Actress Jurnee Smollett is one of Hollywood’s fast-rising stars. Having begun her acting career when she was six, Smollett is one of Hollywood’s most successful child actors. While her professional career may have begun at six, her first on-screen appearance was at 10 months in a diaper commercial.
Jurnee Smollett isn’t her family’s only talent, as all her five siblings are also performers. Over the years, Smollett has starred in several roles in film and television, going from supporting cast to playing lead roles. These are Jurnee Smollett’s best roles in film and television.
Full House (1992–1994)
Five-year-old Jurnee Smollett (at the time of the episode release) joined the ABC sitcom Full House in its sixth season. Cast as Denise Frazer, Smollett’s first appearance was in the season’s second episode, “The Long Goodbye.” Her character was introduced as a replacement for Teddy (Tahj Mowry) as Michelle Tanner’s (Mary-Kate & Ashley Olsen) best friend. She appeared in 14 episodes of the show from 1992 to 1994, with her last episode appearance being in season 7, episode 23 (“Too Little Richard Too Late”). Smollett’s sudden departure from the show was because of her commitment to another ABC sitcom, On Our Own. As such, her character was written off immediately, without any explanation to the audience of Denise Frazer’s whereabouts.
On Our Own (1994–1995)
Jurnee Smollett starred alongside her real-life siblings in the ABC sitcom On Our Own. However, the show was short-lived, having been canceled after its first season. On Our Own aired from September 13, 1994 to April 14, 1995. The show centered around the lives of the Jerrico family, who, after losing both parents in an accident, are raised by their eldest child, Josh. The children, all seven of them, comprise brothers and sisters. Smollett played the character of Jordee Jerrico, one of the siblings. Smollett was nominated for Best Performance by an Actress Under Ten in a TV Series at the 1995 Young Artist Awards.
Eve’s Bayou (1997)
Kasi Lemmons‘ Southern Gothic drama, Eve’s Bayou (1997), Lemmons’ directorial debut, is Jurnee Smollett’s second feature film. An 11-year-old Smollett delivered a superb performance as 10-year-old Eve Batiste. With the movie’s cast led by Samuel L. Jackson, it also starred Lynn Whitfield and Meagan Good. Eve’s Bayou was a commercial success and was inducted into the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress in 2018. For her performance, Smollett won Best Young Performer at the Critics’ Choice Movie Awards and Best Supporting Actress at the San Diego Film Critics Society. She also received several nominations from NAACP Image Awards, Young Artist Awards, and YoungStar Awards.
The Great Debaters (2007)
Denzel Washington directed and starred in the historical drama The Great Debaters (2007). Co-produced by Oprah Winfrey, the film revolves around the trials and tribulations of the Wiley College debate team in 1935, Texas. Jurnee Smollett played Samantha Booke, the only female debate team member. The character was based on the real Henrietta Bell Wells. Smollett received a nomination for Choice Movie Breakout Female at the Teen Choice Awards and won for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture at the NAACP Image Awards.
Friday Night Lights (2009–2011)
Friday Night Lights is an NBC/The 101 Network sports drama series. The series was set in a fictional Dillon town in rural West Texas. Jurnee Smollett joined the cast in 2009 in the show’s season 4. She was cast as Jess Merriweather, appearing in the series until its final season, season 5. Her character is an East Dillon student who works at her father’s restaurant while caring for her three younger brothers. Although her father, a former state-championship-winning quarterback, now resents the sport, Jess is so much in love with it she considers having a career as a coach. Smollett’s character arc revolves around her love life, school, family, and her love for football. For her performance, she received a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series at the 2010 NAACP Image Awards.
The Defenders (2010–2011)
Set in Las Vegas, Nevada, The Defenders was a CBS legal drama that aired from September 22, 2010, to March 11, 2011. Jurnee Smollett was cast as Lisa Tyler, a character that’s part of the show’s main cast. Lisa is a young lawyer who saw herself through school as a dancer. The Defenders was short-lived and was not renewed for a second season.
Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor (2013)
Tyler Perry‘s romantic drama Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor (2013) helped raise Jurnee Smollett’s status in Hollywood. It was her first lead cast role in a major film. Grossing $53.1 million, Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor became Tyler Perry‘s highest-grossing film that he did not appear in. Smollett played Judith, a marriage counselor whose narrated story forms the movie’s plot. Starring alongside Lance Gross, Vanessa Williams, and Kim Kardashian, Smollett delivered a stellar performance (although her character was hated by most of the film’s audience).
