Thursday 13 August 2015

BLACK SOCIAL HISTORY : AFRICAN AMERICAN " JURNEE SOLLETT " IS AN AMERICAN ACTRESS BEST KNOWN FOR HER ROLE OF JESS MERRIWEATHER ON THE TELEVISION SERIES -FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS : GOES INTO THE " HALL OF BLACK GENIUS "

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Jurnee Smollett


Jurnee Smollett
BornJurnee Diana Smollett
October 1, 1986 (age 28)
New YorkNew York, U.S.
OccupationActress
Years active1991–present
Spouse(s)Josiah Bell (2010–present)
Jurnee Diana Smollett-Bell (born October 1, 1986) is an American actress. She is known for the role of Jess Merriweather on the television series Friday Night Lights, as well as roles in the films Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage CounselorEve's BayouThe Great Debaters, and the TV series True Blood.

Early life and career

Smollett was born Jurnee Diana Smollett in New York City, the daughter of Janet and Joel Smollett, a cable splicer.[1] Her father was Jewish (his family immigrated from Russia and Poland) and her mother is African American.[2][1][3][4] The fourth of six performing siblings, she received critical acclaim for her performance as ten-year-old Eve in the independent film Eve's Bayou (1997).[5] In casting the role, writer-director Kasi Lemmons envisioned "a light-skinned black child who could convey the nuances of a Creole child in the 60s."[citation needed]
She co-starred with her siblings in the ABC television comedy On Our Own (1994–1995) and guest appeared in numerous television shows: Hangin' with Mr. CooperFull House,MartinWanda At LargeHouseGrey's Anatomy, etc. Smollett co-starred in the last two seasons of Friday Night Lights.
Smollett was featured in the 1996 Francis Ford Coppola film Jack. She starred in the racially charged 1999 Disney film Selma, Lord, Selma. In 2000, she co-starred with Sharon Stone (Smollett played daughter of Stone's Hush) and Billy Connelly in the comedy film Beautiful Joe. 2001 would find Jurnee co-starring as daughter to another popular actress,Angela Bassett, in the film Ruby's Bucket of Blood. Smollett co-starred with actors Bow Wow and Brandon T Jackson in the 2005 skater movie Roll Bounce. In 2006, she joined the film Gridiron Gang. In 2007 actor/director Denzel Washington cast Smollett in his starring/directorial vehicle The Great Debaters. The film was produced by Oprah Winfreyand Harvey Weinstein.
On March 17, 2009, she visited eKhaya Multi Arts Centre for Arts and Performance, KwaMashu, north of DurbanSouth Africa, where she led an exchange youth forum sharing her experiences with KwaMashu youth.
From September 2010 to March 2011 she co-starred with Jim Belushi and Jerry O'Connell in the CBS legal drama The Defenders.
In 2013 Smollett starred with Lance Gross and Brandy Norwood in Tyler Perry's Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor. In January of the same year, it was announced that Smollett would be joining the cast of True Blood when the series' sixth season began on June 16.[6]

Personal life

Smollett has one sister, Jazz and four brothers: Jussie, JoJo, Jake and Jocqui.[7] The Smollett siblings starred together on ABC's 1994-95 series On Our Own.
She has been active in HIV/AIDS causes since she was eleven.[8] She spoke at the Ryan White Youth Conference, and elsewhere, on this issue. Her first encounter with the disease came at age seven when a crew member of On Our Own died of AIDS.[9] Smollett is on the Board of Directors of Artists for a New South Africa,[10] dedicated to dealing with HIV/AIDS in Africa. She is also on the Board of Directors for the Children’s Defense Fund.
On October 24, 2010, Smollett married musician Josiah Bell.[11]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1991Sunday in ParisAlison ChaseShort film
1996JackPhoebe
1997Eve's BayouEve BatisteBroadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Child Performance
San Diego Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actress
Nominated—Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Most Promising Actress
1999Selma, Lord, SelmaSheyann WebbTelevision movie
2000Beautiful JoeVivien
2001Ruby's Bucket of BloodEmerald DelacroixTelevision movie
2005Roll BounceTori Turner
2006Gridiron GangDanyelle Rollins
2007The Great DebatersSamantha BookeNAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture
Nominated—Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Breakout: Female
2013Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage CounselorJudith
2015Hands of StoneJuanita LeonardPost-production

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1992Out All NightLaquitaEpisode: "The Kid"
1992–1994Full HouseDenise Frazer13 episodes
1992Hangin' with Mr. CooperDenise Frazer4 episodes
1992MartinLittle GirlEpisode: "I Saw Gina Kissing Santa Claus"
1994–1995On Our OwnJordee Jerrico20 episodes
1996NYPD BlueHannaEpisode: "Where's 'Swaldo"
1998–2000CosbyJurnee8 episodes
1999Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every ChildAli BabaEpisode: "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves"
2002Strong MedicineRubyEpisode: "Positive"
2002ERRomyEpisode: "Next of Kin"
2003Wanda at LargeHolly Hawkins4 episodes
2006House M.D.TracyEpisode: "Fools for Love"
2008Grey's AnatomyBeth2 episodes
2009–2011Friday Night LightsJess Merriweather25 episodes
Nominated—NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
2010–2011The DefendersLisa Tyler18 episodes
2012–2013The Mob DoctorTraci Coolidge2 episodes
2013–2014True BloodNicole Wright17 episodes
2013Do No HarmMs. Young's Daughter2 episodes
2013ParenthoodHeather Hall7 episodes
2016UndergroundRosaleeUpcoming series

Awards/nominations

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