Celebrity Biographies

Jonshel Alexander

Published

2 years ago

December 3, 2022

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She was only 22 years old, and at 12 she was one of the leading girls in “Beasts of the Wild South”. Jonshel Alexander passed away on December 27, 2021, after being shot by an individual while she was in a car in New Orleans. She was accompanied by a man, whose identity has not been revealed, who was also injured, although he recovered in hospital.

Born in 1999, Jonshel Alexander ‘s mother decided to cast her for Beasts of the Wild South , because director Benh Zeitlin wanted Louisiana natives for all the lead roles, ideally with no experience. Although the girl was already too young to play the lead (the role fell to Quvenzhané Wallis , who was 6 years old), the director was impressed by her talent. “She was an absolutely unique, unforgettable human being, a force of nature,” explains Zeitlin, who cast her in a supporting role.

In the film, Wallis played Hushpuppy, a fearless girl who lives with her father, Wink, in The Bathtub, a poor island community. When her parent contracts a disease, a Wink storm teaches her to survive on her own, preparing her for the day when he can’t protect her. Hushpuppy’s strength is put to the test when Wink contracts a disease, a storm overflows a nearby levee, flooding the area. Jonshel Alexander played the cheerful Joy Strong, one of the local girls.

Following Beasts of the Wild South , Alexander did not continue her acting career. In her place, she finished her studies and after graduating she started working as a waitress in restaurants. At the time of her death, she had a one-year-old daughter.

“We incorporated elements inspired by her into her character,” said Benh Zeitlin , upon hearing the sad news of her death. “We let her improvise some of her dialogue. Her character is called Joy Strong, which I always thought was a perfect description of Jonshel Alexander .” “When we filmed we were always together and I wish I could go back in time to see you again. I love you. Many people will miss you,” Quvenzhané Wallis explained .