Exploring O’Shea Jackson Jr.’s Top Career Roles

In the last decade, O’Shea Jackson Jr. has carved out a niche for himself in the ever-competitive movie industry. Following in the footsteps of his legendary father, Ice Cube, Jackson Jr. has long proven he’s a star in his own right. Besides acting, O’Shea Jackson Jr. is also a rapper and songwriter with the stage name OMG. Besides an early love for music and rapping, Jackson Jr. also shared a passion for acting. Although he had been studying screenwriting at the University of Southern California, O’Shea Jackson Jr. dropped out to pursue a career as an actor. 

In hindsight, his decision paid off as he’s considered one of Hollywood’s rising stars, with several Box Office films in his credit. From supporting roles in Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019) and The Now miniseries to portraying Anthony Ray Hinton and Kawlan Roken in Just Mercy (2019) and Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022), Jackson Jr. has shown his versatility and ability to take on any role. With a rising profile, here’s a look at O’Shea Jackson Jr.’s most remarkable acting roles, celebrating the standout moments that have defined his career thus far.

Straight Outta Compton

O'Shea Jackson Jr. in Straight Outta Compton

In F. Gary Gray’s 2015 epic biological drama Straight Outta Compton, O’Shea Jackson Jr. portrayed his father. As his father’s lookalike, Jackson Jr. not only convincingly passed as his father, Ice Cube, but helped breathe life into the character he was portraying. Straight Outta Compton centers around the rise of the influential rap group N.W.A. 

The film chronicles the group’s formation, their impact on hip-hop, and the societal challenges they faced in the late 1980s and early 1990s. O’Shea Jackson Jr.’s performance was widely praised for its authenticity. He not only bore a striking resemblance to his father but also captured Ice Cube’s distinct mannerisms, voice, and presence. His portrayal was a standout element of the film, marking his acting debut and establishing him as a talent to watch.

Ingrid Goes West

O'Shea Jackson Jr. in Ingrid Goes West

The next time audiences watched O’Shea Jackson Jr. on screen, he was cast as a charming and laid-back aspiring screenwriter. Cast as Daniel “Dan” Pinto, Jackson Jr. played Aubrey Plaza’s character’s landlord in the 2017 black comedy-drama Ingrid Goes West. The film explored the impact of social media obsession and the pursuit of superficial connections. 

Plaza played the protagonist, Ingrid Thorburn, a troubled and socially awkward young woman who becomes fixated on social media influencers. Jackson Jr.’s character is introduced after Ingrid moves to Los Angeles in hopes of reinventing herself and befriending her latest Instagram influencer, Taylor Sloane (Elizabeth Olsen). Besides being Ingrid’s landlord, Jackson Jr.’s Dan character eventually becomes her love interest. He became a steadying presence in Ingrid’s rather chaotic life. Ingrid Goes West was generally a critical success.

Long Shot

O'Shea Jackson Jr. in Long Shot

In another supporting role, O’Shea Jackson Jr. joined the cast of Jonathan Levine’s 2019 romantic comedy Long Shot, playing Lance. His character is the loyal and supportive best friend of Fred Flarsky (Seth Rogen). Lance is a successful businessman who serves as Fred’s voice of reason and moral support throughout the film. Despite their contrasting personalities, Lance is upbeat and optimistic while Fred is more cynical; Lance’s friendship provides comedic relief to the film’s storyline. Long Shot also starred Charlize Theron, Andy Serkis, Bob Odenkirk, Lisa Kudrow, Randall Park, Alexander Skarsgård, and June Diane Raphael. Boyz II Men and Lil Yachty also made cameo appearances as themselves. Although a commercial flop, Long Shot received generally positive reviews from critics. 

Swagger

O'Shea Jackson Jr. in Swagger TV series

Besides his growing credits on the big screen, O’Shea Jackson Jr. has also had several noteworthy roles on television. After playing a close friend to Dave Franco’s character in The Roku Channel’s 2021 comedy miniseries The Now, Jackson Jr. landed his first lead role on television. He led the cast of the Apple TV+ sports drama series Swagger as Ike “Icon” Edwards.

His character is that of a former basketball prodigy who has become a youth basketball coach and mentor. Icon was a guide and mentor for Jace Carson (Isaiah Hill), a character loosely based on legendary NBA star Kevin Durant. Swagger aired for 2 seasons from October 29, 2021, to August 11, 2023. Despite its critical acclaim, Apple TV+ canceled the show after two seasons.

Cocaine Bear

O'Shea Jackson Jr. in Cocaine Bear

In the Elizabeth Banks-directed 2023 comedy horror, O’Shea Jackson Jr. played Daveed. His character is a fixer working for powerful crime boss Syd White (Ray Liotta). Daveed is sent to recover missing cocaine after a large shipment gets scattered in a forest. Alongside his partner Eddie (Alden Ehrenreich), he finds himself caught in a chaotic and darkly comedic series of events involving locals, law enforcement, and a drug-fueled bear. Besides O’Shea Jackson Jr.’s incredible performance, Cocaine Bear is the first of Ray Liotta’s posthumous films, released after his death on May 26, 2022.

Den of Thieves

O'Shea Jackson Jr. in Den of Thieves 2 Pantera

Unarguably, Christian Gudegast’s crime action movies have been O’Shea Jackson Jr.’s biggest projects in his decade-long acting career. In the 2018 Den of Thieves, Jackson Jr. is introduced as Donnie Wilson, a bartender who becomes involved in a high-stakes heist. Donnie is initially portrayed as the unassuming “wheelman” and entry-level member of Ray Merrimen’s (Pablo Schreiber) crew. 

However, as the story unfolds, Donnie proves to be far more cunning and resourceful than he first appears. In the 2018 film, O’Shea Jackson Jr. co-starred alongside Gerard Butler and Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson. Jackson Jr. and Butler reprised their roles in the 2025 sequel Den of Thieves 2: Pantera. Jackson Jr.’s performance in the franchise has positioned him for opportunities in similar roles in and around the genre. Besides his best acting roles, here’s everything to know about O’Shea Jackson Jr.

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