Modeling

Emerson began modeling while he was a student, when he signed up with the agency Wilhelmina Models.^[3] He works with agencies including Wilhelmina (New York),^[4] LA Models,^[5] Established Models (London),^[6] Heffner Management (Seattle),^[7] Next Management (Miami)^[8] and Factor Chosen (Chicago).^[9]

Filmmaking

He wrote, produced, co-directed and acted in two short films, DipSpit and Earwig, which were shown for the first time at the Miami Gay and Lesbian Film Festival on April 26, 2011. Earwig is a drama about a closeted gay college student, while DipSpit is a comedy about two straight male models who get kicked out and move in with a gay college student.^[10]

In October 2015, Emerson announced his intention to produce an independent film called "Hooked" for which he had written the story, telling the story of a homeless gay prostitute called Jack and addressing the problems faced by homeless LGBT youth.^[11] He aimed to raise $150,000 for the project via Indiegogo and give half of any profits made to charities benefiting LGBT people. The launch video for the Indiegogo campaign featured Todrick Hall and musician Tom Goss.^[12] As part of it he released a single with Goss called "Not Enough".^[13] The campaign was supported by Out magazine.^[12]

Hooked had its world premiere at NewFest: The New York LGBT Film Festival on June 26, 2017,^[14] and its European premiere at the 7th Homochron film festival in Cologne on October 20 the same year.^[15][16] The Los Angeles Times gave it a negative review,^[17] however, audience review scores remain high ^[18]

Acting

As well as acting in Earwig and DipSpit, Emerson has appeared in single episodes of the TV series Glee (the season 5 finale The Untitled Rachel Berry Project), Hit the Floor, The Real O'Neals^[19] and Eastsiders,^[20] and of the web series Coffee House Chronicles and the movie made from it.^[21]

From September 7 to September 24, 2017, he starred as Mitchell in Douglas Carter Beane's comedy play The Little Dog Laughed at the Red House Arts Center in Syracuse, New York.^[22] A local reviewer said each of the four actors in the play "brings a memorable, engaging performance", and that Emerson "delivers the role of a sweet, confused, and occasionally thoughtless young star with sensitivity and kindness".^[23]

Writing

Emerson wrote an autobiography, Hot Sissy – Life Before Flashbulbs, describing his teenage years growing up in a "redneck" area of Florida. Hot Sissy was released as an e-book and in a limited print run of 500 hardcover copies in December 2014. The limited editions were each signed and came with an original Polaroid picture.^[24]