I realize that I am consistently on the hunt for new Hallmark actors, and with thirty-eight new Christmas movies just this season, you can imagine that I have come in contact with a wide variety of talented, intriguing people in the industry. A Gingerbread Romance, which will premiere on the Hallmark Channel on December 16th, is brimming with a rather diverse cast, many of whom are making their inaugural film with the network. One such actress is Jordana Lajoie, who has the distinction of being one of the most distinctive individuals I have encountered in recent times, and it is a genuine honor to present this effervescent, engaging young woman to my readers today.
Photo by John Perrette
RH: Why did you decide to pursue a career in film/TV? What kind of training have you had?
JL: I like the idea of being anybody I want to be on any given day. Sometimes people don’t feel comfortable sharing their stories with the rest of the world; this is where acting can help make some kind of a difference. Being able to tell someone else’s story for them makes this path much more meaningful to me. As a result, there’s a healing aspect to this art that I am most fond of.
I am a professionally-trained theatre actor first. I took acting classes for the camera on the side while I attended my theatre classes, and now I am mostly performing for film and TV. Nevertheless, theatre will always be my first love.
What was your first professional job in the industry? What are your memories of that job?
My first professional job out of theatre school was Patrice Lemieux 24-7. It was quite an important part, so there was a lot of pressure on me to not to screw up. Safe to say, I definitely grew from that experience. Prior to that, I had only worked on low-budget films that my friends and I produced, so it was definitely rewarding for me to have been granted this responsibility so fresh out of school.
Since your longest-running role was for the show, Patrice Lemieux 24/7, please tell us about the show and your involvement with it.
Patrice Lemieux 24-7
Patrice Lemieux 24/7 is a French TV show, which adopts a very “Modern Family” approach: a camera follows Patrice (an NHL hockey player) and his wife and kids, everywhere they go.
I play Shannon Lemieux, Patrice’s amazing American wife from Missouri who’s got a thick English accent when she speaks in French. I do not have a thick English accent when I speak in French in real life, but the rest of Quebec (my hometown province) is under the impression that I do now. Fans of the show mostly try to speak to me in broken French, and although I think it’s the cutest thing in the world, I must insist here on this platform: that my mother tongue is indeed French and that I do not have a broken accent: “JE PARLE LE FRANÇAIS MES AMIS DU QUÉBEC!”
I understand you have done some music as well. Please tell us about that part of your life.
A Gingerbread Romance Photo Credit: Kailey Schwerman
I don’t know how you found that (kudos); I use a different alias for the music stuff. Honestly, the music is really just a hobby. Although we did use one of my songs on a proof of concept, it’s more of a recreational thing than a professional thing. I love jamming with different artists. Again music is soothing and liberating, and it is something I most certainly cannot live without. I’m more into blues or trip-hop as far as writing and singing are concerned, so if you know anyone who’s into that…please send them my way.
Hallmark viewers are about to see you in A Gingerbread Romance. First of all, were you a fan of Hallmark movies before booking that role?
A Gingerbread Romance Photo Credit: Kailey Schwerman
If I can be perfectly honest, I didn’t even know Hallmark made movies until about a year ago when one of my friends booked a role for one of their Christmas movies. I knew the casting director who was behind that specific project and I was kind of shocked at the time; I thought Hallmark was limited to sweet “wishing well” cards and that was it…little did I know they were making many, many movies. What was most shocking to me was that a lot of them are currently being produced in my own country and that these little gems have a very big fan following. So shame on me for not knowing…
I do want to point out, however, that I don’t watch much TV, and I do not believe we have the Hallmark channel on this side of the border so forgive me, Hallmark, because I think you’re amazing!
Please tell us about your role and how it fits into the overall storyline of A Gingerbread Romance. Any special memories from filming it?
A Gingerbread Romance Photo Credit: Kailey Schwerman
Well, the irony… I play a French Parisian baker, who has an accent when she speaks English…
Annabelle Renard was definitely fun to play and I think my fondest memory was having the opportunity to work with such an amazing cast and crew. Everybody supported each other, and that’s all I can ever ask for: being able to do what I love with like-minded people. It’s not always like that.
I also absolutely adored our young child actor on set: she lit my days, and also made me realize how badly I want kids of my own…
On to the next question…
Any other upcoming and/or current roles you would like to mention?
Some I can’t just yet, but I will mention a role on an Amazon Prime show called The Boys, produced by Seth Rogen, which is set to come out sometime in 2019. I make a few appearances here and there. What I love most is that it’s based on a comic book by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson; I absolutely love comics, I collect them and fantasize about being a superhero all the time…
What threw me off was that I never knew of this one. So I got to experience a brand new comic book series, and play a little part in the tv storyline. I play a weapon’s dealer who goes by the name of Chérie. Yes… it’s a French name, and no… there will be no accent for this one.
What advice would you give to other young people who may want to pursue a career as an actor?
Do it!! and never let anyone’s limitations ever get in the way of your vision. Oftentimes, people think they know what’s best for you when they don’t even know what’s best for themselves, and they project those fears on you. That’s fine; it’s to be expected. Accept that they are entitled to their opinion, but their truth isn’t your truth. Stay true to yourself and keep moving forward. Trust your heart.
A Gingerbread Romance Photo Credit: Kailey Schwerman
Do you have any special holiday traditions that you and your family follow at this time of the year? Elaborate if you would like.
We’re all big fans of the Christmas holidays: it brings the whole family together and I think it’s probably my favorite holiday precisely because of that. It gives us an excuse to stop whatever we’re doing and finally spend time with one another. Everybody is so busy with their own lives, so this holiday really does help as far as reconnecting. We have this thing where my mum and I bake as many pies as possible throughout the Christmas week, and of course, she takes all these pictures of her work and I take absolutely none of mine. So yes, safe to say her pies are definitely better than mine.
I have no shame in admitting it.
And don’t ask me to bake a gingerbread house either, I definitely won’t know anything about that.
You know what?
I am really good at pretending that I know what I’m doing in the kitchen, you’ll see what I mean soon enough.
Merry Christmas and I hope you dig A Gingerbread Romance.
I cannot tell you how much I appreciate the wisdom, honesty, and perspective that permeate Jordana’s peerless responses. Also, having been a French student myself at one time (yes, it has been years, but I have a strong affinity for that language), the fact that Jordana is from Quebec absolutely fascinates me. Furthermore, knowing that she is making her Hallmark movie début alongside my two good friends, Giles and Jocelyn Panton, is something that floods my soul with an overabundance of joy. I was already predisposed to enjoy this movie to the extreme, but now that I am aware of Jordana’s talents and abilities, I am even more enthusiastic about the film!
Please be sure to tune your TV’s to the Hallmark Channel tomorrow (December 16th) if you are in the U.S. for the premiere of A Gingerbread Romance. (The Canadian premiere will be on December 22nd on the W Network.) Additionally, I would invite my readers to visit Jordana’s links below and follow her where applicable. While this will be my first time seeing Jordana on screen, I am quite excited to watch the entertaining story unfold, and I truly hope the viewers will go out of their way to welcome her to the Hallmark family. Moreover, since she had a positive first experience with Hallmark, I can only hope that this initial movie will most certainly not be her last with the network. Someone of her expertise and background is a welcome addition to a network that is rapidly expanding and changing to meet the needs of all its viewers. I am grateful to see Jordana highlighted, and I look forward to much more from her in the near and distant future.
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