I grew up in the ministry. I’ve been onstage since the day I was born (literally, since 1 week old), I was born on a Sunday morning at 1am. My Dad still taught a sermon that day and I’m sure my Mom led worship the next week where I made a debut onstage as their youngest of their 3 kiddos. I fell in love with the balance of life & performance in my home church.
And I relished the challenge of my Mother throwing me into a Sunday line-up for various reasons ranging from a performer not showing up or just being led to include something unique that week. I had a safe, loving, supportive place to really explore every type of performance art and fell in love with playing pretend. Then, I dove deep. I took chances. I was free to explore and encouraged to try.
They supported me through regional theater interests as young as 14 and then encouraged me to get an Acting degree in college. I grew through theater and fell in love with film. I hope to continue to do both for the rest of my life.
indieactivity: Did you study acting?
Jennica Schwartzman (JS): As an example of my zealous instruction, I had an empty water bottle thrown at my head in college for making a lazy choice in my scene study class. I take acting very seriously and was instructed by the most amazing instructors… although almost too zealous. I won’t tell you who pushed me the hardest (see above), but I will say that I clearly had unique instructors that helped shape me into the artist that I am today.
My Mother, Darleen Hampson, pushed me to do whatever I loved and do it well. My earliest high school instructor Roberta Pipitone taught me to be self-reliant and push myself. Also in high school, Austin Lawrence taught me to make bold choices and find ways to stand out. In college, the inspiring and calming Evelyn Carol Case taught me how to hone and educate my entire instrument. She gave me a foundation of technique that is unparalleled – I use her instruction almost everyday in my acting prep all these years later.
Eve Himmelheber taught me not to take myself too seriously and try to have fun. David Nevell taught me to let go and grow in ways I didn’t know I needed. And my dear, Svetlana Efremova pushed me so much further than I had known I could go. I would go back to study with Svetlana if I had the chance (and the time!) as I loved how hard she pushed me to find parts of myself I almost didn’t know were there.
I take all of this foundation with me to every set to which I am invited. Also, I take every opportunity to connect and grow – knowing the work will bring me to new places inside that I may not have come in with. I am grateful to get to experience humanizing a character.
Years into my career, at my first few film festivals, I was able to connect with fans that were genuinely moved by the films on which I worked. It was reminiscent of my time growing up and performing in the church. I have been hugged, cried on, and connected with people who have been deeply impacted by some of my films. So, I do not take for granted the position I am in to humanize stories that can move people.
I do not take the responsibility lightly that I am able to connect with people through the extraordinary life-changing medium of film. Humbly, I know that it is not ME who is making this impact, it is the medium, the team, the direction… My job and passion is fun and a true joy, but I have also been privy to the secret that film is important to shaping mother culture through individual experiences with responsible storytellers. Therefore, I take my craft seriously.
What acting technique do you use?
Jennica Schwartzman (JS): I was never fully persuaded from my natural inclination to sit and explore a scene in my imagination for fun, but I think I most closely identify as an artist from what I learned from Constantin Stanislavsky. I enjoy becoming immersed as honestly as possible, but I also grew a lot as an artist in college having gone through multiple acting techniques in the curriculum over a few years.
It’s really hard to describe ‘actor-y’ stuff without feeling weird, though. I don’t love to talk about it much because, to me, it feels slimy or deceptive or even just ridiculous to discuss the ways I think and explore internally. I feel like I want to keep my thoughts to myself. They are weird and they are mine.
Do you take courses to improve your craft?
Jennica Schwartzman (JS): Ya know what, I do wish I could set aside some time for coaching on my next big role. I don’t think I really did as much prep as I had hoped- it takes a great deal of time to prep an entire leading role on a feature and a great deal of my work was with my director or by myself. I do want to include an acting coach in the future. Again, I don’t like to share much of myself in my acting ‘process,’ but I enjoyed my scene study work with Svetlana Efremova and hope to work with her again in the future.
What acting books do you read?
Jennica Schwartzman (JS): I don’t anymore. I was burned out after college and really threw myself into the business side of the film industry whenever I read and now I do a lot of screenwriting and online publishing about the industry. Even though non-fiction is my first love, when I do sit down to read- I aim for fiction and relish the chance to play in my mind. I think that’s an acting exercise in and of itself. And it’s good for me to explore fictional characters for a while.
Watch the trailer for Parker’s Anchor
How do you keep fit mentally and physically?
Jennica Schwartzman (JS): I chose this profession because I cannot stop acting when my imagination runs wild. I daydream in characters, I have vivid dreams and suspend deep beliefs in the theater. And, I live for acting. I live for the challenge, the joy, the exploration. It’s a part of me. So, I would consider my daily life to include ways that keep me fit mentally and physically by nature. I also actively warm up often. So, I jog anywhere between 3-6 days a week. I am a Momma of 2 children that keep me on my toes. I would consider myself at the top of my game each year I age. Truly. Because it just feels right.
How do you prepare for a role when you get it?
