Closet to Center Stage: Jermelle Simon Embraces His Truth Across The Upshaws Finale
In a Hollywood Reporter interview, Jermelle Simon explains that his breakout role as Bernard Upshaw—who evolves from closeted to openly gay—mirrored and propelled his own journey to come out in 2024. After a 2018 divorce, he married Obio Jones in 2025, and with The Upshaws ending, he aims to shift toward stage work and film to showcase range beyond the sitcom, while reflecting on family support during the final days of production.