Biography
Who is Skai Jackson?
Early life and beginnings
Born in Staten Island, New York, Skai Syed Jackson grew up of Afro-Honduran and African-American descent. Her parents separated during her youth, and she was primarily raised by her mother. She started her entertainment career working as a child model, appearing in numerous national commercials for major brands such as Band-Aid, Pepsi, Coca-Cola, and Old Navy.
How Skai became famous
Skai Jackson landed her first major film role in the 2007 independent movie Liberty Kid. Following this, she appeared in projects like The Rebound and Arthur. She also provided the voice for the character Little Fish in the Nickelodeon animated series Bubble Guppies.
She achieved her biggest television success in 2011 when she was cast as Zuri Ross in the Disney Channel sitcom Jessie. The show aired for four seasons until 2015. She reprised this role in the spin-off series Bunk'd from 2015 to 2018. Her performance earned her an NAACP Image Award nomination.
Career highlights and writing
Beyond her live-action work, Skai has contributed voice acting to several animated projects. She voiced characters in the Marvel Rising franchise and served as the voice of Summer in the Netflix series DreamWorks Dragons: Rescue Riders between 2019 and 2022. Artist Mike Deodato confirmed that Skai inspired the design of the Marvel comic book character Ironheart. She auditioned for a role in the 2018 film Black Panther but was not cast.
In 2019, Skai published her own memoir titled Reach for the Skai: How to Inspire, Empower, and Clapback. That same year, she appeared in the viral music video for the Lil Nas X song Panini. In 2020, Skai participated in the 29th season of the television competition Dancing with the Stars. She was paired with professional dancer Alan Bersten and the duo reached the semi-finals, eventually finishing in 10th place. She returned to feature films in 2023 with a role in the action movie Sheroes. She also faced public scrutiny in 2023 regarding a raffle she hosted on CashApp, though she denied allegations of scamming.
Personal challenges and recent events
Skai Jackson has been open about her diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. In 2024, she became a brand ambassador for Cantu Beauty. Her personal life has included legal matters, including a 2020 restraining order petition against rapper Bhad Bhabie which was later dropped.
In August 2024, Skai was arrested at Universal Studios Hollywood on suspicion of domestic battery, though the Los Angeles County District Attorney declined to file charges. She welcomed a son in January 2025 with her then-partner Deondre Burgin. Later that year, she requested a restraining order against Burgin, citing allegations of assault and battery.
Birthday and age
Skai Jackson was born on April 8, 2002, which makes Skai 24 years old today. That birthday falls under the Aries sign. Skai shares the date with 39 other famous people.
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