For Jemarcus Kilgore, the next chapter is about more than simply landing the next role. It is about building a body of work that reflects his evolution as an actor, filmmaker, storyteller, and creative force.
As he returns for Season 2 of All’s Fair, Kilgore is stepping into a world that has already pushed him creatively while giving him the opportunity to learn from some of the industry’s most respected talents. With a “wild” season ahead, he continues to sharpen his craft under the guidance of his “TV Mom,” Niecy Nash-Betts, and director Anthony Hemingway.
At the same time, Kilgore is expanding his creative footprint through Darren and Anissa, a project he describes as being close to his heart. With the feature currently in early development and conversations underway with directors and production companies, the project represents another step toward his evolution as a filmmaker.
The recognition of Darren and Anissa at BronzeLens has added another meaningful milestone to that journey. For Kilgore, the Academy Award-qualifying festival’s recognition was not only a career achievement, but a powerful affirmation of Southern storytelling and the importance of creating space for Black and Brown voices.
With his eyes firmly on the future, Kilgore is focused on becoming the best filmmaker and actor he can be while creating work that inspires the generation coming behind him.
You’re returning for Season 2 of All’s Fair. What has this next chapter of the series been like for you, and how has the experience of filming this season compared to the first?
It’s so interesting being on this show; there are equal levels of excitement and secrecy that I’m learning to balance. I can say this: we have a WILD season ahead of us. For both the fans and our incredible cast and crew. It’s crazier, campier, and a full-on roller coaster.
Every time I come to set, I leave with a new lesson that I can use for the rest of my career. A lot of that is due to the incredible wisdom and guidance of my TV Mom, Niecy Nash-Betts, and our director, Anthony Hemingway.
With the continued success of All’s Fair, what have you enjoyed most about being part of a project that is connecting with audiences and expanding your creative journey?
Honestly? The fans. I LOVE our fans. They find out stuff before we do sometimes! There’s this fan account on Instagram called All’s Fair Brasil, and I don’t know how they do it, but they ALWAYS have new info or paparazzi photos.
I’ve also loved interacting with fans in person. It’s funny, because I don’t look the same way I did in Season 1. I’ve cut my hair, been in the gym, and wear my facial hair long most of the time. So you have to look pretty hard to realize it’s me.
Somehow or another, my TV brother, Joshua Suiter, and I got recognized on our flight into LA. We got up, spoke with the fan, took pictures, the whole nine yards. It really puts things into perspective. As actors, we can get so tunnel-visioned on the craft that we forget we get to be a part of people’s everyday lives. That’s a privilege I don’t take lightly.
You’ve been making exciting progress with Darren and Anissa. Can you share more about that collaboration and what this partnership has meant for your growth as a storyteller and creative?
I’m so excited about where Darren and Anissa has been going. We’re in early development of the feature, currently talking with different directors and production companies. The goal is to get funding this year and be in pre-production soon after.
These characters are my babies, so seeing how people react to their story has been equal parts exciting and scary. I love them, and just like any parent, I want the world to love them too.
Working with our producer, Autumn Bailey-Ford, has been a master class. She will always take the time to shoot straight with me and to make sure I’m learning in real time. Her guidance has allowed me to blossom as a filmmaker, as well as find my own way.
The project’s acceptance into BronzeLens is a major milestone. What does that recognition mean to you, and why is it important to have your work celebrated through platforms that uplift diverse voices in film and television?
BronzeLens was a shock. I was in the middle of moving when I got a text from my friend, Kiah Clingman, letting me know we got it. My jaw plummeted.
It was a very competitive season on the festival circuit this year. We’d gotten close to some festivals but continued falling short. So to be recognized by BronzeLens was a dream. Not only because it’s an Academy Award-qualifying festival, but also because it’s from the home team, Atlanta.
Darren and Anissa is a story rooted in Southern culture, so being recognized in the South was a huge confidence boost. Festivals like BronzeLens are important because they allow diverse voices to rise above preconceived notions of what Black and Brown creators can do. Then it puts us on a stage where we can stand side by side with our peers and let the world know that we belong.
Looking back at your career journey, what moments have shaped the way you approach your craft, leadership, and the stories you choose to tell?
I’m blessed to be surrounded by a cohort of like-minded creatives. This next wave of filmmakers and actors is hungry, and that hunger allows us to push each other beyond our limits.
My friends make me work harder, lead with more wisdom, and make sure the choices I make map out steps for my future.
I’ve always said that if I can make one kid feel the way Chadwick Boseman made me feel when I watched 42, then I’ve done my job and inspired the next generation to pursue their dreams, no matter how impossible they seem.
As the entertainment industry continues to evolve, what types of stories or projects are you passionate about bringing to audiences in the future?
I want to tell stories that push the limits of the imagination, and that goes beyond just my own projects.
There’s a TV series in pre-production right now called Fourth Wing. It’s a fantasy series based on a book with the same name that Michael B. Jordan is producing alongside Amazon, and I’d LOVE to be a part of it.
There’s a character in it named Ridoc, and he’s hilarious. It’s a series about a military college of dragon riders, like, come ON! It doesn’t get cooler than that.
What are some goals you’re currently working toward, both professionally and creatively, that you hope to accomplish in this next phase of your career?
I’m working on becoming the best filmmaker I can be while also becoming the best actor I can be. It’s a never-ending journey of seeking knowledge. I’m always asking questions, reading, or watching something.
When it’s not that, I’m writing a script, working on a pitch deck, or developing a new concept. My work time is really important to me because I know that if I do my job well, I can inspire the person who will come after me when my time is up.
If I can inspire the next generation of filmmakers while spreading hope and light, then I’m living the dream.
When audiences look back on your body of work years from now, what impact do you hope your contributions have made on the industry and the next generation of creatives?
I want people to look at my body of work and get a glimpse of who Jemarcus is, and I want that glimpse to inspire them to KEEP GOING.
When my mom passed, I could’ve buried this dream with her, but I know that’s not what she would’ve wanted me to do. She would’ve wanted me to lock in with God and take my dream to the furthest horizons.
If I can do that, I hope the next generation can look at me and say, “If he can do it? Then so can I.”
Because that’s what my inspirations did for me. They blazed a trail for me to follow, so that I can be a trailblazer for those that come behind me.
For Kilgore, success is not simply measured by the roles he books, the projects he creates, or the accolades that follow. It is measured by the doors he helps open and the people he inspires to walk through them. As he continues balancing acting with filmmaking and developing stories that challenge, entertain, and inspire, his vision remains rooted in something bigger than himself: leaving behind proof that the dream is worth pursuing.
And if his journey can make the next person believe they can do it too, then Jemarcus Kilgore knows he is exactly where he is supposed to be.
Photographer: John Harrington
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