Interview: Michael Cooper Jr. on discovering Judy Blume and how his character in ‘Forever’ influenced him IRL

Get ready to fall in love with first love all over again—through the eyes of Justin Edwards, played by rising star Michael Cooper Jr. In Netflix’s Forever. From locker rooms to late-night DMs, Justin is a teenage boy in 2018 Los Angeles trying to figure out who he is—and who he wants to be—under the watchful gaze of a protective mom, a loving family, and a very complicated world.

In this interview with Awards Buzz, he opens up about capturing that spark of first love (with Keisha, played by Lovie Simone), the weight of a leaked video, and the real-world conversations this story is sparking around masculinity, and growing up under the lens of social media. Helmed by Mara Brock Akil, with directing legend Regina King setting the tone in episode one, and powerhouse performances from Wood Harris and Karen Pittman guiding the emotional depth, Michael reflects on everything he learned on and off camera.

Check it out!

Forever is out on Netflix!