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Jussie Smollett
Jussie Smollett (26362136311).jpg
Smollett at the 2016 PaleyFest
Born (1982-06-21) June 21, 1982 (age 42)
Occupation
  • Actor
  • singer
Years active 1991–1995; 2009–2021
Relatives Jurnee Smollett (sister)
Jake Smollett (brother)

Jussie Smollett (/ˈʌsi sməlˈɛt/, born June 21, 1982) is an American actor and singer. He began his career as a child actor in 1991 debuting in The Mighty Ducks (1992). From 2015 to 2019, Smollett portrayed musician Jamal Lyon in the Fox drama series Empire.

In January 2019, Smollett staged a fake hate crime against himself in Chicago and later made false police reports regarding the incident. In December 2021, Smollett was convicted of five felony counts of disorderly conduct; he was sentenced in March 2022 to 150 days in county jail. He was released 6 days later on bond while his case was on appeal. On December 1, 2023, Smollett's appeal was denied by the Illinois Appellate Court in a 2-1 decision, and Smollett will be required to complete his 150 day sentence.

Early life

Jussie Smollett was born in Santa Rosa, California, the son of Joel and Janet (née Harris) Smollett. He has three brothers and two sisters: Jake, Jocqui, Jojo, Jurnee, and Jazz, several of whom are also actors. Smollett is biracial. His mother is African-American, and his father is Jewish. He has said that his father would "kill you if you called him white". His father was absent from his life for a significant portion of his childhood. The family moved to the Elmhurst neighborhood of the New York City borough of Queens when he was two years old, then to Los Angeles when he was about seven. Smollett graduated from Paramus Catholic High School in Paramus, New Jersey. When he was 19, Smollett told his parents he was gay.

Career

Smollett began his acting career as a child model in New York City and later worked as an extra on the New York-shot movies Mo' Better Blues (1990) and New Jack City (1991) He went on to act 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 in 1994–1995. In 2012, Smollett returned to acting with the leading role in Patrik-Ian Polk's LGBT-themed comedy-drama The Skinny. Also that year, he released an EP titled The Poisoned Hearts Club. He later guest-starred on The Mindy Project (2012) and Revenge (2014).

In 2014, Smollett was cast as Jamal Lyon—a gay musician struggling to gain the approval of his father Lucious—opposite Taraji P. Henson and Terrence Howard in the Fox drama series Empire. His role was hailed as groundbreaking for its positive depiction of a black gay man on television. Smollett reprised his role in subsequent seasons and directed an episode of the fourth season in 2017. Smollett's character was removed from the final two episodes of season five because of the assault controversy.

In February 2015, Smollett confirmed that he had signed a recording contract with Columbia Records and would be releasing an album in the future. 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.

In June 2015, it was announced that Smollett would guest-star alongside his younger sister Jurnee in Underground, which aired in 2016. Smollett released his debut album, Sum of My Music, in March 2018. Sum of My Music is an R&B album that features elements of electronic music and hip hop. Smollett self-released it through his own label, Music of Sound.

On April 30, 2019, Fox Entertainment announced that though Smollett's contract had been extended for the sixth season of Empire, there were no plans for his character to appear during it.

Smollett directed B-Boy Blues, a movie based on the 1994 black gay novel by James Earl Hardy. The movie was released in November 2021.

Personal life

Smollett publicly came out as gay during a televised interview with Ellen DeGeneres in March 2015.

Filmography

Film

Year Film Role Notes
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
Ask Me Anything Nico Dempster
2016 The Tale of Four John Short film
2017 Alien: Covenant – Prologue: Last Supper Ricks Short film
Alien: Covenant
Marshall Langston Hughes

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1991 A Little Piece of Heaven Salem Bordeaux Television film
1993 Alex Haley's Queen Simon Miniseries
1993 Coach Billy Episode: "Piece o' Cake"
1993–1994 Cro Mike Voice, 20 episodes
1994–1995 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"
2015–2019 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
Directed season 4, episode 16
2016 Underground Josey 2 episodes
2016 Live! with Kelly Himself Guest host, six episodes
2017 Star Jamal Lyon Episode: "The Winner Takes it All"
2018 America Divided Himself Episode: "Whose History?"
2023 Jussie Smollett: Anatomy of a Hoax Himself 5-part docuseries, aired on Fox Nation

Music videos

Year Artist Title
2015 Mariah Carey "Infinity"
2016 Jussie Smollett "F.U.W."

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 Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Empire Nominated
Outstanding New Artist Won
Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration Won
Outstanding Song (Contemporary) Won

Discography

Albums

List of studio albums, with selected chart positions and details
Title Album details Peak chart positions
US
Heat.

Sum of My Music
  • Released: March 2, 2018
  • Label: Music of Sound/Human Re Sources
  • Format: Digital download
22

Extended plays

Year EP details
2012 Poisoned Hearts Club
  • Released: March 9, 2012
  • Label: Wired Music Media
  • Format: Digital download

Singles

Title Year Peak chart positions Sales Album
US
US
R&B
/HH

US
R&B
US
Adult
R&B
FRA
GER
SWI
AUT
POR
BUL
"Good Enough" 2015 33 13 60 25 55 54 2 40
  • US: 83,000
Empire: Original Soundtrack from Season 1
"Keep Your Money" 99 32 13 181 91
  • US: 54,000
"No Apologies"
(featuring Yazz)
44 195
  • US: 53,000
"I Wanna Love You" 21
"Money For Nothing"
(featuring Yazz)
23 94
"You're so Beautiful"
(featuring Yazz)
47 18 10 79 42
"Conqueror"
(featuring Estelle)
42 15 8 15 157 87
"Nothing To Lose" 15
"Powerful"
(featuring Alicia Keys)
36 10 152 Empire: Original Soundtrack Season 2 Volume 1
"Ain't About the Money"
(featuring Yazz)
39
"No Doubt About it"
(featuring Pitbull)
18
"Chasing the Sky"
(featuring Terrence Howard & Yazz)
2016 24 Empire: Original Soundtrack Season 2 Volume 2
"Good People"
(featuring Yazz)
20
"Need Freedom" 30 Empire: Original Soundtrack Season 3
"Freedom" 2018 Sum of My Music
"Catch Your Eye"
(featuring Swizz Beatz)
"Hurt People"
"Ha Ha (I Love You)" 19

See also

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