JD McCrary

Last updated

JD McCrary
Born
Jaydon McCrary

(2007-07-18) July 18, 2007 (age 16)
Occupation(s)Actor, dancer, singer
Years active2014–present
External image
Searchtool.svg JD McCrary IMDb photo

Jaydon McCrary [1] (born July 18, 2007) is an American actor, dancer and singer. He is best known for his turn as Kenny Payne in The Paynes on the Oprah Winfrey Network. He starred in The Lion King (2019) as the voice of young Simba. [2] He is signed to Hollywood Records and released his first extended play Shine, in April 2019. His song "Keep In Touch" was featured in dancing video game Just Dance 2020 .

Contents

Career

McCrary began his acting career in 2015 at age 8 on K.C. Undercover , where he appeared on two episodes. [3] In December 2016, he made a guest appearance on Childish Gambino's song "Terrified". [4] He then had live performances on Little Big Shots singing The Jackson 5's "I Want You Back", [5] The Ellen Show singing "Who's Lovin' You", [6] and the 60th Annual Grammy Awards to support Childish Gambino's "Terrified". [7] In December 2017, he sang the national anthem before a Los Angeles Clippers game after a viral singing display a few weeks prior. [8] In 2017, he later appeared on I'm Dying Up Here and Teachers as minor roles.

On January 14, 2018 he released his first official single called "Inviting All of You". [9] On August 13, 2018, it was announced that JD McCrary became the youngest artist to sign with Disney Music Group's Hollywood Records, as he released the music video to his second single "My Name" on August 28. [10] [11] On January 24, 2019, he released the first single after signing to the label called "Keep in Touch." [12] He stars in The Paynes on the Oprah Winfrey Network.

In 2019, McCrary co-starred in the Universal comedy film Little , and provided the voice of young Simba in the live action remake of the Disney film The Lion King . [13] [14] [15] McCrary said that "Donald Glover [who voices adult Simba] is so talented that [I] actually did have to take it into consideration, because if Simba is going to grow up to be some sort of figure and you know of it, you have to keep that motive." [16] Also that year, McCrary portrayed a young Michael Jackson in the BET series American Soul , which premiered in February. On April 19, McCrary released his debut EP, Shine, which includes production from Jermaine Dupri and Bryan-Michael Cox. [17]

Artistry

In an interview with Vibe , McCrary cited Michael Jackson as his biggest influence, as well as Stevie Wonder, Bruno Mars, Justin Bieber, and Chris Brown. [18]

Discography

Extended plays

TitleEP details
Shine

Singles

TitleYear
"Inviting All of You"2018
"My Name"
"Keep in Touch"2019
"Winter Wonderland"
"Where Do I Belong"
"Closer to Christmas"
"Stuck With You"
(JD McCrary with Coco Quinn)
2020
"Tell Me Why"
"Walking on Air"
"Brain on Love"2021

Guest appearances

List of guest appearances, with other performing artists, showing year released and album name
TitleOther artist(s)YearAlbum
"Terrified" Childish Gambino 2016 "Awaken, My Love!"
"Cautionary Tales" Jon Bellion 2018 Glory Sound Prep
"This Neverland" G Tom Mac A Lost Boys Story: The Musical (Original Score)
"I Just Can't Wait to Be King" Shahadi Wright Joseph, John Oliver 2019 The Lion King: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
"Hakuna Matata" Billy Eichner, Seth Rogen, Donald Glover

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2019 Little Isaac
The Lion King Young Simba (voice)Nominated - Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor
2022 13 Brett
2023 Wish Singing Animal

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2015 Blunt Talk Singing kidEpisode: "A Beaver That's Lost Its Mind"
2015–16 K.C. Undercover Young Ernie Cooper2 episodes
2017 Teachers AyoEpisode: "Brokebitch Mountain"
Little Big Shots HimselfEpisode: "Memory Lane"
I'm Dying Up Here Adam’s brotherEpisode: "The Unbelievable Power of Believing"
2018 The Paynes Kenny Payne
2019 American Soul Young Michael Jackson Episode: "68 BC"

