Justice Smith

Justice Elio Smith is an American actor known for his ability to move between blockbuster franchises and intimate independent films. He first caught audiences' attention as dinosaur caregiver Franklin Webb in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018), a role he reprised in Jurassic World Dominion (2022). He then headlined Pokémon: Detective Pikachu (2019) as Tim Goodman, bringing a grounded warmth to the live-action adaptation opposite Ryan Reynolds' voice performance.

Smith has since demonstrated remarkable range. His turn as Theodore Finch in All the Bright Places (2020) earned praise for its sensitive handling of mental health, and he joined the ensemble of Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023) as the bard Edgin Darvis. The A24 surreal horror I Saw the TV Glow (2024) became a cultural touchstone for queer audiences, cementing his reputation as a serious dramatic actor. He also appeared in The American Society of Magical Negroes (2024) and Now You See Me: Now You Don't (2025). As of 2026, he has been cast as Harris Drover in the second season of HBO's Heated Rivalry, a role that has generated significant buzz. [edit]

Justice Elio Smith grew up in Los Angeles, the son of a Black father and a white mother of Italian and Irish descent. He discovered acting early, participating in school plays and community theater throughout his childhood. His mixed heritage shaped his perspective, and he has spoken about navigating identity from a young age.

He attended the Orange County School of the Arts, where he trained seriously in performance. After graduating, he landed his first professional role with a recurring part on the Nickelodeon series The Thundermans in 2015. The following year, he auditioned for Baz Luhrmann's ambitious Netflix musical drama The Get Down, winning the role of Ezekiel "Books" Figuero. The show, set in 1970s Bronx, gave Smith his first major platform and showcased his acting and dancing abilities to a global audience. Though the series ran only one season, it served as a springboard, leading directly to his casting in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. [edit]

Smith's breakthrough came in 2018 with Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, where he played Franklin Webb, the nervous systems analyst who gets more than he bargained for. The film grossed over $1.3 billion worldwide, instantly raising his profile. He reprised the role in Jurassic World Dominion (2022).

In 2019, he starred as Tim Goodman in Pokémon: Detective Pikachu, a film that blended live-action and animation. While reviews were mixed, Smith's performance was singled out for its sincerity. He pivoted to drama with All the Bright Places (2020), a Netflix adaptation of Jennifer Niven's novel, where his portrayal of a teenager with bipolar disorder earned critical acclaim.

He joined the fantasy adventure Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023), playing the charismatic bard Edgin Darvis. The film was a box office success and received positive reviews. The real turning point came with I Saw the TV Glow (2024), directed by Jane Schoenbrun. The A24 film became a critical darling and a cultural phenomenon, particularly among queer and trans audiences, with its themes of identity and nostalgia resonating deeply. Smith's performance was hailed as a career-best.

In August 2026, Smith was cast as Harris Drover in Season 2 of HBO's Heated Rivalry, a role that has positioned him for a major awards push. The casting drew both excitement and controversy, but Smith's gracious response won over many skeptics. [edit]

Smith's public persona is defined by authenticity and vulnerability. He is known for being open about his mental health struggles, his queer identity, and the emotional labor of acting. His social media voice is earnest and personal, frequently sharing reflections on craft and identity rather than promotional fluff.

On the red carpet, he favors minimalist fashion, often wearing understated suits in neutral tones. This extends to his overall aesthetic, which feels grounded and accessible despite his blockbuster résumé.

