

Jacob Latimore has never owned a pair of Jordans.
In fact, it would be safe to say that he's not really into Jordans at all.
Timberlands, Air Force Ones, and high fashion shoes. That's more his speed.
This fact is surprising given his role as Emmett on The Chi, Showtime's coming-of-age drama directed by Emmy winner Lena Waithe, where he plays a sneaker-obsessed young father who has to learn how to provide for his child amidst the struggles and conflicts that come with living in Chicago's Southside.
In actuality, there are two things that make Jacob Latimore vastly different from his character. He's not that into Jordans nor does he have any children.
Although Jacob Latimore vastly differs from the sneaker head father on TV, there is one trait that is similar between Emmett and Jacob: the fact that they both aren't young kids anymore. And while they both have a lot more growing to do, they are both indeed grown young men.
Jacob Latimore as 'The Chi'Showtime
It's about mid-morning when we speak, Jacob has just gotten back from a store run and is in the middle of filming in Chicago. The Chi is expected to be back in 2019, though there's no word on the official date yet. It feels like it was just yesterday the show's first season ended even though it wrapped up back in March. But fans are awaiting its return, albeit impatiently as seen through various tweets expressing anticipation and melancholy for their beloved characters to be back on screen. Along with his cast mates, namely Jason Mitchell and Barton Fitzpatrick, Jacob actively participates in and enjoys the online interaction from fans of his character and the show as a whole.
According to him, Emmett is the closest character he's played to himself, in that he's a young, somewhat flashy Black man from the neighborhood. And while growth and evolution may be something his character has been somewhat forced into, for the 22-year-old Milwaukee native, it's something Jacob says was destined to happen all along. "I think the more things I go through, the more I'll be able to relate to my audience. I've never tried to force my 'grow up' on people. I've just always tried to be me and not put on a persona for anybody. People will see I'm growing up."
And if they haven't, one listen at Jacob's latest single "Is That What You Wanna Hear?" on his first project Connection, will definitely paint the picture clearer. With tracks such as "The Real," "Love Drug," "Climb," and his personal favorite "Mutual," it's evident that this isn't the young kid, young love version Jacob. No. This is the more mature Jacob whose dealt with drama in life, with relationships and women as well. And it's that type of growth that has proven to be a stepping stone into the next phase in his career, specifically when it comes to his music. "I feel like I made a smooth transition from the kiddie sound to really maturing. I think it's unfair to keep artists in a box and every artist should be true to themselves. Even if it means making other people uncomfortable."
"Every artist should be true to themselves. Even if it means making other people uncomfortable."
It's this type of awareness that makes it very clear to see why Jacob has garnered a very good level of success and an impeccable roster of acting projects under his belt. As much as he is purposeful about the types of projects he takes on, he is just as aware of his personal evolution and the pitfalls that can potentially halt it. Though somewhat humorous in his delivery, he expresses that he's cautious to not get too caught up in the lure and lights of the industry, as he feels it can easily corrupt your mind. "You can lose your essence that way. You have to stay grounded, remember why you're doing what you're doing, and remain humble."
And humility and preparation seem to be the overarching theme in this season for Jacob. It becomes clear that it's important, arguably now more than ever, to keep first things first. To minimize distractions and maintain his focus on the things that really matter. To keep singing, stay in shape, and keep his mind sharp. He knows money and fame don't always equal happiness and he also knows that with money and fame comes a lot of attention, especially when it comes to the ladies.
Admitting to having been in a somewhat long-term relationship "on the low" some years back, he reveals that while he is currently single, his career takes center stage in his life. However, he lets me know that the type of women he likes are the ones who know how to match his same energy. Essentially, sound-minded women that have their own thing going for themselves and who aren't looking for him to make them happy. She needs to have that joy within herself and drive to succeed in order to catch his attention. "I like independent, busy women. Some men may not like that or find that attractive, but I do. I love a woman that has goals and knows what they want to do in life and is working towards that. I want to be an addition to what she already has going [on]."
"I love a woman that has goals and knows what they want to do in life and is working towards that. I want to be an addition to what she already has going on."
