An Emily in Paris actor, who also produced the second season of Euphoria, is being detained in Japan after authorities claim he tried to smuggle drugs into the country.
Jeremy O. Harris Arrested in Japan
Reuters reported that Jeremy O. Harris, the Tony-nominated playwright, producer, and actor, has been in custody in Okinawa since Nov. 16, when customs officials at Naha Airport allegedly found 780 milligrams (about 0.78 grams) of MDMA, or Ecstasy, in his carry-on bag. On Thursday, Dec. 4, prosecutors in Naha, Okinawa’s capital, filed papers to formally charge Harris for violating the Customs Act. Authorities in Tomigusuku, which oversees the airport’s jurisdiction, could not confirm whether or not Harris admitted to the allegations.
Japan is known for its extremely strict drug laws, with the potential for lengthy prison sentences even for minor possession charges. There have been several high-profile cases of celebrities being hit with drug possession charges in the country, including Paul McCartney, who was infamously banned from the country for many years after being arrested with marijuana in the 1980s.
Harris is a Tony-Nominated Multi-Hyphenate
Harris is a multi-hyphenate best known for the 2018 Broadway drama Slave Play, which received 12 Tony Award nominations at the 2020 ceremony. In addition to co-writing the dark comedy @Zola (2021), Harris appeared as an actor in the revival of Gossip Girl; Emily in Paris; and The Sweet East (2023). With Charli XCX, he co-wrote, co-produced, and co-starred in the film Erupcja.
It’s Unclear If Harris Has Legal Representation
He had traveled to the resort island of Okinawa for a sightseeing trip from the U.K., with a layover in Taiwan. It’s unclear at this time if Harris has secured legal representation in Japan.
Harris was born in Virginia to a teenage mother. He moved frequently in his youth, part of a large military family. In a September interview with Vanity Fair, Harris responded to rumors that his privilege helped him land his professional plaudits. “I’ve heard from other people that I have trust-fund-baby allegations, upper-middle-class allegations,” he said. “What people should know, because I’ve said it 5,000 times, is that the threat that’s looming over me—that drives both my ambition and my necessary delusion—is that if this didn’t work by a certain point, I would be back in Virginia working at a Goodyear Tire or at Burger King.”
