Smollett-Bell began her acting career appearing in a recurring roles on the ABC family sitcoms Full House and Hangin' with Mr. Cooper playing Denise Frazer.[10] From 1994 to 1995, she co-starred with her siblings in the short-lived ABC sitcom On Our Own. In 1996, she appeared in the Francis Ford Coppola film Jack, making her big-screen debut.[10]