Jurnee Smollett facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jurnee Smollett
Smollett in 2024
Born	Jurnee Diana Smollett (1986-10-01) October 1, 1986 (age 38) New York City, U.S.
Other names	Jurnee Smollett-Bell
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1991–present
Spouse(s)	Josiah Bell ​ ​ (m. 2010; div. 2021)​
Children	1
Relatives	Jussie Smollett (brother) Jake Smollett (brother)

Jurnee Diana Smollett (born October 1, 1986) is an American actress. She started acting when she was a child, appearing in TV shows like On Our Own (1994–1995) and Full House (1992–1994).

She became more well-known for her role in the movie Eve's Bayou (1997). This film helped her win a Critics' Choice Movie Award. As an adult, Smollett has starred in many films, including The Great Debaters (2007), Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor (2013), and Birds of Prey (2020).

On television, she has had important roles in shows like Friday Night Lights (2009–2011), Underground (2016–2017), and Lovecraft Country (2020). For Lovecraft Country, she was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, which is a very big award in television.

Early life

Jurnee Diana Smollett was born in New York City. Her parents are Janet Harris and Joel Smollett. She is the fourth of six children, and all of her siblings are also performers. Her siblings are Jazz, Jussie, JoJo, Jake, and Jocqui.

Career

Starting out as an actress

Smollett began her acting journey in 1992 with appearances on TV shows like Martin and Out All Night. She then had regular roles as Denise Frazer on the ABC sitcoms Full House and Hangin' with Mr. Cooper.

From 1994 to 1995, she acted alongside her siblings in the TV show On Our Own. In 1996, she made her first movie appearance in Jack, which starred Francis Ford Coppola.

Smollett received great praise for her role as 10-year-old Eve in the 1997 film Eve's Bayou. She acted alongside famous stars like Samuel L. Jackson. The director, Kasi Lemmons, wanted a young actress who could show the feelings of a child from the 1960s. Smollett won a Critic's Choice Award for this role.

After that, she joined the cast of the CBS sitcom Cosby and won two NAACP Image Awards. In 1999, Smollett starred in the TV movie Selma, Lord, Selma. She continued to act in films like Beautiful Joe (2000) and Roll Bounce (2005). In 2006, she appeared in the drama film Gridiron Gang.

From 2007 to 2012

In 2007, Smollett played Samantha Booke in the historical film The Great Debaters. This movie was about a college debate team and was directed by Denzel Washington. Smollett won an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture for her performance.

The next year, she appeared in two episodes of the medical drama Grey's Anatomy. From 2009 to 2011, she was a main cast member in the TV series Friday Night Lights, playing Jess Merriweather. She also co-starred in the legal drama The Defenders from 2010 to 2011.

From 2013 to today

Jurnee Smollett and Julianne Moore at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2018

In 2013, Smollett had a leading role in the drama film Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor, directed by Tyler Perry. Even though critics didn't love the movie, it was very popular and earned a lot of money at the box office.

From 2013 to 2014, she was a regular on the HBO series True Blood. She then played Juanita Leonard, the wife of boxer Sugar Ray Leonard, in the 2016 movie Hands of Stone.

In 2015, Smollett was chosen for the main role in the TV series Underground. She played Rosalee, a quiet enslaved person on a plantation in 1857. In 2020, she played Black Canary in the film Birds of Prey. That same year, she starred as Letitia "Leti" Lewis in the HBO series Lovecraft Country.

In 2021, it was announced that Smollett will star in a solo Black Canary movie. She also joined Jamie Foxx and Tommy Lee Jones in the movie The Burial. In 2022, she helped produce and starred in the Netflix thriller film Lou.

Personal life

Smollett has been involved in helping with HIV/AIDS causes since she was 11 years old. She was inspired by Hydeia Broadbent, who was an HIV/AIDS survivor. Smollett has worked with organizations like the Black AIDS Institute and the Red Cross to raise awareness. She also served on the board of directors for the Children’s Defense Fund in 2020.

On October 24, 2010, Smollett married musician Josiah Bell. Their son, Hunter, was born on October 31, 2016. Smollett filed for divorce in March 2020, and it was finalized in August 2021.

Filmography

Film

Key

Denotes works that have not yet been released

Year	Film	Role	Notes
1996	Jack	Phoebe
1997	Eve's Bayou	Eve Batiste
2000	Beautiful Joe	Vivien
2005	Roll Bounce	Tori Turner
2006	Gridiron Gang	Danyelle Rollins
2007	Great Debaters, TheThe Great Debaters	Samantha Booke
2013	Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor	Judith
2016	Hands of Stone	Juanita Leonard
2018	One Last Thing	Lucy Dillinger
2020	Birds of Prey	Dinah Laurel Lance / Black Canary
2022	Spiderhead	Lizzy
	Lou	Hannah Dawson
2023	We Grown Now	Dolores	Also executive producer
	The Burial	Mame Downes
2024	The Order	Joanne Carney

Television

Year	Film	Role	Notes
1992	Out All Night	Laquita	Episode: "The Kid"
	Hangin' with Mr. Cooper	Denise Frazer	4 episodes
	Martin	Little Girl	Episode: "I Saw Gina Kissing Santa Claus"
1992–1994	Full House	Denise Frazer	12 episodes
1994–1995	On Our Own	Jordee Jerrico	Series regular (20 episodes)
1996	NYPD Blue	Hanna	Episode: "Where's 'Swaldo"
1998–1999	Cosby	Jurnee	Series regular (24 episodes)
1999	Selma, Lord, Selma	Sheyann Webb	Television film
	Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child	Ali Baba	Voice, episode: "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves"
2001	Ruby's Bucket of Blood	Emerald Delacroix	Television film
2002	Strong Medicine	Ruby	Episode: "Positive"
	ER	Romy	Episode: "Next of Kin"
2003	Wanda at Large	Holly Hawkins	Series regular (6 episodes)
2006	House	Tracy	Episode: "Fools for Love"
2008	Grey's Anatomy	Beth	2 episodes
2009–2011	Friday Night Lights	Jess Merriweather	Series regular (26 episodes)
2010–2011	Defenders, TheThe Defenders	Lisa Tyler	Series regular (18 episodes)
2012–2013	Mob Doctor, TheThe Mob Doctor	Traci Coolidge	2 episodes
2013	Do No Harm	Abby Young	2 episodes
	Parenthood	Heather Hall	7 episodes
2013–2014	True Blood	Nicole Wright	Series regular (19 episodes)
2016–2017	Underground	Rosalee	Series regular (19 episodes)
2017–2018	Sofia the First	Chrysta	Voice, recurring role (8 episodes)
2020	Twilight Zone, TheThe Twilight Zone	Jasmine Delancey	Episode: "Ovation"
	Lovecraft Country	Letitia "Leti" Lewis	Series regular (10 episodes)
TBA	Firebug	Michelle	Upcoming miniseries

Awards and nominations

See also

In Spanish: Jurnee Smollett para niños