Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Blindspotting’s Jasmine Cephas Jones

Future EGOT Jasmine Cephas Jones has captivated audiences in all facets of her career. Whether she’s starring in a little Broadway production called Hamilton (you may have heard of it), winning an Emmy for #Freerayshawn, or connecting with over a million monthly listeners on Spotify, Jasmine has proven to be one of Hollywood’s most exciting and versatile young talents.

This year, she commanded the screen with her nuanced performance in Starz’s Blindspotting. A continuation of the 2018 film of the same name, Blindspotting follows Jasmine’s character as she navigates a chaotic and humorous existential crisis after her partner is suddenly incarcerated.

The groundbreaking series received unprecedented support from fans and critics alike.

Pop Culturalist had the honor of speaking with Jasmine ahead of tonight’s season finale of Blindspotting.

PC: The season finale of Blindspotting is airing this weekend. What can fans expect?
Jasmine: They can expect so much. I don’t want to give anything away, but it’s one of my favorite episodes ever. It’s directed by Rafael Casal, who plays Miles and is also an executive producer and writer on the show. We had so much fun filming it. Benjamin Earl Turner is amazing in it. People will cry, laugh, and feel all the feelings in this season finale. It’s a great one. It really is one of my favorite episodes.

PC: Throughout the season, we see Ashley in her purest form through spoken word. For you as an actress, is the preparation for those scenes different? How do you get in that mindset?
Jasmine: Every verse was different depending on when I got them, when they were rewritten, all of that stuff. My main focus was not to make such a performance out of them. It’s hard because it’s spoken word; I’m rapping, and it’s also a monologue that she’s having. It’s so many things in one that she’s doing. I wanted to make it as believable as possible, and I made sure that it flowed seamlessly with everything else that was happening in the episode. It was a lot of studying, a lot of practicing on my own, constantly talking to Rafael and Daveed [Diggs] to make sure I was doing it right and that my intention was right. It was really breaking down the thought process through the verses.

PC: You shared on social media that Ashley and this project have pushed you artistically. What’s been the biggest lesson you’ve learned about yourself and your craft embodying this character?
Jasmine: The biggest thing that I’ve learned is to trust myself and to allow myself to literally fall flat on my face and get up again. This show is so out of the box; you have to have that mindset of thinking outside of the box and not have any restraints on yourself. It’s about being able to open up emotionally and be yourself. It’s about trusting and understanding that the sky is the limit with this show.

PC: There are so many impactful moments and scenes that unfold throughout the series. Is there one in particular that hit home for you?
Jasmine: There are so many. One was definitely the trashing of the room. There are a lot of women that feel that way. I felt like I was a vessel in that moment for so many women. To be able to do that and express these emotions while in so much anger, sadness, frustration—it was very therapeutic for me after. I feel like there are so many women that contacted me that loved that scene and were like, “I have felt this way so many times in my life, and thank you for that.”

PC: Ashley has so many great relationships. Which was your favorite to explore in season one and why?
Jasmine: The relationships with all these amazing and talented women in this show are so special: everything from the relationship with Trish, played by Jaylen [Barron]—that sister relationship has so much underneath it—to the best friends with Candice, and then the relationship I have with Helen Hunt. She plays this mother figure. Helen Hunt is amazing. To be able to explore all of these different relationships that Ashley has with these women was really great to explore. I loved getting to show all these relationships that these women have, that support system, trust, and how important that is.

PC: Community is such a huge focal point of the series, both on and off camera. What has it meant to you to share the success of the show with your friends?
Jasmine: I’ve done it a couple of times with my friends; a lot of my friends are artists. That community is so important. The friends that I have and that groundedness that they give me—it’s amazing to express my feelings, my ideas, and my creative ideas. The show happened because of a friendship that I had with Daveed and Rafael, and their belief in me and my belief in them. It’s a beautiful thing to share with my friends and my community, because it was made out of a community and a friendship.

PC: This project also finds you stepping into the producer’s seat for the first time in your career. How did that come to fruition? Was it a challenge to manage those different hats?
Jasmine: It was a huge learning experience to be able to be a part of those conversations that are very behind the scenes that you wouldn’t be a part of just as an actor. To be able to have a lot of say in the creative aspect of the show gave me a lot of confidence. I asked a lot of questions. I really learned a lot this season of what it means to make a show. Everything that happens behind the scenes with the decisions that you have to make, what’s important, what’s not important, and what you have to put first—all of these things that I just had no idea about. It was a great learning experience for me and was super fun.

PC: The series has been incredibly well received. What do you think is resonating most with audiences?
Jasmine: It’s everything about this show. We cover so many topics. What’s great about this show is that everyone around the world can relate to something in it. There are so many characters that are dealing with loss and trauma in their own way. The reality of the situation is everybody handles trauma and sadness differently. There’s a character that everyone can relate to in the show. There’s not one big storyline; there are so many storylines within one. No matter where you come from, you can relate to something in this show, which is awesome. It’s an everybody’s show.

PC: You teased that you’re working on some new music. Is there anything that you can share about what fans can expect on the music front?
Jasmine: [laughs] I mean, I wrote an album in a week. I just came back from a writer’s retreat, which was such an amazing experience. A lot of people that listen to my music have said that it’s helped them get through stuff. I always write from a place of honesty. There will be some jams as well so you can dance, too!

To keep up with Jasmine, follow her on Twitter and Instagram. Watch Blindspotting on Starz today.