Interview: J. Smith-Cameron, star of the HBO hit Succession

J. Smith-Cameron

Tony®-nominated stage, film, and television actress

J. Smith-Cameron is a Tony and Emmy-nominated stage, film, and television actress whose career has spanned over four decades. J. can currently be seen as a series regular on the acclaimed HBO series Succession, which was recently renewed for its fourth season. Her portrayal of "Gerri Kellman," Waystar Royco’s General Counsel, garnered her Critics Choice and Emmy Award nominations and quickly became a fan favorite in the Emmy® Award-winning series. In film, J. recently starred in the Sundance-winner Christina Choe’s film "Nancy" opposite Andrea Riseborough, Steve Buscemi and John Leguizamo. Her striking portrayal of a mother whose child goes missing three decades prior garnered her an Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Actress. J.’s wide range of film credits include "Gal Young 'Un" (1979), "84 Charing Cross Road" (1987), "Harriet the Spy" (1996), "You Can Count on Me" (2000), "Margaret" (2011), "No Pay, Nudity" (2016), and "Christine" (2016). On television, J. is also well known as a series regular on SundanceTV’s "Rectify" as well as her recurring roles on HBO’s "True Blood" and "Divorce." J.’s Broadway credits include "Lend Me a Tenor" (1989), "Our Country’s Good" (1991) for which she was nominated for a Tony® Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play, "Night Must Fall" (1999), "Tartuffe" (2002), and Elaine May’s "After the Night and the Music" (2005). Her extensive Off-Broadway work includes "As Bees in Honey Drown" (1997), for which she won an Obie Award and earned a Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Award nomination, "Fuddy Meers" (1999), for which she was nominated for a Drama Desk Award, "Sarah, Sarah" (2004), "The Starry Messenger" (2009), "Sorry" (2012), "Juno and the Paycock" (2013), for which she was nominated for a Drama Desk Award and was the recipient of the 2013 Joe E. Callaway Award, and "Peace for Mary Frances" (2018). J. resides in New York City with her husband director, playwright, and screenwriter Kenneth Lonergan, and their daughter.