| Elijah Kelley | |
|---|---|
Elijah Kelley, January 2008 |
|
| Born | August 1, 1986 LaGrange, Georgia, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actor, singer, dancer |
| Years active | 1998–present |
Elijah Kelley (born August 1, 1986) is an American actor, singer, and dancer. Kelley has appeared in the films Take the Lead (2006) and 28 Days (2000), and co-starred in the musical film re-adaptation of Hairspray (2007), in which he portrayed the character Seaweed J. Stubbs.
Contents |
Kelley was born and raised in LaGrange, Georgia, attending both Long Cane Middle School and Troup County High School, where he auditioned for and participated in the school's show choir for years.[1][2]
As a child, Kelley starred in Coca-Cola commercials, and played a short role in the film, "Mamma Flora's Family." He also performed in a gospel band with his family as a child. Kelley's parents, determined to keep their son down to earth, moved with him when he set out for Los Angeles after graduating from high school.[3]
In 2006, Kelley was cast in a film version of Hairspray released on July 20, 2007. Both Kelley's performance and the film have received positive reviews. He will next be seen in an upcoming biopic of Sammy Davis, Jr., in which he was chosen to portray the legendary title character.[4] The film will focus on the younger days of Davis, Jr., tackling many racial issues (including his relationship with white actress Kim Novak) and his days in The Rat Pack.
On December 2, 2011, Kelley sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" prior to the Pac-12 Conference Championship Game at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon.
He is the first choice to play Bobby Brown in the Untitled New Edition Biopic.
Kelley is a devout Christian.
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Mama Flora's Family | Young Willie | TV-Movie |
| 1999 | A Lesson Before Dying | Clarence | TV-Movie |
| 2000 | 28 Days | Darnell | |
| 2000 | Heavens Fall | Leroy Wright | |
| 2000 | Rome & Jewel | Ben | Direct-to-video |
| 2006 | Take the Lead | Danjou | |
| 2007 | Hairspray | Seaweed J. Stubbs | Hollywood Film Award for Ensemble Of The Year Young Hollywood Award for One to Watch Nominated – Critics Choice Award |
| 2010 | Red Tails | Samuel 'Suicide' George |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | The Shield | Jaymon | Episode: "Grave" |
| Everybody Hates Chris | Guy | Episode: "Everybody Hates the Babysitter" | |
| 2006 | Numb3rs | Anthony | Episode: "The OG" |
| 2009 | Dirty Sexy Money | Elon Elder | Episode: "The Facts" |