Jharrel Jerome Is Not Gay and Confirmed He Is Straight

Jharrel Jerome played a gay role in the critically acclaimed movie "Moonlight," which piqued the public's interest to know more about his sexual orientation. However, the New York native has set the record straight, revealing he is not gay.

Jharrel Jerome's notable performance in the 2016 drama film, "Moonlight," won him many accolades and a solid fan base. While he received much support from his family and fans, the actor admitted he felt nervous playing queer since it was his first time.

In an interview, the 25-year-old actor opened up about playing queer as a straight Latino, noting that despite feeling nervous about his role, it was his job as an actor to bring the character to life.

Jharrel Jerome Played Ashton Sanders' Love Interest in 'Moonlight'

Though less is known about Jerome's dating life, in "Moonlight," he plays Kevin, a bisexual teenager trying to explore his sexuality with Chiron, played by Ashton Sanders. Before filming the movie, Jerome and Sanders had formed a deep connection during their coincidental meeting in a Miami hotel lobby.

The two shared an immediate understanding of their work, which enabled them to portray the intense teenage love in "Moonlight" authentically. Jerome shared his thoughts when asked about playing Kevin, expressing that he felt comfortable exploring his character's sexuality because of the bond he and Sanders had formed.

In an interview, he was asked how his family reacted to him playing queer in the award-winning film; he revealed they were highly supportive, noting that they enjoyed watching him embody someone else differently.

Despite getting much support from his family, the actor also revealed that he had received negative criticism from people. However, some fans took to Twitter to question his sexuality based on his performance.

The actor also revealed that playing Kevin was challenging, and he felt disconnected from his character when he first got cast and read the script. He said:

"Considering I identify as straight. And I'm not from Miami. I didn't really grow up around the types of people Kevin was around. So I felt like I was going to be disconnected, but then I realized that Kevin is really all of us; he really is a lot of us."

Due to their remarkable performance, Jerome and Sanders received an MTV Award for Best Kiss. Fans of the film expressed their excitement for the talented actors and took to Twitter to share their congratulatory messages. However, not everyone was excited, as one Twitter user tweeted:

"can you believe moonlight won best kiss at the mtv awards? the heTEROS ARE DONE [sic]."

The movie featured Naomie Harris, Mahershala Ali, Trevante Rhodes, Janelle Monáe, and more. It also achieved much success, including winning three Oscars.

Jharrel Jerome's Girlfriend: He Was Not Dating in Late 2022 Though He Is 'Relationship-Oriented'

Jerome prefers to keep his love life private. However, in his song "Someone I'm Not," the actor raps about struggling with relationships. He reflects on the irony of how someone who previously ignored him now sought his attention after his fame and success.

He mentioned owning a Bentley and winning an Emmy, which appeared to attract this person who suddenly desired a wedding ring but then deceived him with a false pregnancy claim.

In an October 2022 interview, the actor-turned-rapper opened up slightly about his love life, revealing he had been in a relationship, but things were different. He said:

"I never speak on this in interviews, but I'm a very relationship-oriented person. I've been in a relationship, and that has now changed. So finding love for myself, and leaning on my own validation and no one else's, has been one of the hardest things for me."

Jerome's recent role is in the comedy-fantasy series "I'm a Virgo," he portrays Cootie, a towering 13-foot-tall character. Cootie embarks on an adventure, escaping to explore the real world, where he encounters the complexities of life and forms meaningful connections.