John Clarence Stewart facts for kids

John Clarence Stewart is an American actor and singer. He was born on August 16, 1988. He is well-known for playing Simon on the TV show Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist from 2020 to 2021. Before that, he was recognized for his roles as Alex Wesley on Luke Cage (2016–2018) and Lionel on What/If (2019).

Early Life and Education

John Clarence Stewart was born in 1988 in Stone Mountain, Georgia. He first went to Shiloh High School. Later, he transferred to George Walton Academy for one year with a football scholarship. For his senior year, he returned to Shiloh High School.

Discovering Acting

While in high school, John performed in the school musical Once on This Island. This was an early step in his acting journey. After high school, he continued his studies in theater.

College Years

He attended Columbus State University and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree in Performance Theater in 2009. He then went to Kennesaw State University. There, he graduated in 2012 with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Theater and Performance Studies and Dance.

Early Career in Theater

After college, John performed in educational theater for Kaiser Permanente. He also acted in many plays at Atlanta's Alliance Theatre. Some of these plays included The Whipping Man, Choir Boy, and A Christmas Carol. He also taught at the theater's summer camp. John also performed in brownsville song (b-side for tray) at Actors Theatre of Louisville. Before moving to New York, he was in Bull Durham, a musical based on the film. At 24, he moved to New York City and then to Los Angeles to pursue acting further.

Acting Career Highlights

John Clarence Stewart began his professional acting career in 2013. His first role was as John in The Whipping Man at the Alliance Theatre. He continued to perform in various theater productions.

Television Debut

In 2015, John made his first appearance on television. He played Officer Griffin Katz in the show Gotham. He then had guest roles on several other TV shows.

Major TV Roles

His first big TV role was as Alex Wesley in Luke Cage, which he played from 2016 to 2018. In 2019, he became more widely known for his role as Lionel in the Netflix series What/If.

Breakthrough Role

John's most recognized role came in 2020. He starred as Simon in Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist. This role helped him gain even more fans.

Recent Work

John has continued to act in various television series. He appeared in P-Valley in 2022 and 9-1-1: Lone Star in 2023. He also joined the NBC medical drama Brilliant Minds as a regular cast member for its second season.