Brandon T Jackson

Brandon Timothy Jackson was born on March 7, 1984, in Detroit, Michigan. His parents, Beverly Yvonne and Wayne Timothy Jackson, are both pastors, with his maternal grandfather having been a Pentecostal child preacher. Jackson’s upbringing, straddling suburbia and the inner city, significantly influenced his sense of humor. He developed a passion for comedy and acting early on, performing in talent shows and at youth nights at his father’s church. By age 14, his stand-up career began to evolve, moving from local school events to community projects such as the “Motor City Youth Festival.” He then made his film debut in Marc Cayce’s “Nikita Blues” in 2001. In the same early period, Jackson gained practical experience with an internship at Detroit radio station 93.1 FM, which led to a guest host role at 105.9 FM. Driven by his ambitions, Brandon moved to Hollywood, where he worked as an extra in major films like “Ali” (2001), “Bowling for Columbine” (2002), and “8 Mile” (2002). These early experiences provided him with exposure to the film industry.

Jackson’s career gained significant momentum after his performances at New York City’s “Showtime at the Apollo” and BET’s “Comicview.” In 2005, at 19 years old, he secured his first major movie role as Junior, the best friend of Shad Moss (Bow Wow) in “Roll Bounce,” for which he received the Black Reel’s 2006 Best Breakthrough Performance award. This breakthrough led to further notable roles, including Alpa Chino in the high-concept comedy “Tropic Thunder” (2008), where his performance garnered critical attention. He further solidified his presence in mainstream cinema by starring as the satyr Grover Underwood in “Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief” (2010) and its sequel “Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters” (2013), appearing alongside Logan Lerman and Alexandra Daddario. In 2011, Jackson co-starred with Martin Lawrence in “Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son,” playing Lawrence’s son in the popular franchise. He also starred opposite NBA basketball player Kevin Durant in “Thunderstruck” (2012).

Beyond film, Jackson has made significant contributions to television. He was a cast member on “Wild ‘n Out” with Nick Cannon and later returned as a celebrity team captain. He featured in Hulu’s original series “Deadbeat” (2014-2015) and Showtime’s “Californication” (2014). From 2015 to 2020, he voiced Corduroy Jackson-Jackson in the critically acclaimed animated series “BoJack Horseman.” More recently, Jackson has ventured into creating his own content, including the satirical comedy series “Makin’ A Brand,” where entrepreneurs pitch their ideas to celebrity judges, blending comedy with the format of shows like “Shark Tank.” He also executive produced and created “Brandon T. Jackson’s State of Mind” (2023) and is preparing for his stand-up special, “Chest Out.”