Related Research Articles

<i>The Lion King</i> 1994 American animated musical drama film

The Lion King is a 1994 American animated musical coming-of-age drama film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It is inspired by William Shakespeare's stage play Hamlet with some elements from the Biblical stories of Joseph and Moses. The film was directed by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff and produced by Don Hahn, from a screenplay written by Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts, and Linda Woolverton. The film features an ensemble voice cast that includes Matthew Broderick, Moira Kelly, James Earl Jones, Jeremy Irons, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Nathan Lane, Ernie Sabella, Whoopi Goldberg, Cheech Marin, Rowan Atkinson, and Robert Guillaume. Its original songs were written by composer Elton John and lyricist Tim Rice, with a score by Hans Zimmer. Set in a kingdom of lions in Africa, The Lion King tells the story of Simba, a lion cub who is to succeed his father, Mufasa, as King of the Pride Lands; however, after his paternal uncle Scar kills Mufasa to seize the throne, Simba is tricked into believing he was responsible for his father's death and flees into exile. After growing up in the company of the carefree outcasts Timon and Pumbaa, Simba receives valuable perspective from his childhood friend, Nala, and his shaman, Rafiki, before returning to challenge Scar to end his tyranny and take his place in the Circle of Life as the rightful king.

<i>The Lion King II: Simbas Pride</i> 1998 American animated musical romantic comedy-drama film

The Lion King II: Simba's Pride is a 1998 American animated direct-to-video musical romantic drama film. It is the sequel to Disney's 1994 animated feature film, The Lion King, with its plot influenced by William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, and the second installment in The Lion King trilogy. According to director Darrell Rooney, the final draft gradually became a variation of Romeo and Juliet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simba</span> Main character of The Lion King

Simba is a fictional character in Disney's The Lion King franchise. First appearing as a lion cub in The Lion King (1994), the character flees his homeland when his father, King Mufasa, is killed by his treacherous uncle, Scar. Several years later, Simba returns home as an adult to reconcile his childhood trauma, confront Scar, and reclaim his place as King of the Pride Lands. He subsequently appears in the sequels The Lion King II: Simba's Pride (1998) and The Lion King 1½ (2004). Simba was originally voiced by actors Matthew Broderick and Jonathan Taylor Thomas as an adult and cub, respectively; various actors have voiced the character in related media.

"I Just Can't Wait to Be King" is a song written by Elton John (music) and Tim Rice (lyrics) for the Disney animated feature film The Lion King (1994). The song is performed by American actor and singer Jason Weaver as the singing voice of young Simba, with English actor Rowan Atkinson and American actress Laura Williams providing supporting vocals in their roles as Zazu and the singing voice of young Nala, respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hakuna Matata (song)</span> 1995 song from The Lion King film

"Hakuna Matata" is a song from Disney's 1994 animated feature film The Lion King. The music was written by Elton John with lyrics by Tim Rice. The song is based on Timon and Pumbaa's catchphrase in the movie, Hakuna matata, a Swahili phrase meaning "No worry(ies)". It is characterized by its simple 4/4 time, upbeat message and catchy lyrics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Donald Glover</span> American entertainer (born 1983)

Donald McKinley Glover Jr., also known by his stage name Childish Gambino, is an American actor, comedian, singer, rapper, writer, director, and producer. After working in Derrick Comedy while studying at New York University, Glover was hired at age 23 by Tina Fey to write for the NBC sitcom 30 Rock. He later rose to fame for portraying college student Troy Barnes on the NBC sitcom Community from 2009 to 2014. From 2016 to 2022, Glover starred in the FX series Atlanta, which he created and occasionally directed. For his work on Atlanta, Glover won various accolades, including two Primetime Emmy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards.

The Lion King is a Disney media franchise comprising a film series and additional media. The success of animated original 1994 American feature film, The Lion King, directed by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff, led to a direct-to-video sequel and prequel, a live-action remake in 2019, a television film sequel, two spin-off television series, three educational shorts, several video games, merchandise, and the third-longest-running musical in Broadway history, which garnered six Tony Awards including Best Musical. The franchise, led by the musical's box office at $8.1 billion, is the highest-grossing entertainment property. The franchise as a whole has EGOT-ed, meaning it has won the four biggest awards of American show business.