And if you find yourself cozied up with him, get ready to talk about something more important than just the weather. "I like to see where her mind is at. I like to talk about her growth from a young girl to the woman she is today, trauma, and how she's learned to deal with it. A lot of people don't want to talk about things like that, but that's very important. You have to know those things."
As we wrap up, there's one question that's still hanging in the background: What's next for Jacob Latimore? With a handful of content expected to come in 2019 that include more TV/movie roles and potentially a new album, the short and simple answer? A LOT.
But the more we talk, the more it becomes evident that whatever this next chapter holds, it's going to be bigger than him. Much like his character Emmett, this next chapter will prove and serve two major lessons: longevity and legacy. Longevity in surviving the slippery slopes of the Southside and in real life, the enticing escapades of the industry. Legacy in the form of a young son fictionally, and legacy in the form of purposeful projects that propel his career.
And while most may think 22 is fairly young to be concerned about such lofty obligations, for Jacob, it's something he's ready to walk out one step at a time.
Just don't expect him to have any Jordans on while doing it.
To keep up with Jacob, follow him on Instagram. The Chi returns next year.
- Becoming A Superhero an INTERVIEW with Sleight's Jacob Latimore ›
- 'The Breakfast Club' | Jacob Latimore - REVOLT | REVOLT ... ›
- Jacob Latimore Brings Humanity to the Streets in Complex 'The Chi ... ›
- Sleight's Jacob Latimore talks about playing a hero who bridges ... ›
- Hollywood's Next Big Thing: 'Sleight' Star Jacob Latimore on Seeking ›
- Collateral Beauty: Jacob Latimore Exclusive Interview - YouTube ›
- This is Reality: Jacob Latimore, Jason Mitchell and Algee Smith on ... ›
- Jacob Latimore Interview [WATCH] - YouTube ›
Writer. Empath. Escapist. Young, gifted, and Black. Shanelle Genai is a proud Southern girl in a serious relationship with celebrity interviews, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and long walks down Sephora aisles. Keep up with her on IG @shanellegenai.
Claudia Jordan, Demetria McKinney & Jill Marie Jones On 'Games Women Play' & Dating Over 40
What do you get when you mix unfiltered truths, high-stakes romance, and a few well-timed one-liners? You get Games Women Play—the sizzling new stage play by Je’Caryous Johnson that’s part relationship rollercoaster, part grown-woman group chat.
With a powerhouse cast that includes Claudia Jordan, Demetria McKinney, Jill Marie Jones, Carl Payne, Chico Bean, and Brian J. White, the play dives headfirst into the messy, hilarious, and heart-wrenching games people play for love, power, and peace of mind. And the women leading this story? They’re bringing their whole selves to the stage—and leaving nothing behind.
From Script to Spotlight
The road to Games Women Play started over 20 years ago—literally.
“This script was written 20 years ago,” Jill Marie Jones said with a smile. “It was originally called Men, Money & Gold Diggers, and I was in the film version. So when Je’Caryous called me to bring it to the stage, I was like, ‘Let’s go.’” Now reimagined for 2025, the play is updated with sharp dialogue and modern relationship dynamics that feel all too real.
Demetria McKinney, no stranger to Je’Caryous Johnson’s productions, jumped at the opportunity to join the cast once again. “This is my third time working with him,” she shared. “It was an opportunity to stretch. I’d never been directed by Carl Payne before, and the chance to work with talent I admire—Jill, Claudia, Chico—it was a no-brainer.”
Claudia Jordan joked that she originally saw the role as just another check. “I didn’t take it that seriously at first,” she admitted. “But this is my first full-on tour—and now I’ve got a whole new respect for how hard people work in theater. This ain’t easy.”
Modern Love, Stage Left
The play doesn’t hold back when it comes to the messier parts of love. One jaw-dropping moment comes when a live podcast proposal flips into a prenup bombshell—leaving the audience (and the characters) gasping.
Demetria broke it down with honesty. “People don’t ask the real questions when they date. Like, ‘Do you want kids? How do you feel about money?’ These convos aren’t happening, and then everyone’s confused. That moment in the play—it’s real. That happens all the time.”
