production of most scripted TV shows, which means they’ll be delayed or see their seasons shortened when the strike is resolved. The good news is, there are still plenty of new titles heading to streaming this week to help keep your mind off what might be a dismal fall lineup.
Monday, June 19 ‘You Are Here: Savannah” Series Premiere | AMC, stream with a subscription to Philo
“You Are Here...
But the Writers Guild of America is currently on strike, ensuring this won’t be a normal year. The strike has put a halt to the production of most scripted TV shows, which means they’ll be delayed or see their seasons shortened when the strike is resolved. The good news is, there are still plenty of new titles heading to streaming this week to help keep your mind off what might be a dismal fall lineup.
Monday, June 19 ‘You Are Here: Savannah” Series Premiere | AMC, stream with a subscription to Philo
“You Are Here...
- 6/19/2023
- by David Satin
- The Streamable
The pure strangeness of I’m a Virgo is apparent from its very first moments, which depict a woman holding a baby that’s roughly the size of a large dog. Named Cootie, the child grows up in Oakland, California, sheltered from the outside world by his aunt, Lafrancine (Carmen Ejogo), and uncle, Martisse (Mike Epps). By 19, the 13-foot-tall Cootie (Jharrel Jerome) has outgrown his house and now sleeps in a large ramshackle shed out back.
Like creator Boots Riley’s film Sorry to Bother You, the show’s inventiveness doesn’t stop with its premise. Cootie’s idol is the Hero (Walton Goggins), a disillusioned comic book author turned vigilante who patrols the city’s streets via jetpack, and he develops a crush on a fast food cashier, Flora (Olivia Washington), who has the gift of superhuman speed but has learned to slow down her actions and speech to better integrate into society.
Like creator Boots Riley’s film Sorry to Bother You, the show’s inventiveness doesn’t stop with its premise. Cootie’s idol is the Hero (Walton Goggins), a disillusioned comic book author turned vigilante who patrols the city’s streets via jetpack, and he develops a crush on a fast food cashier, Flora (Olivia Washington), who has the gift of superhuman speed but has learned to slow down her actions and speech to better integrate into society.
- 6/14/2023
- by Steven Scaife
- Slant Magazine
Plot: A darkly-comedic fantastical coming-of-age joyride about Cootie, a 13-foot-tall young Black man in Oakland, CA. Having grown up hidden away, passing time on a diet of comic books and TV shows, he escapes to experience the beauty and contradictions of the real world. He forms friendships, finds love, navigates awkward situations, and encounters his idol, the real life superhero named The Hero. I’m A Virgo is a mythical odyssey that questions the purpose of the mythical odyssey.
Review: Boots Riley’s feature film directional debut, Sorry To Bother You, was a festival darling when it premiered in 2018. It has taken Riley half a decade to bring his sophomore effort to the screen. I’m A Virgo is a seven-episode series premiering on Prime Video, which has given Riley three times as much space to tell an epic and surreal story that is part fairy tale, part parable, and utterly unique.
Review: Boots Riley’s feature film directional debut, Sorry To Bother You, was a festival darling when it premiered in 2018. It has taken Riley half a decade to bring his sophomore effort to the screen. I’m A Virgo is a seven-episode series premiering on Prime Video, which has given Riley three times as much space to tell an epic and surreal story that is part fairy tale, part parable, and utterly unique.
- 6/14/2023
- by Alex Maidy
- JoBlo.com
Eccentric billionaires, especially ones who broadly promote their heroism, are not supposed to be our heroes. That’s one of the key takeaways from Boots Riley’s new dark comedy I’m a Virgo, a seven-episode red-hot poker in the eye of the corporate establishment, produced for Jeff Bezos’ Amazon platform.
