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 popular TV sitcoms. These included On Our Own and Full House.

She became more famous for her role in the movie Eve's Bayou (1997). Her performance was so good that she won a Critics' Choice Movie Award.

As an adult, Smollett has starred in many movies and TV shows. You might know her from the superhero movie Birds of Prey (2020), where she played Black Canary. She also acted in TV shows like the sports drama Friday Night Lights and the fantasy show Lovecraft Country. For Lovecraft Country, she was nominated for a major award called a Primetime Emmy Award.

Early Life and Family

Jurnee Diana Smollett was born in New York City. Her parents are Janet Harris and Joel Smollett. Her father's family was Ashkenazi Jewish from Russia and Poland. Her mother is African American.

Jurnee is one of six children in her family, and all of them are performers. She has one sister, Jazz, and four brothers, Jussie, JoJo, Jake, and Jocqui.

Acting Career

Starting as a Child Actor

Smollett began her acting career in 1992. She appeared on TV shows like Martin and Out All Night. Soon after, she got a recurring role as Denise Frazer on the family sitcom Full House. A recurring role means she appeared in many episodes.

From 1994 to 1995, she starred with her real-life brothers and sister in the sitcom On Our Own. In 1996, she made her first movie appearance in the film Jack, directed by the famous Francis Ford Coppola.

In 1997, Smollett received great praise for playing 10-year-old Eve in the movie Eve's Bayou. The director, Kasi Lemmons, was looking for a specific type of young actress for the part. Jurnee's performance earned her a Critic's Choice Award. She later joined the cast of the TV show Cosby and won two NAACP Image Awards for her role.

Becoming a Star

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

In 2007, Smollett starred in the movie The Great Debaters. She played Samantha Booke, the only female member of the debate team at Wiley College. The movie was produced by Oprah Winfrey and starred Denzel Washington. Her role won her an NAACP Image Award.

From 2009 to 2011, she was a main character in the TV drama Friday Night Lights, playing Jess Merriweather. She also starred in the legal drama The Defenders from 2010 to 2011.

Recent Roles

In 2013, Smollett was a regular cast member on the HBO series True Blood. In 2016, she played Juanita Leonard, the wife of boxer Sugar Ray Leonard, in the movie Hands of Stone.

From 2016 to 2017, she starred in the historical drama series Underground. She played Rosalee, a house slave on a plantation in 1857 who escapes to freedom.

In 2020, she played the superhero Black Canary in the movie Birds of Prey. The same year, she starred as Letitia "Leti" Lewis in the HBO series Lovecraft Country. In 2021, it was announced that Smollett would star in her own Black Canary movie. She has also appeared in recent films like The Burial and Lou.

Personal Life

Smollett is passionate about helping with HIV/AIDS causes. She has been involved since she was 11 years old. She was inspired by Hydeia Broadbent, a young woman who spoke out about living with HIV. Jurnee has worked with organizations like the Black AIDS Institute and the Red Cross to raise awareness. She is also on the board of directors for Artists for a New South Africa, a group that helps fight HIV/AIDS in Africa.

On October 24, 2010, Smollett married musician Josiah Bell. They have one son, Hunter, who was born in 2016. The couple divorced in 2021.

Selected Filmography

Film

Television

Major Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Jurnee Smollett para niños