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Brandon T. Jackson

Brandon T. Jackson is an American actor, comedian, rapper and writer whose screen work draws naturally on his stand-up background. Born in Detroit on March 7, 1984, Jackson attended West Bloomfield High School before moving to Los Angeles after graduation to pursue comedy. He started performing at the Laugh Factory and opened for Wayne Brady and Chris Tucker, gaining experience that would serve him well in roles built around quick delivery and a strong comic presence. His performance as Junior in Roll Bounce brought an early breakthrough, earning him the 2006 Black Reel Award for Breakthrough Performance. Jackson later joined the cast of Wild ’n Out with Nick Cannon and returned as a celebrity team captain during the show’s sixth season. He also hosted the Up Close and Personal Tour in 2006, featuring Chris Brown, Ne-Yo, Lil Wayne, Juelz Santana and Dem Franchize Boyz. On film, Jackson has moved between broad comedy, ensemble satire and fantasy adventure. He played rapper Alpa Chino in Tropic Thunder, Grover Underwood in Percy Jackson and Benny in Lottery Ticket. In Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son, he took the central role of 17-year-old Trent Pierce, bringing his music and comedy experience into a story driven by performance and disguise. Jackson’s television work has included hosting an episode of The Brandon T. Jackson Show on The N and appearing in a cameo in a second-season video for The Glee Project. In 2013, he also played the son of Axel Foley in an unaired pilot for a Beverly Hills Cop television series. Across these projects, Jackson has remained a performer with several lanes open at once: stand-up, film, television, writing and music.