Jussie Smollett facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jussie Smollett
Smollett at the 2016 PaleyFest
Born	(1982-06-21) June 21, 1982 (age 43) Santa Rosa, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actor singer
Years active	1991–1995, 2009–present
Relatives	Jurnee Smollett (sister) Jake Smollett (brother)

Jussie Smollett (born June 21, 1982) is an American actor and singer. He started acting as a child in 1991. His first movie was The Mighty Ducks in 1992. From 2015 to 2019, Smollett played a musician named Jamal Lyon in the TV show Empire on Fox.

In January 2019, Smollett said he was attacked. Police later found that he had planned the event with two people he knew. This led to some legal issues. He completed community service and paid a fine. Later, a special prosecutor looked into the case again. He was found responsible for some actions in December 2021. He was briefly in jail in March 2022. In 2024, a higher court reversed the decision. This was because he had already completed an agreement from 2019.

Early Life and Family

Jussie Smollett was born in Santa Rosa, California. His parents are Joel and Janet Smollett. He has three brothers and two sisters. Their names are Jake, Jocqui, Jojo, Jurnee, and Jazz. Several of his siblings are also actors.

His mother is African-American and Irish. His father was Jewish. When Jussie was two, his family moved to Queens, New York City. They later moved to Los Angeles when he was about seven. Smollett finished high school at Paramus Catholic High School in New Jersey.

Smollett's Acting and Music Career

Jussie Smollett began his career as a child model in New York City. He also worked as an extra in movies like Mo' Better Blues (1990) and New Jack City (1991). He then acted in the films The Mighty Ducks (1992) and North (1994).

On television, he starred with his real-life siblings. This was in the ABC sitcom On Our Own from 1994 to 1995. In 2012, he returned to acting. He had a main role in the comedy-drama The Skinny. That same year, he released an EP called The Poisoned Hearts Club. He also appeared on The Mindy Project (2012) and Revenge (2014).

Starring in Empire

In 2014, Smollett was chosen for the Fox drama series Empire. He played Jamal Lyon, a musician. His character was seen as important for showing a Black musician on TV. He continued his role in later seasons. He even directed an episode in 2017. His character was removed from the last two episodes of season five. This was due to the controversy mentioned earlier.

In February 2015, Smollett signed a music deal with Columbia Records. He helped write songs like "I Wanna Love You" and "You're So Beautiful." These songs were on the Original Soundtrack from Season 1 of Empire album. This album came out in March 2015.

In 2016, Smollett appeared with his sister Jurnee in Underground. He released his first album, Sum of My Music, in March 2018. He released it through his own music label. Sum of My Music is an R&B album. It includes parts of electronic music and hip hop.

On April 30, 2019, Fox Entertainment said Smollett's contract was extended. However, his character was not planned to appear in the sixth season of Empire.

Smollett directed a movie called B-Boy Blues. This movie was based on a 1994 novel. The film was released in November 2021. He also directed and co-wrote The Lost Holliday, released in 2024.

Other Life Details

In 2007, Smollett had some legal issues. He pleaded no contest to giving false information to police. This happened during a traffic stop. He also pleaded no contest to driving with too much alcohol in his system. He was fined and put on probation for three years.

Film and Television Roles

Film Appearances

Television Roles

Music Videos

Awards and Recognitions

Music Albums

Jussie Smollett has released several music projects.

• Poisoned Hearts Club (EP) - Released in 2012.
• Sum of My Music (Album) - Released in 2018.

See also

In Spanish: Jussie Smollett para niños