Jeremy O. Harris, Actor from Emily in Paris, Arrested in Japan for Suspected Drug Smuggling

Jeremy O. Harris on May 1, 2025.
Credit:

Santiago Felipe/Getty

NEED TO KNOW

• Tony-nominated playwright and Emily in Paris actor Jeremy O. Harris was arrested in Japan in November after he allegedly brought ecstasy (MDMA) into the country.
• Multiple outlets reported on Dec. 5 that Japanese customs officials filed a criminal accusation against Harris on Dec. 4, and that he remains in custody.
• Harris most recently debuted a new play titled Spirit of the People at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in Massachusetts in July.

Jeremy O. Harris, the Tony Award-nominated playwright and actor from Emily in Paris, was arrested in Japan on suspicions of drug smuggling. Reports indicate that he was taken into custody after customs officials allegedly discovered ecstasy in his luggage.

According to details released on Dec. 5 by The New York Times, Reuters, and The Guardian, Harris, 36, has been detained in Japan since Nov. 16. He arrived on the island of Okinawa when customs officers allegedly found the drugs in his possession.

Representatives for Harris have not yet provided a statement regarding the incident.

Japanese customs officials have formally charged Harris, with a criminal accusation submitted to a regional prosecutor’s office on Dec. 4, as reported by The Guardian.

As per The New York Times, if convicted, Harris could face up to seven years in prison. Local authorities have not disclosed whether he has acknowledged the accusations against him.

Sources indicate that Harris traveled to Okinawa for sightseeing, originating his trip in the UK with a layover in Taiwan.

Jeremy O. Harris on Sept. 4, 2025.

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Harris is widely recognized for his work as the writer and producer of the 2019 Broadway production Slave Play, which garnered ten Tony nominations. He has also contributed to other projects including the 2020 film Zola, as well as recent films like The True Beauty of Being Bitten by a Tick and Erupcja. His production credits include the second season of HBO’s Euphoria.

In addition to his theatrical accomplishments, he portrays Grégory Elliot Duprée on Netflix’s Emily in Paris and made guest appearances as himself in the 2021 revival of Gossip Girl.

Jeremy O. Harris on May 5, 2025.

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In July, Harris debuted another new play, Spirit of the People, at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in Massachusetts, which also featured Amber Heard in her professional stage acting debut. The cast included Ato Blankson-Wood, Zachary Booth, James Cusati-Moyer, Emma Ramos, Brandon Flynn, Julian Sanchez, and Amandla Jahava.

Most recently, Harris thanked MS NOW host Ari Melber on his Instagram for the opportunity to promote a play titled Prince F—–.