Jurnee Smollett

Jurnee Smollett began her acting career as a child, appearing in sitcoms like Full House and On Our Own. She got her big break at the age of 10 in the critically acclaimed film Eve’s Bayou (1997), portraying Eve Batiste. For this role, she earned a Critic’s Choice Award for her performance.

She later starred in the WGN series Underground (2016) and HBO’s Lovecraft Country (2020), the latter earning her a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 2021. Smollett’s film credits include The Great Debaters, Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor, Birds of Prey and Lou. In late 2023, she executive produced and starred in the film We Grown Now.

In late 2024, AppleTV+ announced that Smollett would star in the crime miniseries Firebug based on the notorious California arsonist John Leonard Orr.

Smollett was married to musician Josiah Bell from 2010 until they divorced in 2021. They share a son, Hunter (born in 2016).