Jussie Smollett
| Jussie Smollett | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Smollett at the 2016 PaleyFest | |
| Born |
Justin Smollett June 21, 1982 Santa Rosa, California, U.S |
| Occupation | Actor, singer-songwriter |
| Years active | 1991–present |
| Known for | Jamal Lyon on Empire |
| Relatives |
Jake Smollett (brother) Jurnee Smollett (sister) |
Justin "Jussie" Smollett (born June 21, 1982)[1] is an American actor, singer and photographer. As a child, he began his acting career for summer fun in 1987 starring in national network commercials in NYC. He later co-starred in the films The Mighty Ducks (1992) and Rob Reiner's North (1994). In 2015, Smollett received rave reviews for his portrayal of musician Jamal Lyon in the Fox music-industry primetime TV drama Empire. Smollett is set to appear in Ridley Scott's science-fiction film Alien: Covenant that is slated to release on August 4, 2017.
Early life
Smollett was born in Santa Rosa, California, and is the son of Janet (née Harris) and Joel Smollett.[2] He has three brothers and two sisters: Jake, Jocqui, Jojo, Jurnee, and Jazz.[3] His father was Jewish (his family emigrated from Russia and Poland). His mother is African-American.[4]
Career
Smollett began his acting career as a child, co-starring in the films The Mighty Ducks (1992) and Rob Reiner's North (1994). On television, he starred alongside his five real-life siblings in the short-lived ABC sitcom On Our Own from 1994–95.[5]
In 2012, Smollett returned to acting with the leading role in the LGBT-themed comedy-drama The Skinny.[6] He later guest-starred on The Mindy Project and Revenge. In 2014, Smollett was cast as Jamal Lyon—a gay musician who struggles to gain his father's approval—opposite Taraji P. Henson and Terrence Howard in the Fox primetime drama Empire.[7][8][9]
Smollett is also a singer-songwriter; in 2012, he released an EP album, The Poisoned Hearts Club.[3][10] In February 2015, he confirmed that he had signed a recording contract with Columbia Records and would be releasing an album in the future.[11] Smollett co-wrote the songs "I Wanna Love You" and "You're So Beautiful" on the Original Soundtrack from Season 1 of Empire album, which was released in March 2015.[12]
In June 2015, it was announced that Smollett will guest-star alongside his younger sister Jurnee Smollett in her upcoming TV show Underground set to air in 2016.[13]
Personal life
Smollett revealed he is gay during a televised interview with Ellen DeGeneres in March 2015.[14][15]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | A Little Piece of Heaven | Salem Bordeaux | Television film |
| 1992 | The Mighty Ducks | Terry Hall | Nominated — Young Artist Award for Outstanding Young Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture |
| 1994 | North | Adam | |
| 2009 | Pitch This | Mike | Short film |
| 2012 | The Skinny | Magnus | |
| 2014 | Born to Race: Fast Track | Tariq | Direct-to-video |
| 2014 | Ask Me Anything | Nico Dempster | |
| 2017 | Alien: Covenant | Filming | |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Alex Haley's Queen | Simon | Miniseries |
| 1993 | Coach | Billy | Episode: "Piece o' Cake" |
| 1993–94 | Cro | Mike | Voice, 20 episodes |
| 1994–95 | On Our Own | Jesse Jerrico | Series regular, 20 episodes |
| 2012 | The Mindy Project | Barry Stassen | Episode: "Josh and Mindy's Christmas Party" |
| 2014 | Revenge | Jamie | Episode: "Ashes" |
| 2015–present | Empire | Jamal Lyon | Series regular Nominated—BET Award for Best Actor Nominated—Teen Choice Award for Choice TV Actor: Drama Nominated—Teen Choice Award for Choice TV: Breakout Star |
| 2016–present | Underground | Josey | |
| 2016 | Live! with Kelly | Himself | Guest host |
Music videos
| Year | Artist | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Mariah Carey | "Infinity" |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Awards | Category | Recipient | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Young Artist Award | Outstanding Young Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture | The Mighty Ducks | Nominated |
| 2015 | BET Awards | Best Actor | Empire | Nominated |
| Teen Choice Awards | Choice TV Actor Drama | Nominated | ||
| Choice TV: Breakout Star | Nominated | |||
| Choice TV: Chemistry | Nominated | |||
| Choice Music: Song from a Movie or TV Show | "You're So Beautiful" | Nominated | ||
| 2016 | NAACP Image Awards[16] | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series | Empire | Nominated |
| Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration | "You're So Beautiful" | Won | ||
| Outstanding Song | Won | |||
| Outstanding New Artist | Jussie Smollet | Won |
Singles
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Sales | Album | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [17] |
US R&B/HH [18] |
US R&B [19] |
FRA [20] |
GER [21] |
SWI [22] |
AUT [23] |
POR | BUL | ||||
| "Good Enough" | 2015 | 106[24] | 33 | 13 | 60 | 25 | 55 | 54 | 2[25] | 40[26] | 83,000[27] | Empire Season 1 OST |
| "Keep Your Money" | 99 | 32 | 13 | 181 | 91 | — | — | — | — | 54,000[27] | ||
| "No Apologies" (featuring Yazz) |
123[28] | 44 | — | 195 | — | — | — | — | — | 53,000[27] | ||
| "You're so Beautiful" (featuring Yazz) |
47 | 18 | 10 | 79 | 42 | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Conqueror" (featuring Estelle) |
42 | 15 | 8 | 157 | 87 | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Powerful" (featuring Alicia Keys) |
— | 36 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | Empire Season 2 Volume 1 | ||
| "Ain't About the Money" (featuring Yazz) |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 39[29] | |||
| "No Doubt About it" (featuring Pitbull) |
— | — | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Chasing the Sky" (featuring Terrence Howard & Yazz) |
2016 | — | 52[30] | 24 | — | — | — | — | — | — | Empire Season 2 Volume 2 | |
| "Good People" (featuring Yazz) |
— | — | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "I Wanna Love You" | — | 57[31] | 21 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
References
- ↑ "https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VLP4-V6X". familysearch.org. "California Birth Index, 1905-1995". Retrieved 21 November 2016. External link in
|title=(help) - ↑ "Jussie Smollett: 'I was NOT born in Brazil!!'". Good Day New York. February 13, 2015. 00:11 minutes in. Archived from the original on March 12, 2015. Retrieved March 12, 2015.
