Who was Jonshel Alexander? Quvenzhane Wallis pays tribute as 'Beasts of the Southern Wild' child actor is shot and killed in Louisiana

Child actor Jonshel Alexander from the 2012 film Beasts of the Southern Wild was recently killed in a weekend shooting in Louisiana. The cops revealed that she, along with one man, were shot inside a vehicle on November 27 in New Orleans.

Jonshel, who was 22 years old, died on the spot. The other man, whose name has not been revealed yet, reportedly drove himself to the hospital for treatment.

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Many from the acting fraternity paid tribute to the late actor. Among them was Quvenzhane Wallis, who appeared in Beasts of the Southern Wild alongside Alexander. Taking to Instagram to pen down a message for her late friend, she wrote:

"when were filming we were always together and i wish i could go back in time so i can see you again. i love you. you will be missed by so many.🙏🏽🕊🕊"

The incident is still under investigation and while law enforcement authorities are searching for the culprit, they have requested the public for help as well if they have any leads.

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Everything to know about Jonshel Alexander

Jonshel Alexander in Beasts of the Southern Wild (Image via diamondlass99/Twitter)

Jonshel Alexander was mostly known for her appearance as Joy Strong in Beasts of the Southern Wild, released in 2012. The film was based on the story of a poor Louisiana bayou community fighting for survival and it won several accolades - including four Academy Awards.

Alexander was cast by director Benh Zeitlin after an audition of almost 4,000 actors. Jonshel’s mother said that her daughter impressed the filmmakers and grabbed the role.

Since the lead character of Hushpuppy needed someone under the age of 6, the role was played by Wallis instead of Jonshel. However, Benh was still mesmerized by Alexander and thus cast her in a supporting role.

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Zeitlin said that they included a part of the film that was inspired by her. According to San Antonio Express-News, he said:

“A lot of the lines were written by her, and so much of the character grew out of who Jonshel was. Her character in the film is named Joy Strong, which always seemed like a perfect description of Jonshel. She was a really bright burning light.”

Reports say that Jonshel Alexander was the youngest among the three children and was a hostess in restaurants after completing her graduation.

Since she does not have a Wikipedia page, details related to her date of birth, family, educational background, and net worth remain unknown for now.