Rising Star Jenny Raven On The Five Things You Need To Shine In The Entertainment Industry

An Interview With Guernslye Honoré

Take all the classes and work with all the teachers that you are curious about. There is no one way to act. You won’t know what techniques will work for you until you try them, and over time you’ll cobble together a way of being an actor that is uniquely yours.

As a part of our series about pop culture’s rising stars, we had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Jenny Raven.

Jenny Raven is an award-nominated and internationally recognized actress. She may be best known for her role as Gwen in three seasons of the acclaimed CBC/Amazon series, “Kim’s Convenience.”

Raven made her big screen debut acting opposite Asian cinema legend, Eric Tsang, in the acclaimed Hong Kong film, “Men Suddenly in Black”. Since then, she’s cultivated a storied career over 20 years, starring in major motion pictures like “Flatliners” (Columbia Pictures) and “Goliath” (Twin 27) and TV movies “Love at Sky Gardens” (UPtv) and “The Amityville Curse” (Tubi TV).

On television, Raven has enjoyed several major and recurring roles in “Designated Survivor” (ABC), “Black Mirror” (Netflix), “The Girlfriend Experience” (Starz), “V Morgan is Dead” (YouTube), and “Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan” (Amazon Studios).

Raven was born and raised in Hong Kong to a Chinese mother and British father, who initially didn’t want her to become an actress. After high school, she moved to study Criminology and Psychology at the University of Toronto, while she secretly auditioned for film and televisions parts on the side. After four years of cramming for exams and learning lines for auditions, she almost called it quits. Finally, after multiple screen tests, she landed her first leading role in the television series, “Majority Rules!” (eOne), and she hasn’t looked back.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?

Thank you so much for asking me!

I was born and raised in Hong Kong until I moved to Canada to attend the University of Toronto at seventeen. My mum is Chinese and my dad is British and I have a younger sister. I spent lots of time at my gong gong’s (mum’s dad) rice shop playing intense fantasy games with my cousins in the shops warehouse, where bags of rice were piled twenty feet high. Hong Kong was a wonderful place to grow up. It felt like the biggest city in the world and at the same time I felt like I was disconnected from everywhere else.

Can you share a story with us about what brought you to this specific career path?

Being an actor is all I’ve ever wanted to do. Playing in the rice shop inspired me to force my sister into performing two-person shows for my parents. When she got sick of them, I then coerced my friends into doing plays for my classmates on a bi-weekly basis in primary school. As I got older, my parents emphasised focus and spending time on “things that mattered — becoming a doctor, a lawyer, a manager, a scientist — any non-artistic profession,” — so I drifted away from my creative pursuits. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with my life and I remember feeling really lost at that time. Then in ninth grade, I had to choose what subjects to continue with for the final four years of secondary school. At first, I didn’t even consider drama because it wasn’t a “thing that mattered.” One day, Aunt Linda, my Sunday school teacher, randomly turned to me and said “I hope you’re still acting, you’re so good at it.” And that was it. That’s all the encouragement I needed and I chose drama as one of my electives. Aunt Linda sent me back to my path.

Can you tell us the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

Getting to work on Netflix’s “Black Mirror” for sure! I was a HUGE fan of the show before Netflix picked it up, and when I heard they were shooting an episode in Toronto I told my agent I had to get on it. I was willing to be a tree in the background! I didn’t care, anything! I auditioned for the role twice and got the job. After I booked the part, I found out that Academy Award-winner, Jodie Foster, was going to be directing my episode. It was incredible. I got to work with her and Rosemarie DeWitt (“Rachel Getting Married”) on a show from the genius mind of Charlie Brooker. A dream come true.

It has been said that mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

OK, so! There is a section for special skills on your acting resume and in mine I had “seven years of ballet” listed. I had taken ballet, after all, from the tender age of four to eleven. When I first started auditioning in Canada, I got sent out to a pretty big audition where we had to come ready to showcase our dance ability. I figured at the most I’d have to show them a couple of pirouettes and the splits. I could learn on the job — I am an actor after all. I felt very confident. I walked into the waiting room and it was full of ACTUAL dancers who were warming up and moving through some intense CHOREOGRAPHED dance pieces. I bombed and learned a painful lesson: only list special skills I am actively able to perform. Unfortunately for me, ballet was not one of them.

What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?

I’ve just finished working on a new Bell Media and Crave comedy series called “My Dead Mom.” The show is created by Wendy Litner (“How to Buy a Baby”), produced by Lauren Corber (LoCo Motion Pictures), directed by Chandler Levack (“I Like Movies”) and led by Lauren Collins (“Degrassi”) and Megan Follows (“Reign”). The show is about a woman, Emmy, who questions her life choices and explores the relationship with her now dead mother. I play Emmy’s best friend Layla, who is bold, unapologetically herself, and looking for love. She was such a fun character to play and it was a joy to work with these incredibly talented women.

I am currently developing a series with my writing partner Christine Aguilar about a single mom in her 30s navigating life. It’s an exciting new endeavour and something I’ve never done before.

I also teach acting to teenagers out of a studio in Toronto. It’s been a real gift. Getting the chance to pass on some of the knowledge I’ve picked up over my career has been really fulfilling. I hope to inspire young people to explore their own creative expression.

As a rising star, you’ve likely faced challenges along the way. How do you stay motivated and overcome obstacles in your career?

