Jurnee Diana Smollett (born October 1, 1986) is an American actress.

Smollett was born in New York City, New York, the daughter of Janet and Joel Smollett. The fourth of six performing siblings, she received critical acclaim for her title role in the finely crafted independent Eve's Bayou (1997). The performance earned her a Young Star Award nomination. The young thespian pulled ahead of her brothers and sisters with her bracing portrayal of a ten-year-old who finds Read more...

Smollett has four brothers and one sister, all of whom are actors:

Smollett has been active in HIV/AIDS involved causes since she was twelve. She has spoken at the Ryan White Youth Conference, and elsewhere, on this issue. Her first encounter with the disease came at age seven when a crew member of "On Our Own" died of AIDS. She is also on the Board of Directors of "Artists for a New South Read more...