10 Things about Kelly Jenrette
You’re originally from Atlanta, Georgia. When did your love for acting begin and how did you get your start?
My love for acting began after I did my first school play in the 5th grade, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory! I got to play Charlie and I was very adamant that I could play a boy when the teacher asked if we should change the characters name to Charlene! I also remember my father taking me to see The Five Heartbeats and my love for acting was solidified. From there, I started doing plays at my church and throughout high school and college.
Which actors body of work impressed you and inspired you to approach your career in the way you have?
Denzel Washington, Jeffrey Wright, Meryl Streep, and Matthew McConaughey are actors whose body of work impressed me and inspired me to approach my career in the way that I have. There was and is such an honesty in their work that draws you into the entirety of the characters they’re portraying. It’s always a masterclass in the art of just being, watching them!
You have two projects happening right now. Let’s first talk about the Netflix film, All Day and a Night. How were you first introduced to the film and what made you excited to jump on board?
I received an email for a same day audition for the role of Delanda. I Immediately read the sides and thought, “This is a character I have never played before!” Unfortunately, I also judged Delanda. She was a character I never played before, making choices that I would never make and talking to her child in a way that I would never dream of talking to my child. And then, I had to take a step back, apologize for judging her and then, I took a moment to sit in her shoes. I had to try to and imagine what life must’ve been like for her which lead her to make the choices she made. That’s what excited me about jumping on board; having to stretch myself beyond my limited perspective of my middle-class, two parent household upbringing.
As you mentioned, in All Day and a Night, you play the role of Delanda opposite Jeffrey Wright and Ashton Sanders. What more can you tell us about her personality and what you enjoy most about bringing her character to life?
Delanda is a woman who’s been broken by life and yet, she has a way of holding on to the hope of a better life for her son. She’s a fighter, at times fighting on the wrong side of the battle. What I enjoyed most about bringing her to life was the pure rawness with which she lived. She was unapologetically who she was…for better or worse.
The plot line for this story seems like it will keep us on edge. What can viewers expect to see from Delanda and the rest of the cast in All Day and a Night?
Viewers can expect to see a woman who is doing the best she can, with what she has. A woman who failed and yet, she’s wanting to make things right. Viewers will see a father who, because of poor decisions he’s made in his past, doesn’t know how to dig himself out of the hole he’s in. A son who knows what he doesn’t want, but can’t seem to grasp a hold of what he does want. A community riddled with violence and no clear way out of the cycle that violence has created. And, lastly, a light at the end of the tunnel, that anyone can be taught as long as they’re willing to learn.
Your other project is the Netflix film, Uncorked. What made you excited to be a part of this film?
What made me excited about being a part of Uncorked was the beauty of the story. In Uncorked, you have an ordinary black family dealing with real life issues and we have the honor of joining this family on their journey of healing, reconciliation and following one’s dreams.
In the film, Uncorked, you got to work alongside Courtney B. Vance and Niecy Nash. What was your experience like from that set?
My experience from working on the set of Uncorked was filled with jokes and laughter almost all of the time. We all know that Niecy Nash is hilarious but I didn’t know how silly and funny Courtney B. Vance was. During the dinner scenes, I was always sitting next to Courtney, who plays my father in the film, and there were times that I couldn’t even look at him because I knew I would end up breaking character!
You’ve done a lot of work to be proud of thus far. If you weren’t working on your acting career, what career type would you delve into?
Before I was courageous enough to accept that acting was a real job, I went to Xavier University in New Orleans to be a Forensic Psychologist. That type of stuff always fascinated me!! But then I saw all of the science classes I was going to have to take and said to myself, “I’d much rather play one (Forensic Psychologist) on TV than be one in real life!”
When it comes to fashion, which designers and styles appeal most to your personality?
I should own stock in Zara! Zara is always my first stop when it comes to shopping. Other designers that I really like are Ted Baker, Vince Camuto and Roberto Cavalli.
We look forward to seeing your latest film work. What other projects do you have coming up in the near future?
I am a founding member of Black Rebirth Collective, a Theatre Collective that was founded by 3 other women of color (Kimberly Hébert, Tamela Alridge and Danielle Pinnock) to connect, nurture and support actors as they enter the creative process. We are a collective that is about the collective. In 2018, I was brought on as the collective’s Playwright in Residence. As a result, I’ve been working on a piece about Betty Shabazz and Coretta Scott King. My passion in writing this World Premiere stemmed from how society often only sees these educated, remarkable, trailblazing women as the widows of Malcolm and Martin. They were and are so much more than that. Through my writing and imagination coupled with some of Betty and Coretta’s words, we’ll go on the journey of how Betty and Coretta’s relationship went from “rivalry to tolerance to genuine affection.”
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Photos: Jerrika Hinton