Joseph Harrell was born in December of (1973) in Norfolk, Virginia, to parents Helen and Clayton Harrell. Three years later, Helen divorced Clayton, and she moved Joseph along with his older sister Julie to New Mexico. Harrell got his first taste of acting at age seven, when he performed in a church play. However, the divorce and lack of a father figure had a major effect on him. He proceeded to act out, getting into loads of trouble with the law, eventually being put into the local "Scared Straight" program at age ten. The family returned to Virginia Beach in (1984) in order to keep Harrell out of trouble. From the age of 10, he held several part-time jobs ranging from paperboy to pamphleteer, gas station attendant to mechanic, pizza delivery guy to restaurant manager, seafood warehouses to first mate on a fishing boat, and greens keeper to golf caddy. During this time Harrell was involved in various sports such as football, boxing and power lifting. Unfortunately, trouble eventually found him. From the years (1984 - 1991), Harrell was arrested for numerous gang and street related crimes, fighting, vandalism, grand larceny and car theft. In (1992), while attending Bayside high school, Harrell decided to join the Marine Corps in order to find the structure he needed, but a curiosity for exotic dancing caught his eye. Less than three months later he dropped out of high school to pursue a career as a male stripper, a job he would hold for four years

In (1996), Harrell headed to New York to pursue his lifelong passion of acting, enrolling at HB Studios. His first audition a year later, for the film "Quiz Show," was a disaster. Scarred from the experience, Harrell gave up acting and decided to focus on a career as a personal trainer for the next three years.

Bored and feeling that he was still in desperate need of structure and focus in his life, Harrell kept a promise he made to himself; got his GED, finished a semester of college, and joined the US Marine Corps in (1999). Having found the lifelong search for structure and discipline, Harrell quickly rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant in less than five years. Before enlisting for another term, Harrell was in charge of over one hundred Marines and twenty aircraft. During his second enlistment from January (2005-2008), Harrell served as a Drill Instructor for 3rd Battalion Lima Company at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, a position that would have an incredibly positive effect on him. "Being part of something bigger than your self is very exciting," says Harrell, regarding his time in the USMC. "Learning patience, not to quit, and looking forward instills wonderful behavior."

Harrell's big acting break came in (2009) with K.J. Sanchez's critically acclaimed Off-Broadway play "ReEntry," which explored the difficulties faced by military veterans making the transition from the battle front to the home front. Originally hired as a military consultant, Harrell's incredible charisma and command of the script during a workshop of the play thoroughly impressed writer/director Sanchez, and she quickly offered him the lead role of the "C.O."