First, before we dive into all the amazing things that you’re doing, I read that you are a March baby and an ’80s baby. So am I! We are the same age!!! Yassss!!! I love that for us!!! Where are you from, and what was life like for you growing up in the 80s/90s era?

Growing up in Paterson, NJ, and later Dublin, GA, I was a very artistic child. My playtime consisted of drawing, writing poetry and stories, and performing a scene or a dance for a willing audience, usually my mother, who has always been my biggest supporter and my greatest inspiration. The 80s/90s was a colorful epoch of imaginative artistry, which was the perfect breeding ground for creatives. From fashion, music, film, and television—everything was innovative, bold, and palpable. I’m talking art in its purest, concentrated form—the substance of what we now consider classic and timeless. It stirred your emotions and made you feel alive; everything felt real. It made you want to create something… anything. My passions were much stronger than a desire to create; it was a requirement. It was as if my very existence depended upon the usage of my gifts. I didn’t know which direction to take my passions or what to focus on. I just knew I had a dire need to express myself through the art of storytelling, whether through writing, acting, or dance. In these past 20 years, my acting career has afforded me the opportunity to do just that… tell stories through the many lives I get to live.

I was also so excited to learn that you are a first-generation graduate, graduating from Clark Atlanta University with a B.A. in political science/pre-law!! Yass, multitalented Queen!! So inspiring! This further sparked my curiosity about how you landed in the world of acting. What sparked your interest in wanting to become an actor?

Initially, my aspiration was to be a lawyer to make my mom proud and lead a profession that seemed achievable and lucrative from her perspective. No matter which path I decided to take, my mom would’ve been extremely proud and supportive because she’s truly an amazing mother. She solely raised four children in one of the roughest cities in New Jersey and then relocated us to Dublin, GA, to present us with fresh possibilities in a different environment. She sacrificed so much of herself for her family, so I wouldn’t have hesitated to sacrifice my artistic dreams if it meant providing her heart’s desires through a successful law career, even though she would’ve forbidden me to give up on my childhood dreams. She still shares her memories of me around the age of 6, sitting in front of the television watching the end credits of a movie while my older siblings were ready to wrestle me for the remote control. She said I, in my tiny 6-year-old frame, was resilient and determined to watch the credits. I had absolutely no clue what I was reading, but I was captivated. I somehow knew it was important; that it meant something… perhaps something foretelling. It was at that age that my favorite movie of all time was released, Coming to America. As I watched comedic legends Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall both transform into 4 different characters, I knew that’s what I wanted to do. I wanted to make people feel what I felt, even at the tender age of 6. Later in my 4th-grade English class, I recall watching the iconic Ms. Cicely Tyson in the film Sounder. While the rest of the class goofed off or slept, I was mesmerized by her performance and moved to tears, perhaps because I could relate to the Morgans’ story of struggle as poor black sharecroppers, considering my grandfather was a sharecropper in the rural south. Ms. Cicely Tyson and Mr. Paul Winfield left an unforgettable impression on me just through their gift of storytelling. That timeless masterpiece fanned the flames that Coming to America initially sparked. Fast-forward to graduating from CAU with my sights set on a career in law, I was presented an opportunity that would completely change the trajectory of not only my career but my entire life. That pivotal moment was attending an open casting call for Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Family Reunion. I landed the unforgettable role launching my acting career, and the rest is cinematic history. Serendipitously, I was blessed to work with two of my muses, Ms. Tyson in Madea’s Family Reunion and several years later with Arsenio Hall in Coming 2 America, the sequel to the original film that sparked my inspiration. So in a way, my life is like a movie, and I couldn’t have written it better myself. Only God, He gets all the credit… or shall I say, movie credits.

Let’s talk about “Tyler Perry’s Divorced Sistas”!! It is SO great!! Love it!! What were your first initial thoughts of the script when you learned about what the series and your character “Bridgette” would entail?

Thank you so much for the love! I’m grateful that the show has been so well-received by the audience and that everyone loves it as much as we do. To be honest, it’s all still so surreal. Everything happened so fast—from auditioning in January to filming in March to premiere and press tour in June and ongoing PR appearances in July—talk about a whirlwind! I’m elated to share this experience with my “sistas” (Khadeen Indréa, Briana Price, LeToya Luckett-Coles, and Porscha Coleman) as we promote the beauty of sisterhood in all of its phases despite the life challenges our characters face. This series deals with real-life grown folks’ issues that I think a lot of people can relate to (e.g., marital and familial conflicts, financial and emotional costs of divorce, etc.) and find a semblance of solace in knowing that they’re not alone in this journey called life. As for my character Bridgette, she’s absolutely exhilarating to bring to life. Upon first reading the audition sides, I instantly fell in love with her. She practically leapt off the pages in a magnetic way. She’s so relatable, hence making the character seamless to portray because many facets of my life were parallel to hers, from shared relationship woes to her wit and humor. She’s an utter delight; I just love her and her old soul. The “innanets” have affectionately and hilariously deemed her “Auntie Bridgette” due to all of her auntie mannerisms, and I’m here for it! LOL!

