Van Jones’ independently made virtual reality-TV experiment “The Messy Truth VR Experience,” won a surprise Emmy. And the CNN contributor says Hollywood stars are lining up to be cast.
“We did all of this independently, grass-roots style, and we earned an Emmy,” Jones told us. “People [were] saying for sure virtual reality has nothing to do with social justice . . . We had all these naysayers for four years, and yet when we finally did it we took it to a Republican gathering and they were shedding tears, and then we got an Emmy. That shows anything is possible.”
The series uses virtual reality to see through the eyes of various characters, from a 12-year old African-American boy being stopped by cops to a waitress who’s abused by her boss.
It was created with “Captain Marvel” star Brie Larson and Elijah Allan-Blitz, among others.
“We didn’t have big backing,” Jones told us. “We are going up against the biggest media companies in the world.”
Larson stars in one episode and, “Zoe Saldana is interested in doing one on immigration with us, and then Josh Brolin is interested in doing one about opioid addiction in coal country,” Jones said.
His goal is to do an episode on Breonna Taylor. “I want people to understand what it would be like.”