I’m A Virgo is an upcoming half-hour superhero satire from writer/director Boots Riley, starring Jharrel Jerome. The Illuminerdi is proud to present an exclusive inside look at the new TV series and some of the actors we may see on the show.
I’m A Virgo was first announced by Boots Riley, the genius behind 2018’s Sorry To Bother You, in the summer of 2020. The writer shared some details on the series, which had not found a streaming home at that point in time.
I’M A VIRGO: SUPERHERO SATIRE FROM BOOTS RILEY
“I have a show about a 13-foot tall Black man who lives in Oakland. It’s called I’m A Virgo. Jharrel Jerome is playing the lead. I’m doing this with Michaeel Essenberg’s Media Res…It’ll be dark, absurd, hilarious and important.”
– Boots Riley
This exciting announcement came alongside the very first piece of promotional artwork for I’m A Virgo, illustrated by Colin Laurel. Jerome is most well known for his performances in Moonlight and When They See Us, the latter of which he won an Emmy for. Michael Essenberg produced films such as Prometheus and the Russell Crowe-led Robin Hood.
The upcoming TV series was officially picked up by Amazon Prime Video in December of 2020.
“I’m A Virgo’ is refreshingly original and there’s nothing else like it on television…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.
-Albert Cheng, COO and co-head of television for Amazon Studios.
I’M A VIRGO: INFO ON UPCOMING AMAZON PRIME SERIES
I’m A Virgo will run for eight episodes in its first season. The production is looking to shoot in Oakland and New Orleans in the first quarter of 2022.
Jharrel Jerome will play the lead character, a 13-foot Black man named Cootie who was born that height, tragically killing his mother in childbirth. He was kept inside all of his life by his adoptive mother, who sought to shelter Cootie from a world which she knew would hate and fear her son. Eventually, Cootie breaks out and becomes something of a local superhero, but a villain to the masses.
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Boots Riley seeks to explore the superhero/supervillain dynamic in an uniquely political manner, and it sounds like Cootie will toe that line in a way few “superheroes” have in live-action before.
I’M A VIRGO POTENTIAL SUPPORTING CAST IDENTIFIED
Boots Riley will write and direct I’m A Virgo, which has recently been looking to cast three characters.
According to our sources, Amazon Prime is interested in casting Carmen Ejogo as LaFrancine, Cootie’s hyper-protective mom. Carmen Ejogo has appeared in the Alien and Harry Potter franchises. As of spring 2021, Ejogo was in talks with Marvel Studios to play a role in the Disney+ miniseries, Secret Invasion.
Michael Epps is in talks to play Martisse, Cootie’s cautious, straight-shooting father. Epps has appeared in the Resident Evil franchise, and starred in Uncle Buck and Open Season 2.
Kara Young is in talks to play “Jones”, who is a local figure in the community. She gives great speeches, and moves those around her to work on social causes. Kara has worked on projects such as Other People’s People, Hair Wolf, and The Punisher, where she played a medical examiner named Wendy.
These actors are not officially signed on to I’m A Virgo at this time, and other actors may ultimately play the roles. That being said, these are the performers Amazon Prime Video would like to cast. Boots Riley knocked it out of the park with Sorry To Bother You, and so long as he can avoid a sophomore slump, superhero fans are in for a promising TV series unlike any other with I’m A Virgo.
Who would you like to see join Jharrel Jerome on the cast of I’m A Virgo? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below or on our social media!
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