Great question! Staying motivated is probably one of the hardest things about being an actor. Jobs are always starting and finishing and there can be a lot of time in between gigs. I’ve also learned that success is non-linear. My biggest obstacle has been battling my own self-doubt. A lot of the validation I got, I derived from “getting the job,” so when I wasn’t getting the job, my self-worth would plummet. To stay motivated, I’ve found acting classes that inspire and challenge me. To overcome obstacles, I first had to realise I can’t do it alone. It’s taken me time to find the right support, like somatic therapy and breathwork, and now I can happily say that I’m surrounded by a community of people who help me do my best work.

We are very interested in diversity in the entertainment industry. Can you share three reasons with our readers about why you think it’s important to have diversity represented in film and television? How can that potentially affect our culture?

1. Growing up, I never saw faces that looked like mine in Film or on TV. I remember the first time I saw a mixed Asian woman on television, it felt like I’d spotted a unicorn. Seeing myself represented on screen gave me permission to dream a dream I didn’t know was possible. It gave me hope that I could be an actor.
2. Exposure to diversity helps shift and erase biases and stereotypes. It informs people about other cultures, which leads to greater acceptance in society.
3. Diverse representation in film and television can lead to more opportunity for more people. It helps break down social barriers so individuals of all backgrounds can have a chance to earn a living using their talents.

What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why?

1. You will not book every audition you get. It doesn’t mean you’re a “bad” actor.

2. Take all the classes and work with all the teachers that you are curious about. There is no one way to act. You won’t know what techniques will work for you until you try them, and over time you’ll cobble together a way of being an actor that is uniquely yours.

3. Embrace your community. When I first started out, I thought I could do everything on my own, and that I didn’t need anyone’s help. I was also very shy and would avoid getting to know people that I met in class or at auditions. Over time, this changed and having friends who understand the struggle and can navigate the world alongside you is a way more enjoyable experience. Being a part of a community of artists has helped me to stay on my path through the ups and downs.

4. Have hobbies outside of acting. Live your life and be a full interesting person. I love to go for walks, talk to strangers, go to museums, travel, go for a swim. I love to do yoga and rock-climb.

5. Trust your instincts. As a young actor, I let others dictate my choices too many times. I felt they probably knew better, even when my gut was telling me, “hmmm, I don’t think this is the right way for me.” Don’t compare yourself to others. We are all on our own journey.

Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”?

Know how to rest and take care of yourself. I grew up in a very high achieving household. I was taught that if I wasn’t spending every minute being productive then I was wasting time. When I was at university, I would stay up until 3am studying and wake up at 7am to get to class. I thought that this was how I needed to be in order to “achieve.” Allowing myself to rest has changed the game. It’s like working out. You need rest days to recover and build strength. So, I have a strong self-care routine that involves daily journaling, meditation, and lots of sleep. Going for walks with my dog in nature also helps me avoid burn out. I also love to cook and to try out different “healthy” baking recipes. My current favourite is a chickpea cookie pie that I’ve perfected. DM me for the recipe ;)

You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

Get to know your neighbour. If everyone just took a little more time to get to know and care for their neighbour (even in a really small way), the world would be a much kinder place. I was guilty of not doing this. Then over the pandemic, I got to know mine on a more personal level and now we look out for each other. Turns out, he’s an incredibly talented painter and he’s offered me so much wisdom about art, life, and dogs (we both love our dogs). There is safety and connection in this and it’s a wonderful reminder that we are not alone.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

Ms. Hunter, my fourth-grade music teacher, was the first person to recognize my creativity and really encourage me to pursue the arts. She cast me as one of the leads in the school musical. I could not carry a tune to save my life, but she gave me the part because of my passion. What she didn’t know is that I wouldn’t have been so enthusiastic if she hadn’t been so nurturing toward me. Looking back, I can see that she created a safe space for me to express myself.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

“Trust your gut.”

If I were to get very still and tune into my gut, I’d find that I already know the answer to a lot of the complicated questions that turn up in my life. My head might try to convince me otherwise. There’s a lot of noise in the world that can muddle my thoughts. But my gut always knows. I have to have the courage to trust it. Aunt Linda played her part in getting me back on my path, but if I hadn’t listened to my gut that was screaming “YES! This is the way”, maybe my head would’ve convinced me to listen to my mum instead and follow her path toward a more practical profession like being a doctor or a manager or a lawyer.

Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. :-)

Michelle Yeoh, for sure. I grew up watching her and have been totally inspired by her. She works so hard, is so cool, and so elegant. From her work in “Police Story” to “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” to the incredible, “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” she’s so versatile and unique. She’s an action star with a huge range and an open heart. I’d like to pick her brain about everything — her life, her work, her skincare routine! I want to know what her favourite dish to cook is and what kinds of books she’s reading. She seems like a person who is living life to the fullest and having the best time.

How can our readers follow you online?

Instagram: @jennyraven_

This was very meaningful, thank you so much! We wish you continued success!

Thank you so much and you as well!

About the interviewer: Guernslye Honoré, affectionately known as “Gee-Gee”, is an amalgamation of creativity, vision, and endless enthusiasm. She has elegantly twined the worlds of writing, acting, and digital marketing into an inspiring tapestry of achievement. As the creative genius at the heart of Esma Marketing & Publishing, she leads her team to unprecedented heights with her comprehensive understanding of the industry and her innate flair for innovation. Her boundless passion and sense of purpose radiate from every endeavor she undertakes, turning ideas into reality and creating a realm of infinite possibilities. A true dynamo, Gee-Gee’s name has become synonymous with inspirational leadership and the art of creating success.