Birds of Prey's Jurnee Smollett Reacts to Being a Jeopardy! Clue
Just over three years ago, Jurnee Smollett was cast as Dinah Lance / Black Canary in Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn), marking the character's biggest foray yet onto the big screen. It's safe to say that Smollett left her stamp on the iconic DC Comics character, with news arriving last month that she plans to reprise her role in a Black Canary solo film, which is currently in development for HBO Max. This week, Smollett's take on the character received another honor — being part of a clue on Jeopardy!. On the Tuesday, September 28th episode of the hit syndicated game show, Smollett's take on Black Canary was referenced in a clue about Birds of Prey, with the answer being "Who is Harley Quinn?". On Wednesday, Smollett took to Instagram to react to the mention, in a post that you can check out below.
Created by Robert Kanigher and Carmine Infantino, Dinah Drake/Black Canary started out as a highly-skilled martial artist who subverted femme fatale expectations, and quickly became one of the first popular female heroes of DC's Golden Age. As the decades of her canon went along, she served as a prolific member of the Justice Society of America and the Justice League, and she also developed an ability to emit a powerful sonic scream dubbed the "Canary Cry". A second incarnation of the character — Dinah Laurel Lance, the original Black Canary's daughter — was also established in the Bronze Age of comics. Black Canary is also one of the founding members of the Birds of Prey, and is frequently partnered with Oliver Queen/Green Arrow on both a professional and romantic level. She has appeared across countless issues of comics, as well as multiple television shows, video games, music, and even a young adult novel.
In Birds of Prey, Smollett's take on Black Canary was established as a singer at the Black Mask Club, whose reluctance to be a hero was sparked by the tragic death of her mother. As the film went along, Black Canary embraced her role as a hero — and her Canary Cry, which she'd inherited from her mother — ultimately helping found the Birds of Prey at the end of the film. While the plot of her solo adventure is currently a mystery, we do know Smollett will be reuniting with Lovecraft Country's Misha Green, who is currently penning the film's script.
"It's no secret how much I loved playing Black Canary, and [I was] so honored to take on that mantle," Smollett revealed in an interview last year. "I would absolutely do it again if given a chance."
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