On Tuesday, June 5, Adaptive Studios hosted a screening of GROWN with the creators at the MDC’s Tower Theater Miami. Adaptive Studios, an Emmy®-winning entertainment studio creating premium content for digital and traditional platforms and Complex Networks premiered their series GROWN, created by rising filmmakers Joshua Jean-Baptiste and Edson Jean from Miami, FL.
The full eight-episode season launched May 22 on Complex and marks the brand’s first foray into scripted content. GROWN, follows two first generation Haitian-American cousins, Josh and Wes. After his mom dies, Josh, a wannabe social media influencer, moves in with his promiscuous, problematic cousin Wes in downtown Miami. Wes is an aspiring actor, but he has a tendency to let the women in his life get in the way of his success. As Josh grieves the loss of his mom, Wes takes his cousin in to teach him (what he thinks) is going to help him grow up and be a man. The show is a narrative about fatherlessness and trying to figure out how to be a man, set in the diverse cultural backdrop of inner-city Miami.
Edson Jean and Joshua Jean-Baptiste star in the show and serve as head writers. Jean directs the show, and Maria Corina Ramirez, a Venezuelan-American credited as a co-creator, serves as story editor and a lead actor. All three attended New World School of the Arts in Downtown Miami.
During the Miami screening and Q&A Jean, who is 29, said it was important to him that the show tells stories of life as a Haitian-American in Miami specifically. “It was important for us to cast Haitian actors who are actually Haitian.” “We wanted the show to connect people, we purposely left out the subtitles so viewers would have to ask their Kreyol or Spanish speaking fiend what was said.”
You can watch all eight episodes of Grown season 1 on Complex.
