Client: Boots Riley – Creator, Director, Executive Producer
Brett Gray (On My Block), Kara Young (The Punisher), Allius Barnes (Cruel Summer) and Olivia Washington (Lee Daniels’ The Butler) have been cast as series regulars opposite lead Jharrel Jerome in Prime Video’s absurdist dark comedy series I’m a Virgo, created, written, directed and executive produced by Sorry to Bother You writer-director Boots Riley. Mike Epps and Carmen Ejogo are set to recur in the project, which is a co-production between Media Res and Amazon Studios.
“Our cast is hard as hell. Our cast slaps everyone else’s cast around on the playground. Sorry. I’ve spoken with the principal about this and there’s nothing more I can do,” Riley said about assembling the principal cast of the show.
I’m a Virgo is described as a radical coming-of-age joyride about Cootie (Jerome), a 13-foot-tall young Black man who lives in Oakland, CA.
Character descriptions are not being released, but Gray is believed to be playing Felix, Cootie’s best friend. I hear Young plays Jones, a community organizer. Barnes is said to play Scat, who grew up with Felix and Cootie in Oakland, California. Washington plays Flora, an aspiring cook. Epps plays Martisse; Ejogo plays Lafrancine.
Riley executive produces along with Media Res’ Michael Ellenberg and Lindsey Springer; Tze Chun, who serves as co-showrunner; and Jerome.
Gray previously appeared in two Netflix series, in a guest-starring role on Ava DuVernay’s When They See Us before landing one of the leads in On My Block.
Young’s credits include Amazon Studios Chemical Hearts, HBO’s Random Acts of Flyness and Netflix’s The Punisher. She also appeared in four seasons of MTV’s Girl Code and can next be seen in the HBO Max original The Staircase. Young is making her Broadway debut in Lynn Nottage’s Clyde’s.
Barnes is a series regular in the hit Freeform series Cruel Summer, which is returning for a second season. He has recurred on Hulu’s PEN15 and FX’s Snowfall and can also be seen in the feature American Skin directed by Nate Parker.
Washington is known for her work in Lee Daniels’ The Butler. Recent projects include Joel Coen’s Shakespeare adaptation, The Tragedy of Macbeth, Warner Bros.’ The Little Things, and Lifetime’s Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia. It was recently announced that she will star in the BRON Studios film Solitary alongside David Oyelowo. She also is in military drama 892 which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.
Actor-comedian Epps’ recent television and film credits include Prime Video’s Troop Zero, Netflix’s The UpShaws and Starz’s Survivor’s Remorse for which he won a 2016 NAACP Image award.
Ejogo is perhaps most well known for her portrayal of Coretta Scott King in Ava DuVernay’s Selma, for which she received a Film Independent Spirt Award nomination and a NAACP win for Best Supporting actress. Ejogo’s recent credits include the Showtime limited series Your Honor, Netflix’s Self-Made: Inspired By the Life Of Madam C.J. Walker as well as the movie Fantastic Beasts and Where You Find Them.
https://deadline.com/2022/02/im-a-virgo-brett-gray-kara-young-allius-barnes-olivia-washington-mike-epps-carmen-ejogo-cast-prime-video-series-1234957825/amp/