Amber Reign Smith Discusses Her Role in 'Tyler Perry's Joe's College Road Trip'

The actress talks about her personal connection to the film's themes and how her character helps bridge the generational divide.

Published on Mar. 8, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Amber Reign Smith, who stars in the new Netflix film 'Tyler Perry's Joe's College Road Trip', discussed her role and how it relates to her own upbringing. Smith plays the character of Destiny, who helps expose the blind spots between the older generation represented by Perry's character Joe and the younger generation represented by Jermaine Harris's character BJ. Smith said she was able to draw from her own experiences of growing up in a diverse environment and not fully realizing the extent of racism until college.

Why it matters

Smith's role in 'Joe's College Road Trip' furthers her involvement in the Tyler Perry cinematic universe, which has become a significant platform for showcasing diverse stories and perspectives. The film's exploration of generational divides and racial understanding resonates with broader societal conversations.

The details

Smith first entered the Tyler Perry universe as Rain in the Netflix series 'Tyler Perry's Beauty in Black'. In 'Joe's College Road Trip', she plays the character of Destiny, who helps bridge the gap between the older generation represented by Perry's character Joe and the younger generation represented by Jermaine Harris's character BJ. Smith said she was able to draw from her own experiences of growing up in a diverse environment and not fully realizing the extent of racism until college.

  • The film 'Tyler Perry's Joe's College Road Trip' is now streaming on Netflix.

The players

Amber Reign Smith

An actress who stars in the new Netflix film 'Tyler Perry's Joe's College Road Trip', playing the character of Destiny.

Tyler Perry

The writer, director, and producer of the film 'Tyler Perry's Joe's College Road Trip'.

Jermaine Harris

The actor who plays the character of BJ in 'Tyler Perry's Joe's College Road Trip'.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“I'm really big on intention, energy and manifestation. So if I was striving to be successful as an actor in my own right, I knew that it was pretty much inevitable if I just did the work. But, I don't think I knew it would be on this level, like, global recognition on Netflix, the biggest streaming service, working directly with Tyler Perry.”

— Amber Reign Smith, Actress (Blavity)

“For me, it was personal because I grew up kind of similar to BJ (Jermaine Harris). I was in a magnet school, I was around all types of races growing up, and I honestly didn't even realize that racism was still a thing until I got to college. So, it's like I understood both sides of it. Once I was exposed and realized like, hold up, this is still very much going on right now, it was like that anger, that rage, just kicked in.”

— Amber Reign Smith, Actress (Blavity)

“She understands the history that Joe knows and he's showing but not really telling, and then she's able to give it to B.J. in a way that's digestible.”

— Amber Reign Smith, Actress (Blavity)

The takeaway

Amber Reign Smith's role in 'Tyler Perry's Joe's College Road Trip' reflects her growing prominence in the Tyler Perry cinematic universe, as well as the film's exploration of generational divides and racial understanding, which resonates with broader societal conversations.