Jalen Jamar Gilbert (MSA Theatre Class of 2012)
The Hall of Fame recipient each year is someone who has utilized the education they gained at MSA to propel their career. Announced during the recent Awards Day program, the 2025 recipient is Jalen Jamar Gilbert, a Mississippi native, who discovered his passion for acting early, training at performing arts schools from elementary through high school here at Mississippi School of the Arts.
Jamar further honed his craft at The Theatre School at DePaul University in Chicago, earning a BFA in Acting, where he gained extensive experience in classical and contemporary performance, voice, and movement. Now based in Los Angeles, Jamar has built a dynamic on-screen career with notable roles in acclaimed television series such as Perimeter (BET), Shameless (Netflix), Chicago Med (NBC), Justified: City Primeval (FX), CSI: Vegas (CBS), and Work in Progress (Showtime). His stage work is equally impressive, having performed in highly regarded productions at Writers Theatre in Chicago, Studio Theatre in Washington, D.C., and most recently, the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles.
Jamar is proudly represented by Innovative Artists and Thruline Entertainment as he continues to bring compelling characters to life on both stage and screen. We were excited to welcome him back to campus in February of this year for a residency where he performed his one man show and taught classes for our theatre students.
We are so proud of the work he has done so far and hope you will enjoy watching him on your screens at home!