Emmy Nominated Actress Kelly Jenrette Talks Faith, All American: Homecoming, Upcoming Projects, and more!

Many have seen her on-screen starring in shows such as Grandfathered, Mixed-ish, and most recently, All American: Homecoming. She has made a name for herself, even scoring an Emmy nomination for her guest appearance in The Handmaid’s Tale. However, when it comes to Kelly Jenrette, the actress behind the roles, she is just as much a breath of fresh air as her on-screen characters. Jenrette would describe herself as a happily married, Black Christian girl from the south, living the dream in LA.

While acting was always something she loved, Kelly, a sibling of six from Atlanta, GA, never saw herself making a career of it. Her first play was in fifth grade, where she played the lead role of Charlie in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. At that time, she fell in love with acting. Her love intensified after she watched The Five Heartbeats.

“Acting was something that I really loved to do – but it wasn’t something that I felt like, oh, this is a real job that I can make a living off of,” said Jenrette.

Growing up, Kelly said she wanted to be a lawyer who also did hair on the side. Looking back, she realized what she said was such an “actress thing to say.” After graduating high school, Jenrette set her sights on attending Xavier University in New Orleans with aspirations of becoming a forensic psychologist. During her sophomore year, after reviewing the course load, specifically all the science classes, she thought to herself – “I’d much rather be one on TV.” Kelly decided to transfer back home to Georgia State University, where she obtained a degree in theater, and the rest is history.

There were times when she could’ve given up, but the one thing that kept her going was her faith. Jenrette shifted her focus from being self-driven to allowing God to lead her. In doing so, she found that her faith has and continues to produce fuel that drives her. If she could give her younger self any piece of advice, it would be to love God more than anything else, more than the career, more than anything!

“Well, you know, there were times that I was like, I’m over it. I’m done – but I would have to say my faith, my faith that God has given me this gift, not for myself, but for something that I need to share and not just the gift of my talent, but the gift of what God has deposited in me. How I love. How I interact with people. How I let my light so shine before men that they may see my good works and glorify My Father in heaven,” said Jenrette.

Although Kelly has played many roles, she cannot decide which was her favorite. She relates to the comparison that actors and actresses often say, “choosing a favorite role is like trying to choose a favorite child.” Annelise was her first series regular on the show Grandfathered, which will always hold a special place in her heart. While she never went into the role of Annie in The Handmaid’s Tale, thinking she would receive an Emmy nomination. Then, of course, there’s Amara in All American: Homecoming.

“This woman [Amara] is so real. I connect with her on so many different levels. To be able to play someone whose skin I feel so comfortable in is like the biggest hug ever,” said Jenrette.

While speaking on the role of Amara in All American: Homecoming, Kelly shared that she resonates with the character for different reasons. One is her relationship with Simone, who plays her niece on the show. Although Kelly has not given birth to any children, she has a very strong bond with her niece and nephew. Amara is a truth seeker and passionate about justice. Kelly, much like her character, prefers to focus on the whole truth. Many may be anticipating the return of All American: Homecoming, season two; however, Kelly has stayed booked and busy while waiting to hear more about the resumption.

As fans wait, this provides time to reflect on her features, including in one of the final episodes of This Is Us. Kelly felt grateful to be a part of the team and shared an Instagram post on set. Part of the IG caption read, “Maintain a great work ethic, be kind, ALWAYS, and be ready when called upon,” elaborating on how her role on This Is Us came to fruition.

She was also a part of a film, Honor Student, currently making its way through the festival circuit. The film may hit close to home as it touches on school shootings. Written and directed by Tamika Miller, the film is a conversation starter that presents the issue of school shootings in a manner that has never been seen before.

Currently, Kelly is working on an extraordinary project. As a founding member of Black Rebirth Collective, Kelly is the Playwright in Residence. She is commissioned to write a one-act about Betty Shabazz and Coretta Scott King. Inspired by Jeff Stetson, The Meeting – which explores an imagined conversation between Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. Kelly is now re-imagining a meeting between their wives and is currently in the writing process.

While we wait in anticipation for her upcoming projects, fans can catch up on season one of All American: Homecoming, which is now available to stream on CW.