Jayson Warner Smith
Jayson Warner Smith is an American actor who began his career in 2010 and is known for portraying Gavin in the television series The Walking Dead.[1] He is also known for his role in Rectify as Wendall Jelks and as Dean in The Vampire Diaries.[2]
Jayson Warner Smith | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Atlanta, Georgia, US |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1991–present |
| Website | https://www.jaysonsmith.com |
Early life and career
Smith was born in Atlanta. He started in theatre at age nine. He also teaches acting at The Robert Mello Studio in Atlanta. In 2010, he finally scored a larger supporting role in a Hollywood film. He has performed in supporting roles in films and TV shows such as the 2011 remake of Footloose, Anchorman II, The Vampire Diaries, 99 Homes, Mississippi Grind, 42, and Fox's Sleepy Hollow.
In addition to those credits, Smith is known for his portrayal of death-row inmate Wendall Jelks on Sundance TV's Rectify. Beginning in 2015, Smith performed in supporting roles in the films Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, Christine, The Birth of a Nation, and Mena. Atlanta remains his home and he lives in Sandy Springs with his wife Lisa. He is best known for portraying Gavin, an antagonistic character from the horror television series The Walking Dead.[3]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Last Breeze of Summer | School Policeman #2 | short |
| 2001 | Losing Grace | EMT | |
| 2006 | Fatwa | Teacher | |
| 2009 | The Way of War | Seven | |
| The People v. Leo Frank | William Smith / Narrator | ||
| The Joneses | Maitre d' | ||
| 2010 | Lottery ticket | Maitre d' | uncredited |
| 2011 | Footloose | Officer Herb | uncredited |
| 2012 | Angel of Mercy | Father Clarke | short |
| 2013 | 42 | White Gas Station Attendant | |
| Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues | Guy with Knife in Head | ||
| 2014 | Trouble in the Neighborhood | Judd | short |
| 99 Homes | Jeff | ||
| Heavy Water | Mickey | ||
| 2015 | Mississippi Grind | Clifford | |
| I Saw the Light | Hank Snow | ||
| 2016 | Christine | Mitch | |
| The Book of Love | Uncle Glen | ||
| The Birth of a Nation | Hank Fowler | ||
| 2017 | American Made | Bill Cooper | Snowbird #1 |
| Thank You for Your Service | VA Receptionist | ||
| 2018 | All or Nothing | Kirk | |
| St. Agatha | Mary's Father | ||
| Billionaire Boys Club | Investor | ||
| 2019 | The Devil to Pay | Wade Runion | |
| Rest Stop | Mitch Forsyth | Short | |
| Only | Arthur | ||
| Age Difference | Richard | Short | |
| 2022 | Where the Crawdads Sing | Deputy Joe Purdue | |
| 2023 | Ok, Boomer! | Self |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Savannah | Delivery Guy | Episode "Every Picture Tells a Story" |
| 2009 | Drop Dead Diva | Carl Amuroso | Episode "Crazy" |
| 2009 | Tyler Perry's House of Payne | Harold Williams | Episode: "Parental Payne" |
| 2012 | Let's Stay Together | Johnny Geter | Episodes: Wait, What? (voice), Creepers |
| Final Witness | Mark Koponen | TV Documentary, episode: Vixen's Elixir | |
| 2013 | Sleepy Hollow | Carlton | Episode 8: "Necromancer" |
| Rectify | Wendall Jelks | 8 episodes (2013-2014) | |
| 2014 | The Vampire Diaries | Dean | 2 episodes |
| 2016 | NCIS: New Orleans | Payton Kirk | Episode: "Second Chances" |
| One Mississippi | Dalton Green | Episode: The Cat's Out | |
| The Walking Dead | Gavin | (2016-2017) Season 7: 3 episodes (2017-2018) Season 8: 5 episodes | |
| 2018 | Queen America | Mr. Cole | 3 episodes |
References
- Ross, Dalton (March 15, 2017). "Is Gavin the most perpetually annoyed Walking Dead character ever?". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved March 15, 2017.
- Matt, Richenthal (July 17, 2014). "Is Colin Ferguson to Tripp Out on The Vampire Diaries Season 6". TV Fanatic. Retrieved July 17, 2014.
- Freligh, Tai (September 14, 2017). "Exclusive: Jayson Warner Smith talks about The Walking Dead and Season 8". Flickering Myth. Retrieved September 14, 2017.