Jill chimed in, noting how the play speaks to emotional disconnect. “We’re giving each other different tokens of love. Men might offer security and money. Women, we’re giving our hearts. But there’s a disconnect—and that’s where things fall apart.”
And then Claudia, of course, took it all the way there. “These men don’t even want to sign our prenups now!” she laughed. “They want to live the soft life, too. Wearing units, gloss, getting their brows done. We can’t have nothing! Y’all want to be like us? Then get a damn period and go through menopause.”
Dating Over 40: “You Better Come Correct”
When the conversation turned to real-life relationships, all three women lit up. Their experiences dating in their 40s and 50s have given them both clarity—and zero tolerance for games.
“I feel sexier than I’ve ever felt,” said Jill, who proudly turned 50 in January. “I say what I want. I mean what I say. I’m inside my woman, and I’m not apologizing for it.”
Demetria added that dating now comes with deeper self-awareness. “Anybody in my life is there because I want them there. I’ve worked hard to need nobody. But I’m open to love—as long as you keep doing what got me there in the first place.”
For Claudia, the bar is high—and the peace is priceless. “I’ve worked hard for my peace,” she said. “I’m not dating for food. I’m dating because I want to spend time with you. And honestly, if being with you isn’t better than being alone with my candles and fountains and cats? Then no thanks.”
Channeling Strength & Icon Status
Each actress brings something different to the play—but all of them deliver.
“I actually wish I could be messier on stage,” Claudia joked. “But I think about my grandmother—she was born in 1929, couldn’t even vote or buy a house without a man, and didn’t give a damn. She was fearless. That’s where my strength comes from.”
For Jill, the comparisons to her iconic Girlfriends character Toni Childs aren’t far off—but this role gave her a chance to dig deeper. “If you really understood Toni, you’d see how layered she was. And Paisley is the same—misunderstood, but strong. There’s more to her than people see at first glance.”
Demetria, who juggles singing and acting seamlessly, shared that live theater pushes her in a new way. “Every moment on stage counts. You can’t redo anything. It’s a different kind of love and discipline. You have to give the performance away—live, in the moment—and trust that it lands.”
Laughter, Lessons & Black Girl Gems
The show has plenty of laugh-out-loud moments—and the cast isn’t shy about who steals scenes.
“Chico Bean gets a lot of gasps and laughs,” Claudia said. “And Naomi Booker? Every scene she’s in—she’s hilarious.”
But the play isn’t just about humor. It leaves space for reflection—especially for Black women.
“I hope we get back to the foundation of love and communication,” said Demetria. “A lot of us are in protector mode. But that’s turned into survival mode. We’ve lost softness. We’ve lost connection.”
Claudia agreed. “We’re doing it all—but it’s not because we want to be strong all the time. It’s because we have to be. And I just want women to know: You can have peace, you can be soft. But stop bringing your old pain into new love. Don’t let past heartbreak build walls so high that the right person can’t climb over.”
Final Act: Pack the House
If there’s one thing this cast agrees on, it’s that this play isn’t just entertainment—it’s necessary.
“Atlanta is the Black entertainment hub,” Claudia said. “We need y’all to show up for this play. Support the arts. Support each other. Because when we pack the house, we make space for more stories like this.”
Games Women Play is more than a play—it’s a mirror. You’ll see yourself, your friends, your exes, and maybe even your next chapter. So get ready to laugh, reflect, and maybe even heal—because the games are on.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Feature image courtesy
Sterling K. Brown & Ryan Michelle Bathe Relationship Timeline
Sterling K. Brown and Ryan Michelle Bathe are one of our favorite Hollywood couples. We can't get over their adorable moments together on the red carpet and on social media. While they're both from St. Louis, they didn't meet until college, which they both attended Stanford. And the rest is as they say, history. Read below as we dive into their decades-long relationship.
Mid to Late1990s: Sterling K. Brown & Ryan Michelle Bathe Meet
Sterling and Ryan met as freshmen at Stanford University. "We were in the same dorm freshman year...that's kind of how we met," Ryan said in an interview with ET. "I was mesmerized," she said after watching him audition for the school play, Joe Turner's Come and Gone. Sterling revealed that The First Wives Club star was dating someone else, so they started off as friends.
