Jeremy Suarez

{{short description|American actor (born 1990)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2021}}

{{multiple issues|

{{notability|bio|date=April 2020}}

{{BLP sources|date=April 2020}}

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{{Infobox person

| name = Jeremy Suarez

| image =

| alt =

| caption =

| birth_name = Jeremy Steven Suarez

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1990|7|6}}

| birth_place = Burbank, California, U.S.

| occupation = Actor

| years_active = 1996–present

| spouse = {{marriage|Maria Suarez|2017}}

}}

Jeremy Steven Suarez (born July 6, 1990){{Cite news |date=July 5, 2003 |title=Celebrations |work=The Madison Courier |page=B7}} is an American former actor, best known for his role as Jordan Thomkins on The Bernie Mac Show (2001–2006), and as the voice of Koda in Brother Bear (2003) and Brother Bear 2 (2006).

Beginning his career as a child actor at the age of five, he first appeared as Tyson Tidwell in Jerry Maguire (1996), and most recently appeared as Nathaniel in The Fix (2017). Throughout his career, Suarez has been nominated for two NAACP Image Awards, two Young Artist Awards and an Annie Award.

Biography

Suarez is of African and Cuban descent, and is the oldest of three siblings.

He was raised in the Muslim religion.{{Cite news |date=November 5, 2003 |title=ACTORS BEAR UP WELL IN THEIR BROTHERHOOD |url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-2003-11-05-0311040304-story.html |access-date=November 4, 2022 |work=The Orlando Sentinel}}

In 1996, he made his debut in Jerry Maguire as Rod Tidwell's son Tyson.{{Cite web |title=Jeremy Suarez |url=http://www.hollywood.com/celebrities/jeremy-suarez-58340741/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150910034659/http://www.hollywood.com/celebrities/jeremy-suarez-58340741/ |archive-date=2015-09-10 |website=Hollywood.com}} He appeared in the short-lived sitcom Built to Last (1997) as Ryce Watkins,{{Cite book |last=Leszczak |first=Bob |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=C3JuDwAAQBAJ&dq=%22Jeremy+Suarez%22+-wikipedia&pg=PA36 |title=Single Season Sitcoms of the 1990s |date=August 31, 2018 |publisher=McFarland & Company |isbn=9781476670775 |page=36}} the youngest son in a family of seven.{{Cite news |last=Bianco |first=Robert |date=September 24, 1997 |title='Dharma & Greg' hipper than 'Danza,' 'Built to Last' |work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |page=D-7}} Suarez made guest appearances on sitcoms Sister, Sister (1996) and The Wayans Bros. (1998), and had a recurring role as Raymond Wilkes on medical drama Chicago Hope (1996−98).

When Suarez was 8 years old, he joined the cast of the sitcom The Bernie Mac Show (2001−06) as Jordan Tompkins, the nephew of the titular character Bernie Mac.{{Cite book |last=Riley |first=Sam |title=Star Struck: An Encyclopedia of Celebrity Culture |publisher=ABC-Clio |year=2009 |isbn=9780313358135 |pages=40 |language=en}}{{Cite book |last1=Jamieson |first1=Patrick |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vNXUFQf6-iIC&dq=%22Jeremy+Suarez%22+-wikipedia&pg=PA206 |title=The Changing Portrayal of Adolescents in the Media Since 1950 |last2=Romer |first2=Daniel |date=July 22, 2008 |isbn=9780199711390 |page=206|publisher=Oxford University Press }} For portraying Jordan, Suarez received two NAACP Image Award nominations.{{Cite magazine |date=2003 |title=The 34th NAACP Image Awards |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=S9orwsHJ9BcC&dq=%22Jeremy+Suarez%22+-wikipedia&pg=PA27 |magazine=The Crisis |publisher=National Association for the Advancement of Colored People |page=27}}{{Cite news |date=January 16, 2004 |title=The 2004 NAACP Image Award nominees |url=https://newspapers.library.in.gov/cgi-bin/indiana?a=d&d=INR20040116-01.1.23&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN-%22Jeremy+Suarez%22------ |work=Indianapolis Recorder |page=C5}} Suarez appeared on Larry King Live in 2008 with his fellow cast to discuss Mac's death.{{Cite web |date=August 12, 2008 |title=CNN Larry King Live Tribute to Bernie Mac |url=http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0808/12/lkl.01.html |website=CNN}}

