Jussie Langston Mikha Smollett (born June 21, 1983) 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.