Jurnee Smollett is a talented and versatile actress whose star has been on the rise in recent years. With a career of over three decades, she has showcased her range and depth as an actress across various mediums, from television to film and stage.
Furthermore, she has faced many rough times in her personal life, which the world is familiar with. However, some of her fans are not aware of her personal life. Before knowing about her married life, let’s get some details about her parents and family background.
Who Are Jurnee Smollett Parents? A Look at Her Family Life
Jurnee Smollett was born on October 1, 1986, in New York City, to Janet Smollett and Joel Smollett. Her mother, Janet, is an African American and Native-American actress and civil rights activist, and her father, Joel, is Jewish and an Ashkenazi jeweler.
The Smollett family faced a tragic incident in their life when Joel passed away at the age of 59 in January 2015 after battling cancer for a long time. Despite a hard time, she moved on. Likewise, her mother was an active member of the Black Panther Party in the 1970s and instilled in her children a sense of pride in their heritage and a commitment to fighting for equality and justice.
Despite their different backgrounds, Jurnee’s parents instilled in their children the values of love, compassion, and inclusivity. In interviews, Jurnee has spoken about the importance of her family in her life and how they have supported her throughout her career.
Furthermore, Smollett also has five siblings: Jake, Jazz, Jocqui, Jojo, and Jussie. All of her siblings are also involved in the entertainment industry, either as actors or as musicians.
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Who Is Jurnee Smollett’s Ex-Husband, Josiah Bell? Marriage To Divorce
Jurnee Smollett was once a married lady. She was married to Josiah Bell, with whom she was together for a decade. In an interview, Jurnee revealed that she and her ex-husband were best friends before dating.
After sharing the relationship of a girlfriend and a boyfriend for a long time, Jurnee and Josiah tied the knot on October 24, 2010. There are not many details regarding their marriage as they married in an intimate wedding ceremony.
The former pair announced they were expecting their first child in June 2016. On October 31 of the same year, Smollett and Bell welcomed their first and only child, a son named Hunter Zion Bell. Jurnee has not hesitated to talk about her feelings about being a mother.
After some time, people noticed that the marriage between Jurnee and Josiah was rough. Josiah wasn’t available for his wife’s promotional tour of the early 2020 movie named Birds of Prey: And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn, which left fans thinking they split.
They filed for a divorce in 2020, and the divorce proceedings did not go smoothly, which was finalized in 2021. Since 2020, Jurnee has raised her child as a single mom. It was pretty difficult for her to raise her child being a single mom as she had done all from her acting profession.
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How Much Is Jurnee Smollett’s Net Worth in 2023?
Jurnee Smollett is estimated to have a net worth of at least $2 million. It is evident that Jurnee made most of her gains from being an actress and from her work in big-budget movies.
She worked in a movie named Eve’s Bayou which had a total budget of $4 million and grossed $14.8 million. In the same way, Smollett has also starred in Spiderhead, which was made on a massive budget of $100 million. So, we can say that she may have taken home impressive cash from her acting work.
