J. Smith-Cameron (born Jean Isabel Smith; September 7, 1957) is an American actress. She spent a majority of her career in theatre but began transitioning to film and television later in life. She is known for her supporting roles as Janet Talbot on the television series Rectify and Gerri Kellman on Succession.
J. Smith-Cameron | |
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![]() Smith-Cameron in 2015 | |
Born | Jean Isabel Smith September 7, 1957 Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. |
Nationality | American |
Alma mater | Florida State University |
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 1979–present |
Spouse | |
Children | 1 |
Life and career
Smith-Cameron was born in Louisville, Kentucky, the daughter of architect Richard Sharpe Smith.[1] She was raised in Greenville, South Carolina and attended Florida State University for one year, where she was enrolled in the School of Theatre. There she met film director Victor Nuñez, who cast her as a lead in his film Gal Young Un (1979)[2] She additionally received acting training at HB Studio[3] in New York City.
She added a family name, Cameron, when told by the Actors' Equity Association that there was already a J. Smith, and there was a rule that two actors cannot have the same professional name.[4] She made her Broadway debut in August 1982 when she replaced Mia Dillon as "Babe Botrelle" in Crimes of the Heart.[5][6][7] She appeared in the original Broadway cast of Lend Me a Tenor as "Maggie" in 1989.[8] The cast of that play won an Outer Critics Circle Award, Special Awards.[9] She appeared in the Broadway production of Our Country's Good in 1991.[10]
Additional Broadway credits include Night Must Fall (1999),[11] Tartuffe (2002),[12] and After the Night and the Music (2005).[13]
She has appeared in many Off-Broadway plays, including at the Public Theater, the Second Stage Theatre, and Playwrights Horizons.[14] She appeared in the Paul Rudnick play The Naked Truth Off-Broadway at the WPA Theatre in 1994.[15] She received a Drama Desk Award nomination for this production.[16]
In November 1999 through April 2000, she appeared in Fuddy Meers as Claire at New York City Center, Stage II, for which she received a nomination for the Outer Critics Circle Award as Outstanding Actress in a Play.[17] In March through June 2004, she appeared in the Manhattan Theatre Club Off-Broadway production of Sarah, Sarah.[18] In November through December 2009, she appeared Off-Broadway at the Acorn Theatre in her husband Kenneth Lonergan's play The Starry Messenger.[19] From October 2013 to December 2013, she starred in the Off-Broadway Irish Repertory Theater production of Juno and the Paycock as Juno Boyle. The New York Times reviewer wrote: "In one of the finest performances of her distinguished career on the New York stage, Ms. Smith-Cameron imbues her Juno with a steely pragmatism, but more important an emotional pliancy that makes her more prepared than the rest of her clan to beat back the onslaughts of ill fortune that beset them."[20]
Smith-Cameron began transitioning to more film and television roles later in her life to focus on her family life.[21] She played Janet Talbot, the mother of a death row inmate, in Sundance TV's Rectify for four seasons.[21] She has played lawyer Gerri Kellman, a role originally written for a man, on the HBO series Succession since 2018.[22]
She won an Obie Award for the Off-Broadway Drama Department production As Bees in Honey Drown (1997), which also earned her a Drama Desk nomination[23] and Outer Critics Circle Award nomination, Outstanding Actress In A Play.[24] Additional nominations include the Drama Desk Award for Sarah, Sarah (2004)[25] and the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in the play Our Country's Good.[26]
