Jeffrey Oliphant

I was born in Miami, FL, in the 80s. I am the last of my mother's eight children and a first-generation latchkey kid. Nevertheless, I knew early on that I wanted to work in the entertainment industry. The issue was that I was a poor Jamaican-American living in the inner city. So if I were ever going to make it to Hollywood, it would take my willingness to do every task necessary to get there. Two events converged early in my development that helped me to understand myself better: 1) When I was graduating from elementary school, after losing every other award, I won the final award for Best All-Around Student in my class, and 2) The "Hey Mon" sketch from In Living Color. A classic scene where a Jamaican family assigns value to each other based on their different jobs, poking fun at the ambitious nature of Caribbean immigrants. A thought soon lodged in my youthful psyche. I understood that I could do anything I wanted in the world, and even if I wasn't number one in every category, if I worked hard, I could still come out on top. Since then, my life and career have taken on a Forest Gump-like quality. I don't waste time with not-knowing. Instead, I grab a book and roll up my sleeves if there is a need. The characters and adventures I have encountered cover a wide range, from immigrant side hustlers and bible-belt church revivalists in South Florida to Hollywood film sets and even sitting with the late, great Larry King in Los Angeles. It all makes it into my stories to help bring the characters to life and make them feel authentic and vibrant.