This show is so relatable for so many people, which is one of the reasons why people love it so much. When it came to preparing for the portrayal of “Bridgette,” where did you draw those emotions from in order to bring “Bridgette” to life? What was that process like?

Life… I’ll spare you the details. I’m so much like Bridgette, it’s scary. So yeah, I didn’t have to dig too deep or reach too far until I found myself speaking on my own behalf and living through Bridgette. It’s been quite cathartic and amusingly liberating.

What similarities do you and “Bridgette” share, if any?

Bridgette sees much of her worth and value in being overly accessible and supportive to her girls (Rasheda, Geneva, Tiffany, and Naomi) and to her boyfriend, Vaughn. She makes an unhealthy effort to be everything to everyone. She’s Rasheda’s assistant and right-hand, Geneva’s and Tiffany’s source of information, and Vaughn’s “guardian”. While she’s focused on keeping multiple plates spinning in the lives of others, she finds her own life at times spinning out of control. As art imitates life, I would often find myself falling into the same toxic behavior patterns as Bridgette in trying to fill every role for everyone significant in my life until it started to affect not only my mental but also overall health. For the sake of my wellbeing, I began to establish, and when necessary, reinforce healthy boundaries tested by those not accustomed to my resistance. Ideally, healthy boundaries would be accepted, acknowledged, and valued by those you love and say they love you; however, we live in reality, not ideality, so that’s not always the case. Ultimately, the responsibility to uphold your boundaries is yours, and if you don’t respect your own boundaries, it’s likely others won’t either. Setting and maintaining boundaries is an act of love for yourself and for those with whom you wish to preserve your relationships. If anyone demonstrates repeatedly that they’re unwilling or unable to respect your boundaries despite your best efforts to clearly communicate them, then it’s worth reexamining the health of that relationship and that person’s placement in your life. This isn’t something I’ve yet mastered, but I’m much better at boundaries than I used to be.

Out of all the roles that you have portrayed thus far, which one has been your most memorable one and why?

They’ve all been memorable because I’ve grown professionally and personally with each character. I’d be remiss to not take it back to the beginning, give honor where honor’s due, and mention working with our dearly beloved and departed icons, the esteemed Ms. Cicely Tyson and Dr. Maya Angelou, in Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Family Reunion. I had admired these two pillars of greatness from childhood into womanhood and couldn’t believe I was occupying the same space as them, let alone working alongside them. Relatedly, I’d also mention reuniting with the legendary Ms. Lynn Whitfield in OWN’s drama series “Greenleaf” after working with her in Madea’s Family Reunion almost 15 years prior. Sharing scenes with such greatness was like taking a masterclass, and I’ve grown so much professionally and personally from our time together on set. Another memorable achievement I’d reference is booking the lead role as Candice in TV One’s action thriller FIRST COMES LOVE THEN COMES MURDER, and number one on the call sheet, meaning the top-billed star of the production, which is a monumental breakthrough moment for many actors. In fact, there’s a very riveting two-part documentary film I’d recommend everyone to watch called “Number One On The Call Sheet”, directed by Reginald Hudlin and Shola Lynch and produced by Jamie Foxx, Dan Cogan, Datari Turner, and Kevin Hart. I’ve been extremely blessed, so I could go on and on, but these are just a few notable moments in my career thus far.

As you continue to evolve in the world of acting, what dream role would you love to portray in the future? If you haven’t already! Let’s claim it!

There are so many fascinating stories of our foremothers that need to be told, such as that of Nina Mae McKinney, who was one of Hollywood’s original triple threats: singer, dancer, and actress. She was the first African-American actress to star in a major mainstream movie in “Hallelujah!” (1929) and was one of the first African Americans on British television. She was a powerhouse and yet is seldom mentioned in conversations of the greats. I would be honored to depict this iconic legend. I already have a dance background; we’re going to have to work on the singing part so I can honor and represent this triple threat justly. Also, I’d practically salivate at the opportunity to portray Private Cathay Williams, a former house slave who became the only documented woman to serve in the US Army as a Buffalo Soldier after enlisting as a man under the pseudonym “William Cathay”. Considering our master storyteller and visionary, Tyler Perry, has already written and directed the profoundly resonant war drama The Six Triple Eight about an all-black and all-female battalion in World War II, I think it would be amazing if he led this project and granted me the honor of telling the compelling story of this unsung hero and historical figure.