Personal life
Smith-Cameron is married to playwright, screenwriter, and film director Kenneth Lonergan. They have one daughter.[4]
Filmography
Film
Title | Year | Role | Note |
---|---|---|---|
Gal Young Un | 1979 | Elly | |
84 Charing Cross Road | 1987 | Ginny | [27] |
That Night | 1992 | Carol Bloom | |
Jeffrey | 1995 | Sharon | |
Mighty Aphrodite | 1995 | Bud's Wife | [28] |
A Modern Affair | 1995 | Diane | |
Let It Be Me | 1995 | Clarice | |
Sabrina | 1995 | Carol | [29] |
Harriet the Spy | 1996 | Mrs. Welsch | [30] |
The First Wives Club | 1996 | Miss Sullivan | [31] |
The Proprietor | 1996 | New York - Texans | |
Arresting Gena | 1997 | Caroline Lee | |
In & Out | 1997 | Trina Paxton | [32] |
The Rage: Carrie 2 | 1999 | Barbara Lang | |
You Can Count On Me | 2000 | Mabel | [33] |
Bittersweet Place | 2005 | Violet | |
A Very Serious Person | 2006 | Carol | |
Margaret | 2011 | Joan Cohen | [34] |
Man on a Ledge | 2012 | Psychiatrist | |
Like Sunday, Like Rain | 2014 | Mary | |
Christine | 2016 | Peg Chubbuck | |
No Pay, Nudity | 2016 | Debra | |
Nancy | 2018 | Ellen Lynch | |
Vengeance | TBA |
Television
Sources: The New York Times[35][36]
Title | Year | Role | Note |
---|---|---|---|
Guiding Light | 1984–1985 | Nancy Ferris | Unknown episodes |
The Equalizer | 1985, 1988, 1989 | Various | 3 episodes |
H.E.L.P. | 1990 | Mrs. Perry | Episode: "Fire Down Below" |
The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd | 1990–1991 | Ramona Luchesse | 12 episodes |
Homicide: Life on the Street | 1996 | Avis Griffin | Episode: "Sniper: Part 2" |
Spin City | 1996 | Lisa | Episode: "The Competition" |
Law & Order | 1998, 2001, 2003, 2009 |
Various | 4 episodes |
American Experience | 1998 | Mrs. Howard | Episode: "A Midwife's Tale" |
Law & Order: Criminal Intent | 2001, 2007 | Various | 2 episodes |
K Street | 2003 | Tommy's Wife | 3 episodes |
Six Degrees | 2007 | Maggie Newton | 2 episodes |
Canterbury's Law | 2008 | Elissa Shapiro | Episode: "Sweet Sixteen" |
The Big C | 2010 | Vivian | Episode: "Playing the Cancer Card" |
True Blood | 2010–2011[37] | Melinda Mickens | 9 episodes |
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | 2011 | Diane Eskas | Episode: "Educated Guess" |
Rectify | 2013–2016 | Janet Talbot | 30 episodes |
Madam Secretary | 2014 | Alice Millevoi | Episode: "Collateral Damage" |
The Good Wife | 2015 | Samara Steel | Episode: "Restraint" |
Divorce | 2016–2018 | Elaine Campbell | 3 episodes |
Search Party | 2017–2020 | Mary Ferguson | 7 episodes |
Mozart in the Jungle | 2018 | Amy Rutledge | Episode: "If I Was an Elf, I Would Tell You" |
Succession | 2018–present | Gerri Kellman | Series regular |
References
- ^ "J. Smith-Cameron Biography" FilmReference.com
- ^ "Gal Young 'Un Listing", tcm.com, accessed January 20, 2014
- ^ HB Studio Alumni
- ^ a b "She and Lonergan are expecting their first child in late January." Vellela, Tony. "Smith-Cameron's role-changing, name-changing career", The Christian Science Monitor, October 5, 2001, p.18
- ^ Lawson, Carol. "Broadway:Musical 'Baby' is on the way, story of 3 1/2 couples", The New York Times, July 30, 1982, p.C2
- ^ Kaye, Kimberly. "What's Up, J. Smith-Cameron? The Starry Star on Life, Art and Why She Loves Ben Brantley" broadway.com, December 9, 2009
- ^ " Crimes of the Heart see Replacement page" ibdb.com, accessed January 19, 2014
- ^ Rich, Frank. "Reviews/Theater; When One Tenor Is Much Like Another" The New York Times, March 3, 1989.
- ^ "Award Archives, 198801989" Archived 2014-02-01 at the Wayback Machine outercritics.org, accessed January 18, 2014
- ^ Rich, Frank. Review/Theater; Broadway Season's Last Drama Offers a Defense of Theater", The New York Times, April 30, 1991.
