---
name: "Jurnee Smollett-Bell"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/jurnee-smollett-bell"
fi1m_id: "jurnee-smollett-bell"
imdb_id: "nm0810619"
tmdb_id: 59017
wikidata_id: "Q2350967"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "1 October 1986"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 8
average_fi1m_score: 72
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 8
updated: "2026-09-24T20:28:16.718174+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Jurnee Smollett-Bell

## Identity

Jurnee Smollett-Bell

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/jurnee-smollett-bell
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** jurnee-smollett-bell
- **IMDb ID:** nm0810619
- **TMDB ID:** 59017
- **Wikidata ID:** Q2350967
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jurnee_Smollett, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2350967, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0810619/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/59017

Actor. Born 1 October 1986 in New York City, New York, USA.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 1 October 1986, New York City, New York, USA
- **Active:** 1993–present
- **Also known as:** Jurnee Diana Smollett, ジャーニー・スモレット＝ベル, Джерни Смолетт-Белл
- **Average Fi1m score:** 72, as actor, over 8 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1990s 82 (1), 2000s 75 (3), 2020s 68 (4)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 72 to 70 across 8 titles
- **Score spread:** 2 at 80+, 5 at 60–79, 1 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 2 of 5 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Drama 7, Crime 2, Mystery 2, Sci-Fi & Fantasy 2, Comedy 1, Sport 1
- **Screen time:** 2 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $2m across 1 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jurnee_Smollett, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2350967, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0810619/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/59017

## Streaming the US now

- **HBO Max:** [*Lovecraft Country*](https://film.one/tv/lovecraft-country.md) (74), [*Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness: An Almost History of America*](https://film.one/tv/life-larry-and-the-pursuit-of-unhappiness-an-almost-history-of-america.md) (55)
- **Paramount+:** [*Friday Night Lights*](https://film.one/tv/friday-night-lights.md) (86)
- **Disney+:** [*The Order*](https://film.one/film/the-order.md) (75)
- **Apple TV:** [*Smoke*](https://film.one/tv/smoke.md) (68)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Jurnee Smollett-Bell

> Jurnee Smollett-Bell plays capable women without pretending that nothing can hurt them. We value the care in her performances, but *Smoke* and *The Order* offer only qualified reasons to watch for her alone.

In *The Order* (2024), Jurnee Smollett-Bell's Joanne Carney stands beside Jude Law's Husk in briefings, an FBI colleague whom the film scarcely allows to contribute. We were frustrated by how little she was given to do once she had arrived to help. Justin Kurzel makes a lean, well-made procedural, but its women are chiefly there to tell us about its men. Carney is treated as a fellow professional; the script then does little with that apparent equality.

That is a narrow use of an actor whose work has moved well beyond the child lead in *Eve's Bayou* (1997). *The Great Debaters* (2007), directed by and co-starring Denzel Washington, gave her a notable adult film role. Television brought wider notice through *Underground* (2016–2017) and *Lovecraft Country* (2020), both collaborations with Misha Green. The latter draws particularly well on her ability to make a determined woman emotionally credible, even within horror. Playing Black Canary in *Birds of Prey* (2020) also required preparation for action sequences and stunt work.

*Smoke* (2025) gives us a more useful measure of her than *The Order*, though not an unqualified recommendation. As Michelle Calderone, she helps keep the people interesting when the arson investigation is doing too little to justify its nine episodes. There is care in the performance, and we wanted the series to give that care a less repetitive story. Taron Egerton and Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine nevertheless make the stronger impression; calling Smollett-Bell its principal attraction would be generous at their expense.

We would not put every modest impression down to an underwritten role: *Smoke* gives us a performance worth noticing, not its strongest one. Nor does Carney's lack of scenes make *The Order* a poor film; it remains the firmer recommendation of the two. But anyone choosing it principally for Smollett-Bell should temper their expectations. We would welcome a part that gives her more to do than attend another briefing.

## Biography

Jurnee Smollett-Bell is an American actress. Born Jurnee Diana Smollett on 1 October 1986 in New York City, she began her career as a child actor in television sitcoms including *Full House* (1992–1994) and *On Our Own* (1994–1995).

