The Power of Vulnerability in Male Friendships | {THE AND} Maestro & Jermaine

Maestro (he/him) and Jermaine (he/him) are playing our {THE AND} card game – Friends Edition in this real conversation on masculinity, vulnerability, and the strength behind emotional honesty. What happens when two men open up about pain, purpose, and friendship? They first met two decades ago on the set of The Wire. Since then, life has taken them on many paths, but their bond — a powerful example of male friendship — has only deepened. Their connection is rooted in mutual respect, creativity, and a shared drive to leave the world better than they found it. Whether through television, music, or film, both remain committed to making a meaningful impact.

Passionate, artistic, and emotionally grounded, Maestro and Jermaine explore what it means to show up as men: in friendship, in pain, and in growth. From masculinity to mental health, they hold space for reflection and realness, the kind of friends who keep each other inspired and never stop dreaming bigger.

As we explore new perspectives, we invite you to step into the emotional space of connection and experience the deeper lessons that shared experiences can afford humanity. To everyone who has participated openly and vulnerably in our project, we appreciate what you have shared with us and hope others do as well.

📲 Follow their story here:
  / maestro  
  / jermainecrawford  

Have more meaningful conversations with {THE AND} relationship card game: http://shop.theskindeep.com

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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | Topaz Adizes
LINE PRODUCER | Nicolás Lejtreger
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT | Augustin Hardy
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY | Taylor Camarot
CAMERA ASSISTANT | Jess Averbeck
SOUND OPERATOR | Carla Geronimi
BTS PHOTOGRAPHER | Nacho Rodríguez
EDITOR | Samanta Barbosa
WITH THE PARTICIPATION OF | Maestro & Jermaine

Chapters:
0:00 Intro - We were on The Wire together
1:06 Impressions of each other
2:01 We were both very hungry
2:40 I want to change the world
7:16 Do we need pain to push us?
10:29 Teach a man how to fish
12:41 Coloring outside the lines
14:33 Growing old together
16:13 After thoughts and feelings
17:19 Outro - Shop The Skin Deep!

#THEAND #theskindeep #sharehumanity #madehuman #mensmentalhealth #malefriendship #thewire