Joy Bryant Husband, Net Worth, Kids, Family, Acting Career

American former model and actress Joy Bryant launched her professional acting career in 2001 and since then she has appeared in feature films like The Skeleton Key, Get Rich or Die Tryin’, About Last Night, and more. However, she is best recognized for her role in NBC’s sitcom Parenthood.

Bryant who was born on October 18, 1974, in The Bronx, New York is more than just a pretty face, she is a beauty with brains. She attended Westminster School in Simsbury Connecticut where she was excellent at her academics and as a result, she earned an academic scholarship to attend Yale University.

Joy Bryant Acting Career

At the age of 3, Bryant began showing signs that she may have a career in the entertainment industry when she started dancing. While growing up in The Bronx, Bryant was a beneficiary part of an inner-city outreach organization called “A Better Chance,” which is designed to encourage minority talent.

Her foray into show business began during her days as a Yale student when she was discovered by modeling scouts from Next Models Management. In no time, Bryant signed on to actively pursue a career in modeling. She repped big names like Rocawear, Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren, and Victoria’s Secret.

Joy branched into acting in 2001 making her debut in MTV’s Carmen: A Hip Hopera where she played the role of Nikki. The film also starred Beyonce. In 2002, she appeared on Showtime alongside Eddie Murphy. Joy got her big break in 2002 in the film Antwone Fisher, which was Denzel Washington’s directorial debut. In the film, Joy played s the supportive girlfriend of the titular character Antwone played by Derek Luke.

Joy acted alongside Jessica Alba in the romantic drama film Honey (2003). Her 2004 films would include Spider-Man 2, Three-Way, and Haven. Bryant’s acting career leaped to the next level in 2005 when she appeared in a series of high-profile films including London and The Skeleton Key both for which she received critical acclaim. Ultimately, she was praised for her ability to prove her versatility.

Also in 2005, Joy appeared in 50 Cent’s Get Rich or Die Tryin’. On the small screen, Joy made her debut in ER where she played the recurring role of Valerie Gallant. In 2008, she guest-starred in Entourage. From 2010 to 2015, she portrayed the main role of  Jasmine in Parenthood which in 2013 earned her an NAACP Image Awards nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. Between 2015 and 2017 she had a role in the TV series Rosewood.

Net Worth: $2 million

Joy Bryant Husband: Dave Pope

Joy is married to stuntman Dave Pope. They had met while Bryant was filming Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins which was released in 2008. Pope’s stuntman skills were employed in the same film.

After months of dating, OK magazine revealed that the duo had got engaged in 2007. Their wedding was held in June 2008 at a private residence in Amagansett, New York. Bryant wore a custom dress made by her friend Angela Missoni and later changed into a floral minidress also by Missoni. Her husband wore a grey Calvin Klein suit.

Joy Bryant Kids

Joy may be popular for her role in Parenthood, however, the former model has no plans of becoming a parent in real life. Well, over the years, her decision to do so has not sat down well with her friends, colleagues, and fans who’ve urged her to go ahead and get a baby arguing that she’d be great at motherhood and that she’d make such beautiful children.

Joy seemed to have had enough of the opinions in April 2016 when she penned a letter to Lenny Letter detailing why her choice about motherhood should not be their business.

“I, as the recipient, must keep my cool and either explain myself or gracefully defend myself,” the former model wrote. “They’re lucky I’m a classy broad. I know people don’t mean any harm, but this really shouldn’t be an issue at all, because what I choose to do or not do with my womb should be of no concern to anyone but my husband.”

In another part of the letter, she wrote;

“I should commit to one of the toughest jobs in the world, all for the sake of populating the planet with a super-human specimen of good breeding? No, thanks. I’m good.”

Joy Bryant Family

Bryant was born to her mother when she was just 15 years old. She revealed in an emotional letter for Lenny Letter that her mother Joyce was sexually assaulted by the man who would become her father.

In the letter, Bryant also narrated her own experiences with sexual assault. She wrote:

“On October 18, 1974, Joyce gave birth to me. not in love but in shame, after hiding her pregnancy from my grandmother for six months. I am the product of a 15-year-old girl and an older man she knew. It doesn’t matter how or why or when. It happened, and with both my mother and my father died, I’ll never know the specifics.”

That sexual trauma her mom went through prevented her mom from being the mom she had wanted her to be, Joy explained in the letter. Now, nosy fand can understand better her fears of parenthood.

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