I’m a Virgo has no lack of additional takeaways, mind you. Few contemporary storytellers can rival Riley when it comes to being playfully dogmatic, and I’m a Virgo wraps its anti-capitalist message in a very thin casing that’s part superhero drama and part allegorical satire. Even if the show often gives the impression that Riley has a surplus of big ideas and a deficit of narrative through which to present them, the half-hour episodes amount to a singular vision of contemporary economic inequality and race that’s sure to provoke a variety of responses — including irritation from viewers...
I’m a Virgo has no lack of additional takeaways, mind you. Few contemporary storytellers can rival Riley when it comes to being playfully dogmatic, and I’m a Virgo wraps its anti-capitalist message in a very thin casing that’s part superhero drama and part allegorical satire. Even if the show often gives the impression that Riley has a surplus of big ideas and a deficit of narrative through which to present them, the half-hour episodes amount to a singular vision of contemporary economic inequality and race that’s sure to provoke a variety of responses — including irritation from viewers...
- 6/14/2023
- by Daniel Fienberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
"I'm A Virgo", described as a 'mythical' coming-of-age story, is directed by Boots Riley, starring , Emmy award winner Jharrel Jerome, streaming on Prime Video June 23, 2023:
".. 'Cootie' (Jerome) is a 13-foot-tall young man living in Oakland, California. Having grown up hidden away, passing time on a diet of TV shows, he escapes to experience the beauty and contradictions of the real world. He forms friendships, finds love, navigates awkward situations, and encounters his idol, a real-life superhero named 'The Hero' (Walton Goggins)..."
Click the images to enlarge...
".. 'Cootie' (Jerome) is a 13-foot-tall young man living in Oakland, California. Having grown up hidden away, passing time on a diet of TV shows, he escapes to experience the beauty and contradictions of the real world. He forms friendships, finds love, navigates awkward situations, and encounters his idol, a real-life superhero named 'The Hero' (Walton Goggins)..."
Click the images to enlarge...
- 6/7/2023
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
Writer/director Boots Riley is probably best known for the offbeat, satirical Sorry To Bother You, which dealt with issues of race and class through a semi-fantastical lens. He's back in that style for his latest, a Prime Video TV series arriving later this month. Check out the trailer for I'm A Virgo below…
The show focuses on Cootie (Jharrel Jerome), a 13-foot-tall young Black man in Oakland, California. Having grown up hidden away, passing time on a diet of comic books and TV shows, he escapes to experience the beauty and contradictions of the real world.
He forms friendships, finds love, navigates awkward situations, and encounters his idol, a real-life superhero named The Hero, played by Walton Goggins. Which does not necessarily go well…
I'm A Virgo also stars Brett Gray, Kara Young, Allius Barnes, Olivia Washington, Mike Epps and Carmen Ejogo, and debuts on Prime Video on 23 June.
The show focuses on Cootie (Jharrel Jerome), a 13-foot-tall young Black man in Oakland, California. Having grown up hidden away, passing time on a diet of comic books and TV shows, he escapes to experience the beauty and contradictions of the real world.
He forms friendships, finds love, navigates awkward situations, and encounters his idol, a real-life superhero named The Hero, played by Walton Goggins. Which does not necessarily go well…
I'm A Virgo also stars Brett Gray, Kara Young, Allius Barnes, Olivia Washington, Mike Epps and Carmen Ejogo, and debuts on Prime Video on 23 June.
- 5/30/2023
- by James White
- Empire - TV
It's been five years since Boots Riley made a tremendous first impression on the filmmaking scene with "Sorry To Bother You," but the writer, director, producer, musician, and activist is finally back with "I'm A Virgo." A trailer for the new Prime Video series just dropped, and as expected, it looks both wild as hell and like an absurdly good time.
Press materials for the highly-anticipated series call it a "mythical coming-of-age comedy," while the trailer tagline claims it's the "biggest coming-of-age story of all time." The latter is definitely true on one level, as the story revolves around a 13-foot-tall young Black man who discovers the world after hiding away throughout his formative years. In the trailer, we see Jerome's character, Cootie, encounter some typical adolescent problems -- like figuring out how to flirt with a girl -- and some not-so-typical ones, like being observed by a cult-y...
