Jerrold Smith II Wants More of The Sweet Life

At the moment, life for Jerrold Smith II is pretty sweet. The 27-year-old multi-hyphenate is currently starring on HBO Max’s Sweet Life: Los Angeles, the hit reality show executive produced by actress and writer Issa Rae, which recently released its second season on the streaming platform. The former athlete is also winning in other aspects of his life, with upcoming projects in the marketing and entertainment spaces, hosting his Basketball Adjacent podcast, and celebrating his recent engagement to Sweet Life co-star Cheryl Des Vignes.

The series showcases the lives of L.A.-based 20-somethings who are pursuing their dreams in various fields. When asked about his introduction to Sweet Life, Jerrold shares that he learned of the show’s casting through his friend Jordan Bentley (who also appeared on the show’s first season). Jordan was interviewing to be cast on the show himself when he suggested Jerrold as a potential cast member. Jerrold also recommended several of the show's current cast members during his interview process, and the rest is history.

While he knew he had to consider the pitfalls of allowing cameras to showcase so much of his personal life, the L.A. native knew that being on the show was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up. After discussing the pros and cons of being on a reality show with his fiancée Cheryl, they both agreed to join the show. In retrospect, Jerrold acknowledges the positive outcomes of the show have far outweighed any negativity as far as his and Cheryl's relationship. “Cheryl and I have been dating since our senior year of high school and being on the show affirmed many aspects of our relationship. [Viewers] got to see the ways we were able to show up for each other, but also allowed us to be individuals with me being able to express my opinions and her being able to express hers.”

Appearing on such a highly visible platform has also strengthened his already solid male friendships. “Being on TV has forced my male friends and me to have a lot of conversations we may not have had in private, particularly around how we’re feeling and dealing with anxiety,” he admits. “What it has made me realize is understanding our differences and how those differences make us more similar, in that we’re all navigating different things in our lives, and we may have all come from different places but we’re all now in the same place and dealing with some of the same things.”

Sweet Life also featured Jerrold and his friends taping episodes of his podcast Basketball Adjacent, which focuses on his experiences and lessons learned from his four years as a member of UCLA’s basketball team. After graduation, he faced the challenges of figuring out how to pivot once he realized he would not be playing the sport professionally. He soon realized there were several opportunities for someone in this position, and he launched Basketball Adjacent to share these stories and experiences for listeners interested in learning more about this transition.

In addition to Sweet Life and Basketball Adjacent, Jerrold is working on an upcoming campaign with a well-known brand. “A lot of brands have reached out to me about doing some really cool stuff as a result of me having this beautiful platform, and I can’t wait to share more,” he teases. While a Sweet Life Season 3 renewal announcement is pending at press time, Jerrold hopes to be featured in future episodes and is excited about the longer term. “I see Jerrold Smith II being a household name,” he remarks. “I want to be associated with a certain type of content so that when you see a particular show or campaign, you’ll say ‘that seems like something Jerrold may be a part of.'”

Check out the full interview below.

You can catch Jerrold on both seasons of Sweet Life: Los Angeles, streaming currently on HBO Max, and the Basketball Adjacent podcast, wherever podcasts are streamed. Be sure to follow Jerrold on Instagram.

Photo Credit: Quinn Dunziellas