Shortly after Jerome enrolled as an undergraduate at Ithaca College , he was cast in his first professional acting role in the 2016 independent film '' Moonlight '' , as young Kevin . A.O. Scott wrote in the '' New York Times '' that he was " excellent " in the role . Director Barry Jenkins said about Jerome , in an interview with the '' Los Angeles Times , '' " When you watch Jharrel in that movie , he ’s not a guy who ’s been over-rehearsing . That ’s a dude learning by doing . It ’s amazing . ” Since 2017 , Jerome has appeared in the Audience series '' Mr. Mercedes '' . He auditioned for the role of young Korey Wise in the 2019 Netflix miniseries '' When They See Us , '' based on the Central Park jogger case . After his audition the series ' director , Ava DuVernay , asked him to read the lines for adult Korey Wise , and he was subsequently cast in both roles . Jerome grew close to Wise throughout filming , and said in a '' Los Angeles Times '' interview , " He 's my brother now . I look up to him . I look up to his courage . He 's taught me so much on how to be strong . ” Jerome and his '' Moonlight '' co-star , Ashton Sanders , won the 2017 MTV Movie & TV Award for Best Kiss
2017 MTV Movie & TV Award
2017 MTV Movie & TV Awards
Jharrel Jerome