Press materials for the highly-anticipated series call it a "mythical coming-of-age comedy," while the trailer tagline claims it's the "biggest coming-of-age story of all time." The latter is definitely true on one level, as the story revolves around a 13-foot-tall young Black man who discovers the world after hiding away throughout his formative years. In the trailer, we see Jerome's character, Cootie, encounter some typical adolescent problems -- like figuring out how to flirt with a girl -- and some not-so-typical ones, like being observed by a cult-y...
- 5/30/2023
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
"I'm A Virgo", described as a 'mythical' coming-of-age story, is directed by Boots Riley, starring , Emmy award winner Jharrel Jerome, streaming on Prime Video June 23, 2023:
".. 'Cootie' (Jerome) is a 13-foot-tall young man living in Oakland, California. Having grown up hidden away, passing time on a diet of TV shows, he escapes to experience the beauty and contradictions of the real world. He forms friendships, finds love, navigates awkward situations, and encounters his idol, a real-life superhero named 'The Hero' (Walton Goggins)..."
Click the images to enlarge...
".. 'Cootie' (Jerome) is a 13-foot-tall young man living in Oakland, California. Having grown up hidden away, passing time on a diet of TV shows, he escapes to experience the beauty and contradictions of the real world. He forms friendships, finds love, navigates awkward situations, and encounters his idol, a real-life superhero named 'The Hero' (Walton Goggins)..."
Click the images to enlarge...
- 5/30/2023
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
Emmy winner Jharrel Jerome looms big as a 13-foot-tall black man in Oakland, California in the official trailer for Amazon Prime Video’s coming-of-age dark comedy I’m A Virgo, which was released on Tuesday.
The absurdist series created, written and executive produced by Boots Riley has Jerome’s character, Cootie, having to navigate life as a giant after growing up hidden away, passing time on a diet of comic books and TV shows.
“You are a 13-foot tall Black man — they fear you,” Cootie is told at one point in the trailer as he nervously tries to court a young woman taking his order in a burger joint and even meets his real-life superhero from comic books, played by Walton Goggins.
The series, a follow-up of sorts to Riley’s 2018 Sundance hit Sorry to Bother You, has the filmmaker directing all seven episodes set to bow exclusively on Prime Video...
The absurdist series created, written and executive produced by Boots Riley has Jerome’s character, Cootie, having to navigate life as a giant after growing up hidden away, passing time on a diet of comic books and TV shows.
“You are a 13-foot tall Black man — they fear you,” Cootie is told at one point in the trailer as he nervously tries to court a young woman taking his order in a burger joint and even meets his real-life superhero from comic books, played by Walton Goggins.
The series, a follow-up of sorts to Riley’s 2018 Sundance hit Sorry to Bother You, has the filmmaker directing all seven episodes set to bow exclusively on Prime Video...
- 5/30/2023
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Life is hard enough in your teenage years. You’re still trying to find comfort with yourself, and it’s easy to get insecure when you’re viewed as an outcast. Imagine dealing with that as a 13-foot giant. The new Prime Video comedy series I’m a Virgo is a coming-of-age tale that puts a fun twist on the familiar tropes. And the new trailer released by Amazon Studios takes us on a journey of walking through life while sticking out amongst the crowd in the biggest way possible. The gigantic stature protagonist is played by the Emmy-winning Jharrel Jerome, known for When They See Us and Moonlight.
The official plot synopsis from Prime Video reads (along with some interesting and amusing actor descriptions),
I’m A Virgo is a darkly comedic fantastical coming-of-age joyride about Cootie (Jharrel Jerome), a 13-foot-tall young Black man in Oakland, California. Having grown up hidden away,...
