John Earl Jelks facts for kids

John Earl Jelks, born on July 16, 1959, is an American actor. He is well-known for his many roles in plays. He has also appeared in movies and TV shows. Some of his films include Compensation (1999) and Miracle at St. Anna (2008). On television, he has been in shows like True Detective (2019) and The I-Land (2019).

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

Early Life and Education

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

He started acting when he was 18 years old. At that time, he was attending the City College of San Francisco. This is a public community college.

Acting Career Highlights

John Earl Jelks began his acting journey in 1979. His first play was Pinocchio Jones. He performed this play at Balboa High School. He continued to act in many plays. It took him seven years to get an agent.

Stage Performances

For ten years, from 1989 to 1999, Jelks acted in a play called The Diary of Black Men. In 2002, he performed in The Piano Lesson at the Lorraine Hansberry Theatre. Later that year, he acted in Joe Turner's Come and Gone. He performed this play at the Kansas City Repertory Theatre and 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 Phylicia Rashad. Gem of the Ocean was the first play in Wilson's The Pittsburgh Cycle. This series of ten plays showed the African-American experience in the 20th century. The play was directed by Kenny Leon and received five Tony Award nominations.

Jelks worked with August Wilson again in 2007. This was for the play Radio Golf on Broadway. This play was the last in The Pittsburgh Cycle. It received three Tony Award nominations. Jelks himself was nominated for Best Featured Actor in a Play.

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

He has also performed in many other Broadway and regional plays. These include Magnolia (2009), Fetch Clay, Make Man (2010), and Two Trains Running (2013). In 2014, Jelks led acting workshops in Amman, Jordan. He also performed in a play called The Meeting there.

From 2016 to 2018, Jelks acted in three productions of the play Sweat. This play won a Pulitzer Prize. He played Brucie, a man who lost his factory job. The play was performed in New York and Los Angeles.

Film and Television Roles

John Earl Jelks' first main role in a movie was in 1999. It was in the film Compensation. This movie was shown at the Sundance Film Festival. Jelks played two characters in the film, Arthur Jones and Nico Jones.

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

Personal Life

John Earl Jelks is a widower. His wife, Naomi, passed away in a traffic accident in 2002. They had been married for 14 years. They had three children: sons Jamal and Jabari, and a daughter named Jamila. After losing his wife, 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