Justice Smith
{{Short description|American actor (born 1995)}}
{{Other people}}
{{Use American English|date = April 2019}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Justice Smith
| image = Justice Smith (32517668231) (cropped1).jpg
| alt =
| caption = Smith in 2017
| birth_name = Justice Elio Smith
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1995|8|9}}
| birth_place = Los Angeles, California
| occupation = Actor
| years_active = 2012–present
}}
Justice Elio Smith (born August 9, 1995) is an American actor. He is best known for his roles in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018), Detective Pikachu (2019), All the Bright Places (2020), Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023), and I Saw the TV Glow (2024).
Early life
Smith was born in Los Angeles, California.{{Cite web |title=Justice Smith - Biography |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6819854/bio/ |access-date=January 28, 2025 |publisher=IMDb |language=en-US}} Smith graduated from the Orange County School of the Arts in 2013 and performed in theatre around Orange County.{{Cite web |last=Hsiao |first=Cassandra |date=March 29, 2015 |title=Meet Justice Smith who plays Radar in John Green's 'Paper Towns' Movie + Trailer |url=https://highschool.latimes.com/arts-and-entertainment/meet-justice-smith-who-plays-radar-in-john-greens-paper-towns-movie-trailer/ |access-date=January 28, 2025 |work=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}} His father is Black and his mother is white.{{cite web|url=https://www.vulture.com/2019/03/justice-smith-on-acting-with-isabelle-huppert-and-pikachu.html|title=Justice Smith on Acting With Isabelle Huppert and Detective Pikachu|first=Jackson|last=McHenry|date=March 12, 2019|website=Vulture}}
Career
In 2014, Smith appeared in Nickelodeon's superhero comedy series The Thundermans, playing Angus in two episodes. He also appeared in the HBO documentary series Masterclass and some Vlogbrothers videos. In 2015, Smith had a supporting role as Marcus "Radar" Lincoln in Paper Towns.{{cite news |last=Ramos |first=Dino-Ray |date=July 23, 2015 |title=Who Plays Radar In 'Paper Towns'? Justice Smith Is A Rising Star with a Killer Next Role in the new juristic world |url=http://www.bustle.com/articles/98749-who-plays-radar-in-paper-towns-justice-smith-is-a-rising-star-with-a-killer-next |access-date=August 3, 2015 |website=Bustle}}{{cite news |last1=Sneider |first1=Jeff |last2=Ge |first2=Linda |date=October 9, 2014 |title=John Green's 'Paper Towns' Adding Austin Abrams, Halston Sage, Justice Smith (Exclusive) |website=TheWrap |url=https://www.thewrap.com/john-greens-paper-towns-adding-austin-abrams-halston-sage-justice-smith-exclusive/ |access-date=August 3, 2015}} In 2016, Smith had a lead role in Netflix's musical drama series The Get Down, playing Ezekiel Figuero, during which Smith employed method acting and took up residence in a dilapidated Bronx apartment.{{cite web|last=Jung|first=E. Alex|date=September 1, 2016|title=Justice Smith Almost Lost Himself in The Get Down|url=https://www.vulture.com/2016/09/justice-smith-conversation.html|access-date=February 10, 2021|website=Vulture|language=en-us}} The Get Down premiered in August 2016 and concluded in April 2017.{{cite news |last=Friedlander |first=Whitney |date=April 9, 2015 |title=Baz Luhrmann's Netflix Series Finds Its Leads |website=Variety (magazine) |url=https://variety.com/2015/tv/news/baz-luhrmann-get-down-netflix-male-leads-1201469340/ |access-date=August 3, 2015}}
In 2017, Smith was on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list.{{cite news |title=Justice Smith |language=en |website=Forbes |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/justice-smith/ |access-date=November 12, 2018}} Smith also appeared opposite Lucas Hedges in the Off-Broadway stage production of Yen by playwright Anna Jordan. The production ran at the Lucille Lortel Theatre starting January 2017 and closed on March 4, 2017.{{Cite news |last=Brantley |first=Ben |date=February 1, 2017 |title=Review: 'Yen' Is a Den of Family Dysfunction |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/31/theater/lucas-hedges-yen-review.html |access-date=January 28, 2025 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}} In February 2018, Smith co-starred in Every Day as Justin.{{cite news |last=N'Duka |first=Amanda |date=July 7, 2017 |title=Maria Bello, Debby Ryan, 'Spider-Man: Homecoming's Jacob Batalon & More Join 'Every Day' From MGM |website=Deadline Hollywood |url=https://deadline.com/2017/07/maria-bello-debby-ryan-justice-smith-every-day-movie-mgm-1202124871/ |access-date=July 7, 2017}} In June 2018, he portrayed Franklin Webb in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.{{cite web |last=Kit |first=Borys |date=December 1, 2016 |title='Jurassic World 2' Casts 'Get Down' Star Justice Smith (Exclusive) |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/jurassic-world-2-casts-get-down-star-justice-smith-951990 |access-date=April 2, 2019 |website=The Hollywood Reporter}}
In 2019, Smith starred in the film Detective Pikachu.{{cite web |last=Pineda |first=Rafael Antonio |date=November 17, 2017 |title=The Get Down's Justice Smith Stars in Legendary's Live-Action Pokémon film |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2017-11-17/the-get-down-justice-smith-stars-in-legendary-live-action-pokemon-film/.124148 |access-date=November 17, 2017 |website=Anime News Network}} He starred alongside Elle Fanning in All the Bright Places, for which filming commenced in the fall of 2018.{{cite web |last=Hipes |first=Patrick |date=July 23, 2018 |title='All The Bright Places' Movie Ramps Up With Justice Smith To Star With Elle Fanning, Brett Haley Directing |url=https://deadline.com/2018/07/all-the-bright-places-movie-brett-haley-justice-smith-elle-fanning-jennifer-niven-book-1202431915/ |access-date=October 16, 2018 |website=Deadline Hollywood}}
