Florida teen creating Oscar buzz following performance in 'Armageddon Time'
TAMPA, Fla. - A Florida teenager with ties to the Tampa Bay area is getting Oscar buzz for his performance in the critically acclaimed film, "Armageddon Time."
The movie is a semi-autobiographical story based on writer and director James Gray's childhood in New York, where he dealt with anti-Semitism, while his best friend, Johnny — portrayed by 16-year-old Jaylin Webb — was often the target of racism.
"Witnessing what my character, Johnny, went through just in the classroom, outside of school, on the police subway stations, it really taught me a lot because it taught me what my family went through at that period of time," Jaylin, who lives in the Orlando area and has family in Tampa Bay, told FOX 13.
Critics are raving about Jaylin's performance in the film, landing him on the shortlist for a Best Supporting Actor nomination. If he gets the nod, he would make history as the youngest African American male to receive an Oscar nomination.
READ: Jeremy Renner indicates he's home from hospital after snowplow accident
"It's life-changing," Jaylin said. "It's sort of an honor seeing these amazing reviews of how wonderful my performance was."
"Armageddon Time" also stars previous Oscar winners, Anne Hathaway and Anthony Hopkins, along with Banks Repeta, who portrays Paul Graff — the name given to Gray's younger self in the movie.
Jaylin said it helped being surrounded by an incredible cast, along with all the support he gets from his parents.
"We're very proud of his accomplishments, where he started, where he's coming from, and where he's going as well," said David White, Jaylin's father. "We just want him to continue to work hard and excel in this business."
"I think it's very important to stay humble because everything can easily be taken away from you," added Jaylin.
"Armageddon Time" is now available on several streaming services, along with Blu-ray and DVD. Academy Award nominations will be revealed next week.