The official plot synopsis from Prime Video reads (along with some interesting and amusing actor descriptions),
I’m A Virgo is a darkly comedic fantastical coming-of-age joyride about Cootie (Jharrel Jerome), a 13-foot-tall young Black man in Oakland, California. Having grown up hidden away,...
- 5/30/2023
- by EJ Tangonan
- JoBlo.com
"You are a 13 foot tall Black man – they fear you." Prime Video has dropped the full-length official trailer for the series I'm a Virgo, the latest creation from the ingeniously creative mind of Boots Riley. Set for a streaming debut on June 23rd soon - really looking forward to this. It's his follow-up to the wacky hit Sorry to Bother You, featuring another outlandish concept that might actually make for a compelling watch. "Even when you're thirteen feet tall, there's still some growing up to do." The series is about Cootie, a 13-foot tall young Black man in Oakland, California. His parents have kept him at home all these years, but when he finally goes out into the world he learns about all the good and bad sides of it. Jharrel Jerome stars as Cootie, with a cast including Brett Gray, Kara Young, Allius Barnes, Olivia Washington, and Mike Epps.
- 5/30/2023
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
The fourth and final season of “Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan” arrives on Prime Video on June 30. It finds Ryan — now the new acting CIA director — unearthing internal corruption and suspicious black ops that leaves the United States vulnerable to attack. John Krasinski stars as the tough-as-nails Ryan.
Watch the “Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan” trailer:
“Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets” is a new docuseries that reveals the truth behind the myth of the wholesome religious family and their involvement with the predatory Bill Gothard and The Institute in Basic Life Principles. The organization’s abusive practices — and the insidious long political game it plays — is revealed on June 2. The Duggars and their 19 “happy” kids are exposed as frauds, while also being manipulated by Gothard and enduring the scandal of Josh, their sexually abusive son.
Check out the “Shiny Happy People” trailer:
When a body is found on the beach in the Tasmanian town of Deadloch,...
Watch the “Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan” trailer:
“Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets” is a new docuseries that reveals the truth behind the myth of the wholesome religious family and their involvement with the predatory Bill Gothard and The Institute in Basic Life Principles. The organization’s abusive practices — and the insidious long political game it plays — is revealed on June 2. The Duggars and their 19 “happy” kids are exposed as frauds, while also being manipulated by Gothard and enduring the scandal of Josh, their sexually abusive son.
Check out the “Shiny Happy People” trailer:
When a body is found on the beach in the Tasmanian town of Deadloch,...
- 5/25/2023
- by Fern Siegel
- The Streamable
Remi Wolf has returned with her first new song of 2023: “Prescription,” an impassioned single celebrating the sublime feeling of new love. Watch the lyric video for the tune below.
With a retro backbeat, nostalgic synth melodies, and an impressive, moving vocal performance, “Prescription” captures Wolf’s prowess as an artist — the same prowess that made her a CoSigned artist in 2021. Lyrically, it conveys the 27-year-old’s welcoming, humanist touch, and was inspired by her friend, rapper and director Boots Riley. The song will be featured in his upcoming TV show, I’m a Virgo.
“A few months ago, Boots Riley called me and we spoke about his new TV show I’m a Virgo,” Wolf said in a statement. “24 hours later — this song was created, inspired by that conversation, and it is being featured in the TV show out this summer. I loved it so much that I wanted to release...
With a retro backbeat, nostalgic synth melodies, and an impressive, moving vocal performance, “Prescription” captures Wolf’s prowess as an artist — the same prowess that made her a CoSigned artist in 2021. Lyrically, it conveys the 27-year-old’s welcoming, humanist touch, and was inspired by her friend, rapper and director Boots Riley. The song will be featured in his upcoming TV show, I’m a Virgo.
“A few months ago, Boots Riley called me and we spoke about his new TV show I’m a Virgo,” Wolf said in a statement. “24 hours later — this song was created, inspired by that conversation, and it is being featured in the TV show out this summer. I loved it so much that I wanted to release...