<i>Camp</i> (album) 2011 studio album by Childish Gambino

Camp is the debut studio album by American recording artist Donald Glover, under his stage name Childish Gambino. It was released on November 15, 2011, by Glassnote Records. After releasing four mixtapes and three independent albums, Gambino signed a deal to Glassnote, making Camp his first album on a major record label. The album was co-produced in its entirety by Gambino's longtime collaborator Ludwig Göransson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ludwig Göransson</span> Swedish composer (born 1984)

Ludwig Emil Tomas Göransson is a Swedish composer, conductor, songwriter, and record producer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Childish Gambino discography</span>

The discography of American hip hop recording artist Childish Gambino comprises four studio albums, fourteen mixtapes, and four EPs. After releasing his first five mixtapes and EP independently, he signed to Glassnote Records and released Camp (2011), his first album on a major record label.

Hiro Murai is a Japanese-born American filmmaker based in Los Angeles. He is best-known for music videos for Childish Gambino, Earl Sweatshirt, Chet Faker and others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caleb McLaughlin</span> American actor (born 2001)

Caleb Reginald McLaughlin is an American actor. He gained recognition for playing Lucas Sinclair in the Netflix series Stranger Things (2016–present). McLaughlin began his career playing Young Simba in the Broadway musical The Lion King, followed by small roles in television. After his breakthrough with Stranger Things, he appeared in the films High Flying Bird (2019) and Concrete Cowboy (2020), his first starring role in a feature film. His work also includes the miniseries The New Edition Story (2017) and several television voice acting roles.

<i>The Lion King</i> (2019 film) Disney film by Jon Favreau

The Lion King is a 2019 American musical drama film directed by Jon Favreau, written by Jeff Nathanson, and produced by Walt Disney Pictures and Fairview Entertainment. It is a photorealistic computer-animated remake of Disney's traditionally animated 1994 film The Lion King. The film stars the voices of Donald Glover, Seth Rogen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Alfre Woodard, Billy Eichner, John Kani, John Oliver, Florence Kasumba, Eric André, Keegan-Michael Key, JD McCrary, Shahadi Wright Joseph, with Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, and James Earl Jones. The plot follows Simba, a young lion who must embrace his role as the rightful king of his homeland following the murder of his father, Mufasa, at the hands of his uncle, Scar.

<i>"Awaken, My Love!"</i> 2016 studio album by Childish Gambino

"Awaken, My Love!" is the third studio album by American recording artist Donald Glover, under his stage name Childish Gambino. It was released by Glassnote Records on December 2, 2016. Consisting of tracks being sung rather than rapped, its fusion of psychedelic soul, funk and R&B influences was considered a bold departure from the predominantly hip hop style of his prior work. The album was produced by Glover and his longtime collaborator, Ludwig Göransson.

"Redbone" is a song recorded by American rapper and singer Childish Gambino, the stage name of Donald Glover. It was released on November 17, 2016, and serves as the second single from his third studio album "Awaken, My Love!" The song received three Grammy Award nominations including Record of the Year at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards, eventually winning the award for Best Traditional R&B Performance. In 2021, it was ranked No. 383 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

"Terrified" is a song by American rapper and singer Childish Gambino from his third studio album "Awaken, My Love!". It was sent to urban contemporary radio as the album's third single on September 19, 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">This Is America (song)</span> 2018 single by Childish Gambino

"This Is America" is a song by American rapper Childish Gambino. Written and produced by Gambino and Ludwig Göransson, with additional writing credits going to American rapper Young Thug, it was released on May 6, 2018 at the same time that Gambino was hosting an episode of Saturday Night Live. The song features background vocals from Young Thug alongside fellow American rappers Slim Jxmmi of Rae Sremmurd, BlocBoy JB, Quavo of Migos, and Atlanta-based rapper 21 Savage. The lyrics and accompanying music video, reflecting the core of the Black Lives Matter movement, confront issues of ongoing systemic racism, including prejudice, racial violence, the ghetto, and law enforcement in the United States, as well as the wider issues of mass shootings and gun violence in the United States. Originally, Gambino intended it to be a diss record towards fellow rapper Drake.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Feels Like Summer (Childish Gambino song)</span> 2018 promotional single by Childish Gambino

