Email:neill@outloudculture.com
Socials: @neillfrazer
While “BMF” marks a milestone in Jerel’s career, it’s just one highlight in a résumé that includes roles in the Aretha Franklin biopic “Respect” (2021), following the legend’s career from a child singing in her father’s church choir to her international superstardom. Other notable projects include the 2023 short film “Worn Thin,” the acclaimed Tom Holland-led mystery mini-series “The Crowded Room” (2023), “The Power of RAH!: Glory and Gold” (2021), and the highly praised true crime mini-series “The Atlanta Child Murders” (2019). His repertoire at such a young age is highly impressive and distinctly diverse in the breadth of characters he has so successfully portrayed.
Looking ahead, Jerel is eager to explore new genres, with a particular fascination for horror—a nod to his favorite film genre. And as he charts his path in the industry, he draws inspiration from icons like Leonardo DiCaprio, recognizing the power of versatility and the enduring impact of a singular voice in storytelling. Jerel Xavier Alston is not just a rising star; he’s a force to be reckoned with, destined to leave an indelible mark on the world of entertainment.
Hi Jerel welcome to OLC! So tell us what was the inspiration and drive towards you becoming an actor and how were you discovered?
Whenever I would hang out with my friends, I would play different characters. I realized I liked entertaining and being someone I’m not while doing so. I asked my mom who was already an actress if I could do what she does and she took me to Dwayne Boyd’s Premier Actor’s Network. There is where Dwayne, Todd, Larry, and Andrene told me I was a great actor. So, I would say they helped discover me, I guess.
What drew you to the role of Kevin in “BMF,” and how do you relate to the character?
Kevin’s love of comic books, superheroes, and movies and being described as a nerd drew me to him and made me relate to his character.
Can you share any memorable experiences from working on the set of “BMF” with the cast and crew?
My most memorable experience was on the first day when the director, “Slim”, introduced himself to me and said he loved my audition but wanted to see if I could do the same thing in front of his camera that I did in front of my camera at home. At the end of the filming day, he walked up, shook my hand, and told me that I proved him wrong. I must add how friendly the onset environment was and how I was treated so nicely as if I was already a celebrity. It made it easy to work on set.
As a young actor, how do you prepare for emotionally intense scenes like those in “BMF”? With a diverse range of projects in your repertoire, how do you choose which roles to pursue?
This may sound strange, but I allow the character to prepare for me. When I play a role, I become who I am playing and my thoughts become their thoughts. As far as which roles I choose to pursue, my dad told me years ago to set my boundaries of things I am willing to do and never compromise or go beyond that unless I want to.
How do you balance your education with your acting career, especially considering your young age?
I just continue to do the best I can with both. When we are on set, we have a set teacher who helps us with our schoolwork. It also helps that my parents make sure my teachers know about what I do and they all make sure I don’t let my schoolwork suffer because of acting.
You’ve expressed an interest in exploring horror as a genre. What aspects of horror films intrigue you, and are there any specific roles you hope to tackle in the future?
I love psychological horror and I’d love to be in one because it means I get to be in a film that messes with someone’s mind and as weird as it sounds it’d be fun to do that.
Who has been your biggest mentor or inspiration in the entertainment industry, and how have they influenced your career?
My mom has been my biggest mentor because she was already in the industry and has a lot of knowledge about it. She also inspires me because she started pursuing it later in life and even went back to college to get a degree to help further her career as a director, writer, and producer.
“BMF” is based on true events. How do you approach playing a character in a story inspired by real people and events?
To me, all of my characters are real whether the story is based on true events or not, so I react the way I would if I was actually in the situations my characters find themselves in. It also helps that Kevin and I were so similar. I guess that also answers how I prepare for emotional scenes as well.
What challenges have you faced as a young actor, and how have you overcome them?
I don’t use profanity or sexual language and a lot of the auditions I get require that in some way. To overcome that, I tell casting up front that I don’t use that language. Then, I give my best performance while changing the language to suit me. If I am good enough at my job, they overlook the changes and book me for the role. That happened when I booked Tom Holland’s “The Crowded Room.”
More recently, my age-to-height ratio has become a challenge. I’m 15 and 6’0 so there aren’t many roles searching for someone my age and height.
Looking ahead, what are your aspirations for your career in the entertainment industry, and what kind of legacy do you hope to leave behind?
I aspire to be one of the best actors there is. I want to reach Leonardo DiCaprio, Denzel Washington, and Will Smith levels of acting. I’m not talking about the fame. I am talking about the skill and the way they entertain and impact people with the roles they play and how they portray them. I want people to see me and know the project is going to be good because I am in it.