During this current chapter in your journey in acting. What is something new that you have learned about yourself as an actor that you will carry with you and use to continue elevating in the entertainment industry?

As elementary as it may seem, I’m finally learning the power and significance of “no”. Earlier in my career, I felt obligated to take on, or at least consider, every project and opportunity that was presented to me. For my acting debut to occur in such a monumental way—a box office hit film, I was anxious to keep the momentum going. I soon discovered that taking that approach was going to cost me a lot; in fact, too much… my dignity, my morals, my values, my identity. That’s a price I’m not willing to pay, so I established my boundaries and stuck to them. If that means taking the longer route to achieving my goals, then so be it. I would sooner adjust my goals before I adjust my value system. Twenty years later, with several guest stars, recurring, lead roles, and now a series regular, I’d say this approach has served me well, and most importantly, with my integrity intact. I also apply “no” quite liberally in my personal life, because it’s proven to be helpful, healthful, and once you get good at it… fun. LOL!

I understand that you are a social activist and philanthropist, which is so amazing!!! One of the things that you advocate for that speaks volumes to me is mental health awareness. In my opinion, there needs to be more dialogue about this. How does your degree in political science/pre-law intertwine with you choosing to explore these empowering avenues?

Before studying political science, my upbringing played a pivotal role in my passion and involvement in social activism and philanthropy. My mother, a proud Black woman, was instrumental in my hunger for knowledge of African and African American history and culture at a very early age. By the time I was a teenager, I was studying the social ills of the Black community like a science. With the help of thought-provoking and positive images presented cinematically in the critically acclaimed film School Daze and the highly influential sitcom “A Different World”, I knew immediately I wanted to continue my studies at an HBCU. I chose Clark Atlanta University because of its distinguished heritage. Historian, activist, and Pan-Africanist W.E.B. DuBois was a founding faculty member and walked the very stairs I climbed every day in the political science building. In that building and all throughout the campus, I felt the spirit of defiance, and it was there I learned to speak truth to power in the face of adversarial systems designed to perpetuate the residual effects of chattel slavery, one of many being generational trauma and its impact on mental health in Black communities.

In regard to our mental health, particularly in our Black communities, what do you think will help to break the stigma in our communities where it’s usually uncharted territory to discuss our feelings or to seek therapy because those feelings we have are often placed under the rug or we’re told to place them under the rug?

Fortunately, the importance of mental health advocacy has moved to the forefront of many conversations held not only privately but also publicly and more commonly by socially respected and admired notable figures who have been coming forward to lift the veil on the topic of mental health and reveal that we all face challenges despite our socioeconomic background, positioning, and walks of life. Normalizing conversations about mental illness, mental wellness, and available resources would break the stigma and help people feel less isolated in their journey. Additionally, it’s important to introduce examples of positive and effective coping mechanisms to communities who may not be familiar with helpful strategies of self-regulation. I believe the dawning of the ‘woke era’ which began with the primary focus on systemic oppression and racial injustice, has now grown to cover other facets of the Black community to heal from within. As these discussions become more prevalent, my hope is that we become more aware of our personal and communal triggers and treat ourselves and each other more gently.

When you’re not busy, how are you practicing self-care and enjoying life?

Because my career calls for a lifestyle that can be quite hectic so I prioritize solitude and stillness which typically involves a peaceful environment with a good book (preferably nonfiction), writing poetry (when I’m inspired), listening to chill music, enjoying good food, or a bit of traveling when I need a change of scenery. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of solitude, so when there’s an occasional “Jen spotting”, just know how rare that is. LOL! But in all seriousness, I really enjoy my own company and the company of those with whom I vibe. I worked really hard on myself and my life (still working to be honest) to achieve this peace, and I cherish it. You protect what you cherish.

What’s your favorite meal?

I’m the ultimate foodie, so of course I can’t pick just one meal. I love cultural cuisine, particularly Thai, Cuban, Haitian, Mexican, and Jamaican. I’m likely to have at least two of these for dinner weekly. One that I’m eating for sure is Jamaican – usually jerk (or brown stew) chicken, rice and peas, cabbage, plantain, mac-n-cheese, and coco bread… with either sorrel or Kola champagne to drink. Of course, I’m not eating this every day. A girl’s entitled to an occasional cheat meal. LOL!

Thank you so much, Jennifer!

Thank YOU, Linnea! It’s my pleasure!

Credits:

Photographer: Marie Thomas photography
Wardrobe stylist: Jimmy Hawkins
Loctician: LavishLeeStyled
Hair stylist: Rasheena Brooks
Makeup artist: Yanick-Nikita Lunford