Cornelius Smith Jr. is an American actor who gained widespread recognition for portraying Marcus Walker in the ABC political drama Scandal.
Before becoming familiar to prime-time television audiences, he established himself in daytime television as Frankie Hubbard on All My Children, a role that earned him nominations for major industry awards.
His work has since expanded into television, film, theatre, and voice acting, with notable appearances in productions such as Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker and Five Days at Memorial.
| Cornelius Smith Jr. | |
|---|---|
| Wiki Facts & About Data | |
| Name: | Cornelius Smith Jr. |
| Born: | March 18, 1982 (age 44 years old) |
| Place of Birth: | Detroit, Michigan, United States |
| Nationality: | American |
| Ethnicity: | African-American |
| Religion: | Christianity |
| Parents: | Cornelius Smith Sr., Pamela Lynn Perchman-Smith |
| Spouse: | Stephanie Lilly Smith |
| Relationship: | Married |
| Occupation: | Actor |
| Net Worth: | $4 million |
Early Life and Education
Born on March 18, 1982, Cornelius Smith Jr. is 44 years old.
Although he was born in Detroit, Michigan, he explained that his family moved around during his early childhood because his father served in the military, before eventually settling back in Detroit, which he considered home.
He grew up with his parents, Cornelius Smith Sr. and Pamela Lynn Perchman-Smith, and developed an early interest in performance through school activities and church singing.
He attended Cass Technical High School in Detroit and graduated with the class of 2000. His interest in acting continued to grow, leading him to Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, where he studied theatre.
After completing his undergraduate education, he moved to New York. He continued his professional training at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, where he earned a Master of Fine Arts in Acting through the Graduate Acting Program.
Personal Life
Cornelius Smith Jr. has been married to Stephanie Lilly Smith since May 2018.
The couple married in Mexico in a private ceremony attended by family and friends, and they have continued their marriage away from much of the public attention surrounding his acting career.
Available biographical sources continue to identify Stephanie Lilly Smith as his wife, with no credible indication of a divorce or separation.
He generally keeps his family life private and rarely discusses his marriage or children in the media.
Career
Cornelius Smith Jr. began gaining professional attention after completing his graduate acting training in New York. In 2007, he joined the cast of the long-running ABC daytime drama All My Children as Frankie Hubbard.
His performance brought him significant recognition and earned him a Daytime Emmy nomination and an NAACP Image Award nomination. He remained with the series until 2011.
After leaving daytime television, Smith continued building his résumé with guest appearances in productions including Major Crimes, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and How to Get Away with Murder. His major television breakthrough came in 2015 when he joined Scandal as Marcus Walker.
He initially appeared in a recurring capacity before becoming a series regular, and he remained with the political drama through its conclusion in 2018.
His work later expanded into historical and dramatic productions. In 2020, he portrayed W.E.B. Du Bois in the Netflix miniseries Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker. He subsequently appeared as Dr Bryant King in Apple’s medical drama Five Days at Memorial in 2022.
Smith has also worked beyond traditional screen acting, including voice and performance work for the interactive video game Detroit: Become Human and stage performances such as American Prophet at Arena Stage in Washington, D.C.
Awards
- Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series — Nominated, 2009
- NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Daytime Drama Series — Nominated, 2009
- NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Daytime Drama Series — Won, 2010
Net Worth
Cornelius Smith Jr. has an estimated net worth of approximately $4 million.
He has built his income through his long-running acting career, including television roles, streaming productions, film appearances, theatrical performances, and voice and performance work.
Social Media
- Instagram: @corneliussmithjr
- X: @corneliussjr
Filmography
- All My Children (2007–2011)
- Life Lines (2012)
- Major Crimes (2013)
- Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (2015)
- Scandal (2015–2018)
- Detroit: Become Human (2018)
- How to Get Away with Murder (2018)
- Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker (2020)
- Five Days at Memorial (2022)