Jussie Smollett
Mar 8, 2015

Jussie Langston Mikha Smollett is an American actor, singer and photographer. In 2015, Smollett began starring as Jamal Lyon in the Fox musical primetime soap opera, Empire. As a child, he co-starred in a number of films, including The Mighty Ducks (1992) and North (1994).
Smollett was born in Santa Rosa, California, the son of Janet and Joel Smollett. He has three brothers and two sisters: Jake Smollett, Jocqui Smollett, Jojo Smollett, Jurnee Smollett and Jazz Smollett. His father was Jewish (his family immigrated from Russia and Poland), and his mother is of African-American, Native American, Creole, and Irish descent. Smollett began his acting career as a child, co-starring in films The Mighty Ducks (1992) and North (1994). On television, he starred alongside his five real life siblings in the short-lived ABC sitcom, On Our Own, during 1994 to 1995.
In 2012, Smollett returned to acting with the leading role in the LGBT comedy-drama film, The Skinny.[ He is also a singer, he released his first EP album, 2012's The Poisoned Hearts Club. He later guest starred on The Mindy Project and Revenge. In 2014, Smollett was cast as a gay character opposite Taraji P. Henson and Terrence Howard in the Fox primetime soap opera, Empire.
On February 26, Smollett confirmed that he had signed a recording contract with Columbia Records and would be releasing an album in the future. His latest single is entitled, "Good Enough."