Pittsburg man pursues acting dreams in Los Angeles

“It’s the first Black show for Disney+, the first rolling skating show, there are a lot of differentkey things happening for this show that are dope moments in history that I am so proud of,” Harris said. “Seeing things that we are able to talk about in the show and representation for theroller skating world and also just Black families in general … it’s just so awesome and I am so excited.”

Once filming wraps up, Harris and the rest of the cast will head back to Los Angeles to begin promoting the show, which is scheduled to begin streaming next year. Before landing this job, Harris acted in “Bunk’d,” “The Map of Tiny Perfect Things” and “Ballers,” among others. Before transitioning into film acting, Harris took roles in stage productions all over the Bay Area. He was encouraged in his dream by his family, especially his mother, Nichol Turner.

“I knew that kid was going to be something the day he was born,” Turner said of her son. “He has always had that special presence about him, and has always been very outgoing and such a people person without even trying … when he began to gravitate toward the arts, it just evolved from there.”

Harris was first encouraged to try acting when his fifth-grade teacher, Roya Cyrus, suggested he try out for the school’s Christmas play.

“I was already performing before that because I was in dance, but I never considered acting,” said Harris. “I was not with it, I didn’t think I’d be good at it. But she said she thought I would be great and if I didn’t like it, then I’d know, but I should at least try it.”

Harris lives by those words to this day. After performing in the Christmas show, he continued to audition for roles in school performances, and began looking for bigger stages from Antioch to Berkeley.

“He is exceptional,” Cyrus said. “He has a gift, obviously, but he takes his craft very seriously and is very conscientious about it. And I think he has all the ingredients to be successful with what he does. He has the talent and the tenacity and the perseverance, and he is proud and happy with what he does.”

Harris attended Deer Valley High School for three years but moved to an online school for his senior year so he could focus on his acting career. After high school, Harris attended Columbia College Hollywood in Tarzana where he worked to secure an agent. In 2017, during his second year at Columbia, he signed with CESD Talent Agency, eventually getting the part in “Saturdays.”

Harris said achieving this level of success has been one of his biggest blessings, and he hopes to give back to his hometown someday.

“I’m constantly just working to be the best performer I can be. And eventually, one of my end goals is to make a film program in between Pittsburg and Antioch,” Harris said. “Essentially, I am the first of what I do to come from there, and I know others feel the same as I do but didn’t have the means to have the opportunities, because the only opportunities we have out there are in San Francisco or in Oakland. And even then, it’s slim to none. So I want to make a program where I can provide that resource vehicle so that dream doesn’t seem so far off.”

When he visits home, Harris likes to spend time with his family, catch a movie at Maya Pittsburg Cinemas, or take his grandmother to lunch at New Mecca Café.

For more information follow Harris on Instagram at @jermxine.