- 5/12/2023
- by Jo Vito
- Consequence - Music
When the cast of Prime Video’s I’m a Virgo stopped by Den of Geek‘s SXSW studio earlier this year, star Jharrel Jerome (When They See Us) shared an anecdote about how creator Boots Riley invited him to the project.
“Boots emailed me and the subject was ’13-foot tall Black man in Oakland.’ That’s it. That’s what came into my email. It was in my Spam for awhile,” Jerome says.
Let it be said that Riley – the longtime political activist, lead vocalist of Bay Area hip hop act The Coup, and creative mind behind 2018’s surreal satire Sorry to Bother You – doesn’t lack for clarity of vision. The man knows what he wants to see onscreen and he knows how to succinctly describe it to others.
“I figure if it works for Star and National Enquirer, we gotta learn from that,” Riley says of his provocative pitching approach.
“Boots emailed me and the subject was ’13-foot tall Black man in Oakland.’ That’s it. That’s what came into my email. It was in my Spam for awhile,” Jerome says.
Let it be said that Riley – the longtime political activist, lead vocalist of Bay Area hip hop act The Coup, and creative mind behind 2018’s surreal satire Sorry to Bother You – doesn’t lack for clarity of vision. The man knows what he wants to see onscreen and he knows how to succinctly describe it to others.
“I figure if it works for Star and National Enquirer, we gotta learn from that,” Riley says of his provocative pitching approach.
- 4/10/2023
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
Exclusive: Jharrel Jerome, the Emmy winner, Moonlight actor and EP/star of the upcoming Prime Video series, I’m a Virgo, which just premiered at SXSW, has signed on to star in Artists Equity’s tentatively titled Unstoppable, the Jennifer Lopez starring, Billy Goldenberg directing project we first told you about yesterday.
Robles is a three-time All-American wrestler born with one leg who won a national championship at Arizona State. Robles, we hear, will be heavily involved in the project which Amazon Studios is in talks to acquire. Robles in early 2019 broke the Guinness world record for most pull-ups in a minute with 62 reps.
Wrestler Anthony Robles accepts the ‘Jimmy V Award for Perservance’ onstage at The 2011 Espy Awards held at the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live (Photo by John Shearer/WireImage)
Robles was born without a right leg. At the age of 14, he tried out wrestling for the first time in Mesa,...
Robles is a three-time All-American wrestler born with one leg who won a national championship at Arizona State. Robles, we hear, will be heavily involved in the project which Amazon Studios is in talks to acquire. Robles in early 2019 broke the Guinness world record for most pull-ups in a minute with 62 reps.
Wrestler Anthony Robles accepts the ‘Jimmy V Award for Perservance’ onstage at The 2011 Espy Awards held at the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live (Photo by John Shearer/WireImage)
Robles was born without a right leg. At the age of 14, he tried out wrestling for the first time in Mesa,...
- 3/17/2023
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
In 2019, Jharrel Jerome won an Emmy for his passionate depiction of Korey Wise in “When They See Us,” Ava DuVernay’s four-part limited series chronicling the injustices inflicted upon the Central Park Five. Wise was the eldest of the wrongfully convicted friends and, at 16, the only one to serve his full sentence in a prison built for adults. DuVernay’s piece is a torrid evisceration of how the American criminal justice system treats young Black men, from the cops that profiled, arrested, and abused the boys to the prosecutor and public who were all too eager to convict. Among the five kids, Jerome is the only actor to play his role from beginning to end — from 1989 through 2014 — and his raw, emotional transformation helps audiences appreciate what was taken from Wise, all because he was in the wrong place, at the wrong time, in the wrong skin.
Jerome likely won’t...
Jerome likely won’t...
