Jovan Adepo

Jovan Adepo

stars in

HBO Series

Welcome to Derry

Interview & Creative Director Deborah Ferguson

An Emmy-nominated actor with a quietly commanding presence, he steps into the lead role of Welcome to Derry with remarkable restraint, depth, and humanity. His work here is profound, rooted in humility, emotional intelligence, and a grounded strength that lingers long after the scene ends. In this intimate Q&A, he speaks with rare clarity about character, collaboration, and the responsibility of telling.

Coat, Shirt & Pants: Kenzo, Sneakers: New Balance

Welcome to Derry has this incredible blend of quiet tension and big emotional undercurrents. When you first stepped into Leroy Hanlon’s world, what was the moment when you thought, “Okay! This is who he is, this is the heartbeat of the character.”?

Well, I sort of felt I understood him before I was even officially on the show. When I read some of the early scenes and spoke to Andy about Leroy, it immediately made me think of my father. There were definitely traits about Leroy that were familiar to me growing up in a military home. Once we got into pre-production and rehearsals, I spent a lot of time picking the brains of Andy, Jason, and Brad. As for a specific moment of when I felt I knew him fully… I’d say after reading his initial scenes with Shaw.

The series feels like it’s building fear in these really unexpected, almost intimate ways. Was there a scene or day on set when you realized just how different this project was going to feel compared to anything you’d done before?

My very first day. Seeing the world, all of the departments had worked really hard to create. All of the costumes, props, and sets carefully curated. The amazing cast that was put together. You just knew it would be special. And having Andy and Barb at the helm gave us all immense confidence because they care about the source material so much and entrusted all of us to do our part to add to it.

Jacket & Pants: Kenzo, Sneakers: New Balance

Working with a team like the Muschiettis comes with a very specific creative energy. How did those early conversations with the directors and writers shape the way you approached this character?

They are wonderfully collaborative, which I think is a great trait in strong leadership. As soon as I read the scripts, I could tell there were countless conversations about the story well before actors got involved. It was all there on the page. But still, there was room for each of us to come in and bring some of our ideas into the life of these characters, and the producers/writers were always game to talk it out and bounce ideas off. It really made for a safe space to combine minds.

Coat: Ami Paris, T-Shirt: Maison Margiela, Pants: Lemaire, Sneakers: New Balance

Leroy has layers: the history he carries, the era he’s living in, and the weight of what’s happening around him. Did embodying all of that change anything about the way you grounded yourself during filming?

That’s just it. All of those aspects were exactly what grounded him for me. Everything Leroy did had to be justified for me to play him the way we (myself and the creators) decided on. This man was a well-decorated airman of color, yes. But a protective husband, father, and the sole provider of the household. His decisions about a lot of things were, yes, to protect his interests… but those interests were going to be the only thing keeping a roof over his family’s head. That’s all he really cared about. He wanted a piece of the American Dream for his family.

Jacket, Pants & T-shirt: Cherry LA, Sneakers: New Balance

Coat, Shirt & Pants: Kenzo, Sneakers: New Balance

Jacket, Pants & T-shirt: Cherry LA, Sneakers: New Balance

Horror is such a physical genre, but it can also be emotionally draining. Was there anything about the shoot—a particular scene, atmosphere, or rhythm—that demanded a kind of stamina you didn’t expect?

I think quite a few of us would say the back end of the schedule demanded some real commitment from all of us. The sewers. The Black Spot. The ice in the finale. All of those were very physical and emotional and required all of us to lean on each other.

Coat, Shirt & Pants: Kenzo, Sneakers: New Balance

You trained at a semi-pro level in football before acting. Does that kind of athletic discipline still influence the way you prep for roles, especially ones that demand both physical and mental focus?

I think it only helps if you know what to pull from that experience. The stamina and mental focus, sure. Challenging yourself to be better is always good, but the competitive aspect of sports doesn’t really apply to creating anything organically.

Coat: Ami Paris, T-Shirt: Maison Margiela, Pants: Lemaire, Sneakers: New Balance

Coat, Shirt & Pants: Kenzo, Sneakers: New Balance

Your Emmy-nominated performance in Watchmen was a major moment. Did that recognition shift the way you thought about your career or the types of roles you wanted to take on, including leading a world like Welcome to Derry?

I think that particular role just encouraged me to give attention to roles and stories that provide challenge and opportunities to explore different life experiences that actually interest me. We have to work and pay the bills, of course, but I’ve always felt the most fulfilled when I didn’t feel the need to take any job that presents itself, only engaging if it was something fresh and something I felt I could contribute to.

Coat, Shirt & Pants: Kenzo, Sneakers: New Balance

Jacket & Pants: Kenzo, Sneakers: New Balance

Photography

Beau Grealy

Interview, Creative Director, & Fashion Editor

Deborah Ferguson

Grooming

Andrea Pezzillo

Assistant Producer

Madelaine Franck

Web Layout

Jill Ryan

Location

The Line Hotel Los Angeles

Thank you

Narrative PR, HBO, & The Line Hotel