Interview:
Jasmine Batchelor,
"I'll Be There"
Unfolding against the 2009 death of Michael Jackson, the Austin-shot family drama I’ll Be There focuses on the complicated relationship L.A. resident Grace (Jasmine Batchelor) shares with her siblings, especially her older brother AJ (A Christmas in New Hope’s Ryan Cooper). The King of Pop’s unexpected passing prompts Grace to recall her difficult childhood in Houston in the 1980s, when the singer-songwriter was a constant presence in her life. Jackson was a source of comfort for Grace, who always felt out of place as the only biological child in a multiracial blended family with five children. While the world mourns Jackson’s death, Grace’s focus quickly turns to AJ (Ryan Cooper), who travels to L.A. to receive treatment for bladder cancer. While Grace and AJ were close growing up, with AJ happily serving as Grace’s protective big brother, they have drifted apart as adults. When other members of their family arrived in L.A., including their parents, Grace’s sense of being an outsider among her adopted siblings not just returns but threatens any hope of reconciling with AJ. Directed by Andrew Shea and written by Cindy McCreery, both based in Austin, I’ll Be There is now available for digital and on-demand viewing. Jasmine Batchelor currently stars in the MGM+ TV series Emperor of Ocean Park opposite Forest Whitaker. She previously appeared in the Denzel Washington-directed drama A Journal for Jordan and the SXSW 2020 selection The Surrogate. Aired: Nov. 27, 2024. Web sites: https://www.illbetherefilm.com |
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