- 3/12/2023
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
When musician-artist-activist Boots Riley premiered his directorial debut "Sorry to Bother You" at 2018's Sundance Film Festival, it was less of a premiere and more of an unleashing. Even a few years later, very few films have been able to live up to its bizarre twists and unique visual style. It was also staunchly progressive and even socialist in its politics, making the fact that it got released in major theater chains that much more remarkable. However, a question almost immediately entered everyone's minds — how in the world could "Sorry to Bother You" be topped?
The answer is actually pretty simple. You take the money that a major conglomerate streaming service gladly offers you, and you run with it. "I'm a Virgo," which premiered its first four episodes at SXSW ahead of its undated summer premiere, is what you get. Cootie (Jharrel Jerome) is an unusual kid, and not just...
The answer is actually pretty simple. You take the money that a major conglomerate streaming service gladly offers you, and you run with it. "I'm a Virgo," which premiered its first four episodes at SXSW ahead of its undated summer premiere, is what you get. Cootie (Jharrel Jerome) is an unusual kid, and not just...
- 3/12/2023
- by Erin Brady
- Slash Film
"The world is not ready yet..." Amazon's Prime Video has revealed a first look teaser trailer for a new series titled I'm a Virgo, the latest creation from the ingeniously creative mind of Boots Riley. It's his follow-up to the wacky hit Sorry to Bother You, featuring another outlandish concept that might actually make for a compelling watch. "Even when you're thirteen feet tall, there's still some growing up to do." The series is about Cootie, a 13-foot tall young Black man in Oakland, California. His parents have kept him at home all these years, but when he finally goes out into the world he learns about all the good and bad sides of it. The title is a bit strange, but there's a line in this teaser that shows precisely where it's from. Jharrel Jerome stars as Cootie, with a cast including Brett Gray, Kara Young, Allius Barnes, Olivia Washington,...
- 3/7/2023
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Sorry to Bother You writer/director Boots Riley is back with another absurdist, fantastical story. Prime Video released a teaser trailer for I’m a Virgo, an upcoming TV series which will premiere at the SXSW Film & Television Festival later this week. The series stars Jharrel Jerome (When They See Us) as Cootie, a man from Oakland who just happens to be 13-feet-tall.
In addition to Jharrel Jerome, I’m a Virgo also stars Brett Gray (On my Block), Kara Young (The Punisher), Allius Barnes (Cruel Summer), Olivia Washington (Breaking), Mike Epps (The Upshaws), Carmen Ejogo (True Detective), and Walton Goggins (The Hateful Eight). “You know, you a big mother-f***er,” Mike Epps’ character says in the teaser. “All the wear and tear that you putting on this house, I mean, just leaning on the walls, you putting holes in them. And I gotta fix this shit myself, because I don’t...
In addition to Jharrel Jerome, I’m a Virgo also stars Brett Gray (On my Block), Kara Young (The Punisher), Allius Barnes (Cruel Summer), Olivia Washington (Breaking), Mike Epps (The Upshaws), Carmen Ejogo (True Detective), and Walton Goggins (The Hateful Eight). “You know, you a big mother-f***er,” Mike Epps’ character says in the teaser. “All the wear and tear that you putting on this house, I mean, just leaning on the walls, you putting holes in them. And I gotta fix this shit myself, because I don’t...
- 3/7/2023
- by Kevin Fraser
- JoBlo.com
Magical realism comes to Oakland, California in the first teaser trailer for “I’m a Virgo,” a quirky comedy series coming to Prime Video this summer.
The Amazon series comes from creator Boots Riley (“Sorry to Bother You”) and is described as “a darkly-comedic fantastical coming-of-age joyride” that tells the story of Cootie, a young Black man from Oakland who happens to be 13 feet tall. He grew up hidden away from the world, with comic books and TV shows his only exposure to the outside. When he finally escapes, he experiences the beauty and contradictions of the real world – and there are few places more beautiful and contradictory than Oakland. He forms friendships, finds love, navigates awkward situations, and encounters his idol, a superhero named The Hero (Walton Goggins). “I’m a Virgo,” Cootie tells his friends at the end of the trailer. “And Virgos love adventure.”