Jennica Schwartzman (JS): Read the script. Take a break. Read the script while highlighting and taking notes. Talk at leeeeeeeeeeennnnnnngth with the director. Explore each scene for clues/beats/discovery. Make a crap ton of notes about what I have learned and discovered…. nothing fancy, just the usual. I prefer little to no rehearsal. And, I prefer to arrive at such rehearsals or set ready to go. I prefer to prepare alone, but really communicate and become close with the director’s vision for my part in the process. But, I like to ‘visualize’ and explore so I don’t get married to material or decisions. I also feel good when I am up alone time, take good cleansing care of my body, and make sure I feel confident in every way before the filming schedule begins.
How do you create a character in a script into a person?
JS: I don’t really consider myself to be creating a character, my perspective is that I am humanizing the words/relationships/actions/interactions of my role. I consider myself a humanizer for the role and a character within the story. So, I consider and weigh my decisions a little bit towards what and how my role serves the film overall and then proceed in the name of humanizing. I try to strip myself down of my quirks or ‘isms.’ I try to focus on connection with others- the nuances of connecting with others or myself informs my choices.
How do you stay fresh on a production set?
JS: I think every set is different and every role is different. I feel like my preference is to be alone in my personal space as much as possible and avoid interaction with as many people as possible, but it really depends on the set and the role. I like people, so it’s hard not to be inviting/loving/get comfortable with every person on set right away so that I can feel free/comfortable while I’m acting… but I’m also a natural people-pleaser, so it makes it difficult for me to weigh my performance needs as a priority over politeness… It’s complicated.
I prefer to work in ways that are in conflict with how I like to live. But after a few days, I find my footing on every set to be just what I need for that film and that role.
Explain one creative choice you took on set?
JS: Almost on topic… I was talking with a director about a film he wanted to shoot. I read the script and I dressed up as this super 90’s stylized person from our home town and put on a fake nose ring and pitched myself to the director for the second lead. He was confused, he knew the second lead in this script was a man named ‘Denny.” So, I explained that I wanted the role and I want to play it as a woman, a lesbian actually, so absolutely nothing had to change about the storyline dynamics. He bought it- we shot it and I went out of my way to every scene to be as over-the-top charismatic and interesting to keep proving that he made a good bold choice.
Describe a memorable character you have played?
JS: I loved playing Krystal Parker in “Parker’s Anchor,” released in theaters in 2017. I loved being a version of myself where I carried great loss and struggled with myself over a long period of time. Then, I enjoyed connecting with my scene partners. I love crying and this guuuurl cried a ton!
What do you want most from a director?
JS: Respect. I have a long list of what I want, but I feel that the bar has been set pretty low at times. So, I want to talk openly and communicate and really explore all the thoughts and vision the director has before a film starts. I have done so with directors I love. I have also been treated pretty poorly by inexperienced directors who didn’t create a safe space to work and explore on set.
What actor do you long to work with?
JS: Leonardo DiCaprio. Don’t judge me. Yes, 12 year old me would practically die, but that life-long admiration has led to my watching and adoring performances of his for literally decades. I looooooooove to watch him explore. And, I love what he brings to the table. I want to play with Leo. Also, about 25 other actors I would kill to work alongside, but then this would just be a list of fab actors. You’re gonna judge me for this too- I want to act with Drew Barrymore. We could practically be sisters, I want to play her sister. (And Kate Winslet! And obviously Meryl!)… Now it’s becoming a list. See, this is what I wanted to avoid.
What advice do you give actors around the world?
JS: Find your favorite directors and follow them. Especially those starting out. Find all the good ones and you’ll end up alongside the best scene partners who did the same thing!
Briefly describe your career?
JS: After winning the top prize at Geena Davis’ 3rd annual Bentonville Film Festival, leading actress Jennica Schwartzman stole audience’s hearts across the country in the romantic drama PARKER’S ANCHOR (SP Releasing) in theaters in 2017. In the Spring of 2018, this break-out indie powerhouse has led 3 streaming/VOD releases including the sex-trafficking crime drama RIDGE RUNNERS (LionsGate), the social justice film winning top awards before it’s limited box-office run, as well as the multiple award-winning music-centered indie drama BEFORE THE LIGHTS COME UP (IndieRights).
Her classic American road trip dramedy, GORDON FAMILY TREE (2014), won 8 top awards on the film festival circuit. Jennica’s quirky scene-stealing charm led to her hilarious stint as the insatiable & flirty con-artist in the mockumentary BRICK MADNESS slated for a 2018 release.
You can catch Jennica in a range of releases & characters including the party-focused LGBT+ supporting lead in HIDING IN THE OPEN (2012) and the real-life inspired mother of 9 in the 1950’s period piece THE MEASURE OF A MAN (2011). After a few TV characters on ALL MY CHILDREN (ABC), THE REAL ROB (NETFLIX), MACGYVER (CBS), & AMERICAN PRINCESS (2018 premiere), Jennica explores a much more vulnerable and painfully raw side of the film industry in the short film ACTRESS UNSEEN going into the festival circuit this Fall.
Working on explorative character pieces like ACTRESS UNSEEN is where her she wants to be- after, of course, raising her 2 kids with her loving and supportive husband in Hollywood. Jennica is an award-winning actress, producer, and screenwriter as well as the executive producer of Purpose Pictures Productions alongside her husband Ryan Schwartzman.
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