Cooper sent me messages like, "Hey man, you're gonna be Jazz in the television version - get ready for your life to change." When the show was picked up, I had chills - it was incredible to see the impact we had, making this short. He's committed to overcoming this setback by giving his heart and soul to music and art. He wears sunglasses all the time because it's an insecurity of his. I had shared part of my own personal story with him to add to the character - I've been blind in my left eye since birth, and we talked about adding that to Jazz's story. He showed me the pitch deck, and my character, Jazz, was a big part of it. I thought it was cool - I liked seeing my ideas come to life.Ĭooper called me when he went to go meet Will Smith and pitch the show. I just wanted to talk shop and pitch ideas - but then he would go and write the ideas down and come back with scripts. Looking back, I realize that what I really missed out on was the business part of show business. We continued to shoot other stuff together - two other films since then. Six or seven months went by, and Cooper was still working on post-production and stuff for it. We shot what would become the viral short that inspired the 'Bel-Air' reboot in 2018, and I played Jazz. Rufus Burns played Jazz in the viral "Bel-Air" short film. It seemed like a great creative match and friendship at the time. We agreed early on that our motto working together would be that our art isn't what we make, it's who we are - because we can make beautiful things, but if it's destroying our community, it's not worth it. We just hit it off, talking about characters and filmmaking in general, and how it can help Black people. I remember really appreciating our partnership when we first met. Morgan Cooper - who would eventually become a co-creator, director, and executive producer on " Bel-Air" - and I met in 2018, on a film project. I've spent most of my time since 2012 in Kansas City, working, living, and creating art there. I moved to Kansas City to get my master of fine arts in acting and directing. His words have been edited for length and clarity. Insider has verified Burns' creative involvement in the "Bel-Air" reboot with email correspondence, text messages, and other supporting documentation. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Rufus Burns, a producer who works in Kansas City. Account icon An icon in the shape of a person's head and shoulders.
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