Jalyn Hall is a young man who currently carries a huge responsibility… but with the potential for a huge future in the industry riding on it. As Emmet Till he plays the victim in the real life story of an horrific murder of this 14 year old by white supremacists in 1955 Mississippi. In “Till” his mother Mamie Till-Mobley (in an oscar worthy performance by Danielle Deadwyler) turns her son’s lynching into a nationwide cause celebre that challenges and changes the racist “Jim Crow” laws in the American Deep South.
By Sydney Champagne
Photography: Nathan Heyward
Stylist: Jason Rembert
Groomer: Billie Gene
“… This is SOMETHING that happened 67 years ago, and it’s still happening today, that should make you want to get out and CHANGE THE WORLD… ”
Gen Z is often criticized for its reliance on media, scolded for sticking their noses in places they don’t have much experience in. What these critics don’t see are the individuals who embody the best of Gen Z; those who have intelligence, wit, and a willingness to learn and make the world around them a better place.
Jalyn Hall encapsulates the best of what Gen Z has to offer the world. The star of the newly released movie Till, the 15-year-old is prepared to tackle every opportunity that comes his way.
Hall always knew acting was his calling. “When I was four I said I was gonna be in the TV,” he said with a smile. “I didn’t know how I was gonna be in the TV, but I was dead set on being in it!”
He recalls going to acting camp at 7-years-old and falling in love with the performing arts. “From that point on, the flame that was acting just kept burning brighter and brighter in my heart,” he said. “It just kept pushing me until I got here.”
Hall has an extensive resume: from a regular cast member on the CW’s All American to roles in films including Space Jam: A New Legacy and the upcoming 2023 drama series The Crossover, Hall is booked, busy, and ready to change the industry.
His most recent film, Till, follows the story of Mamie Till-Mobley in seeking justice for the 1955 lynching of her 14-year-old son Emmet (played by Hall). It’s a story that holds a lot of weight, and still resonates with us today as America continues to fight racism and call for equality for all its citizens. Playing the role of Emmett Till comes with a heaviness, a load of responsibility– and that was not something Hall took lightly.
“Embodying a character, not a character actually, a human being like this who never really got to exert his personality into the world is so crucial because now you have to do it as accurate and authentic as possible,” he said. “And that was my, like, sort of mini-mission for myself…I really wanted to do that to the best of my ability.”
Hall has the ability to make you fall in love with the characters he plays instantaneously. He doesn’t leave his charisma behind when he enters a role, but carries it with him to enhance the character he plays. You become attached to him– it’s part of what makes him such a talent.
But when watching Till, Hall doesn’t want the focus to be on him, but rather on the societal changes we must make to make the world safe and equal for everyone. “This is something that happened 67 years ago and it’s still happening today, that should make you want to get out and change the world, you know? So, this [Till] is that realization and that wake-up call for the world.”
Though the pressure was heavy in a role like this, Hall isn’t one to shy away from a challenge. He recognizes that this wasn’t just a role, but a story that was bigger than him and more important than just a line on his resume. “I was never scared to do anything like this, to do this in particular because of its importance– it’s one of those things that is bigger than you, you know, and when it’s bigger than you, not to say…that you have to get rid of whatever opinions or your opinion doesn’t matter, but you have to be selfless right?” he said. “Because I’m not portraying a character, I’m not a character in a movie…I’m portraying a human being that is crucial to a point in our history. And that responsibility is great, that honor is great. So, I had to welcome it in that mindset”
As for the rest of the cast? Hall had nothing to say but praise every single person who worked on the film. “Literally everybody on the cast, behind the cameras, did their part and did it amazingly to come up with this work of art that has so many messages rolled into one that affect the world,” he said. “Working alongside them was a pleasure.”
Hall is confident that his future remains on the big-screen; or, rather, behind the camera. His passion for films and filmmaking is larger than life. I have a very, a wonderful imagination right? So acting is my way of, you know, exerting myself. That’s my goal, that’s my mission, that is making me, you know, that’s my dream,” he said. “So, what better way to prolong the dream [than] by helping others with their dream and directing and you know living on a vision. So that’s definitely in the cards for me, I know that for sure. Acting, directing, you know, filmmaking, books, everything.”
Dreaming big and reaching for the stars: another theme prevalent in Gen Z today that Hall embodies to the fullest. And why not? Hall has proven to himself, and the world, at just 15-years-old that the world is his oyster. It’s his story to create. And I, for one, am more than happy to watch him thrive.