Amirah J

Acting

Amirah J (born 2007) is an American actress from Washington, D.C., who is best known for her role as “Xan” in Shameless. She is one of the up-and-coming young talents on US television and has been working professionally as an actress since childhood. Amirah began her acting career at around the age of eight. Her mother is Tiffanie Johnson and her father is a US Army veteran. In Shameless (2018), she played Xan alongside Jeremy Allen White, William H. Macy, and Emmy Rossum. In High Potential (2024), she portrayed Ava, the daughter of the main character. In the short film How Not To Be a Junkie (2022), she took on the role of Katie, a complex teenage character—the film has won several awards. Amirah J is also a cheerleader and competes as a “flyer” in competitions, which highlights her physical agility. She is known for her emotional expressiveness and her ability to portray intense roles credibly. Her mixed ethnic background shapes her identity and versatility as an actress.