Exclusive: Jurnee Smollett On Playing A Police Detective in Apple TV+ Series Smoke
Hitting Apple TV+ this week is “Smoke,” gripping new crime drama from creator Dennis Lehane. Starring and executive produced by Emmy Award nominee Taron Egerton and Jurnee Smollett, “Smoke” will make its global debut on Apple TV+ on June 27, 2025 with the first two episodes, followed by one episode weekly, every Friday through August 15, 2025.
Inspired by true events, “Smoke” follows a troubled detective and an enigmatic arson investigator as they pursue the trails of two serial arsonists.
Starring Egerton as arson investigator ‘Dave Gudsen’ and Emmy Award nominee Jurnee Smollett as police detective ‘Michelle Calderone,’ the cast of “Smoke” also features Rafe Spall, Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine, Hannah Emily Anderson, Emmy Award nominee Anna Chlumsky, Adina Porter, Academy Award and Emmy Award nominee Greg Kinnear, and Emmy Award winner John Leguizamo.
Hailing from Apple Studios, “Smoke” is created by Lehane, who also serves as writer and executive producer. Egerton executive produces alongside Richard Plepler on behalf of EDEN Productions and Bradley Thomas and Dan Friedkin through Imperative Entertainment as well as Kari Skogland, Joe Chappelle and Jane Bartelme. The fictional series is inspired by truth.media’s acclaimed “Firebug” podcast, which was hosted by the Oscar and Emmy-winning Kary Antholis, who executive produces for Crime Story Media, LLC. Emmy Award winner Marc Smerling serves as executive producer for Truth Podcasting Corp. Series directors include Skogland, Chappelle, and Jim McKay.
Smollett most recently starred opposite Jude Law and Nicholas Hoult in crime thriller The Order. She was also in the Amazon MGM Studios legal drama The Burial, alongside Jamie Foxx and Tommy Lee Jones. She also is featured in the independent drama We Grown Now, which was nominated for Best Feature at the 2024 Independent Spirit Awards. Up next, she will star
Smollett also led the Netflix original thriller Lou, in which she stars and executive produces alongside Allison Janney. Additional film credits include Netflix’s Spiderhead and Birds of Prey for Warner Bros.
She is known for her role in J.J. Abrams, Jordan Peele and Misha Green’s acclaimed HBO drama series Lovecraft Country. Her performance earned an Emmy nomination in 2021 for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.
Blackfilmandtv.com's Wilson Morales talks to Jurnee Smollett on her role in the Apple TV+ drama series Smoke