Jussie Smollett

Jussie Smollett
Smollett at the 2016 PaleyFest
Born	Jussie Smollett (1982-06-21) June 21, 1982 (age 34) Santa Rosa, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actor, singer-songwriter, producer
Years active	1991–present
Known for	Jamal Lyon on Empire
Relatives	Jake Smollett (brother) Jurnee Smollett-Bell (sister)

Jussie Smollett (born June 21, 1982) 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 which is going to be released on May 19, 2017.

Smollett was born in Santa Rosa, California, and is the son of Janet (née Harris) and Joel Smollett. He has three brothers and two sisters: Jake, Jocqui, Jojo, Jurnee, and Jazz. His father was Jewish (his family emigrated from Russia and Poland). His mother is African-American.

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.

In 2012, Smollett returned to acting with the leading role in the LGBT-themed comedy-drama The Skinny. 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.