In addition to Jerome (who also executive-produces), Epps,...
The Amazon series comes from creator Boots Riley (“Sorry to Bother You”) and is described as “a darkly-comedic fantastical coming-of-age joyride” that tells the story of Cootie, a young Black man from Oakland who happens to be 13 feet tall. He grew up hidden away from the world, with comic books and TV shows his only exposure to the outside. When he finally escapes, he experiences the beauty and contradictions of the real world – and there are few places more beautiful and contradictory than Oakland. He forms friendships, finds love, navigates awkward situations, and encounters his idol, a superhero named The Hero (Walton Goggins). “I’m a Virgo,” Cootie tells his friends at the end of the trailer. “And Virgos love adventure.”
In addition to Jerome (who also executive-produces), Epps,...
- 3/6/2023
- by Liam Mathews
- Gold Derby
Today, Prime Video released first-look images and the teaser trailer for the highly anticipated mythical coming-of-age comedy I’m A Virgo, starring Emmy-winning actor Jharrel Jerome. Jerome also serves as an executive producer. The series is created, written, and executive produced by colorful sock-wearing filmmaker Boots Riley (Sorry to Bother You), who directed all seven episodes. I’m A Virgo will premiere this summer exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide. I’m A Virgo will make its world premiere debut as an official selection of SXSW Film & TV Festival on Saturday, March 11. From visionary filmmaker Boots Riley, I’m A Virgo is a darkly-comedic fantastical coming-of-age joyride about Cootie (Jerome), a 13-foot-tall young Black man in Oakland, CA. Having grown up hidden away, passing time on a diet of comic books and TV shows, he escapes to experience the beauty and contradictions of the real world. He forms friendships,...
- 3/6/2023
- by Thomas Miller
- Seat42F
Prime Video released the teaser trailer for “I’m a Virgo,” the mythical coming-of age comedy created, written and executive produced by Boots Riley.
The coming of age story, which follows a Cootie, giant Black (Emmy winner Jharrel Jerome) man as he grows up hidden away in his house until he decides to escape and experience real life, in Oakland California. The series will unfold in seven episodes, all directed by Riley.
“Well I’m a Virgo, and Virgos love adventure,” Jerome’s Cootie says at the end of the trailer.
Despite being 13 feet tall, Cootie finds friends, love, adventure and even meets the real life superhero The Hero (Walton Goggins), whom he idolizes from the comic books he read when he was cooped up in his house. Jerome also serves as executive producer.
More cast includes Brett Gray, Kara Young (“The Punisher”), Allius Barnes (“Cruel Summer”), Olivia Washington (“Breaking”), Mike Epps and Carmen Ejogo.
The coming of age story, which follows a Cootie, giant Black (Emmy winner Jharrel Jerome) man as he grows up hidden away in his house until he decides to escape and experience real life, in Oakland California. The series will unfold in seven episodes, all directed by Riley.
“Well I’m a Virgo, and Virgos love adventure,” Jerome’s Cootie says at the end of the trailer.
Despite being 13 feet tall, Cootie finds friends, love, adventure and even meets the real life superhero The Hero (Walton Goggins), whom he idolizes from the comic books he read when he was cooped up in his house. Jerome also serves as executive producer.
More cast includes Brett Gray, Kara Young (“The Punisher”), Allius Barnes (“Cruel Summer”), Olivia Washington (“Breaking”), Mike Epps and Carmen Ejogo.
- 3/6/2023
- by Dessi Gomez
- The Wrap
The first look at “I’m a Virgo,” an upcoming series from Amazon’s Prime Video, were unveiled Monday along with a teaser trailer in anticipation of the show’s world premiere at the SXSW Film & TV Festival.