True Blood (2013–2014)
True Blood is HBO’s fantasy horror drama series that aired for seven seasons across 80 episodes. Jurnee Smollett’s character, Nicole Wright, was introduced in season 6. Nicole co-founded the Vampire Unity Society, a non-violent group dedicated to supernatural rights. The character made her first appearance in season 6, episode 2 (“The Sun”) and its last in the series’ finale, “Thank You.”
Underground (2016–2017)
Underground aired for two seasons before the network canceled it despite having positive reviews. The series is set during the era of slavery and tells the story of the Macon 7 on the Macon Plantation. Jurnee Smollett was cast as one of the main characters, playing Rosalee. Her character was a shy, sheltered house slave. For her performance, Smollett was nominated for Best Actress, Drama Series at the Black Reel Awards, and twice (2017 and 2018) for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series at the NAACP Image Awards.
Lovecraft Country (2020)
Jurnee Smollett leads the cast of the HBO horror drama Lovecraft Country. Her character was Letitia “Leti” Lewis, a skilled photographer. Leti is also a love interest of Atticus “Tic” Freeman (Jonathan Majors) and a friend. Although critical reviews were mostly positive, Lovecraft Country was canceled in July 2021 after its first season. However, Smollett’s contribution and performance didn’t go unnoticed.
Smollett won Best Actress in a Horror Series at the 2021 Critics’ Choice Super Awards and a nomination for Best Actress in a Drama Series at the Critics’ Choice Television Awards. Smollett’s other nominations include Most Frightened Performance at the MTV Movie & TV Awards, Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series at the NAACP Image Awards, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series at the Primetime Emmy Awards, and Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series at the Screen Actors Guild Awards.
Birds of Prey (2020)
Cathy Yan-directed Birds of Prey (2020) is currently Jurnee Smollett’s highest-grossing film at the Box Office. The movie, a spin-off of Suicide Squad (2016), stars Margot Robbie, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and Ewan McGregor. Smollett was cast as Dinah Lance/Black Canary. The character was based on the DC superhero of the same name. She was nominated for Best Actress in a Superhero Movie at the Critics’ Choice Super Awards, Best Fight at the MTV Movie & TV Awards, and Best Supporting Actress in a Film at the Saturn Awards.
Spiderhead (2022)
The first of the two movies Jurnee Smollett starred in 2022 was Spearhead. The film is set in a luxurious prison where prisoners are subjected to drug testing. Smollett’s character is Lizzy, one of the prisoners being tested on in the facility. As the movie progresses, it’s revealed the prisoners who were thought to have volunteered for the test were under the influence of a drug. Australian actor Chris Hemsworth leads the cast of Spearhead. The film also stars Miles Teller, who plays Jeff.
Lou (2022)
The action-packed Lou (2022) is a crime thriller directed by Anna Foerster. Jurnee Smollett plays the lead supporting role as Hannah Dawson, a single mother with a daughter. Set in 1986, Hannah Dawson’s quiet life is disrupted when her daughter’s father breaks into their home to kidnap their daughter. Hannah’s unassuming landlady, Lou Adell (Allison Janney), is revealed to be an ex-CIA field agent. Together, they track and hunt Hannah’s ex, revealing a secret connection she has with her landlady.
We Grown Now (2023)
We Grown Now is Minhal Baig‘s third directed feature film and cast Jurnee Smollett as Dolores. The film revolves around the friendship of two young boys, Malik and Eric, played by newcomers Blake Cameron and Gian Knight Ramirez. It follows their coming-of-age Journey while living in the Cabrini-Green housing complex. Smollett plays Malik’s mother, Dolores, whose new job threatens to separate the friendship and bond of the two young friends.
The Burial (2023)
Landing more notable supporting roles, Jurnee Smollett is cast as a lawyer, Mame Downes, in Maggie Betts‘ legal drama The Burial. Based on the real-life lawsuit between Jeremiah O’Keefe and the Loewen Group, Smollett’s character is introduced as the lead defense attorney for the Loewen Group. Smollett co-stars alongside heavyweights Jamie Foxx and Tommy Lee Jones. The Burial was Jurnee Smollett‘s last feature film of 2023.
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