John Earl Jelks

John Earl Jelks (born July 16, 1959) is an American actor known for his work in theatre and on screen. He has appeared in films such as Compensation (1999), Miracle at St. Anna (2008), Enter the Dangerous Mind (2013), and Night Comes On (2018), as well as television series including True Detective (2019), The I-Land (2019), and On Becoming a God in Central Florida (2019). Jelks received a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Play for his role in August Wilson's Radio Golf in 2007. He has also been recognized with a double Obie Award for Fetch Clay, Make Man and Sunset Baby in 2014. Originally from a Mississippi family, Jelks spent his childhood in California and Illinois, including in Chicago.