Jayne Kennedy

Jayne Kennedy Overton was born on October 27, 1951. She was awarded Miss Ohio 1970. She was the first African American woman to win the title and was one of the 10 semi-finalists of the Miss America pageant in 1970. Jayne is best known for playing Julie Winters in the 1981 movie Body and Soul, in which she co-starred with Leon Isaac Kennedy. She has always had her eyes set on becoming an actress.

Even as a young child, she didn’t look to becoming a lawyer or a doctor. Fortunately, she was able to pursue her true passion. Jayne started her career after she won the Miss Ohio USA title. Jayne peaked during the 1970s, owing to the many guest appearances she had on various popular TV shows like “The Rockford Files” and “Wonder Woman”. In the 1980s, she focused on becoming a host. The story of colorful life was featured in the 2019 documentary No Lye: An American Beauty Story.