In 2020, Justice Smith participated in Acting for a Cause, a live play and screenplay reading series. Smith played Jack in The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde and Dennis Ziegler in This Is Our Youth by Kenneth Lonergan. The reading raised funds for nonprofit organization including Mount Sinai Medical Center.{{cite web|last=George|first=Doug|date=May 13, 2020|title=Oak Parker stages Zoom plays as COVID-19 benefits, casting Florence Pugh and more young Hollywood actors|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/coronavirus/ct-ent-hollywood-actors-play-readings-0509-20200508-uvu2aozegzepndqwrrl5tdljxq-story.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201204155423/https://www.chicagotribune.com/coronavirus/ct-ent-hollywood-actors-play-readings-0509-20200508-uvu2aozegzepndqwrrl5tdljxq-story.html|archive-date=December 4, 2020|access-date=September 18, 2020|website=Chicago Tribune}}{{cite news |last=Salfiti |first=Jad |date=June 25, 2020 |title=Young Hollywood actors perform online for charity |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/av/entertainment-arts-53164499 |access-date=August 23, 2021 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB}}
Personal life
Smith came out as queer in an Instagram post on June 5, 2020. He is in a relationship with actor Nicholas L. Ashe.{{cite news |last=Tangcay |first=Jazz |date=June 6, 2020 |title=Justice Smith Comes Out as Queer, Voices Support for Black Queer and Trans Lives |url=https://variety.com/2020/film/actors/justice-smith-comes-out-gay-black-queer-trans-lives-matter-1234626916/ |access-date=June 6, 2020 |website=Variety }}{{cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7-U_b40DFc |title=Justice Smith on Nicholas Ashe: 'We're no longer together, but it really opened me up as a person' |first=Chris |last=Azzopardi |work=Pride Source |via=YouTube |date=April 7, 2021 |access-date=August 27, 2023 }} They shot a Calvin Klein campaign ad together in mid-2022.{{cite news |last=Street |first=Mikelle |date=August 9, 2022 |title=Why I started a digital shrine to Justice Smith and Nic Ashe's relationship |url=https://xtramagazine.com/power/identity/justice-smith-nic-ashe-black-queer-love-228186 |access-date=August 27, 2023 |work=Xtra Magazine}}{{Cite Instagram |postid=Cdy3oeArK8F |user=standup4justice |title=thank you @calvinklein for giving me the opportunity to celebrate this amazing person and all that he is @nckash ! i choose you every time king ♥️ |first=Justice |last=Smith |date=May 20, 2022}}
Smith is an avid Pokémon fan.{{cite web |last=Thompson |first=Avery |date=August 6, 2019 |title=Detective Pikachu Star Justice Smith Reveals He's Been A 'Huge Pokemon Fan' Since He Was Little Kid |url=https://hollywoodlife.com/2019/08/06/detective-pikachu-video-justice-smith-pokemon/ |access-date=May 24, 2021 |website=Hollywood Life |language=en-US |archive-date=May 24, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210524222341/https://hollywoodlife.com/2019/08/06/detective-pikachu-video-justice-smith-pokemon/ |url-status=dead}}
Filmography
= Film =
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! Notes |
|---|
| 2014
| Trigger Finger | Boy at school | |
| 2015
| Marcus "Radar" Lincoln | |
| rowspan="2"| 2018
| Justin | |
| Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom
| Franklin Webb | |
| 2019
| Tim Goodman | |
| 2020
| Theodore Finch | |
| rowspan="2"|2021
| Thomas | |
| Ron's Gone Wrong
| Marc Wydell (voice) | |
| 2022
| Franklin Webb | |
| rowspan="2"|2023
| Sharper | Tom | |
| Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
| Simon Aumar | |
| rowspan="2"|2024
| Owen | |
| The American Society of Magical Negroes
| Aren | |
| 2025
| Now You See Me: Now You Don't | Charlie | Post-production |
= Television =
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! Notes |
|---|
| 2014
| Himself | 1 episode |
| 2014–2015
| Angus | 2 episodes |
| 2016–2017
| Ezekiel "Zeke" Figuero | Lead role; 11 episodes |
| 2019
| Episode: "Bad Blood" |
| 2021
| Chester | Main cast; 16 episodes |
= Theater =
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! Venue ! Notes |
|---|
| 2017
| Yen | Bobbie | rowspan=3|Off-Broadway |
| 2019
| The Mother | Nicolas |
| 2025
| Adi |
= Video games =
| class="wikitable sortable"
! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes |
| 2022
| Ryan Erzahler | Voice, motion capture, and likeness |
Awards and nominations
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|6819854}}
- {{Twitter|standup4justice}}
- {{Instagram|standup4justice}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Justice}}
Category:21st-century African-American male actors
Category:21st-century American LGBTQ people
Category:21st-century American male actors
Category:African-American LGBTQ people
Category:American male film actors
Category:American male television actors
Category:American male voice actors
Category:American people of French-Canadian descent
Category:American people of Italian descent
Category:American queer male actors
Category:LGBTQ people from California