If you grew up watching the exploits of George and Louise Jefferson "movin' on up" to that deluxe apartment in the sky, you probably remember the family tree pretty well. There was George, the bombastic dry-cleaning mogul. There was "Weezy," the patient but firm heart of the home. And then there was Lionel, their son, whose relationship with Jenny Willis bridged the gap between the Jeffersons and their "interracial" neighbors, Tom and Helen. But things get a little fuzzy for casual viewers when we start talking about the third generation. Specifically, people always ask: who played Jessica on The Jeffersons?
It’s a simple question with a surprisingly layered answer.
Sitcoms in the 70s and 80s were notorious for swapping out child actors like they were changing lightbulbs. It happened on The Brady Bunch (briefly), it happened on Roseanne, and it definitely happened in the Norman Lear universe. When it comes to Jessica Jefferson—the daughter of Lionel and Jenny—the role wasn't just played by one person. It was a baton passed between different young actresses as the character aged from a literal infant into a precocious young girl.
The Early Days: Ebonie Smith Takes the Lead
Most fans who remember Jessica as a distinct character with lines and a personality are thinking of Ebonie Smith.
Ebonie Smith is the definitive Jessica. She joined the cast in 1984 and stayed with the show until its final curtain call in 1985. By the time Ebonie stepped into the role, The Jeffersons was an established institution. It was Season 10. The show had shifted from being a gritty spin-off of All in the Family to a more traditional, gag-heavy sitcom. Jessica was no longer a "plot point" or a baby in a crib; she was a member of the ensemble.
Honestly, Ebonie was a pro. Even at a young age, she had to hold her own against Sherman Hemsley. That’s no small feat. Hemsley’s George Jefferson was a whirlwind of energy, insults, and physical comedy. You couldn't just stand there. You had to react. Ebonie’s Jessica provided a foil for George; she was someone he actually showed a softer side to, even if he was still trying to mold her into a mini-capitalist.
Before she was Jessica, Ebonie was already working. You might recognize her from St. Elsewhere or later, her recurring role as M'Lynn's daughter in the Steel Magnolias TV pilot. But for many, she will always be the girl who lived in the penthouse with the most famous dry cleaner in New York City history.
The Forgotten Jessica: Miley Cyrus? No, That’s a Myth
Before we get into the other real actresses, we have to address the weird internet rumors. No, Miley Cyrus did not play Jessica Jefferson. I’ve seen this pop up in trivia forums, and it’s chronologically impossible. Miley wasn't born until 1992. The Jeffersons ended in '85.
The confusion usually stems from people mixing up different sitcoms or confusing Ebonie Smith with other child stars of the era. It's wild how the internet can just manifest a "fact" out of thin air because two people look vaguely similar in a grainy YouTube thumbnail.
The Infant Years: Who Came Before Ebonie?
Before Ebonie Smith made the role her own, Jessica was played by twins. This is standard industry practice. Because of strict child labor laws in California, production companies use identical twins so they can double the amount of time a "character" can be on set.
For the earliest appearances of Jessica Jefferson, Susan and Sharon Burkett were the ones in the stroller.
They appeared during the mid-80s transition periods. These weren't "acting" roles in the sense of delivering monologues. They were "be a baby and don't cry when the audience claps" roles. Still, they are technically the answer to who played Jessica on The Jeffersons during the character's infancy.
Later, as the character needed to do more, Destinee DeWalt took over for a brief stint. DeWalt’s time on the show is often overlooked because she appeared during a period where Lionel and Jenny’s marriage was crumbling—a storyline that many fans found depressing compared to the earlier, lighter seasons.
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Why the Character of Jessica Mattered
It wasn't just about having a cute kid on set. Jessica represented the culmination of the "Jeffersons" journey.
Think about it.
The show started with George Jefferson’s obsession with legacy and status. He wanted to prove he could make it. Having a granddaughter who was part of an interracial family—the very thing George initially struggled with when meeting the Willises—was a massive narrative arc. Jessica was the living proof of the progress (and the occasional friction) within the family.