The coming-of-age comedy stars Jharrel Jerome, who won an Emmy in 2019 for his lead performance in the mini series “When They See Us,” alongside series regulars Brett Gray (“On My Block”), Kara Young (“The Punisher”), Allius Barnes (“Cruel Summer”), Olivia Washington (“Breaking”), Mike Epps (“The Upshaws”), Carmen Ejogo (“True Detective”) and Walter Goggins (“The Hateful 8”).
“I’m a Virgo” follows a 13-foot-tall man named Cootie (Jerome), a native of Oakland, Calif., who spends his time binging TV shows and comic series. When he encounters his real life superhero, dubbed The Hero (Goggins), Cootie finds himself on course for a mythical quest.
The teaser trailer opens with Cootie looking irritated, painting over holes in the wall.
The coming-of-age comedy stars Jharrel Jerome, who won an Emmy in 2019 for his lead performance in the mini series “When They See Us,” alongside series regulars Brett Gray (“On My Block”), Kara Young (“The Punisher”), Allius Barnes (“Cruel Summer”), Olivia Washington (“Breaking”), Mike Epps (“The Upshaws”), Carmen Ejogo (“True Detective”) and Walter Goggins (“The Hateful 8”).
“I’m a Virgo” follows a 13-foot-tall man named Cootie (Jerome), a native of Oakland, Calif., who spends his time binging TV shows and comic series. When he encounters his real life superhero, dubbed The Hero (Goggins), Cootie finds himself on course for a mythical quest.
The teaser trailer opens with Cootie looking irritated, painting over holes in the wall.
- 3/6/2023
- by Katie Reul
- Variety Film + TV
When They See Us Emmy winner Jharrel Jerome makes a big impression in the teaser trailer for I’m a Virgo, Prime Video‘s upcoming coming-of-age comedy from filmmaker Boots Riley (Sorry to Bother You).
Created, written and with all seven episodes directed by Riley, I’m A Virgo is described as a “darkly comedic and fantastical coming-of-age joyride” about Cootie (played by Jerome, who is also an EP on the series), a 13-foot tall young Black man in Oakland, Calif.
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Created, written and with all seven episodes directed by Riley, I’m A Virgo is described as a “darkly comedic and fantastical coming-of-age joyride” about Cootie (played by Jerome, who is also an EP on the series), a 13-foot tall young Black man in Oakland, Calif.
More from TVLineCitadel Trailer: Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Richard Madden Headline the Russo Brothers' Amazon Spy DramaDaisy Jones & the Six Author Hails 'Electric' 'Honeycomb' Duet,...
- 3/6/2023
- by Matt Webb Mitovich
- TVLine.com
Five years after taking the film world by storm with his genre-bending, expectation-shattering debut “Sorry to Bother You,” Boots Riley is returning to narrative storytelling in a big way. His latest project, the upcoming Prime Video series “I’m a Virgo,’ once again explores issues of race in America… through the eyes of a Black man who happens to be 13 feet tall.
Per the official synopsis, the series is a darkly comedic fantastical coming-of-age joyride about Cootie (Jharrel Jerome), a 13-foot-tall young Black man in Oakland, CA. Having grown up hidden away, passing time on a diet of comic books and TV shows, he escapes to experience the beauty and contradictions of the real world. He forms friendships, finds love, navigates awkward situations, and encounters his idol, the real life superhero named The Hero (Walton Goggins).
Riley’s comments about the series have always been rather cryptic, as the auteur appears...
Per the official synopsis, the series is a darkly comedic fantastical coming-of-age joyride about Cootie (Jharrel Jerome), a 13-foot-tall young Black man in Oakland, CA. Having grown up hidden away, passing time on a diet of comic books and TV shows, he escapes to experience the beauty and contradictions of the real world. He forms friendships, finds love, navigates awkward situations, and encounters his idol, the real life superhero named The Hero (Walton Goggins).
Riley’s comments about the series have always been rather cryptic, as the auteur appears...
- 3/6/2023
- by Christian Zilko
- Indiewire
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