Apple TV+‘s upcoming crime drama series Smoke is the latest role for Jurnee Smollett, who plays Detective Michell Calderon working with an arson investigator, played by Taron Egerton, to stop two serial arsonists in the Pacific Northwest. But long before she became a mainstay in genre-defying roles, Smollett gave one of her most stunning performances in her breakout role in NBC’s Friday Night Lights.
Joining the beloved series in its fourth season, Smollett played Jess Merriweather, a high school student, aspiring football coach, and one of the show’s most compelling characters. While her time on the series was relatively short, her performance left a lasting impression, signaling to anyone paying attention that she was a talent to keep their eye on.
Jurnee Smollett Had a Key Role in Season 4 of ‘Friday Night Lights’
By the time Friday Night Lights reached its fourth season, it had already carved out a reputation as one of the most emotionally authentic dramas on television. Loosely adapted from the book and film of the same name, the series chronicled life in the fictional town of Dillon, Texas, where football was a religion, and every game carried the weight of community identity. What made the show special wasn’t just the sports drama, but the deeply human stories woven around it, whether it was families under pressure, teenagers chasing uncertain futures, or the emotional highs and lows of growing up in a town that demanded greatness.
Season 4, however, marked a major shift in the series. With many of the original characters graduating, the focus turned to East Dillon High, a struggling school with fewer resources and lower expectations. Their new football team calls on storied football Coach Eric Taylor (Kyle Chandler), to rebuild a new team from scratch while navigating a divided community. This new chapter introduced a fresh set of characters, including Vince Howard (Michael B. Jordan), a talented but troubled quarterback, and Jess Merriweather (Smollett), the daughter of a former football star who quickly proves she knows the game better than most of the players on the field, and caught the attention of Coach Taylor.
While Jess dated Friday Night Lights mainstay Landry (Jesse Plemons) and later Vince, her character was always much more than just a love interest. She had a sharp football IQ, a clear sense of ambition and the drive to balance school, work at her family’s restaurant, and her dream of becoming a coach. Jess was also a caring older sister, guiding her younger brothers and helping them achieve their own goals. Unlike some of the female characters earlier in the series, Jess was written as a fully developed character from the start, carrying her own story arc. Her presence in Season 4 brought a much-needed new perspective and reflected the show’s growth as it explored evolving social dynamics and deeper community tensions.
‘Friday Night Lights’ Helped Set the Stage for Jurnee Smollett’s Career
What made Jess Merriweather such a standout character was Jurnee Smollett’s grounded, layered, and emotionally rich performance. Smollett brought Jess a quiet confidence and maturity that cut through the usual high school tropes, making her feel fully formed from the start. She helped shape the narrative in meaningful ways, infusing the show with a fresh love for football that felt both personal and authentic. Smollett held her own in scenes with veterans like Chandler and Connie Britton, while also shining alongside fellow rising stars Jesse Plemons and Michael B. Jordan. Her family scenes felt especially natural, seamlessly rooting her in the world of Dillon. With her principled presence and strong sense of self, Smollett brought Jason Katims‘ writing to life in a truly memorable way.
While Friday Night Lights was a standout career moment for Smollett, she first earned widespread acclaim in Eve’s Bayou and continued to impress in films like The Great Debaters opposite Denzel Washington. In 2016, she gave a breathtaking performance alongside Aldis Hodge and Christopher Meloni in the devastating series Underground. Even as a young performer, Smollett brought a rare sense of grounded authenticity to her roles with a natural ability to make every character feel lived-in and real.
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The actress played Tami Taylor in both the film and the hit series.
In recent years, she’s commanded the screen as Leti in Lovecraft Country, landing her first Emmy nomination, and brought her signature charisma and grit to roles in The Order and Birds of Prey. Whether she’s playing a determined high schooler with dreams of coaching or a formidable horror heroine, Smollett brings the same unwavering commitment to every role. As Jess, she masterfully balanced authenticity with vulnerability, purpose, and quiet resilience, which are qualities that have continued to define her work ever since.
Her range is undeniable, but it’s the emotional truth in her performances that resonates most. In an industry often drawn to louder, showier personas, Jurnee Smollett has quietly built a career grounded in depth and substance. She gravitates toward complex, meaningful stories and brings every role to life with intention and heart. Jess Merriweather might not be the first character people recall from Friday Night Lights, but she’s easily one of the most memorable. Jess redefined what a coming-of-age story could look like on network TV. And as fans wait for Smoke, there’s no better time to revisit the performance that helped launch her evolution, and one that still stands among her finest.