HM #014 - Interview Jasika Nicole

Retrouvez l'interview VF dans HypnoMag#14, pages 4 à 8.

Hello Jasika! French people discovered you in Fringe where you played the federal agent Astrid Farnsworth. How were you chosen for this role?

I just went through a regular audition process and booked the role after several callbacks.

Between 2013 and 2016, you recurred on the series Scandal. You played Kim Muñoz during a few episodes, a figure from the past of the mysterious and heartbroken Huck. What are some memories from your scenes alongside Guillermo Díaz?

I don’t really have any specific memories of working with Guillermo because we only had a few scenes together during my tenure on the show, but he was always super sweet to me and I loved the way he played his character.

In 2016, you played one of the leading roles in Suicide Kale, a dark comedy starring two queer couples having lunch together. This pleasant moment between friends turns into a nightmare when one of them finds a suicidal note in the bedroom of the hosting couple, who appear perfectly happy together. Why was it important for you to talk about these topics

The film honestly could have been about anything- we came up with the storyline after a brainstorming session one day, and while it spoke to us, the subject matter didn’t feel like it was the heart of the film. What felt most important was a group of friends creating art with each other that focused on the regular lives of queer women. We just wanted to see ourselves represented onscreen, so working together on the project was the major accomplishment for us.

The film Suicide Kale, available on iTunes, Vimeo and Amazon Prime was written, directed, produced, and acted in by a small team of LGBTQ women. It received awards at several festivals. Congratulations! Can you tell us about the filming process? I read that you have shot the film in your house.

We didn’t have a budget so we shot it my house over the span of five days, and we all had a really fun time together…it just felt like playing around.

This was your first experience as a producer, behind the camera. Is producing a path you would like to pursue in order to tell other stories and make your voice heard?

I’m not interested in producing, but because our project was small and had no budget we all had to step into producer roles to make it happen. My main passion for film and television is in front of the camera.

In 2017, you joined the cast of the drama and medical series The Good Doctor starring Freddie Highmore. After a few appearances in the first season, Carly Lever has become more and more important thanks to the evolution of her relationship with the character of Shaun Murphy. You became a series regular in season 3. Were you aware of the evolution your character would undergo when you were chosen for this role?

I was not, I was only invited to join the team as a series regular but was not told how long it would last or informed of what Carly's storylines would be.

What aspect of your character do you appreciate most? What do you have in common with Carly?

I appreciate that Carly is a successful black woman in STEM, which is not seen on network TV very often, but I don’t have much in common with her other than we both have lots of patience.

On your blog Try Curious and your social networks, you also share your craft creations. You draw – you even created comics – you design and sew your own clothes and shoes in a unique and colorful style. How important are these artistic passions in your life?

I’ve always been a maker, way before I ever considered being a professional entertainer, so making has and always will be a big part of my life and my identity. It’s a way that I can feel empowered, creative and artisticly fulfilled without having to collaborate with anyone else who may have a different vision than I do.

You have several experiences doing voiceover for animated series, such as Danger & Eggs in which you perform a character that looks a lot like you. Is the acting process different? Is it easier or harder than being in front of the camera?

The acting process isn’t different, it’s just less involved since you only have to rely on your voice to create the character as opposed to your voice AND your body, your movement, your face, your wardrobe, your makeup, etc.

In your spare time, do you watch television? If so, which shows? Would you like to appear in any of your favorite shows?

I watch very little television and prefer documentaries to anything else, but I recently binged a BBC show called Normal People that I thought was excellent. I’m also really enjoying I May Destroy You on HBO, created by and starring Micaela Coel, who is one of the most profoundly talented women on TV right now.

We are in a period marked by a terrible epidemic that has created a major global crisis; and now troubled by police violence especially against the black community. We are convinced that information and education is essential — Would you have any recommendations of works to read or films to watch that have touched and challenged you?

I urge uninformed people to do the work of seeking out activists who are constantly sharing vital information on these topics and working to educate the masses about defunding and eventually abolishing the police, dismantling the prison system, and seeking justice and reparations for the African-American community. Janaya Khan and Ijeoma Oluo are good places to start, but white people should never expect to be handed the information and sources from marginalized communities without actively seeking it out. White supremacy will only be dismantled once white people actually take the initiative to hunt down the information themselves and do the hard work of confronting their own unconscious biases and bigotry. It won’t be reversed by reading one book or watching one movie. It will be reversed by taking a life-long anti-racist stance and constantly participating in the process of unpacking all the privileges that whiteness has afforded one. It’s not easy work, but it is the only way we can reimagine what an equitable future looks like.

Have you ever had the opportunity to visit France? What would you say to your French-speaking fans?

I have been to Paris for a Comic-con and had a lovely time…I would love the opportunity to visit again.