"Feels Like Summer", also known as "42.26", is a song by American recording artist Childish Gambino. The song was released by Wolf+Rothstein, Liberator Music and RCA Records on July 11, 2018. It was written and produced by Gambino and his longtime collaborator Ludwig Göransson. The song was made available for digital download and streaming along with "Summertime Magic" as a part of the extended play Summer Pack. It is featured on the FIFA 19 soundtrack. It later appeared on his fourth album, 3.15.20, under the title "42.26". The song received a Grammy nomination for Best R&B Song at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">This Is America Tour</span> 2018–19 concert tour by Childish Gambino

The This Is America Tour was the fifth concert tour by American recording artist Childish Gambino. The tour began in the summer of 2018, playing over 20 shows in North America and Europe.

<i>3.15.20</i> 2020 studio album by Childish Gambino

3.15.20 is the fourth studio album by American recording artist Donald Glover, under his stage name Childish Gambino. It was initially uploaded to the website donaldgloverpresents.com on March 15, 2020, before being taken down 12 hours later. After a countdown, it was released to streaming and download services under the title 3.15.20 on March 22. It is therefore interchangeably referred to as both 3.15.20 and Donald Glover Presents. The album features guest appearances from Ariana Grande, Kadhja Bonet, 21 Savage and Ink. Glover produced the album with a range of collaborators including DJ Dahi, longtime producer Ludwig Göransson, Chukwudi Hodge, Kurtis McKenzie and James Francies, Jr.

References

  1. "JD McCrary". IMDb.
  2. George, Rachel (January 29, 2018). "5 Things to Know About JD McCrary, Childish Gambino's Young Grammys Co-Star". Billboard. Retrieved February 21, 2018.
  3. Canter, Brian (November 2, 2016). "First Look: "KC Undercover" Returns With "Undercover Mother," "Trust No One Episodes". Headline Planet. Retrieved February 21, 2018.
  4. Starling, Lankan (December 6, 2016). "JD McCrary Is The Precocious 9 Year-Old Singing on Childish Gambino's "Terrified"". The Fader. Retrieved February 21, 2018.
  5. Cheatle, Juliet (May 14, 2017). "JD McCrary: Who is child singing sensation from Little Big Shots?". Monsters and Critics. Retrieved February 21, 2018.
  6. Reddy, Subba (January 15, 2018). "Kid Singer JD McCrary Wows with 'Who's Loving You' Performance The Ellen Show". Whatever Life. Retrieved February 21, 2018.[ permanent dead link ]
  7. Nyren, Eric (January 28, 2018). "Donald Glover Sang With the Voice of 'The Lion King's' Young Simba at the Grammys". Variety . Retrieved February 21, 2018.
  8. Keaney, Quinn (December 11, 2017). "The Actor Playing Young Simba in The Lion King Reboot Blew NBA Fans Away With His Voice". Pop Sugar.
  9. "Inviting All of You - Single". iTunes.
  10. "Jd Mccrary, Youngest Solo Artist To Sign With Hollywood Records Releases 'My Name' Video". Broadway World.
  11. "THE LION KING'S JD McCrary Signs to Hollywood Records". Broadway World. Retrieved November 27, 2018.
  12. "JD MCCRARY RELEASES NEW SINGLE 'KEEP IN TOUCH'". Tiger Beat.
  13. Andreeva, Nellie (January 30, 2017). "OWN Picks Up 'House of Payne' Spinoff From Tyler Perry". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved February 21, 2018.
  14. Galuppo, Mia (June 19, 2018). "'Lion King' Actor JD McCrary Joins Marsai Martin in 'Little' (Exclusive)". Hollywood Reporter.
  15. Davis, Justin (December 8, 2017). "The 10-Year-Old Playing Simba Alongside Donald Glover Has A Cooler Life Than You". Complex. Retrieved February 21, 2018.
  16. "What To Expect From The Characters In The Upcoming 'The Lion King' Adaptation - Entertainment Weekly". Entertainment Weekly/YouTube . April 25, 2019. Retrieved April 29, 2019.
  17. "Shine - EP by JD McCrary". iTunes. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
  18. Jefferson, J'na (November 28, 2017). "Interview: JD McCrary Talks 'The Lion King,' Working With Donald Glover". Vibe. Retrieved March 22, 2018.