“I was so scared to give up, because I was like what if I looked back one day and if I would’ve just kept going something would’ve changed, then Im gonna live with that regret.”
Coco Jones.”COCO JONES Talks Almost Giving Up Acting, T & Coco, and Sings Her Favorite Gospel Song|Part 2 of 2.” YouTube, uploaded by Terrell, 7 April.
For those unfamiliar with Coco Jones, she is a singer, songwriter, and actress, but let’s not forget a comedian! When it comes to Coco Jones, many of her fans fell in love with her at the start of her Disney days and, most importantly, during her role in Disney’s Let it Shine. Since then, she has been gracing us in the entertainment industry with her charm and impeccable vocals and refreshing us with her representation as a dark-skinned black woman. Many of her loyal fans have watched her grow, even some since they were kids.
When it comes to being a Disney star as a child, we all have witnessed the undoubted curse of being a child actress and how hard it can be to break out of this perception. However, many other Disney star kids, such as Miley Cyrus, Jenna Ortega, Zendaya, etc., have successfully transitioned to being older in Hollywood.
So why is Coco such a late bloomer with breaking through the industry?
Her resurface all started two years ago with a “What happened to Coco Jones?” tweet which led to the eventual sharing of her story on YouTube, where Jones discussed her experience as an actor. Coco has revealed she is very grateful for her Disney past, gaining experience on sets for 15+ hours and knowing how the industry moves. As she famously has said on her YouTube, “Yes, I did that, and you would do it too for a check. I was an employee, and I was going to get employee of the month.” This has prepared her for her role as the idolized Hilary Banks in Peacock’s new reimagined Bel-Air series.
Starring in Bel Air was a massive success for Jones, and her role fit her bubbly, charismatic, witty personality. This casting was accurate because Coco and Hilary’s stories are very similar. Coco and Hilary are both chefs (Coco posts about cooking on her TikTok and YouTube channel), and both share lively, fun, and honest personalities. The most extensive comparison is their work ethic and career authenticity. There is an arc the character Hilary goes through in the show when she realizes she will not let others box her in or tone down her work to fit others’ standards. We can draw parallels with Coco here, who has shown true tenacity and endured her most considerable opposition, Hollywood. She never took no for an answer and left no stone unturned. Coco Jones is very deserving of our respect and honor.
“Being in an industry that is not catered to you and having people be like you’re great, but if you just dial back, you’ll be booked.”
Jones. “‘Bel-Air’ Star Coco Jones Talks Growing up on Disney, Similarities to Hilary Banks, and New Music.” Youtube, uploaded by The Real Daytime, 1 April.
Even though she is crushing it as Hilary, in interviews, Coco admits to being nervous about how fans, specifically black fans, would receive this reboot of their beloved “Fresh Prince.” However, the show and Coco’s portrayal were anything but average, and the fans graciously accepted this series with open arms. It is iconic that Hilary Banks gets to be dark-skinned in this reboot, especially when we typically do not see women of darker complexions cast for roles to play women of lighter hues.
Coco had to quickly jump out from behind the screen and put her vocal cords to work! Right after wrapping up shooting, she was in the studio for her new single, “Caliber”, which was released in 2022, right after her debut on Bel-Air. Coco was booked and busy! As she is now signed with Def Jam recordings, she refers to this new era of music and new Coco as a “destination.” In an interview on the “Terrell” YouTube channel, she declares, “I’ve been on this journey for a long time, but I think I’m finally at a destination.” From someone who admits that she has wanted to cash in all her chips during her sedentary time of not getting booked, her fans are so proud of her determination and perseverance in all her fields.
In between her singing and acting, Coco has been updating her YouTube channel, sampling, and remixing famous songs on TikTok that have gone viral. I always listen to Coco Jones’s sample verse of Hit Different by SZA. She has bonded with YouTuber Terrell Jones and collaborated with him on T and Coco, where they do challenges and, most importantly, do lots of cooking! Her presence on this YouTube channel is fun to watch, never corny, and highlights the fantastic friendship between Coco Jones and Terrell Grice, in which they are equally yoked. Through these videos, I have seen Coco’s genuine humor and, in some cases, feel more relatable to her as she is more open with her fans on social media platforms.
Coco’s most recent events were her performance at the American Music Awards (AMAs) and the BET Soul Train Awards. She has her first nomination as a singer and has one of the year’s top R&B albums and EPs. This is Coco Jones’s moment, and it will not be missed again! She reminds everyone of who she is and dares the world to tap into her brilliance after being the underdog for so long. Coco’s taking all her flowers, everything she deserved, and more! We must continue to push the Coco Jones agenda!