British-born French-Middle Eastern actress Alice Jamal shares her amazing story and career journey!

Edition Twenty-Seven – Week Twenty-Seven:

Written by: Jacob West

http://alicejamal.com/

Alice, tell us about you. What’s your story? How did you become an actress? What are your hopes and dreams etc.?

“I think being the youngest child in a family of four, I was born with the need to be the center of attention! This took form in me subjecting my parents and siblings to countless one-woman performances. And if they didn’t succumb, my stuffed animals were my backup audience. Throughout my time at school, I continued to act and sing and generally prance around on stage but I went to a highly academic boarding school in England and creative pursuits were seen more as hobbies than careers. So much so that when I asked to take Drama as a subject in my final two years of high school, I was denied the opportunity. I was fortunate enough to have a wonderful teacher who took me under her wing, and we worked together to create a personalized extracurricular program which concluded in two one-woman shows that I wrote, directed, and acted in. These one-woman shows are what catapulted acting from being a hobby to the thing that I wanted to dedicate my life to. I then set my sights on moving to New York City after I graduated high school. I was fortunate enough to be accepted into the prestigious American Academy of Dramatic Arts (AADA) on a merit scholarship. I graduated from the two-year program and was then able to audition for AADA’s exclusive Company program. Throughout my training, I started to realize and appreciate how clearly art reflects life – I feel it provides a mirror to us – and the idea that my storytelling could impact just one person in the audience and resonate deeply with them or make them question what they thought they knew is such a beautiful and poignant thing. We truly are all so interconnected and my aim as an artist is to shine a light on that connectivity and collectivity of human beings.”

What was the last thing you worked on?

“The last thing I worked on was a short film called ‘Pomegranate Seeds’ directed by the wonderful Marlo Irani. It focuses on Shirin, a young woman who has developed an AI that allows her to connect with her deceased ancestors as she struggles with her Persian identity. Aesthetically this short is super cool – inspired by ‘Maniac’ with heavy influences from the techno scene it was a really interesting environment to play and explore. This short was also incredibly meaningful as I related heavily to Shirirn’s struggles. As an actress of mixed ethnicity, British-born French-Middle Eastern, I resonate with feelings of being out of place culturally and not being too sure what fits. To tell that story and be able to be a part of the growing Middle Eastern representation in film is really important to me and something that I’ll always look back on with a sense of fondness and pride.”

What kind of roles do you most enjoy playing?

“Any role that absolutely terrifies me is a role I enjoy the most. I find the whole process of crafting my character’s story and finding my own personal justifications for their behaviour so fascinating, especially when it is something miles away from my own experience. Usually, I gravitate towards characters and stories that show the dark and twisty parts of the human experience, the more uncomfortable the better!”

Who has been your inspiration, throughout your career?

“My answer to this always seems a little unusual considering the type of work I usually gravitate towards; however, Julie Andrews has been and will always be one of my inspirations throughout my career. I grew up watching Mary Poppins, The Sound of Music, and The Princess Diaries on constant repeat – The Princess Diaries is probably one of my favourite movies of all time! The charm that Julie Andrews possesses whenever she is on screen and how totally enthralling her performances are is magical to me.”

What would you say is different about working as an actor in the US, as opposed to the UK?

“What I love especially about the UK theatre scene is how experimental it is and I feel boundaries are constantly being pushed – as an actor I see it as both really fulfilling and challenging to be in such innovative environments. I really look forward to the moment in my career when I will be a part of such productions but as of right now my experience working in the UK is a little limited as I moved to the US right after boarding school to attend AADA and I have now been working professionally in New York City for the last 12 months or so.”

Any shout-outs?

“My family who were subjected to my childhood performances and their unwavering love and support in all my endeavors. My dog Cosmo and my cat Marlie for being the best companions as I navigate this crazy city and industry!”