KJ Smith facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
KJ Smith-Black
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| Born |
Khaneshia JaNea Smith
Tallahassee, Florida, U.S.
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| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 2009–present |
| Spouse(s) | Skyh Black (m.2023) |
Khaneshia Smith, known professionally as KJ Smith, is an American actress, known for her roles as Sasha Duncan in the BET drama series, The Family Business, and as Andrea "Andi" Barnes in the comedy-drama, Sistas.
Contents
Early life
Smith was born in Tallahassee, Florida. She was a cheerleader and softball player in high school. She studied Business Marketing at Florida State University. where she earned her bachelor's degree and later went on to work in corporate America. Smith later went back to further her education at Florida A&M University where she studied journalism.
Career
Smith began her acting career in 2009 with appearing in short films and small parts in television comedies include Conan, Real Husbands of Hollywood, Jimmy Kimmel Live! and Comedy Bang! Bang!. She also guest-starred in a number of sitcoms such as Survivor's Remorse, Mann and Wife, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Black-ish. She played secondary role in the 2015 made-for-television movie Whitney and the following year had a recurring role in the Oprah Winfrey Network drama series, Queen Sugar.
In 2017, Smith had a recurring role during the first season of the CW comedy-drama series, Dynasty, and guest-starred on Being Mary Jane, Saints & Sinners and Ozark. In 2018, she co-starred in the web drama series, Giants produced by Issa Rae. Smith also made guest appearances on NCIS: Los Angeles, The Fosters, Lethal Weapon, Fuller House, Family Reunion, All Rise and BlackAF. From 2015 to 2018, she had a recurring role on Bounce TV sitcom Family Time and in 2019 had a recurring role in short-lived ABC legal drama, The Fix, In 2019, she co-starred in the comedy film A Madea Family Funeral and the following year appeared in psychological thriller Fatal Affair for Netflix. Smith also played the lead role in the drama film The Available Wife (2020).
From 2019 to 2021, Smith starred in the BET family drama series, The Family Business. In 2019 she landed her breakthrough role as Andrea "Andi" Barnes in the BET comedy-drama series, Sistas opposite Ebony Obsidian, Novi Brown and Mignon Von. In 2022, she also had a recurring role in season two of the Power prequel series, Power Book III: Raising Kanan, on STARZ.
Personal life
Smith is married to actor and Sistas co-star Skyh Alvester Black.
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Talent | Waitress | Short |
| 2010 | Dogs Are a Woman's Best Friend | Jasmin | Short |
| The City | - | Short | |
| Cocoa Love | Funeral Attendee | Short | |
| 2011 | Hope | Arissa | Short |
| 2012 | One Call Away | Restaurant Patron #1 | Short |
| 2015 | Whitney | Girl with Steve | Television film |
| 2017 | Baker's Man | Naomi | |
| Love at the Shore | Maureen | Television film | |
| Caravaggio and My Mother the Pope | Gospel Nurse | ||
| 2018 | Throwback Holiday | Kimberly Wiggins | |
| 2019 | A Madea Family Funeral | Carol | |
| I Left My Girlfriend for Regina Jones | Denise | ||
| 2020 | Fatal Affair | Deborah Lee | |
| The Available Wife | Nicole |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | All My Children | Gloria the Resort Waitress | Episode: "Episode #1.10632" |
| 1000 Ways to Die | Sorority Girl | Episode: "Death, the New Black" | |
| 2012 | Conan | Comedy Sketch Player | Episode: "Episode #2.54" & "#2.120" |
| 2013 | The Therapist | Dr. Monica Knight | Recurring Cast: Season 2 |
| Jacked Up | Ashley | Main Cast | |
| Real Husbands of Hollywood | Young Woman #1 | Episode: "Frauditions" & "The Bump Stops Here" | |
| 2014 | Friday: The Web Series | Mrs. Parker | Episode: "Deebo Ditch" |
| Jimmy Kimmel Live! | Sketch Artist | Episode: "Eva Longoria/Wiz Khalifa" | |
| Survivor's Remorse | Kiara | Episode: "On the Carpet" | |
| 2014–15 | Black Boots | Blair | Recurring Cast: Season 1 |
| 2015 | Almost 30 | Cute Upbeat Girl | Episode: "Almost Roommates" |
| Mann & Wife | Avery | Episode: "Mann's Bodyguard" | |
| Comedy Bang! Bang! | Female Witchbuster | Episode: "Weird Al Yankovic Wears a Different Hawaiian Shirt" | |
| 2015–18 | Family Time | Melinda | Recurring Cast: Seasons 3-6 |
| 2016 | It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia | Sequoia | Episode: "Frank Falls Out the Window" |
| Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn | Miss Jody | Episode: "Ballet and the Beasts" | |
| Queen Sugar | Lena | Recurring Cast: Season 1 | |
| 2017 | Being Mary Jane | Sunitha Rashad | Episode: "Getting Judged" |
| Saints & Sinners | Marlene | Episode: "This Union Will Be the Death of Me" | |
| Ozark | Episode: "Tonight We Improvise" | ||
| Dynasty | Kori Rucks | Recurring Cast: Season 1 | |
| 2018 | Giants | Bianca | Recurring Cast: Season 2 |
| The Inspectors | Gabby | Episode: "Stop the Presses" | |
| NCIS: Los Angeles | Chelsea Parker | Episode: "Reentry" | |
| Black-ish | Linda | Episode: "Collateral Damage" | |
| The Fosters | Angela | Episode: "Where the Heart Is" | |
| Lethal Weapon | Beth | Episode: "Leo Getz Justice" | |
| Fuller House | Producer | Episode: "President Fuller" | |
| 2019 | The Fix | Charlie | Recurring Cast |
| Family Reunion | Coach Wilson | Episode: "Remember the First Day of School?" | |
| All Rise | Cassie Lange | Episode: "Fool for Liv" | |
| Tales | Billie | Episode: "Ex-Factor" | |
| 2019–21 | The Family Business | Sasha Duncan | Main Cast: Seasons 1-2, Guest: Season 3 |
| 2019– | Sistas | Andrea "Andi" Barnes | Main Cast |
| 2020 | BlackAF | Tischina | Episode: "yo, between you and me... this is because of slavery" |
| 2022 | Power Book III: Raising Kanan | Palomar | Recurring Cast: Season 2 |