I was born in northern California. ...[An unspecified source] says Brazil, makes me look really, really exotic and, like, cultured, but actually I was born in Santa Rosa, California.
Note: TV Guide erroneously gives Santa Rosa, Brazil. - 1 2 "Jussie Smollett". TVGuide.com. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
- ↑ Garmel, Marion (1994-09-06). "You're never on your own in a big family". Indianapolis Star. Retrieved 2011-03-20. (abstract only)
- ↑ "The '94 TV Season: Who's New and Who's Back". Ebony. Johnson Publishing Company. 49 (12): 27. October 1994. ISSN 0012-9011.
- ↑ "Fall in Love with Jussie Smollett". The David Bridgeforth Quarterly Magazine. Archived from the original on January 9, 2015. Retrieved January 8, 2015.
- ↑ Goldberg, Lesley (January 26, 2014). "Taraji P. Henson Nabs Female Lead in Fox's Lee Daniels Hip-Hop Drama 'Empire'". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on February 13, 2015. Retrieved January 8, 2015.
- ↑ Kay, Ariel (January 7, 2015). "Who Is Jamal on 'Empire'? Jussie Smollett Was in Your Favorite '90s Movies & Is Back on Your New Favorite Show". Bustle.com. Retrieved January 8, 2015.
- ↑ Thompson, Arienne (March 3, 2015). "Malik Yoba denies outing 'Empire' co-star as gay". USA Today. Archived from the original on March 10, 2015. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
- ↑ "Jussie Smollett's Debut EP CD". RandomTandem.com. March 9, 2012. Archived from the original on October 24, 2014.
- ↑ "'Empire' star Jussie Smollett discusses Jamal's coming-out". Entertainment Weekly. February 26, 2015. Archived from the original on February 27, 2015. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
- ↑ "Review: Jussie Smollett Wears Crown on 'Empire' Soundtrack". Associated Press. March 10, 2015. Retrieved April 1, 2015.
- ↑ Empire's Jussie Smollett Heads Underground Opposite Sister Jurnee Smollett-Bell
- ↑ Portwood, Jerry (March 9, 2015). "Empire's Jussie Smollett Comes Out to Ellen". Out. Archived from the original on March 10, 2015. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
- ↑ D’Addario, Daniel (March 9, 2015). "'Empire': Why Star Jussie Smollett's Coming-Out Matters". Time. Archived from the original on March 9, 2015. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
- ↑ http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/2016-naacp-image-award-nominees-862135/item/recording-2016-naacp-image-award-862133
- ↑ http://www.billboard.com/artist/6438154/empire-cast/chart?f=379
- ↑ http://www.billboard.com/artist/6438154/empire-cast/chart?f=367
- ↑ http://www.billboard.com/artist/6438154/empire-cast/chart?f=1230
- ↑ http://www.lescharts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Jussie+Smollett
- ↑ https://www.offiziellecharts.de/suche
- ↑ http://hitparade.ch/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Jussie+Smollett
- ↑ http://austriancharts.at/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Jussie+Smollett
- ↑ http://www.billboard.com/biz/search/charts?f0=is_bmdb_track_id%3A6496749&f1=itm_field_chart_id%3A344&refine=1
- ↑ http://acharts.co/song/91261
- ↑ http://acharts.co/song/91585
- 1 2 3 http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/why-isnt-empires-music-topping-777500
- ↑ http://www.billboard.com/biz/search/charts?f0=is_bmdb_track_id%3A6500822&f1=itm_field_chart_id%3A344&refine=1
- ↑ http://acharts.co/song/94740
- ↑ http://www.billboard.com/biz/search/charts?f0=is_bmdb_track_id%3A7369622&f1=itm_field_chart_id%3A345&refine=1
- ↑ http://www.billboard.com/biz/search/charts?f0=ss_chart_search_title%3A%22I%20Wanna%20Love%20You%22&f1=itm_field_chart_id%3A345&refine=1