# Jayson Warner Smith

Jayson Warner Smith is an American actor who is best known for portraying Gavin in the television series The Walking Dead. He is also known for his role in Rectify as Wendall Jelks and as Dean in The Vampire Diaries.

## Early life and career

Smith was born in Atlanta. He started in theatre at age nine. He also teaches acting in Atlanta. In 2010, he finally scored a larger supporting role in a Hollywood film. He has performed in supporting roles in films and TV shows such as the 2011 remake of Footloose, Anchorman II, The Vampire Diaries, 99 Homes, Mississippi Grind, 42, and Fox's Sleepy Hollow.
In addition to those credits, Smith is known for his portrayal of death-row inmate Wendall Jelks on Sundance TV's Rectify. Beginning in 2015, Smith performed in supporting roles in the films The Book of Love, Christine, The Birth of a Nation, and American Made. Atlanta remains his home and he lives in Athens, GA with his wife Lisa. He is best known for portraying Gavin, an antagonistic character from the horror television series The Walking Dead.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1991 | Last Breeze of Summer | School Policeman #2 | short |
| 2001 | Losing Grace | EMT | |
| 2006 | Fatwa | Teacher | |
| 2009 | The Way of War | Seven | |
| 2009 | The People v. Leo Frank | William Smith / Narrator | |
| 2009 | The Joneses | Maitre d' | |
| 2010 | Lottery ticket | Maitre d' | uncredited |
| 2011 | Footloose | Officer Herb | |
| 2012 | Angel of Mercy | Father Clarke | short |
| 2013 | 42 | White Gas Station Attendant | |
| 2013 | Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues | Guy with Knife in Head | |
| 2014 | Trouble in the Neighborhood | Judd | short |
| 2014 | 99 Homes | Jeff | |
| 2014 | Heavy Water | Mickey | |
| 2015 | Mississippi Grind | Clifford | |
| 2015 | I Saw the Light | Hank Snow | |
| 2016 | Christine | Mitch | |
| 2016 | The Book of Love | Uncle Glen | |
| 2016 | The Birth of a Nation | Hank Fowler | |
| 2017 | American Made | Bill Cooper | Snowbird #1 |
| 2017 | Thank You for Your Service | VA Receptionist | |
| 2018 | All or Nothing | Kirk | |
| 2018 | St. Agatha | Mary's Father | |
| 2018 | Billionaire Boys Club | Investor | |
| 2019 | The Devil to Pay | Wade Runion | |
| 2019 | Rest Stop | Mitch Forsyth | Short |
| 2019 | Only | Arthur | |
| 2019 | Age Difference | Richard | Short |
| 2022 | Where the Crawdads Sing | Deputy Joe Purdue | |
| 2023 | Chipper | Reese | Short |
| 2023 | Sebastian | Fogarty | |
| 2023 | Red West (Blood Meridian) tribute | Ex-Priest Tobin | Short |
| 2023 | You're Killing Me | Joel Murphy | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1997 | Savannah | Delivery Guy | Episode "Every Picture Tells a Story" |
| 2009 | Drop Dead Diva | Carl Amuroso | Episode "Crazy" |
| 2009 | Tyler Perry's House of Payne | Harold Williams | Episode: "Parental Payne" |
| 2012 | Let's Stay Together | Johnny Geter | Episodes: Wait, What? (voice), Creepers |
| 2012 | Final Witness | Mark Koponen | TV Documentary, episode: Vixen's Elixir |
| 2013 | Sleepy Hollow | Carlton | Episode 8: "Necromancer" |
| 2013 | Rectify | Wendall Jelks | 8 episodes (2013–2014) |
| 2014 | The Vampire Diaries | Dean | 2 episodes |
| 2016 | NCIS: New Orleans | Payton Kirk | Episode: "Second Chances" |
| 2016 | One Mississippi | Dalton Green | Episode: The Cat's Out |
| 2016 | The Walking Dead | Gavin | (2016–2017) Season 7: 3 episodes (2017–2018) Season 8: 5 episodes |
| 2018 | Queen America | Mr. Cole | 3 episodes |