MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A former basketball player at the Univeristy of Tennessee has traded his jersey for a pen, entering the world of moviemaking. Jarnell Stokes is known for his time on the hardwood at UT, but now he's pivoted to writing screenplays.
Stokes said he wrote the screenplay "Break the Cycle," and it recently wrapped filming. It stars Cuba Gooding Jr. and Vivica A. Fox. The film is based in his hometown of Memphis, a hotspot for music and sports. He said this is the first of three projects as a part of an agreement.
"It's a coming-of-age drama that features a boy becoming a man as he struggles through the trials and tribulations of a city that's not so good for you, at times," said Stokes.
Stokes said he was picked on growing up as "dumb," but his mother always believed in him and his writing ability.
"As a kid, I was an amazing writer. And then there became a point where I became an athlete and just sort of gave up on school. It was my mom that was always like, 'You're an amazing writer,'" said Stokes.
He said his time in the Hip Hop Caucus — a collective that advocates for economic, climate and social justice — also helped him decide he wanted to make a change.
"I was a part of the Hip Hop Caucus that did different protests and organized certain events to raise awareness about environmental disasters that are happening, that we're not even aware of. I learned during that process of politics that kids' attentions are on TV, screens, phone screens and sometimes it's better to make change just through a story," said Stokes.
After a foot injury put his basketball career on hold during the COVID-19 pandemic, he said he decided to start writing. Stokes encouraged other athletes to find their passions off the court too.
"I've already produced a few films, but this is the first one that I wrote. And yeah, I just wanna help kids become men. So you'll see that in all of my content, as well as bridging the gap to also entertain people," he said.
Although this is a change from what he's known for, Stokes said he doesn't think he's done with basketball just yet.
"I never fully like stopped playing basketball. I never announced my retirement or anything. To me, it feels like a hiatus. I'll be back soon, as crazy as that sounds. It's been like 4 years," said Stokes.
Stokes said a release date is still to be determined, but "Break the Cycle" will likely be released sometime next year. The movie deal is between Stoked Bros Media, an entertainment agency cofounded by Stokes and his brother, as well as the ORWO family, a group of companies spanning nine countries with a focus on film and entertainment.