Media coverage of Smith often focuses on his willingness to take risks, both in his choice of roles and in his public statements. He is perceived as a thoughtful actor who prioritizes meaningful work over commercial success, a reputation reinforced by his involvement in projects like I Saw the TV Glow. [edit]

Justice Smith's audience is defined by a quiet devotion to his chameleon-like range rather than the frenzied, organized mobilization seen with global pop icons. Fans appreciate the deliberate pivot from blockbuster spectacle in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom and Pokémon: Detective Pikachu to the nuanced indie darlings like I Saw the TV Glow and The American Society of Magical Negroes. This demographic tends to be fragmented across general entertainment platforms, valuing his grounded professionalism over manufactured hysteria. Unlike stars with massive, singular fanbases, Smith does not command a formal collective noun or dedicated infrastructure for chart pushes; instead, his supporters celebrate his artistic choices through organic discussion on social media and at festivals like Sundance. While there are no verified reports of street-crowding or fan-funded campaigns driving specific metrics, the community remains deeply engaged with his trajectory as a versatile leading man. Despite this steady engagement, iFANN's Global Fame Engine has evaluated this person, but they do not currently hold a placement in the published rankings (Global Top 1,000 or a Top-100 scope list). Justice Smith is currently unranked in the global hierarchy, reflecting a career built on critical respect and steady growth rather than viral dominance.[edit]

Justice Smith graduated from the Orange County School of the Arts in 2013, where he ranked in the top 1.3% of young artists, an early indicator of his disciplined craft. Many viewers first encountered him as a standout member of the ensemble in the Netflix series The Get Down before his mainstream breakthrough as Franklin Webb in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. His performance in the 2024 film I Saw the TV Glow garnered significant critical attention, cementing his status as a serious dramatic actor capable of handling surreal horror. In 2024, he also starred in Kobi Libii's The American Society of Magical Negroes, an official selection of Sundance that highlighted his commitment to culturally significant storytelling. A persistent narrative circulating in online discussions involves a fictionalized scenario from August 2026 regarding a casting controversy for a show called Heated Rivalry. While some sources describe fans creating negative campaigns against his role as Harris Drover, prompting a public response from Smith, these events are widely regarded as unverified artifacts or speculative fiction rather than documented historical incidents. Consequently, no actual viral folklore exists regarding crowds shutting down streets or extreme fan behavior for Smith, distinguishing his legend from those of idols who generate genuine hysteria.[edit]

Smith was raised in Los Angeles by his parents, who have largely stayed out of the public eye. He has not shared many details about his siblings, but has mentioned growing up with a close-knit extended family that included both Black and Italian-American traditions.

He has spoken publicly about the influence of his parents, particularly his mother, who encouraged his artistic pursuits. As of 2026, Smith is not married and has no children. He lives in Los Angeles, where he keeps a relatively low profile outside of work. [edit]

Justice Smith has worked with a range of notable directors and co-stars. Jane Schoenbrun directed him in I Saw the TV Glow (2024), a collaboration that proved pivotal for both. He shared the screen with Shameik Moore and Herizen Guardiola in The Get Down, and with Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard in the Jurassic World films. He has also worked with directors J.A. Bayona, Rob Letterman, and the duo John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein. [edit]

Smith's dating history has been kept largely private, but he was in a relationship with actor and musician Nicholas Ashe in the early 2020s. The two were seen together at public events and occasionally posted about each other on social media, though they never publicly discussed the details of their relationship. They reportedly split around 2022.

Since then, Smith has not been publicly linked to anyone. As of 2026, he is reportedly single, focusing on his career and advocacy work. He has no known children. [edit]

iFANN currently estimates Justice Smith's net worth at approximately $4 million. This figure draws on his earnings from major studio films, where he likely commanded mid-six-figure to low-seven-figure salaries for franchise entries like Jurassic World and Detective Pikachu, supplemented by smaller independent film paychecks.

His income streams include acting salaries, residuals from his franchise films, and potential endorsement deals, though he has not been publicly associated with major brand partnerships. Smith does not have publicly documented real estate holdings or business ventures as of 2026.

The bulk of his wealth has accumulated since 2018, when his career accelerated. While he may not be among the highest-paid actors in Hollywood, his steady stream of work across both studio and indie projects has provided a solid financial foundation. [edit]

Justice Smith has won the Sundance Film Festival Special Jury Prize for Creative Vision as part of the ensemble of I Saw the TV Glow (2024). He has also been nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture for Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018) and an Independent Spirit Award for Best Lead Performance for I Saw the TV Glow (2024). [edit]