As an adult she has appeared in films such as *Eve's Bayou* (1997), *The Great Debaters* (2007), *Birds of Prey* (2020) and *The Order* (2024), in which she played Joanne Carney. Her television roles include *True Blood* (2013–2014), *Underground* (2016–2017) and *Lovecraft Country* (2020), for which she received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. She plays Michelle Calderone in the series *Smoke* (2025).

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org.*

## On Fi1m (8)

- *Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness: An Almost History of America* (2026), Fi1m 55, as Rosa Parks — [page](https://film.one/tv/life-larry-and-the-pursuit-of-unhappiness-an-almost-history-of-america.md)
- *Smoke* (2025), Fi1m 68, as Michelle Calderone — [page](https://film.one/tv/smoke.md)
- *The Order* (2024), Fi1m 75, as Joanne Carney — [page](https://film.one/film/the-order.md)
- *Lovecraft Country* (2020), Fi1m 74, as Letitia ‘Leti’ Lewis — [page](https://film.one/tv/lovecraft-country.md)
- *True Blood* (2008), Fi1m 71, as Nicole Wright — [page](https://film.one/tv/true-blood.md)
- *Friday Night Lights* (2006), Fi1m 86, as Jess Merriweather — [page](https://film.one/tv/friday-night-lights.md)
- *Grey's Anatomy* (2005), Fi1m 68, as Beth Monroe — [page](https://film.one/tv/greys-anatomy.md)
- *NYPD Blue* (1993), Fi1m 82, as Hanna — [page](https://film.one/tv/nypd-blue.md)

## Complete filmography (46)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness: An Almost History of America* (2026), series, as Rosa Parks — Fi1m 55, [page](https://film.one/tv/life-larry-and-the-pursuit-of-unhappiness-an-almost-history-of-america.md)
- *Smoke* (2025), series, as Michelle Calderone — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/tv/smoke.md)
- *The Order* (2024), as Joanne Carney — Fi1m 75, [page](https://film.one/film/the-order.md)
- *We Grown Now* (2024), as Dolores · Executive Producer
- *The Burial* (2023), as Mame Downes
- *Lou* (2022), as Hannah
- *Spiderhead* (2022), as Lizzy
- *Lovecraft Country* (2020), series, as Letitia ‘Leti’ Lewis — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/tv/lovecraft-country.md)
- *Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)* (2020), as Dinah Lance / Black Canary
- *The Twilight Zone* (2019), series, as Jasmine
- *Sofia the First: Forever Royal* (2018), as Chrysta (voice)
- *One Last Thing* (2018), as Lucy
- *Hands of Stone* (2016), as Juanita Leonard
- *Underground* (2016), series, as Rosalee
- *Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor* (2013), as Judith
- *Do No Harm* (2013), series, as Abby Young
- *Sofia the First* (2013), series, as Chrysta (voice)
- *Don Cheadle is Captain Planet - Part 4* (2012), as Gaia
- *The Mob Doctor* (2012), series, as Traci Coolidge
- *The Defenders* (2010), series, as Lisa Tyler
- *Parenthood* (2010), series, as Heather Hall
- *True Blood* (2008), series, as Nicole Wright — Fi1m 71, [page](https://film.one/tv/true-blood.md)
- *The Great Debaters* (2007), as Samantha Booke
- *Friday Night Lights* (2006), series, as Jess Merriweather — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/tv/friday-night-lights.md)
- *Gridiron Gang* (2006), as Danyelle Rollins
- *Roll Bounce* (2005), as Tori
- *Grey's Anatomy* (2005), series, as Beth Monroe — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/tv/greys-anatomy.md)
- *House* (2004), series, as Tracy — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/house-2004.md)
- *Wanda at Large* (2003), series, as Holly Hawkins
- *Ruby's Bucket of Blood* (2001), as Emerald Delacroix
- *Strong Medicine* (2000), series, as Ruby
- *Beautiful Joe* (2000), as Vivien Mason
- *Selma, Lord, Selma* (1999), as Sheyann Webb
- *Eve's Bayou* (1997), as Eve Batiste
- *Cosby* (1996), series, as Jurnee
- *Jack* (1996), as Phoebe
- *Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child* (1995), series, as Ali Baba (voice)
- *ER* (1994), series, as Romy — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/er.md)
- *On Our Own* (1994), series, as Jordee Jerrico
- *NYPD Blue* (1993), series, as Hanna — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/tv/nypd-blue.md)
- *Hangin' with Mr. Cooper* (1992), series, as Denise Frazer
- *Out All Night* (1992), series, as Laquita
- *Martin* (1992), series, as Little Girl #1
- *Sunday in Paris* (1991), as Alison Chase
- *Full House* (1987), series, as Denise
- *Sunflower*, Actor