"She got cast in the play as well, and we would ride bikes to rehearsal, and we would just talk. We found out that we were both from St. Louis. We didn't know that we were both from St. Louis, like, our parents went to rival high schools. We were born in the same hospital. Like, we were friends," he said.
The first few years of their relationship involved many breakups and makeups. However, they ended up graduating and attended NYU's Tisch Grad Acting Program together.
Early 2000s: Sterling K. Brown Tells Ryan Michelle Bathe She's 'The Love Of My Life'
The Paradise star opened up about telling Ryan that she was the one. "We broke up for three and a half years before we came back into each other's lives," he said. "She was on the treadmill working out, and I had this epiphany, 'I have to go tell this woman she's the love of my life.'"
"I go to her apartment, I tell her, and she's like, 'Well, I'm working out right now,' and I was like, 'No, I can see that—I'll just talk to you while you're on the treadmill,' and she's like, 'Well, I feel like going outside. So I'm gonna go on a run,'" he continued. "So I'm like dressed [in a suit], and she starts running through Koreatown, and I start running along with her. Brother had to work, but it was well worthwhile."
2006: Sterling K. Brown & Ryan Michelle Bathe Tie The Knot
The St. Louis natives eloped in 2006 and a year later held a larger ceremony. According to the bride, the best part of their wedding was the food. "The best thing about it was the food," she told ET.
"Can I just say, sometimes you go to weddings, and you get the winner-winner chicken dinner and you're like, 'I pay. OK, it's fine.' But I wanted people to remember their experience -- their culinary experience. So I was happy about that. The food was good."
2011: Sterling K. Brown & Ryan Michelle Bathe Welcome Their First Child
In 2011, Sterling and The Endgame actress welcomed their first son, Andrew. In a 2017 tweet, Sterling revealed they had a home birth. "An unexpected home delivery is something my wife and I went through ourselves with our first born, so this was round 2 for me!" he wrote while referring to a scene involving his character Randall, in This Is Us.
2012: Sterling K. Brown & Ryan Michelle Bathe Appear On-screen Together
A year later, the couple acted together on the Lifetime series Army Wives.
2015: Sterling K. Brown & Ryan Michelle Bathe Welcome Their Second Child
In 2015, Sterling and Ryan welcomed another son, Amaré. Sterling shared an Instagram post about their latest addition to the family. "1st post. 2nd child. All good! #imoninstagram," the Atlas star wrote.
2016: Ryan Michelle Bathe Joins Sterling K. Brown On 'This Is Us'
Ryan guest appears on her hubby's show, This Is Us.
Sterling K. Brown Reveals Ryan Michelle Bathe's Mother Didn't Like Him At First
During their sit-down interview for the Black Love series, Sterling revealed that Ryan's mother wasn't a fan of him, which caused friction in their relationship.
2024: Sterling K. Brown & Ryan Michelle Bathe Explain How Jennifer Lopez Once Broke Them Up
While visiting The Jennifer Hudson Show, Sterling and Ryan share their hilarious Jennifer Lopez break-up story. "We had just gone out, we were living in New York City, we were in grad school, and we had gone to see a Broadway play and we came back to my place and my roommate was playing the ["Love Don't Cost A Thing"] video on MTV," Sterling said.
"Now I'm a fan of Jennifer Lopez's dancing, and I was watching the video and I knew my young...21, 22-year-old girlfriend was looking at me watch the video. And I know I'm not supposed to have a reaction. In trying NOT to have a reaction, what had happened was, my eyes began to water."
Ryan jumped in, "Otherwise known as, TEARS! I turn around and my boyfriend is weeping, tears like big fat [tears]. And I'm looking and she's just a shakin' and a shimming, and he's just crying. I said 'Oh no, I got to go.' "
2024: Sterling K. Brown & Ryan Michelle Bathe Launch Their Podcast, We Don't Always Agree
The couple launched their podcast, We Don't Always Agree, where they disclose more intimate details about their love story.
Feature image by Chelsea Lauren/Shutterstock