He voiced Koda, a bear cub whose mother was killed by the protagonist,{{Cite news |date=November 18, 2003 |title='Brother Bear' is lovable, huggable |work=Calhoun Times |pages=1, 6}} in the Disney film Brother Bear (2003).{{Cite web |title=Brother Bear Movie Preview, Starring Joaquin Phoenix and Jeremy Suarez, Directed by Aaron Blaise and Bob Walker, Sister, Sister |url=http://www.boxofficeprophets.com/tickermaster/listing.cfm?TMID=90:Brother_Bear |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029203020/http://www.boxofficeprophets.com/tickermaster/listing.cfm?TMID=90%3ABrother_Bear |archive-date=October 29, 2013 |access-date=October 1, 2011 |publisher=BoxOfficeProphets}} A book author believed Suarez's performance was the best in the film.{{Cite book |last=Klossner |first=Michael |title=Prehistoric Humans in Film and Television: 581 Dramas, Comedies and Documentaries, 1905-2004 |date=January 12, 2006 |publisher=McFarland & Company |isbn=9780786422159 |page=18}} Suarez received an Annie Award nomination for Outstanding Achievement for Voice Acting in a Feature Production as Koda, but lost to Ellen DeGeneres.{{Cite web |title=31st Annual Annie Award Nominees and Winners (2003) |url=http://annieawards.org/31st-annie-awards |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160701220856/http://annieawards.org/31st-annie-awards |archive-date=July 1, 2016 |access-date=November 4, 2022 |website=Annie Awards}} He reprised the role of Koda in sequel Brother Bear 2 (2006).{{Cite web |last=Moore, Andre |date=June 19, 2014 |title=Not Kids Anymore: 16 Black TV Child Stars Who Are All Grown Up |url=http://atlantablackstar.com/2014/06/19/kids-anymore-16-black-tv-child-stars-grown/5/ |publisher=Atlanta Black Star |pages=5}}

In 2004, Suarez appeared in two feature films. He provided the voice of Russell in an animated sequence of Fat Albert{{Cite book |last1=Monush |first1=Barry |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UCCkhsztnYgC&dq=%22Jeremy+Suarez%22+-wikipedia&pg=PA176 |title=Screen World: 2005 Film Annual |last2=Willis |first2=John |author-link2=John A. Willis |date=April 2006 |publisher=Hal Leonard Corporation |isbn=9781557836687 |page=176}} and portrayed Li'l Gawain in The Ladykillers.{{Cite book |last=Rowell |first=Erica |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=R4MlJ8n-B4wC&dq=%22Jeremy+Suarez%22+-wikipedia&pg=PA373 |title=The Brothers Grim: The Films of Ethan and Joel Coen |date=May 30, 2007 |publisher=Scarecrow Press |isbn=9781461664086 |page=373}} Following the end of The Bernie Mac Show, Suarez struggled to find acting work and found employment in more conventional jobs outside of the film industry, including as a boilermaker.{{Cite web |last=Jones |first=Janesha |date=June 24, 2021 |title='I Had Never Gone Six Months Without a Job': 'The Bernie Mac Show' Star Jeremy Suarez Explains What Happened to His Acting Career |url=https://atlantablackstar.com/2021/06/24/i-had-never-gone-six-months-without-a-job-the-bernie-mac-show-star-jeremy-suarez-explains-what-happened-to-his-acting-career/ |access-date=November 4, 2022 |website=Atlanta Black Star}}

Most of Suarez's work post-Bernie Mac have been in voice-overs, guest starring on King of the Hill and voicing a puppet in Nike commercials during the 2009 NBA Playoffs. He provided Kai's voice in the animated feature film, Zambezia (2012).{{Cite web |title=Jeremy Suarez (visual voices guide) |url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/Jeremy-Suarez/ |access-date=November 4, 2022 |website=Behind the Voice Actors}} In Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie (2014), Suarez played Cooper Folly, the nerd's sidekick.{{Cite web |title=Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/angry_video_game_nerd_the_movie/ |website=Rotten Tomatoes}}{{Cite web |last=Rich |first=Jacob |date=September 7, 2014 |title='Angry Video Game Nerd' a disappointing failure |url=https://www.michigandaily.com/uncategorized/09angry-video-game-nerd-movie-review12/ |access-date=November 4, 2022 |website=The Michigan Daily}}

