Jermelle Simon says playing a closeted character on The Upshaws helped to shape his career and ultimately changed his life.
Jermelle, who stars as Bernard in the Netflix show, said he was drawn to character because Bernard was closeted and struggling with his sexuality, something he was experiencing at the time.
“They just told me that he was closeted, he was fighting his sexuality, and so was I at the time. I felt very connected to it, but very afraid of it,” he told The Hollywood Reporter. “I cried in my car because I [knew] this was going to be a thing that pushes me.”
He said the first three years of portraying Bernard forced him to face some of his real-life fears, including saying things like “I’m gay” or “I like a man.”
As Bernard’s storyline expanded and he eventually came out, Jermelle told THR it challenged him to grow.
“Year after year, Bernard just kept growing,” he explained. “It felt like in the beginning we were on the same playing field. We were both struggling. And then he came out, and I’m like, ‘Bro, whoa, whoa, I’m not [ready], hold on,’ and he just kept going.”
“Parts of me felt like I had to catch up with Bernard’s expansion because Bernard is also me,” he continued. “I can’t do him justice if I’m not free myself because he deserves to be able to express himself.”
Jermelle came out on National Coming Out Day in 2024 — a moment he described as liberating.
He said, “That was the first moment where I realized, this is really freeing, and there’s no limit to how far I can go.”
Jermelle married content creator Obio Jones in October.
The Upshaws’ final season is available on Netflix.
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