Aaron Jennings, who plays mild-mannered accountant Anthony Holmes on NBC's hangout comedy Grand Crew, has been immersed in the entertainment industry for most of his life. The credit goes to his parents, Brent Jennings (The CW's All American) and Juanita Jennings (Fox's Star). "The art world is something I was very familiar with growing up, but I didn't see myself making a career out of it until I was in about 10th grade and I dove right in," he explains in this edition of Multicultural TV Talk. "They didn't want me to do it as a child. They wanted me to know what it was like to be a normal teen, but I was always around sets and backstage. I'd go to auditions with them and help them run lines. It was an interesting childhood."
When asked about the moments he felt represented when he was growing up, Aaron shares that his parents' involvement in the industry led to them showing him films that were made "if not for us, then by us. When I was growing up, there were a lot of Black sitcoms on the air, whether it be The Wayans Bros., The Jamie Foxx Show, Martin or Living Single. They were always awesome to grow up with, because I always saw myself represented. I don't think I realized it at the time, but they shaped my sensibilities now."
Reflecting on what he has learned since filming the Grand Crew pilot, Aaron speaks about "the spirit of play" that he learned to embrace, especially while working on a comedy. "It's really taken over my craft," he explains. "You obviously do your homework and prep as best you can, but you get on set and you have to be willing to let it all go and just play and explore in the moment.
"There's a lot of growth that Anthony goes through this season," he continues. "In the first, his work was definitely the love of his life. In the second season that love gets challenged a little bit and ultimately contributes to his overall growth. I'm excited for people to see that arc."
New episodes of Grand Crew are telecast Fridays on NBC at 8:30 p.m. ET and available to stream next day on Peacock and Hulu.
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