Sylvester Powell, an actor on the rise, has been making a name for himself in the entertainment industry over the past few years, transitioning effortlessly from drama to comedy. This summer, he will reprise his starring role as Jessie "JR" Raymond, Jr. on the critically acclaimed CW drama series "All American: Homecoming", a show that debuted on The CW in 2022 to rave reviews, with critics praising its "big-hearted" nature, "solid performances", "compelling cast", and "warm and likable spin on the college experience".
"All American: Homecoming" is set against the backdrop of the HBCU experience at Bringston University, where Black excellence is a way of life. Powell's character JR is a fan favorite, and season three will find him struggling to get his life back on track following his ousting from KEK and the completion of treatment for aplastic anemia. The season premieres on July 8, 2024, on The CW and will be available for streaming on The CW app.
Powell's television credits include CBS' "CSI:NY", a lead role in the Facebook limited series "Five Points" (executive produced by Kerry Washington),and CBS' "Criminal Minds". On the film front, he was the lead character in Mykel Shannon Jenkins' short film "Kilo Valley", and he and Jenkins formed a great working relationship, collaborating on two additional film projects: "The Gods", a modern-day Romeo and Juliet story, and "Two Wolves", an urban thriller drama.
Born on the west side of Chicago, Powell grew up in a household filled with music and the arts, as the son of prolific songwriter and record producer Sylvester Earl Powell and the eldest of four siblings. His interest in show business was sparked at a young age, and he began modeling and acting classes as a child, building his resume with local work through high school. Upon graduation, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in film and television full time, where he has been working ever since.
A natural athlete, Powell won a Gold Medal for Tumbling in the Junior Olympics and continues to build his gymnastic skills, while also enjoying basketball and baseball. His athleticism led him to starring in global advertising campaigns for ASICS and Nike, where he was seen across Europe, specifically in Nike's first Paris/Michael Jordan collaboration store, where he appeared in the advertising campaign for the 20th anniversary of "Space Jam".
Powell currently resides in the Los Angeles area.
