Jacob Romero Gibson

Intro

Jacob Romero Gibson, also credited as Jacob Romero and Jacob Gibson, is an American actor known for playing Usopp in Netflix's live-action One Piece. Before that international series, his work included AJ Delajae in Greenleaf, guest television appearances and theatre. The different professional name forms refer to the same performer, rather than separate cast members. His career connects a small-scale stage production about American history with contemporary television drama and the large fantasy world of the Straw Hat Pirates, where Usopp's storytelling and uncertain courage are central to his character.

Career snapshot

Born in Denver in 1996, Gibson trained at the California Institute of the Arts. CalArts identifies him as a 2015 theatre BFA graduate in its account of The Carolyn Bryant Project. In that production he played Emmett Till opposite Andrea LeBlanc as Carolyn Bryant. Created by Nataki Garrett and LeBlanc and directed by Garrett, the work premiered at REDCAT in 2018. A recording was subsequently presented online in 2020 through the CalArts Center for New Performance and Oregon Shakespeare Festival. That stage credit is an important part of his work before One Piece.

The entry point

The Carolyn Bryant Project revisits the 1955 encounter between Till and Bryant through historical material, video and imagined exchanges. The production's institutional account describes a deliberately non-linear form, rather than a straightforward historical re-enactment. Gibson's part therefore belongs to a theatrical work with a specific creative team and method. Keeping those details attached to the role helps distinguish the recorded stage production from a new film or television adaptation, and avoids treating the later online presentation as the date of its original stage premiere.

Screen identity and style

His television credits include The Resident, Grey's Anatomy and All Rise. Greenleaf gave him a recurring role as AJ Delajae in 2019 and 2020, while Rap Sh!t is another credit listed in Netflix's performer guide. These appearances preceded or accompanied the move into One Piece, whose live-action series began in 2023. They show a route through guest and recurring television work rather than an acting career that began with the pirate adventure. The earlier dramatic series also provides a different context for viewers who first encounter him through Usopp.

Collaborations and patterns

In One Piece, Usopp is the crew's marksman and an inventive storyteller. Netflix identifies him separately from Kevin Saula, who plays the younger version of the character. Gibson has described Usopp's caution as an understandable response to danger, in contrast to companions who rush toward it. He also emphasised the pleasure of interacting with the production's detailed physical sets. Those comments connect the character's comic hesitations with the practical work of acting in a fantasy environment, where the performer must respond to both tangible scenery and imagined threats.

Era reflection

The second season continued his work with the principal Straw Hat ensemble: Inaki Godoy as Luffy, Mackenyu as Zoro, Emily Rudd as Nami and Taz Skylar as Sanji. In its 2026 cast guide, Netflix describes Usopp facing greater dangers and developing his bravery as the crew enters the Grand Line. Nerdist's March 2026 interview brought those five performers together to discuss the characters' development. This is the live-action adaptation of Eiichiro Oda's story; Gibson's credit should remain distinct from the actors who voice Usopp in animated versions.

Legacy and rediscovery

The gallery contains two separate GalaxyCon Richmond photographs from March 2024. One was taken by Tim Blackmon for Galaxy Con on March 15; the other records a photo-op appearance on March 16 and is credited to Super Festivals. Although the setting and clothing are similar, they are distinct photographs with separate archive records, not repeated crops. They show Gibson appearing as himself rather than in Usopp's costume. Alongside the stage and television credits, these images document a public-facing period of his career after the first season brought the character to a new audience.

Selected screen roles

• The Carolyn Bryant Project: Emmett Till — 2018 stage premiere
• The Resident: Atiba Jackson — 2018
• Grey's Anatomy: Josh — 2019
• All Rise: Dylan Frank — 2019
• Greenleaf: AJ Delajae — 2019-2020
• One Piece: Usopp — From 2023

A career in pictures

Two distinct credited photographs taken on separate days at GalaxyCon Richmond in March 2024.

GalaxyCon Richmond (2024)

Public appearance

Tim Blackmon for Galaxy Con; photograph dated March 15, 2024.

GalaxyCon Richmond photo op (2024)

Public appearance

Super Festivals photograph dated March 16, 2024; separate photo-op image.

Rewatch notes

• Plays Usopp in the live-action One Piece.
• Played AJ Delajae in Greenleaf.
• Performed in the 2018 stage premiere of The Carolyn Bryant Project.