## Gallery

- ![Jurnee Smollett-Bell](https://film.one/media/person/10195/gallery-820ed024d3ea.jpg) Jurnee Smollett-Bell — Harald Krichel, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9f/Jurnee_Smollett_2024_%28crop%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Jude Law, Jurnee Smollett, Tye Sheridan, and Nicholas Hoult at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) for the movie The Order. (2021)](https://film.one/media/person/10195/gallery-cfa6b6a07dee.jpg) Jude Law, Jurnee Smollett, Tye Sheridan, and Nicholas Hoult at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) for the movie The Order. (2021) — Adam Chitayat, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f8/Jude_Law%2C_Jurnee_Smollett%2C_Tye_Sheridan%2C_and_Nicholas_Hoult_at_the_2024_Toronto_International_Film_Festival.jpg/1280px-Jude_Law%2C_Jurnee_Smollett%2C_Tye_Sheridan%2C_and_Nicholas_Hoult_at_the_2024_Toronto_International_Film_Festival.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Jurnee Smollett, Tye Sheridan, Nicholas Hoult, and Bryan Haas at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) for the movie The Order. (2021)](https://film.one/media/person/10195/gallery-dccdc2e1ae8a.jpg) Jurnee Smollett, Tye Sheridan, Nicholas Hoult, and Bryan Haas at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) for the movie The Order. (2021) — Adam Chitayat, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/db/Jurnee_Smollett%2C_Tye_Sheridan%2C_Nicholas_Hoult%2C_and_Bryan_Haas_at_the_2024_Toronto_International_Film_Festival.jpg/1280px-Jurnee_Smollett%2C_Tye_Sheridan%2C_Nicholas_Hoult%2C_and_Bryan_Haas_at_the_2024_Toronto_International_Film_Festival.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Actress Jurnee Smollett at the 81st Venice International Film Festival (2024)](https://film.one/media/person/10195/gallery-05845636f2da.jpg) Actress Jurnee Smollett at the 81st Venice International Film Festival (2024) — Harald Krichel, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/57/Jurnee_Smollett-67808.jpg/1280px-Jurnee_Smollett-67808.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Jurnee Smollett-Bell](https://film.one/media/person/10195/gallery-b27bd5f404ef.jpg) Jurnee Smollett-Bell — Image via TMDB
- ![Jurnee Smollett-Bell](https://film.one/media/person/10195/gallery-d6c330d3688f.jpg) Jurnee Smollett-Bell — Image via TMDB
- ![Jurnee Smollett-Bell](https://film.one/media/person/10195/gallery-47d3168ced1f.jpg) Jurnee Smollett-Bell — Image via TMDB
- ![Actress Jurnee Smollett at the 81st Venice International Film Festival (2024)](https://film.one/media/person/10195/gallery-58c633b365c3.jpg) Actress Jurnee Smollett at the 81st Venice International Film Festival (2024) — Harald Krichel, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/95/Jurnee_Smollett-67816.jpg/1280px-Jurnee_Smollett-67816.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Actress Jurnee Smollett at the 81st Venice International Film Festival (2024)](https://film.one/media/person/10195/gallery-e037c30b9fdb.jpg) Actress Jurnee Smollett at the 81st Venice International Film Festival (2024) — Harald Krichel, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f6/Jurnee_Smollett-67817.jpg/1280px-Jurnee_Smollett-67817.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Jurnee Smollett-Bell](https://film.one/media/person/10195/gallery-cd6b9901878d.jpg) Jurnee Smollett-Bell — Image via TMDB
- ![Jurnee Smollett-Bell](https://film.one/media/person/10195/gallery-25705e881b6d.jpg) Jurnee Smollett-Bell — Image via TMDB
- ![Jurnee Smollett-Bell](https://film.one/media/person/10195/gallery-66d5b3ef8c0a.jpg) Jurnee Smollett-Bell — Image via TMDB

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/jurnee-smollett-bell