‘The Upshaws’ Star Comes Out — and Gets Engaged to His Best Friend!

Actor Jermelle Simon, best known for his role on Netflix’s The Upshaws, has a lot to celebrate. The star recently came out publicly, and now he’s engaged to his best friend, media personality Obio Jones.

The couple shared their happy news with Gaye Magazine, showing the joy of their new chapter together. Jones proposed to Simon during a private gathering at their home on April 25, surrounded by close family and friends.

Their relationship became public in October 2024, shortly after Simon’s heartfelt coming-out message on National Coming Out Day. In a touching video posted to Instagram, Simon spoke openly about embracing his identity as a Black gay man.

“Happy National Coming Out Day to everyone,” he said. “To the ones who feel like now is the time, to the ones who feel like maybe later, to the ones who may never come out.”

Simon shared that growing up, he rarely saw love stories like his own represented. “We didn’t see love stories like ours growing up. So now, we’re living one out loud — not just for ourselves, but for the young Black, Queer kids who deserve to know this kind of joy is possible,” he said.

He also reflected on his personal journey toward self-acceptance. “I’ve decided to love myself unconditionally,” Simon added. “I’ve decided that the one thing that I thought was the biggest curse in my life is actually the biggest blessing I could ever receive.”

Not long after that announcement, Simon confirmed his relationship with Jones during an Instagram Live session, after fans guessed that Jones was the mystery man he had mentioned earlier.

Before coming out publicly, Simon had already been portraying an openly gay character on The Upshaws. In an earlier interview, he shared that living authentically was key to both personal growth and professional success. “It wasn’t until I really became who I was that things started opening up for me,” he said. “Someone told me God can’t bless who you pretend to be.”

Now, Simon and Jones are preparing to walk down the aisle, proving that love, and authenticity, always win in the end.

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