A biography for Jurnee Smollett-Bellhasn’t been written yet.
“I can get a little scattered and want to be everywhere and want to do everything for everyone.”
“That's something I've struggled with my entire life - people underestimating me.”
“There's still a really divisive residue in our nation that's called racism and prejudice and oppression and sexism.”
“A lot of the issues today may not affect us personally, but we can't stay in our comfort zone when it comes to protecting our brothers and sisters. We have to get out there and use our voices for them as well.”
“My best advice would be that you have to be vulnerable with each other. Like, everyone says you have to be honest, you have to communicate; like, yes, of course, but you gotta be willing to be vulnerable.”
“There's something about driving through Texas, and it's hot, your skin is sticking to you. The environment affects your attitude and your swagger.”
“We all try to pretend we're the person we want to be when we're really not, and you've just gotta be willing to say, 'Here are all my flaws; here's who I am - take it or leave it. If you love me still, then let's do this.'”
“When I was 12 years old, I got involved with an organization called Artists for a New South Africa. One of its missions is to help with HIV/AIDS awareness.”
“With film, there's a consistency to it, but what I like about the TV shows that I've been fortunate to do, like 'Friday Night Lights' and 'True Blood,' is that it feels like you're doing a film.”
“There are obstacles and challenges that my dark-skinned sisters face that I will never know. How they are perceived when they walk in a room of strangers is something I will never truly know.”
“Marian Wright Edelman is a mentor and hero of mine.”