Jonica T. Gibbs

Last updated
Jonica T. Gibbs
JojoTGibbs.jpg
Gibbs in 2018
Born
Gaffney, South Carolina, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
Other namesJojo T. Gibbs
Occupation(s)Actress, comedian
Years active2015–present
Known for Twenties
Notable work Fresh

Jonica "Jojo" T. Gibbs is an American actress and comedian. She plays the lead role of Hattie on the BET series Twenties . [1]

Contents

Early life and education

Gibbs was born in South Carolina [2] and raised by her great-grandparents in Hampstead, North Carolina. [3] She received her bachelor's degree in journalism from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. [3] Negative experiences with faculty members in the department discouraged her from pursuing journalism. [4] After graduation, she worked several jobs, including as a substitute teacher, and acted in student films at SCAD. [2]

Career

Gibbs moved to Los Angeles in 2015 to pursue acting professionally, [3] a year after she began stand-up comedy. [2] [3] She and her close friend Rashonda Joplin started a production company and developed the web series No More Comics in L.A. [5] They shot and financed two episodes and created a crowdfunding campaign to raise money for the remaining eight episodes. [3] [6] They reached out to a number of Black television creatives to market the campaign, including Lena Waithe. [7]

Waithe invited Gibbs to audition for Twenties , which was her first audition. [2] [3] Gibbs was cast in the lead role as Hattie, a broke, queer, aspiring TV writer loosely based on Waithe's experiences. [4] [5] Gibbs has spoken about the significance of playing one of few masculine-of-center lesbians in American media. [3] [8]

Gibbs has a recurring role in Good Trouble and the scripted podcast The Left Right Game . [9] [10] Gibbs starred in the 2022 thriller Fresh . [11]

Personal life

Gibbs is openly gay. [4] [12] She came out to her mother at 19 after watching True Life : I'm Coming Out . [6]

Filmography

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2019–2020 Good Trouble [9] Fundraiser GuestRecurring role
2020 The Left Right Game [10] Eve (voice)Podcast series
2020–2021 Twenties [2] HattieMain role
2021 Electric Easy [13] Omni / Martha (voice)Podcast series

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2022 Fresh Mollie [11]
Something from Tiffany's Terri Blake
2023 Past Lives Janice
Dogman Evelyn
2024 Civil War WF White House Sergeant
Dirty Angels TBA

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References

  1. "Spotlight: Jojo T. Gibbs on lesbian-themed comedy series 'Twenties'". Metro Weekly. 2020-06-19. Retrieved 2020-06-21.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Brathwaite, Lester Fabian (19 March 2020). "How Jonica T. Gibbs Brought Her Soft Butch Swagger to "Twenties"". LOGO News. Retrieved 2020-06-21.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Jonica T. Gibbs on Playing Lena Waithe (Sort of) in "Twenties"". W Magazine | Women's Fashion & Celebrity News. 4 March 2020. Retrieved 2020-06-21.
  4. 1 2 3 "Twenties's Jonica 'Jojo' Gibbs on Black Queer Visibility in Hollywood". www.advocate.com. 2020-06-19. Retrieved 2020-06-21.
  5. 1 2 "Jonica "Jojo" T. Gibbs —the glue in BET's new comedy "Twenties" — a star is born". Los Angeles Sentinel. 2020-04-16. Retrieved 2020-06-21.
  6. 1 2 "Why Actress JoJo Gibbs Came Out Twice to Her Mom". Inside Edition. 2020-03-03. Retrieved 2020-06-21.
  7. Lecaro, Lina (2020-06-11). "Pride Q&A: Twenties Star Jonica T. Gibbs on Representing LGBTQ & Black Lives on TV". LA Weekly. Retrieved 2020-06-21.
  8. "Lena Waithe, Jonica Gibbs Explore How Lesbian Representation in TV Creates a "Space of Understanding"". The Hollywood Reporter. 13 June 2020. Retrieved 2020-06-21.
  9. 1 2 Ramos, Dino-Ray (2019-08-01). "Lena Waithe's 'Twenties' Adds Rapper Big Sean, Rounds Out Cast For New BET Comedy". Deadline. Retrieved 2020-06-21.
  10. 1 2 Wiseman, Andreas (2019-12-16). "Tessa Thompson To Star In & Produce QCode Sci-Fi-Thriller Podcast 'The Left Right Game'". Deadline. Retrieved 2020-06-21.
  11. 1 2 N'Duka, Amanda (2020-12-17). "'Twenties' Star Jojo T. Gibbs Joins Daisy Edgar-Jones & Sebastian Stan In Legendary Thriller 'Fresh'". Deadline. Retrieved 2022-02-03.
  12. "Jonica T. Gibbs Is Reliving Lena Waithe's "Twenties"". Interview Magazine. 2020-03-02. Retrieved 2020-06-21.
  13. Blistein, Jon (2021-06-11). "Kesha to Star in New Scripted Sci-Fi Podcast Series 'Electric Easy'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2022-02-03.