The Cast of 'Eve's Bayou': Where Are They Now?

Meagan Good, Jurnee Smollett starred as sisters in this 1997 film.

Eve's Bayou (1996) - Now established as a Hollywood power player, Jackson stepped into the role of producer for Eve's Bayou. He also starred in this drama set in Louisiana, playing a doctor whose daughter witnesses him having an affair.(Photo: Courtesy Trimark Pictures)

1 / 10

Eve's Bayou (1997) - This groundbreaking film about the coming-of-age of a wealthy African-American family in Louisiana was one of the best-reviewed films of 1997 and introduced a lot of new talent, including director Kasi Lemmons and stars Meagan Good and Jurnee Smollett. Twenty-six years later, we look back at what the key players have been up to. (Photo: Trimark Pictures)

Jurnee Smollett-Bell: October 1  - The Friday Night Lights actress turns 27 this week.(Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

2 / 10

Jurnee Smollett - At ten years old, Smollett was the talk of Hollywood for her portrayal of conflicted young Eve Baptiste. In the years since, she has starred in a number of films and television. Smollett has also been an activist for AIDS awareness and youth development in South Africa. In 2020, she starred in the hit HBO series "Lovecraft Country." This year, she played a high-powered lawyer up against Jamie Foxx in "The Burial." (Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

Debbi Morgan - A veteran actress best known for her work on All My Children, Morgan played clairvoyant Mozelle Delacroix in the film. For her role as the seer who guides Eve, Morgan won a Chicago Film Critics Association award and an Independent Spirit Award. In 2011, after All My Children ended its run, Morgan continued her soap career on The Young and the Restless.(Photo: David Becker/Getty Images)

3 / 10

Debbi Morgan - A veteran actress best known for her work on All My Children, Morgan played clairvoyant Mozelle Delacroix in the film. For her role as the seer who guides Eve, Morgan won a Chicago Film Critics Association award and an Independent Spirit Award. Morgan has appeared in countless films over the years. In 2023, she played Keyshia Cole's mother, Franky, in Keyshia Cole's "This Is My Story." (Photo: David Becker/Getty Images)

Photo By Photo: David Becker/Getty Images

Samuel L. Jackson - Jackson, who executive produced the film, played Eve's shady father Louis and he was already a bona fide star when Eve's Bayou was released. But in the years since, the 64-year-old went from star to supernova, starring in huge franchises like Star Wars and The Avengers and becoming one of the most bankable actors in the business.  (Photo: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

4 / 10

Samuel L. Jackson - Jackson, who executive produced the film, played Eve's shady father, Louis, and he was already a bona fide star when Eve's Bayou was released. Today, he has become one of the most bankable actors in the business. Today, Samuel L. Jackson has become official Hollywood royalty, becoming one of the highest-grossing actors of all time. He is part of the Marvel franchise as Nick Fury and this year he starred in The Kill Room alongside Uma Thurman. (Photo: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

Lynn Whitfield - This Emmy-winning actress is a Louisiana native and brought a great deal of authenticity to her role as the matriarch of a prosperous Black family in the Bayou. After the film, Whitfield continued her steady stream of work in films and television, including roles in Tyler Perry's Madea's Family Reunion and the Cheetah Girls films.   (Photo: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

5 / 10

Lynn Whitfield - This Emmy-winning actress is a Louisiana native and brought a great deal of authenticity to her role as the matriarch of a prosperous Black family in the Bayou. After the film, Whitfield continued her steady work, including starring in the OWN series Greenleaf. She currently has a recurring role in Lena Waithe's The Chi. (Photo: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

ADVERTISEMENT
Diahann Carroll: July 17 - This groundbreaking film and television actress, who turns 77, opened a lot of doors for Black actors in Hollywood. (Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

6 / 10

Diahann Carroll - Carroll was already a living legend by the time she starred as local witch Elzora in Eve's Bayou. The actress continued to work and was praised as a pioneer for Black actors. She passed away at 84 years old in 2019. (Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

Lisa Nicole Carson: July 12 - The reclusive actress, who dropped off the radar after rising to fame on Ally McBeal, turns 43. (Photo: Jim Smeal/WireImage)

7 / 10

Lisa Nicole Carson - Carson was a rising star when she was the temptress in Bayou. She simultaneously starred in two hit shows, Ally McBeal and E.R., until 2002. After that, Carson virtually disappeared from site, not acting for a full decade before breaking her sabbatical in 2012 to appear in the final episode of Ally McBeal creator David E. Kelley's Harry's Law. In 2017, she reappeared to play Ricky Bell's mother in The New Edition Story. (Photo: Jim Smeal/WireImage)

Photo By Photo: Jim Smeal/WireImage

Meagan Good: August 8 - The star of Think Like a Man, who recently married producer DeVon Franklin, turns 31.   (Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

8 / 10

Meagan Good - Barely a teen when she starred as Jurnee Smollett's older sister in the film, Good has since become a prolific actress and certifiable sex symbol with roles in Think Like a Man and starring in the Amazon Prime series Harlem. (Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

Photo By Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Terence Blanchard - A Louisiana native raised in the New Orleans jazz tradition, Blanchard was the perfect choice to score the music for the film. Eve's Bayou was one of the several dozen films Blanchard scored over the years, with his music backing up some of the best films in Black cinema. He has worked extensively with Spike Lee and most recently worked on the score for Red Tails.   (Photo: Jemal Countess/Getty Images)

9 / 10

Terence Blanchard - A Louisiana native raised in the New Orleans jazz tradition, Blanchard was the perfect choice to score the music for the film. Eve's Bayou was one of the several dozen films Blanchard scored over the years, with his music backing up some of the best films in Black cinema. His recent work includes BlacKkKlansman, Da 5 Bloods and The Woman King. (Photo: Jemal Countess/Getty Images)

Kasi Lemmons (Director) - Lemmons knocked it out the park with her directorial debut, garnering both box office success and critical acclaim for Eve's Bayou. The deeply personal drama was the start of a great career. Lemmons later directed Samuel L. Jackson in Caveman's Valentine and Don Cheadle in Talk to Me. She also helmed the tribute to Sidney Poitier for the 2002 Academy Awards and is gearing up for the release of her latest film, Black Nativity starring Jennifer Hudson, this winter. (Photo: Jordan Strauss/Getty Images)

10 / 10

Kasi Lemmons (Director) - Lemmons knocked it out of the park with her directorial debut, garnering both box office success and critical acclaim for Eve's Bayou. Her career has only soared, in 2019, she directed the Harriet Tubman biopic Harriet, and last year, she directed Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody. (Photo: Jordan Strauss/Getty Images)

Photo By Photo: Jordan Strauss/Getty Images