Source: HBO
Jurnee Smollett is low key an OG in this acting game, making her first on-screen appearance back in the early ’90s. As her career continued to heat up, we’ve been blessed to see her in some pretty epic roles — she played Black Canary in Birds of Prey, Nicole Wright in True Blood, and Judith in Tyler Perry‘s Temptation, to name just a few.
Now, Jurnee’s got our attention once more in the new HBO series Lovecraft Country. She plays Leti Dandridge in the Misha Green production, opposite Jonathan Majors.
Source: HBO
Here’s a quick synopsis, courtesy of the streaming service:
“Based on Matt Ruff’s novel of the same name, Lovecraft Country follows Atticus Freeman (Jonathan Majors) as he meets up with his friend Letitia (Jurnee Smollett) and his uncle George (Courtney B. Vance) to embark on a road trip across 1950s Jim Crow America in search of his missing father (Michael Kenneth Williams). This begins a struggle to survive and overcome both the racist terrors of white America and the terrifying monsters that could be ripped from a Lovecraft paperback.”
If it sounds like it’s an intense watch, that’s because it is and just one episode in, viewers can’t get enough — of the show, and especially of Jurnee.
Mostly, she’s being noticed for her superb acting abilities and diverse roles over the span of her career.
In light of the phenomenal actress that she is, we’re showing the beauty some love today. Keep scrolling for some much-needed Jurnee Smollett appreciation.