Filmography

class="wikitable sortable"

|+ Film

Year

! Title

! Role

! Notes

1996

|Jerry Maguire

|Tyson Tidwell

|

1998

|Susan's Plan

|Kevin

|

2001

|The Land Before Time VIII: The Big Freeze

|Tippy

|Voice, direct-to-video

2002

|Treasure Planet

|Alien Kid, additional voices

|Voice (deleted scenes)

2003

|Brother Bear

|Koda

|Voice

rowspan=2|2004

|The Ladykillers

|Li'l Gawain

|

Fat Albert

|Russell

|Voice{{Cite web |title=Fat Albert – A Film That Didn't Work Then and Doesn't Work Now |url=https://tremg.info/2020/10/08/fat-albert-a-film-that-didnt-work-then-and-doesnt-work-now/ |website=tremg.info|date=October 8, 2020 }}{{Cite web |title=Russell Cosby - Fat Albert (Movie) |url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/movies/Fat-Albert/Russell-Cosby/ |website=www.behindthevoiceactors.com}}

2005

|Room to Grow

|Teasel

|Short

2006

|Brother Bear 2

|Koda

|Voice, direct-to-video

2008

|Extreme Movie

|RJ

|

2012

|Zambezia

|Kai

|Voice

2014

|Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie

|Cooper Folly

|{{Cite web |title=CAST INTERVIEWS - Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie (2014) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohT4mZ06zxg |website=youtube.com| date=September 29, 2015 }}

2017

|The Fix

|Nathaniel

|

class="wikitable sortable"

|+ Television

Year

! Title

! Role

! Notes

1996

|Sister, Sister

|Little Boy

|Episode: Kid-Napped

1996–98

|Chicago Hope

|Raymond Wilkes

|6 episodes

1997

|Built to Last

|Ryce Watkins

|8 episodes

1998

|The Wayans Bros.

|Dexter

|Episode: The Son of Marlon

1998

|Beverly Hills, 90210

|Ryan

|Episode: Local Hero

2000

|MADtv

|Cowboy Trick or Treater

|2 episodes

2001

|Max Steel

|Nuebert

|Voice, episode: "Fun in the Sun"

2001–06

|The Bernie Mac Show

|Jordan Thomkins

|104 episodes

2002

|Hey Arnold!

|Scared Boy

|Voice, episode: "The Journal"

2005

|The Proud Family Movie

|Wally

|Voice, television film

2007–08

|King of the Hill

|Arrow Kid #1, Jack

|Voice, 3 episodes

Awards and nominations

class="wikitable sortable"
Year

! Award

! Category

! Work

! Result

2003

|Image Award

|Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series{{Cite web |title=The Bernie Mac Show |url=http://www.bouncetv.com/shows/the-bernie-mac-show/cast/ |access-date=August 25, 2016 |website=Bounce TV}}

| rowspan="4" |The Bernie Mac Show

|{{nom}}

rowspan="5" |2004

|Image Award

|Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

|{{nom}}

BET Comedy Award

|Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series{{Cite news |date=September 10, 2004 |title=Steve Harvey to host BET comedy awards |url=https://newspapers.library.in.gov/cgi-bin/indiana?a=d&d=INR20040910-01.1.23&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN-%22Jeremy+Suarez%22------ |work=Indianapolis Recorder |page=C7}}

|{{nom}}

Young Artist Award

|Best Performance in a TV Series (Comedy or Drama) – Leading Young Actor{{Cite web |title=25th Annual Young Artist Awards |url=http://youngartistawards.org/noms25.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150429114525/http://www.youngartistawards.org/noms25.htm |archive-date=April 29, 2015 |access-date=August 25, 2016 |website=Young Artist Award}}

|{{nom}}

Annie Award

|Outstanding Voice Acting in an Animated Feature Production{{Cite web |last=Williams |first=Kimberly |date=January 6, 2004 |title='Nemo' finds Annie nominations |url=https://variety.com/2004/film/awards/nemo-finds-annie-nominations-1117897904/ |access-date=November 4, 2022 |website=Variety}}

| rowspan="2" |Brother Bear

|{{nom}}

Young Artist Award

|Best Performance in a Voice-Over Role – Young Actor

|{{nom}}

2005

|BET Comedy Award

|Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series{{Cite news |date=August 26, 2005 |title=Steve Harvey to host TV awards show Sept. 27 |url=https://newspapers.library.in.gov/cgi-bin/indiana?a=d&d=INR20050826-01.1.21&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN-%22Jeremy+Suarez%22------ |work=Indianapolis Recorder |page=C6}}

|The Bernie Mac Show

|{{nom}}

References

{{Reflist}}