John Earl Jelks facts for kids

John Earl Jelks (sometimes called John Jelks) was born on July 16, 1959. He is an American actor. John Earl Jelks is very well known for his work in theatre plays. He has also acted in movies like Compensation (1999), Miracle at St. Anna (2008), and Night Comes On (2018). On television, he has appeared in shows such as True Detective (2019), The I-Land (2019), and On Becoming a God in Central Florida (2019).

In 2007, he was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play. This was for his role as Sterling Johnson in August Wilson's play Radio Golf. In 2014, Jelks won two Obie Awards for his roles in Fetch Clay, Make Man and Sunset Baby. He also won an AUDELCO Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play for First Breeze of Summer.

Early Life and Beginnings

John Earl Jelks' family originally came from Mississippi. He spent most of his childhood in different states. These included California and Illinois, where he lived in the city of Chicago.

Jelks started acting when he was 18 years old. He was attending the City College of San Francisco at the time. His acting career began in 1979. His first play was called Pinocchio Jones. It was performed at Balboa High School. He acted in many plays after that. It took him seven years to get an agent to help him find acting jobs.

Acting Career Highlights

John Earl Jelks has had a long and successful acting career. He has performed in many plays and appeared in several movies and TV shows.

Stage Performances

For ten years, from 1989 to 1999, Jelks performed in a play called The Diary of Black Men. In 2002, he acted in The Piano Lesson at the Lorraine Hansberry Theatre. Later that year, Jelks performed in Joe Turner's Come and Gone. He performed this play at the Kansas City Repertory Theatre and then at the Penumbra Theatre. He later became a member of the Penumbra Theatre company.

In 2004, Jelks made his first appearance on Broadway. This was in the August Wilson play Gem of the Ocean. He acted alongside famous actress Phylicia Rashad. Gem of the Ocean was the first play in a series of ten plays by August Wilson. This series is called The Pittsburgh Cycle. It tells stories about the African-American experience throughout the 20th century. The play was directed by Kenny Leon. It was performed at the Walter Kerr Theatre and was nominated for five Tony Awards.

Jelks worked with August Wilson again in 2007. This was for the first performance of the play Radio Golf on Broadway. Radio Golf was the last play in The Pittsburgh Cycle. This production was nominated for three Tony Awards. These included Best Play and Best Featured Actor in a Play for both Jelks and Anthony Chisholm.

In 2010, Jelks performed in the first-ever stage version of The Shawshank Redemption. This play was performed in Dublin, Ireland. The play was based on a popular novel by Stephen King. Jelks played the character named Red.

Jelks has also performed in many other plays. These include Magnolia (2009), Fetch Clay, Make Man (2010), The Break of Noon (2010), Two Trains Running (2013), Sunset Baby (2013), and Sweat (2016-2018). In Sweat, he played a character named Brucie. Brucie was a middle-aged man who had lost his factory job.

In 2014, Jelks led acting workshops in Amman, Jordan. He also performed in a play called The Meeting there.

Screen Appearances

Jelks' first main role in a movie was in the 1999 film Compensation. This movie was shown at the Sundance Film Festival. The film tells two love stories that happen in Chicago. One story is from the 1900s, and the other is from the 1990s. The same actors played both couples. Jelks played two characters: Arthur Jones and Nico Jones.

He also appeared in Spike Lee's movie Miracle at St. Anna in 2008. This film was about World War II. In 2018, he was in the movie Night Comes On, which also premiered at Sundance. In 2019, he acted in the TV series True Detective and The I-Land. He also had a repeating role in the comedy show On Becoming a God in Central Florida.

Personal Life

John Earl Jelks is a widower. This means his wife, Naomi, passed away. She died in a traffic accident in 2002. They had been married for 14 years. John and Naomi had three children together: two sons named Jamal and Jabari, and a daughter named Jamila. After his wife passed away, Jelks thought about quitting acting. However, he decided to continue his career for his children. He dedicated his performance in the play Gem of the Ocean to his late wife.

Filmography

Film

Television

Short film

Stage

Video games

Awards and Nominations