When you watch the later seasons, the writers used Jessica to humanize George. George could be a bigot. He could be selfish. But he adored that little girl. It showed that even the most stubborn man could evolve when faced with the next generation.
The Lionel and Jenny Factor
You can't talk about Jessica without talking about her parents. The actors playing Lionel and Jenny changed too, which adds to the confusion. Mike Evans (the original Lionel and co-creator of Good Times) left and was replaced by Damon Evans (no relation). Then Mike Evans came back.
This revolving door of parents meant that the "family unit" felt a bit unstable for viewers. By the time Ebonie Smith arrived as a permanent Jessica, she actually provided a bit of needed stability. She was a constant in those final two seasons.
Where is Ebonie Smith Now?
After The Jeffersons ended, Ebonie didn't just disappear. She stayed very active in the industry for a long time.
- She appeared in Family Matters.
- She had a role in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
- She played the daughter of Danny Glover’s character in the Lethal Weapon franchise (Carrie Murtaugh).
That’s a pretty incredible resume. Imagine going from being George Jefferson’s granddaughter to Roger Murtaugh’s daughter. She worked with some of the biggest names in Hollywood during the 80s and 90s.
Eventually, Ebonie stepped away from the relentless grind of Hollywood acting to focus on other pursuits, including education and writing. She’s often remembered fondly by the cast. In various retrospectives, the actors have mentioned how professional the kids were on that set. Norman Lear didn't tolerate "stage parent" nonsense, so the child actors had to be grounded.
Casting History at a Glance
If you’re trying to track the timeline, it basically looks like this:
- Infancy (Season 6-7): Primarily the Burkett twins.
- Toddler Years (Season 8-9): Various child actors including Destinee DeWalt.
- The "Big Girl" Jessica (Season 10-11): Ebonie Smith.
Most of the confusion regarding who played Jessica on The Jeffersons comes from the fact that the show ran for a staggering 11 seasons. That is a lifetime in TV. A character born in Season 6 is going to be a completely different person by Season 11.
The Legacy of the Role
Does it matter who played her? To the fans, yeah. Jessica was a symbol of the show's longevity.
When The Jeffersons was abruptly canceled in 1985—so abruptly that the cast wasn't even told until after the fact—we lost the chance to see Jessica grow up into her own spin-off. There were rumors for years about a "Next Generation" style show, but it never materialized. We are left with the episodes we have, where Ebonie Smith gave a voice to the youngest member of the Jefferson-Willis clan.
If you are looking to revisit these performances, the late-season episodes are where you’ll see the most of Jessica. Look for the episodes where George tries to teach her about business. Those are the gems. They show the DNA of the show—ambition, family, and a lot of heart—passed down to a little girl who, in George's eyes, was going to own the whole world one day.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans
If you're diving back into The Jeffersons lore, here is how you can actually track down these performances and learn more about the era:
- Watch the Season 10 Premiere: This is where Ebonie Smith really begins to shine. You can see the immediate chemistry shift between her and Sherman Hemsley.
- Check out the Lethal Weapon Series: If you want to see "Jessica" all grown up (or at least as a teenager), Ebonie Smith’s performance as Carrie Murtaugh is excellent and shows her range beyond the sitcom format.
- Research the "Lear Revolution": To understand why Jessica's character was written the way she was, look into Norman Lear’s production notes. He was very intentional about showing the reality of interracial families in the 80s, which was still a relatively "taboo" topic for prime-time television.
- Avoid Unverified Trivia Sites: Stick to reputable databases like IMDb or official network archives. As we saw with the Miley Cyrus rumor, celebrity "facts" on social media are often just hallucinations.
The history of The Jeffersons is a history of American culture. Jessica Jefferson might have been a small part of that, but she represented the future. Whether it was the Burkett twins or Ebonie Smith, the actresses who played her helped complete the story of one of TV’s most iconic families.