- ^ Jones, Kenneth and David, Lefkowitz. "Curtain Up on Broderick's 'Night Must Fall', Opening March 8 at Bway's Lyceum" Archived 2014-02-01 at the Wayback Machine playbill.com, March 5, 1999
- ^ Simonson, Robert. "Emerson, Smith-Cameron, Meisle Added to Bway 'Tartuffe' Cast" Archived 2014-02-01 at the Wayback Machine playbill.com, September 19, 2002
- ^ Sommers, Elyse. "A CurtainUp Review. 'After the Night and the Music'", Curtainup.com, June 2, 2005
- ^ "Listing, J. Smith-Cameron", Internet Off-Broadway Database, accessed April 28, 2012.
- ^ Kuchwara, Michael. " The Naked Truth Opens Off Broadway"[permanent dead link] apnewsarchive.com, June 16, 1994
- ^ "Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play – 'The Naked Truth' – J. – Smith Cameron" Archived 2014-02-02 at the Wayback Machine dramadesk.org, accessed January 20, 2014.
- ^ "'Fuddy Meers'" Archived 2012-05-27 at the Wayback Machine Internet Off-Broadway Database, accessed April 28, 2012
- ^ Sommer, Elyse. "A CurtainUp Review' 'Sarah, Sarah'" Curtainup.com, March 28, 2004
- ^ Kaye, Kimberly. "What's Up, J. Smith-Cameron? The Starry Star on Life, Art and Why She Loves Ben Brantley" broadway.com, December 9, 2009
- ^ Isherwood, Charles. "Theater Review. J. Smith-Cameron Stars in 'Juno and the Paycock' " The New York Times', October 25, 2013.
- ^ a b Blake, Meredith (2021-10-15). "On 'Succession,' Gerri calls the shots. J. Smith-Cameron knows the feeling". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2021-10-16.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Baker, Katie (2019-08-12). "It's a Woman's World: The True Heroes of 'Succession'". The Ringer. Retrieved 2019-08-27.
- ^ "'As Bees in Honey Drown'" Archived 2012-10-02 at the Wayback Machine Internet Off-Broadway Database, accessed April 28, 2012
- ^ Viagas, Robert and Lefkowitz, David. " 'Lion King' Roars With Six Outer Critics Circle Awards" Archived 2014-02-01 at the Wayback Machine playbill.com, April 27, 1998
- ^ "Outstanding Actress in a Play – 'Sarah, Sarah' – J. – Smith-Cameron" Archived 2014-02-02 at the Wayback Machine, dramadesk.org, accessed January 20, 2014.
- ^ Shirley, Don. " 'Saigon,' 'Rogers' Lead the Tony Pack : Awards: Though neither received consistently enthusiastic reviews, both shows garner 11 nominations", Los Angeles Times, May 7, 1991.
- ^ " 84 Charing Cross Road Cast" The New York Times, accessed January 20, 2014
- ^ " 'Mighty Aphrodite' Cast" movies.tvguide.com, accessed January 18, 2014
- ^ "Cast and Crew, 'Sabrina'" tcm.com, accessed April 28, 2012
- ^ "Cast and Crew, 'Harriet the Spy'" allmovie.com, accessed April 28, 2012
- ^ " The First Wives Club Cast" The New York Times, accessed January 20, 2014
- ^ "Cast and Crew, 'In and Out'" allmovie.com, accessed April 28, 2012
- ^ Levy, Emanuel. "Film Reviews. 'You Can Count on Me'" Variety, February 1, 2000
- ^ "'Margaret' Cast and Crew" allmovie.com, accessed April 28, 2012
- ^ "Filmography" The New York Times, accessed January 18, 2014
- ^ "Smith-Cameron Credits" tvguide.com, accessed January 18, 2014
- ^ Probst, Andy. "Alfre Woodard, J. Smith-Cameron To Join HBO's True Blood'" theatermania.com, December 15, 2009