KJ Smith

American actress

KJ Smith-Black

Born|

Khaneshia JaNea Smith[1]

Tallahassee, Florida, U.S.

Occupation| Actress
Years active| 2009–present
Spouse|

Skyh Black

(m. 2023)​

Khaneshia Smith,[2] known professionally as KJ Smith, is an American actress, known for her role as Andrea "Andi" Barnes in the comedy-drama, Sistas.

## Early life

[edit]

Smith was born in Tallahassee, Florida.[3] She was a cheerleader and softball player in high school.[1] She studied Business Marketing at Florida State University. where she earned her bachelor's degree and later went on to work in corporate America. Smith later went back to further her education at Florida A&M University where she studied journalism.[2]

## Career

[edit]

Smith began her acting career in 2009 with appearing in short films and small parts in television comedies include Conan, Real Husbands of Hollywood, Jimmy Kimmel Live! and Comedy Bang! Bang!. She also guest-starred in a number of sitcoms such as Survivor's Remorse, Mann & Wife, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Black-ish.[4] She played secondary role in the 2015 made-for-television movie Whitney and the following year had a recurring role in the Oprah Winfrey Network drama series, Queen Sugar.[5]

Smith in 2016

In 2017, Smith had a recurring role during the first season of the CW comedy-drama series, Dynasty,[6] and guest-starred on Being Mary Jane, Saints & Sinners and Ozark. In 2018, she co-starred in the web drama series, Giants produced by Issa Rae. Smith also made guest appearances on NCIS: Los Angeles, The Fosters, Lethal Weapon, Fuller House, Family Reunion, All Rise and BlackAF.[7] From 2015 to 2018, she had a recurring role on Bounce TV sitcom Family Time and in 2019 had a recurring role in short-lived ABC legal drama, The Fix,[8] In 2019, she co-starred in the comedy film A Madea Family Funeral and the following year appeared in psychological thriller Fatal Affair for Netflix.[9][10][11] Smith also played the lead role in the drama film The Available Wife (2020).[12]

From 2019 to 2021, Smith starred in the BET family drama series, The Family Business. In 2019 she landed her breakthrough role as Andrea "Andi" Barnes in the BET comedy-drama series, Sistas opposite Ebony Obsidian, Novi Brown and Mignon Von.[13][14][15] In 2022, she also had a recurring role in season two of the Power prequel series, Power Book III: Raising Kanan, on STARZ.[16][17]

## Personal life

[edit]

Smith is married to actor and Sistas co-star Skyh Alvester Black.[18][19][20]

## Filmography

[edit]

### Film

[edit]

Year  | Title  | Role  | Notes

|
|
|

2009  | Talent | Waitress  | Short
2010  | Dogs Are a Woman's Best Friend | Jasmin  | Short
The City | \-  | Short
Cocoa Love | Funeral Attendee  | Short
2011  | Hope | Arissa  | Short
Sex/Absurd | Whitney  |
Hot Girls on the Beach | Bianca  | Video
2012  | One Call Away | Restaurant Patron #1  | Short
2015  | Whitney | Girl with Steve  | TV movie
2017  | Baker's Man | Naomi  |
Love at the Shore | Maureen  | TV movie
Caravaggio and My Mother the Pope | Gospel Nurse  |
2018  | Throwback Holiday | Kimberly Wiggins  |
2019  | A Madea Family Funeral | Carol  |
I Got the Hook Up 2 | Lieutenant Moore  |
I Left My Girlfriend for Regina Jones | Denise  |
2020  | Fatal Affair | Deborah Lee  |
The Available Wife | Nicole  |

### Television

[edit]

