The Cast of 'Poetic Justice': Where Are They Now?

As 'Poetic Justice' celebrates its 30th anniversary, see what the cast of the 1993 film looks like today

Poetic Justice turns 30 today!

The second film from legendary director John Singleton, Poetic Justice featured a powerhouse cast with Janet Jackson (in her first feature film role), Tupac Shakur, Regina King and Joe Torry at the helm. Though the film premiered to mixed reviews, it's since developed a cult following mostly because of the chemistry between the leads.

See what some of the stars of Poetic Justice looks like today.

Janet Jackson: Justice

Playing the titular character, Janet Jackson portrayed the lyrical and bereft Justice, who was grieving the loss of her boyfriend after he was killed at the start of the film.

Known mostly for her sultry vocals and killer dance moves, Jackson snagged Best Original Song Oscar and Golden Globe nominations for Poetic Justice's theme song, "Again."

Following Poetic Justice, she concentrated on her music career and went on to sell millions of albums, winning five Grammys in the process. She also starred in other films, like Nutty Professor II alongside Eddie Murphy, as well as Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married? and its 2010 sequel.

The multi-hyphenate, now 57, added another line to her résumé when she became mom to son Eissa Al Mana in 2017.

She's currently on her 10th concert tour, Together Again.

Tupac Shakur: Lucky

One of the best hip-hop artists of all time, Tupac starred as Janet Jackson's antagonist and love interest in the 1993 film.

Prior to joining Poetic Justice, he had appeared in another cult classic, playing Bishop in 1992's Juice. Shakur would go on to expand his film résumé with movies such as Above the Rim, Gang Related and Bullet.

On the music side, Tupac became an easy favorite among hip-hop fans with chart-topping hits such as Dear Mama, Keep Ya Head Up and California Love that were both hardcore, yet soulful.

The rap legend was gunned down in a drive-by shooting in 1996, one block off the Las Vegas strip. He was 25 years old.

His murder has remained unsolved, though police recently searched a house in suburban Las Vegas for evidence tied to the 1996 homicide.

Regina King: Iesha

Playing Justice's BFF Iesha was Regina King, whose quest to go on a road trip from L.A. to Oakland sets off the entire story.

King's career spans nearly four decades. The 52-year-old has appeared in classic after classic — from playing Brenda Jenkins in 227 to Sam Fuller in Miss Congeniality 2: Armed & Fabulous. She's been in Jerry Maguire opposite Tom Cruise and A Cinderella Story opposite Hilary Duff.

And she's got some serious hardware to show for her undeniable talents: in 2019, she won both the Golden Globe and Academy Award for her supporting role in If Beale Street Could Talk; she has four Primetime Emmys — two for outstanding supporting actress in a limited series or movie for American Crime and two for lead roles in Seven Seconds and Watchmen.

In 2020, she got behind the camera and scored a Director's Guild nomination for her work on the critically acclaimed One Night in Miami.

Joe Torry: Chicago

Joe Torry played King's love interest, Chicago, in the film.

Since Poetic Justice, he's continued to act, making appearances in ER, Girlfriends, and NCIS, among others. These days, the 57-year-old gets his creative juices flowing as a touring comedian, per his Instagram page.

Q-Tip: Markell

We know him mostly as the smooth lyricist from A Tribe Called Quest, but Q-Tip dabbled in the world of acting, playing Janet Jackson's boyfriend at the beginning of Poetic Justice. He also starred in 2001's Prison Song, which he co-wrote.

Music remains his bread and butter though, as the rapper went on to work with Jackson on their 1997 hit "Got 'til It's Gone." He also found solo success outside of A Tribe Called Quest, as the group disbanded and later reunited. According to IMDb, the 53-year-old has contributed to soundtracks for The Great Gatsby, Charlie's Angels, Taxi and Get Carter.

Khandi Alexander: Simone

She had a minor role in Poetic Justice, but Alexander's career is anything but.

She appeared in There's Something About Mary, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation as well as NYPD Blue. However, most people will recognize the 65-year-old for playing either Jackie Robbins on ER; Olivia Pope's sinister mother, Maya Lewis on Scandal; or her long-running stint as medical examiner Alexx Woods on CSI: Miami.

Tyra Ferrell: Jessie

Playing Justice's confidant and employer at Jessie's Salon was Tyra Ferrell, who had a hefty résumé before lending her talents to the John Singleton film. She appeared in the TV seriesThe Bronx Zoo as well as White Men Can't Jump, Jungle Fever and Boyz n the Hood.

These days, it appears Ferrell has briefly stepped away from the spotlight. The 61-year-old's last credit was in 2020's A New York Christmas Wedding, per IMDb.

Yvette Wilson: Colette

Also making a brief appearance was actress Yvette Wilson, mostly known for her role as Andell in Moesha and The Parkers.

Wilson died of cervical cancer in 2012. She was 48 years old.

Maya Angelou: Aunt June

Offering some words of wisdom throughout the film was Maya Angelou's Aunt June.

The renowned poet made several on-screen cameos throughout her career, appearing in Tyler Perry's Madea's Family Reunion, Touched by An Angel, Roots and How to Make an American Quilt, just to name a few.

Dr. Maya Angelou died in 2014. She was 86 years old.

Jenifer Lewis: Annie

With a career that spans decades, Jenifer Lewis is one of the most beloved actresses in Hollywood. Her résumé boasts hits the likes of Black-ish, In Living Color, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Mickey Mouse Fun House and many more.

Though she did a killer job playing Tupac's mother in Poetic Justice, she told Jalopnik it almost didn't happen. Days prior to filming, the actress's car was stolen, and while police were able to retrieve it, the thieves had broken one of her windows which made auditioning a hassle, given that it was raining the day she had to go in.

"I said, 'I'm not going because my window is broken in my car and I'm just not going,' " she recalled telling her agent.

Adding to her misery was the fact that the audition was also far away, and John Singleton was still relatively new in the film world, she explained to the outlet. At her agent's behest, Lewis, now 66, drove in the pouring rain and auditioned anyway.

"I walked in and John Singleton was there — adorable," she said. "I read [for the part] and then I said, 'Little boy, just give me the f------ job would ya?' " she joked. And the rest was history.

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