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American actress Jurnee Diana Smollett, professionally known as Jurnee Smollett, was born on October 1, 1986, in New York City, USA. She is the fourth of six children born to Janet and Joel Smollett. Her father was of Ashkenazi Jewish descent, while her mother is African-American. Jurnee has four brothers and a sister, many of whom are also active in the entertainment industry.
Smollett began her acting career at a young age. At just eight years old, she appeared with her siblings in the ABC sitcom On Our Own (1994–1995), which marked her first major role. She later guest-starred in popular television series such as Full House, Hangin' with Mr. Cooper, and Grey’s Anatomy.
Her early film work includes roles in Jack (1996) and Eve’s Bayou (1997), in which she portrayed a 10-year-old girl. Her performance in Eve’s Bayou was particularly well-received and earned her significant critical acclaim, establishing her as a promising young actress.
As her career progressed, Smollett continued to demonstrate her range and talent across film and television. She appeared in several movies including Beautiful Joe, Selma, Lord, Selma, Ruby’s Bucket of Blood, and Tyler Perry’s Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor. In 2007, she starred in Denzel Washington’s directed film The Great Debaters, which further solidified her status in the industry.
On television, she is widely recognized for her role as Jess Merriweather in the critically acclaimed series Friday Night Lights. In 2015, she began filming for WGN America's historical drama Underground, where she played Rosalee, a courageous enslaved woman working on a plantation in 1857. The show was filmed in Louisiana and received praise for its powerful storytelling.
Smollett has received multiple accolades for her acting. For her performance in Eve’s Bayou, she won two awards recognizing her as a top young artist. In 2008, she was honored with an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture for The Great Debaters. Throughout her career, she has accumulated four awards and nine nominations across various reputable organizations.
Jurnee Smollett married musician Josiah Bell in 2010 in Los Angeles. The couple later had one child together. However, it was reported in 2020 that Smollett had filed for divorce. She remains private about her personal life, focusing primarily on her professional career and philanthropic efforts.
Smollett maintains an active presence on social media, particularly on Instagram, where she has a following of over 580,000 users. She has also engaged with fans on platforms like Tumblr, using her social reach to promote causes and highlight her work in film and television.
Beyond acting, Jurnee Smollett is deeply committed to social advocacy and philanthropy. From the age of seven, she became involved in AIDS awareness after a crew member from On Our Own passed away from the disease. She has since supported various initiatives including the Ryan White Youth Conference, where she spoke at age eleven.
Smollett serves on the Board of Directors for Artists for a New South Africa, an organization dedicated to HIV/AIDS advocacy and human rights. She is also a board member of the Children’s Defense Fund, which supports policy initiatives for disadvantaged children. In 2008, she actively participated in a voter registration drive supported by the Obama campaign.
Due to her sustained success in both film and television, along with her public engagements, Jurnee Smollett’s estimated net worth stands at approximately $2 million. Her dedication to storytelling and activism has made her a respected figure in entertainment and a role model for young artists.
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