Year  | Title  | Role  | Notes

|
|
|

2011  | Make Love Not War | Tracy Stoudimire  | Recurring Cast: Season 2
All My Children | Gloria the Resort Waitress  | Episode: "Episode #1.10632"
1000 Ways to Die | Sorority Girl  | Episode: "Death, the New Black"
2012  | Conan | Comedy Sketch Player  | Episode: "Episode #2.54" & "#2.120"
2013  | The Therapist | Dr. Monica Knight  | Recurring Cast: Season 2
Jacked Up | Ashley  | Main Cast
Real Husbands of Hollywood | Young Woman #1  | Episode: "Frauditions" & "The Bump Stops Here"
2014  | Friday: The Web Series | Mrs. Parker  | Episode: "Deebo Ditch"
Jimmy Kimmel Live! | Sketch Artist  | Episode: "Eva Longoria/Wiz Khalifa"
Survivor's Remorse | Kiara  | Episode: "On the Carpet"
2014–15  | Black Boots | Blair  | Recurring Cast: Season 1
2015  | Almost 30 | Cute Upbeat Girl  | Episode: "Almost Roommates"
Mann & Wife | Avery  | Episode: "Mann's Bodyguard"
Comedy Bang! Bang! | Female Witchbuster  | Episode: "Weird Al Yankovic Wears a Different Hawaiian Shirt"
2015–18  | Family Time | Melinda  | Recurring Cast: Seasons 3–6
2016  | It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia | Sequoia  | Episode: "Frank Falls Out the Window"
Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn | Miss Jody  | Episode: "Ballet and the Beasts"
Queen Sugar | Lena  | Recurring Cast: Season 1
2017  | Being Mary Jane | Sunitha Rashad  | Episode: "Getting Judged"
Saints & Sinners | Marlene  | Episode: "This Union Will Be the Death of Me"
Ozark | Stripper  | Episode: "Tonight We Improvise"
Dynasty | Kori Rucks | Recurring Cast: Season 1
2018  | Giants | Bianca  | Recurring Cast: Season 2
The Inspectors | Gabby  | Episode: "Stop the Presses"
NCIS: Los Angeles | Chelsea Parker  | Episode: "Reentry"
Black-ish | Linda  | Episode: "Collateral Damage"
The Fosters | Angela  | Episode: "Where the Heart Is"
Lethal Weapon | Beth  | Episode: "Leo Getz Justice"
Fuller House | Producer  | Episode: "President Fuller"
2019  | The Fix | Charlie  | Recurring Cast
Family Reunion | Coach Wilson  | Episode: "Remember the First Day of School?"
All Rise | Cassie Lange  | Episode: "Fool for Liv"
Tales | Billie  | Episode: "Ex-Factor"
2019–21  | The Family Business | Sasha Duncan  | Recurring Cast: Season 1, Main Cast: Season 2-3
2019–  | Sistas | Andrea "Andi" Barnes  | Main Cast
2020  | BlackAF | Tischina  | Episode: "yo, between you and me... this is because of slavery"
Bruh | Andrea "Andi" Barnes  | Recurring Cast: Season 1
2022  | Power Book III: Raising Kanan | Palomar  | Recurring Cast: Season 2

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "KJ Smith". TVGuide.com.
2. ^ a b Lofton, Jamari (March 27, 2017). "FAMU grad breaks down boundaries". The FAMUAN. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
3. ^ Tracy, Brianne (July 23, 2020). "Sistas' KJ Smith Says She Was 'Nervous' to Return to Set amid COVID-19 but Is 'Happy to Be Back'". People. Archived from the original on July 25, 2020. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
4. ^ Brockington, Ariana (October 2, 2019). "There Are So Many Celebs In 'blackAF'". www.refinery29.com. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
5. ^ "Tallahassee native KJ Smith finds her niche in Hollywood – Capital Outlook". Archived from the original on June 21, 2019.
6. ^ TV, AfterBuzz (November 20, 2021). "Our EXCLUSIVE Interview with KJ Smith from Dynasty - CW Weekly". AfterBuzz TV. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
7. ^ Hough, Quinn (April 19, 2020). "Every Celebrity Cameo in #blackAF Season 1". ScreenRant. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
8. ^ Petski, Denise (August 29, 2018). "The Fix Casts KJ Smith; Chivonne Michelle Joins Jett". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
9. ^ N'Duka, Amanda (November 6, 2019). "Stephen Lang Joins 'Death in Texas'; KJ Smith Cast In 'Fatal Affair'; Oliver Cooper In 'Ghostbusters'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 3, 2020.
10. ^ Lawrence, Gregory (July 1, 2020). "The Trailer for Netflix's 'Fatal Affair' Delivers Cheesy Domestic Thriller Realness". Collider. Retrieved July 3, 2020.
11. ^ Scott, A. O. (March 1, 2019). "Review: 'A Madea Family Funeral' Is No Cause for Tears". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
12. ^ N'Duka, Amanda (April 24, 2019). "Poorna Jagannathan, Nikohl Boosheri to Topline Alia's Birth; KJ Smith, Roger Guenveur Smith Co-Star in The Available Wife". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
13. ^ Throne, Will (August 1, 2019). "Tyler Perry Comedy Sistas Ordered at BET". Variety. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
14. ^ Petski, Denise (August 1, 2019). "BET Greenlights Tyler Perry Drama Series Sistas, Sets Main cast". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
15. ^ Holmes, Martin (October 21, 2021). "'Tyler Perry's Sistas': BET Renews Show For Fourth Season". TV Insider. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
16. ^ Petski, Denise (October 5, 2021). "'Power Book III: Raising Kanan': KJ Smith Joins Prequel Series As Recurring". Deadline. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
17. ^ Toby, Mekeisha Madden (October 6, 2021). "Power Book III: Raising Kanan Adds Sistas' KJ Smith to Season 2 Cast". TVLine. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
18. ^ Uwumarogie, Victoria (December 29, 2021). "'Sistas' Stars KJ Smith And Skyh Alvester Black Are Engaged!". Essence.
19. ^ "Congratulations! 'Sistas' Stars KJ Smith And Skyh Alvester Black Are Engaged". BET. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
20. ^ "'Sistas' Stars KJ Smith And Skyh Alvester Black Engaged Over Christmas!". HelloBeautiful. December 26, 2021. Retrieved March 8, 2023.

## External links

[edit]

* KJ Smith at IMDb

*[m.]: married