Do you think LGBTQ+ people of colour face additional challenges both within
and outside of the community, as well as in the entertainment industry itself?
I mean. I mean.
We’ve already kind of said that, I think.
There’s being queer, but then there’s being black and queer.
It's like a whole other layer that just like, it just takes a little bit.
It's just feel like, I don't know about you,
I just feel like I have to work ten times harder as your peers sometimes.
Tell me about it. I know some people
and this is no shade, this is just tea and facts, ok.
Usually when I say that I’m about to be really shady.
But I know some people who don't have half the talent as me or...
And I'm being dead out serious now and I'm being for real.
I couldn't circles around them,
I could sing boots around them,
they're not even that cute,
and they are doing ridiculously amazing things cause they’re, you know, that.
And I just feel like,
I mean, I'm happy.
Look at us, we’re at BAFTA!
I am complaining, but I just know that, like, sometimes we've had a good card dealt clearly,
we've been able to get hair in a certain way.
But I do think sometimes I’m like, imagine if something... you know what I mean?
I just know I've had to kind of... Fight.
Yeah. Yeah.
For who you are. For sure.
I get you.
And there's been a lot of help along the way and I think it is timing
and being in the right place, right time,
the right people that give you that opportunity.
And then you get in there and I'm sure, you know,
it's not like-- People in the industry, their love of you...
You said commissioners?
“What are you working on Jojo? What's coming out? What are we going to see on screen?”
[unintelligible]
You heard it here first!
You heard it here at BAFTA!
Cooking up something, I see know.
No but-- You got that glow.
Liste, it’s absolutely been great.
But yeah, it's true. No, but let's be honest.
It is true that we do face... Different obstacles and also like a
liek you said, about having to have that conversation at home.
Yeah.
Not everybody would have to have to do that, you know. To go through that. True.
True. I love that.
Don't even, don't even.
Yeah but I think we both kind of feel also grateful.
I mean just like-- and happy. But also not... we don't feel like, “Oooh, it’s been so hard for me.”
I'm just like...
You did what you had to do.
Sometimes it’s bee a bit, you know, but we keep it moving.
I hear you. I hear you. You know.
One of my favourite sayings is “Don't take a paracetamol for somebody else's headache.”
Yeah. So, like, just like,
keep it moving and not be too stressed because I'm going not going to be stressed about
you, you, you, you. I'm going to be on the straight and narrow.
I hear what you say. You know what I mean?
No, babe.
We're going have to go for a drink after this, aren’t we?
Please, please.
I said, we're going to chat
and it's just people here. We’re just chilling.
It’s cute. Okay.
Should we do another question? Yes please. Please, please.
What does pride mean to you?
Pride? Yes.
Pride has evolved for me, I think, in time.
I think it use to just be, quite honestly, a piss-up.
Let’s be real. Like, it just used to be let’s go and get drunk. True.
But now there’s something that’s just...
I guess the older I get, the more-- and the more
the people that I kind of like
educate me and I'm surrounded by and my older peers knowing what
their Prides used to look like, I'm just like
I feel really lucky.
I feel like it is still a protest of course.
I like to be grateful that we have even
the opportunity and not even at Pride. There is a pride every week here in the UK.
Honestly. Do you know what I mean? True that.
I don't even call it Pride Month, it’s Pride season.
Pride season is also time for me to make some money.
Cos I’m like, “You’re gonna pay me for being a black gay boy.
I deserve it.
Thank you.”
Run me them checks #AD.
Do people not come for you with that?
They try me but I’m like, “Double tap.
Turn to comments off, help your sister pay my mortgage.”
I hear you. I respect that though.
If I see a #AD from you, I’m going to share it,
I’m going to send it to my nan, I’m going to send it to my mum...
Also my mom says hi, by the way.
Oh, bless. Hello mummy. Like, get behind it.
The girls need to eat. No true.
Or people get stush when you’re like, “Oh I was getting paid for that. Oh...”
Yeah! And times have also changed.
Times have changed and there’s other ways of making money.
There's TV, there’s film, there’s digital moments, I think
you know, support. Next time you see us, you know with a ad online,
wink wink, tap tap.
We’re just trying to pay our morgages.
I’m just trying, do you know what I mean, keep a roof over my head before I get kicked out.
But yeah, Pride it’s a beautiful moment.
It's a moment for me to be
with my friends and family, it’s a moment for me to have my loved ones around me.
Yeah.
I hosted a Pride brunch for myself the first time because it's been like a tradition.
And just then going out and celebrating
just being completely you. But also remembering that we do have to,
you know, keep it moving and know that it's not fully, you know...
We're not where we're supposed be. ... a moment for everybody.
Yeah. Yeah. What about you?
I guess ever since coming to this country, I think it's turned into a celebration.
Really have.
And, you know, a moment to reflect as you say. Like I said,
I come from Africa and I understand what it means to be able to just
own your identity
and be happy with who you and live a life, you know,
without having to worry that somebody might come out in the corner and kill you.
Yeah. Like I really fully...
It's the first time I'm actually starting to celebrate Pride.
That's so lovely.
This is my second year running.
Like, I'm like, “Woo!”
You’re on the float like “Woohoo!” Yeah.
And it’s been incredible but I have to say it has been also...
It has been lovely, you know, to see people
that really put in the work in this country, like the real activists,
people that they love to make other people's lives better.
Yeah. Doing stuff behind the scenes. And nobody knows about them actually,
which for me is a big gap.
I love that. I do feel that.
Do you ever feel guilty?
Sometimes I’m like, whenever you’re so busy, I’m like “vI need to do more.
I need to do this.”
And I don't know whether you agree that like,
I do think sometimes maybe just doing us and being out there and being on the screens,
is sometimes enough.
Oh, absolutely. If you say yes to everything.
Oh, no, no, honey.
Let me tell you. We can just double up.
You take the gig. I'll do your base.
No one's going to know or turn up anyways, apparently. Joking.
There's been times-- “Hi Jojo!”
I know, listen.
There's been times when I wanted to jump on a plane and go back to Africa
because I was just like, “No, man!”
Yeah. But it is. It's important that you do you.
And I think it is, you’re so right. You know what I mean?
Sometimes, “Am I doing enough?”
And I'm, like, literally just living authentically in this country on TV,
you know, even, you know, guesting in and things and being about just doing you
is literally a form of activism in your country.
Absolutely. You know what I mean?
I know exactly what you mean darling.
So I think that's beautiful.
So maybe not too much pressure on ourselves.
Just live and do it when it's right and a reach, you know?
Yeah. Yeah.
Cos you can always tell when it’s a reach. It needs to be from the heart, I think anyway.
Yeah. Beautiful.