The Emmy-nominated actress sits down with Boardroom to talk about her fearless new role, building a career with integrity, and what fuels her creative fire.
Jurnee Smollett has spent her entire life on screen, but she’s never stopped chasing new challenges. From Eve’s Bayou and Friday Night Lights to Underground and Lovecraft Country, Smollett has consistently taken on characters that require depth and transformation.
Her latest role in Smoke, a new Apple TV+ crime thriller from Mystic River and Shutter Island writer Dennis Lehane, is no exception. Set in Southern California and loosely inspired by the real-life crimes of arsonist John Leonard Orr, the series uses fire as both a literal and symbolic force. Smollett stars as Michelle Calderone, a complicated detective and former Marine whose moral compass doesn’t always point north. From the start, Smollett was drawn to the emotional contradictions baked into the character and story.
“She is a woman who’s a former Marine, who’s now a detective who has these high values of justice and righteousness, and yet it’s not beyond her to break the law,” Smollett told Boardroom.
Smollett prepared for the role with extensive research, consulting with Marines, detectives, arson investigators, and even therapists to explore the psychology of her character. The result is a layered performance that grapples with trauma, power, and the illusion of control, fitting for a show that uses fire as a central metaphor.
“We think we can dominate it … until it goes, ‘Oh, you shall not control me,'” Smollett said, comparing the force of fire to the internal chaos her character faces.
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The series unfolds against the backdrop of recent California wildfires, making its release all the more timely. Smollett noted how eerie it was to witness actual fire disasters unfold after they wrapped production, especially knowing how many people on their team had been personally affected.
Beyond Smoke, Smollett is embracing her role as a creative force behind the camera. In recent years, she’s built a new team, refined her goals, and expanded her vision to include producing and eventually directing. Her mission is to usher in stories that feel bold, fresh, and culturally necessary.
“I want Black boyhood and Black joy to be on the big screen,” she said, referencing We Grown Now, a film she recently produced. “I want to see us all being able to do things that we’ve notoriously been told we cannot do.”
Watch the full Boardroom Talks interview with Jurnee Smollett as she reflects on her journey, how she runs her career like a business, and the intentional process behind choosing roles that challenge and evolve her.
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