Skai Jackson is an American actress widely recognized for her role as Zuri Ross in the Disney Channel show Jessie (2011–2015) and its spin-off series Bunk’d (2015–2018).
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Skai began her acting career as a child, debuting in the independent film Liberty Kid (2007). She later made appearances in films like The Rebound (2009) and The Smurfs (2011).
Over the years, Skai lent her voice to several characters, including roles in the Marvel Rising franchise (2018–2019) and DreamWorks Dragons: Rescue Riders (2019–2022).
In 2023, she starred in the movie Sheroes. She also authored her first book in 2019, Reach for the Skai: How to Inspire, Empower, and Clapback. Moreover, she reached the semi-finals on the 29th season of Dancing with the Stars in 2020.
Born in the Staten Island borough of New York City, Skai Jackson comes from Afro-Honduran and African-American roots. She started her career in showbiz as a child model, featuring in numerous national commercials for major brands like Band-Aid, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, and Old Navy.
Skai’s first major acting role was in Liberty Kid in 2007. She then appeared in a 2008 episode of Rescue Me and had a cameo in the 2009 film The Rebound.
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Her voice acting debut came with the Nickelodeon series Bubble Guppies, where she played Little Fish. Following this, she had small roles in TV shows like Team Umizoomi, Royal Pains, and Boardwalk Empire, and movies like Arthur and The Smurfs in 2011.
In 2011, Skai landed the role of Zuri Ross in the Disney Channel sitcom Jessie, a show that ran for four seasons until 2015. This role earned her an NAACP Image Award nomination.
She later reprised the role in Bunk’d from 2015 to 2018. Skai’s performance and influence led to her being recognized by Time magazine as one of the “Most Influential Teens” in 2016. In 2017, she was nominated for Best Influencer at the Shorty Awards.
Skai also ventured into voice acting in the Marvel Rising series in 2018, playing Glory Grant. In 2019, she gained further attention when she appeared in the music video for Lil Nas X’s “Panini,” which became a viral sensation.
That same year, Skai published her book, Reach for the Skai: How to Inspire, Empower, and Clapback. She also voiced the character Summer in the Netflix animated series DreamWorks Dragons: Rescue Riders.
In 2020, Skai competed in the 29th season of Dancing with the Stars and reached the semi-finals. In 2023, Skai made a return to the big screen in the action film Sheroes, marking her first feature film role in a decade.
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