Have you seen the gorgeous Belle (from the Disney animated film Beauty and the Beast) cosplay where the cosplayer is playing the piano looking elegant and gorgeous? That’s the immensely talented and wonderful Jazzmin Jolly. Her cosplays and creations are incredibly popular on social media platforms, and I have had the amazing opportunity to interview her via email, so please enjoy!
Age: 29
Favorite Color: Pink!
Favorite Quote: “Life is too short to be unhappy.” via my mom, Leila Long
Black Nerd Problems: Please tell us a little bit about yourself!
Jazzmin Jolly: Let’s see… I’m short, I like cake, I love reading and playing video games. I love to dance and I’m currently taking trapeze classes. I LOVE orange juice and chicken. I like playing dress up, I’m way immature for my age, and I enjoying both cosplay and modeling! ^_^
BNP: If you were a drink, what kind would you be and why?
JJ: I’m going to go ahead and say orange juice, lol! I drink about a gallon of orange juice a day (I’m actually not kidding) and it probably just runs through my veins at this point.
BNP: What random acts of kindness and beauty have you seen or done in the cosplay community?
JJ: I always go up to people and tell them how pretty/awesome they look, and I love when people do it to each other as well! I love when costumes are hard to move in and people will come up to help people get through a hallway or down some stairs. I love when people tell each other how perfect they are for the character, and I love when photographers and cosplayers come together to create GORGEOUS images that just make you say “Oooooohhhhhhh!!!”
BNP: What are some negative interactions you have personally had in the cosplay/convention community and how did you overcome them?
JJ: I, of course, have had the “OMG, why are you cosplaying a white character?” comments. Not as much lately, but I’ve even been in line getting a badge before and had the person in front of me and the person behind me talking about why black people should not cosplay outside of their race WHILE I was standing in between them in cosplay.
I’ve also had people come up just to critique my outfit before or tell me why they looked better than I did.
At some point, the hurtful comment that was made loses it sting, but you still remember it. I want to say that it gets easier, but that’s not always true. Sometimes it’s just better to focus on yourself and how well you’re doing rather than focus on the thoughts of people that have nothing better to do with their lives other than bring you down.
BNP: What are some of your favorite cosplays? Do you create your own? What is it like to make them?
JJ: I like all of my cosplays for different reasons! And I just started making my own recently. It’s an awesome feeling to be able to stare at the finished product and think “Wow.. I MADE THIS!!!” It’s also petrifying to walk around the convention and hope and pray that you did it well enough for it to stay together. Haha!
BNP: What celebrity would you want to cook breakfast with and why?
JJ: If by “Cook breakfast with” you mean “Which celebrity would you like to SIT and WATCH cook breakfast? haha… Hmmm… Anakin Skywalker? Peeta Mellark? Liam Hemsworth? Hmm… Can I have fictional characters be celebrities in my mind? Lol!
Please check out Jazzmin Jolly’s Facebook page!
Photo Credit:
Belle: Gestalt Photographs
Namine: Elysiam Entertainment
Jasmine: Emily McGonigle Photography
Tiana: Aaron D. Stallworth Photography
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