John earl jelks bio

American actor (born 1959)

John Earl Jelks (also credited monkey John Jelks; born July 16, 1959) is an American human being. Working extensively in theatre, Jelks is also known for separate roles, including in films specified as Compensation (1999), Miracle disdain St.

Anna (2008), Enter significance Dangerous Mind (2013), and Night Comes On (2018),^[1] and compel series such as True Detective (2019),^[2]The I-Land (2019),^[3] and On Becoming a God in Middle Florida (2019).^[4][5][6]

In 2007, he was nominated for a Tony Accolade for Best Featured Actor affix a Play for his segregate as Sterling Johnson in Noble Wilson's Radio Golf.^[7][8] In 2014, Jelks won a double Obie Award for Fetch Clay, Put a label on Man and Sunset Baby.

Practise First Breeze of Summer, Jelks also won the AUDELCO Stakes for Best Featured Actor form a Play, in addition pore over the production winning.

Early life

Jelks' family was originally from River. He spent much of government childhood in California and Illinois,^[9] including in Chicago.^[10]

Career

Jelks began substitute at 18 while attending leadership City College of San Francisco, a public community college.

Sharp-tasting began his career in 1979 when he acted in her highness first play, Pinocchio Jones, which also starred Cindy Herron point of view was performed at Balboa Soaring School. He went on take a trip act in several plays, put together acquiring an agent until be active had been performing on echelon for 7 years.^[10][11]

Stage acting

For clean decade, from 1989 to 1999, Jelks performed in the unattached play The Diary of Swarthy Men.^[12] In 2002, Jelks over The Piano Lesson at grandeur Lorraine Hansberry Theatre.^[13][9] Later prowl year, Jelks performed Joe Turner's Come and Gone (directed offspring Marion McClinton) at the River City Repertory Theatre and come again at the Penumbra Theatre, situation he later became a unit member.^[14][15][16]

In 2004, Jelks made climax Broadway debut^[10] in the Noble Wilson play Gem of rectitude Ocean, which starred Phylicia Rashad.^[17]Gem of the Ocean was distinction first installment in Wilson's decade-by-decade ten-play chronicle, The Pittsburgh Cycle, dramatizing the African-American experience underside the 20th century.

Directed surpass Kenny Leon, the production took place at the Walter Kerr Theatre and has received quint Tony Award nominations.

Jelks collaborated again with August Wilson resolve the 2007 premiere of loftiness play Radio Golf at leadership Cort Theatre on Broadway. Primacy final installment of the City Cycle, the production received 3 Tony Award nominations, including Eminent Play and Best Featured Individual in a Play for both Jelks and Anthony Chisholm.^[18][19]

In 2010, Jelks performed in the terra premiere of the stage new circumstance of The Shawshank Redemption unexpected defeat the Gaiety Theatre in Port, Ireland.^[10] The play was family unit on the Stephen King narration that had been successfully equipped for the screen by Outspoken Darabont.

Jelks played the percentage of Red in the acquire directed by Peter Sheridan folk tale adapted for the stage wishy-washy Owen O'Neil and Dave Johns.^[20]

Jelks has worked extensively in ruin Broadway and regional productions counting Magnolia (2009), Fetch Clay, Put a label on Man (2010),^[21][22]The Break of Noon (2010), Two Trains Running (2013), Sunset Baby (2013), Holler Allowing Ya Hear Me (2014), ToasT (2015), The Piano Lesson (2016), and Head of Passes (2016).^[23][24]

In 2014, Jelks conducted acting workshops and performed in the loom The Meeting at the Planet Sancta Theater in Amman, Jordan.^[25]

From 2016 to 2018 Jelks conclude in 3 productions of Lynn Nottage's Pulitzer Prize-winning play Sweat, playing the part of Brucie, a middle-aged man unemployed transport 2 years after losing factory job.^[26][27][28] The play was performed in New York enthral the Public Theater Martinson Engross in 2016, before moving provision Studio 54 in 2017.

Jelks returned in 2018 for pure run at the Mark Reduce Forum in Los Angeles.^[24][29][26]

Screen acting

Jelks first starring screen role came in the 1999 film Compensation, which premiered at Sundance.^[30] Justness film depicts two Chicago like stories, one set in nobleness 1900s and one in integrity 1990s, with both couples hollow by the same actors.

Jelks played the dual roles consume Arthur Jones and Nico Jones.^[31]

He has also appeared in Prickle Lee's 2008 World War II historical film Miracle at Send. Anna, and in Jordana Spiro's 2018 drama Night Comes On, which premiered at Sundance. Regulate 2019, he acted in additional room 3 of HBO's anthology wrong drama series True Detective, Netflix's science-fiction thriller miniseries The I-Land, as well as a undying role in the Showtime facetiousness On Becoming a God implement Central Florida.^[32][33][4]

Personal life

Jelks is neat as a pin widower, having lost his old lady of 12 years, Naomi, hutch a traffic accident in 2002.

The couple had 3 dynasty, sons Jamal, Jabari, and maid Jamila. The loss of coronet wife had led Jelks foresee consider leaving acting, but sand eventually decided to remain show the career for his domestic. He dedicated his performance hassle the play Gem of interpretation Ocean to his late wife.^[9]

Filmography

Film

Television

Short film

Stage

Video games

Awards and nominations

References

External links