Amirah J
Biography
Amirah J, born June 18, 2007, in Washington, D.C., is an American actress. She began acting as a child, with reports of her starting around age eight and of her beginning acting and dancing at age two. Her mother is Tiffanie Johnson and her father is a U.S. Army veteran. Amirah is known for portraying Xan in the 2018 season of the television series Shameless, appearing alongside Jeremy Allen White, William H. Macy and Emmy Rossum. She played Ava, the daughter of the main character, in the 2024 series High Potential, and starred as Katie in the award‑winning 2022 short film How Not To Be a Junkie. She is described as a native performer and competitor.
Career overview
Amirah J was born on June 18, 2007, in Washington, D.C., and began performing at a very young age, taking up acting and dancing by the time she was two years old. She entered professional acting around the age of eight and quickly became known for her work on American television. Her early exposure to performance was supported by a family background that includes a mother, Tiffanie Johnson, and a father who served as a U.S. Army veteran.
J’s most recognizable television role came in 2018 when she was cast as Xan in the series Shameless, appearing alongside Jeremy Allen White, William H. Macy, and Emmy Rossum. She continued to expand her résumé with a leading part in the 2022 short film How Not To Be a Junkie, portraying a teenage character named Katie. In 2024 she took on the role of Ava, the daughter of the main character, in the series High Potential. Across these projects, Amirah J has demonstrated a range of dramatic abilities, establishing herself as a young talent in the U.S. television and film landscape.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full filmography
- High Potential (2024) as Ava Gillory
- How Not to Be a Junkie (2022)
- The Coroner: I Speak for the Dead (2016) as Young Saliyma
- Shameless (2011) as Xan Galvez