by Sherif Awad
Priscilla-Anne Jacob debuted in several short and long films as Priscilla-Anne Forder. Priscilla has a full body of work and has extensive training and experience in Australia, American and Canada.
-I am Australian, my mum is from New Zealand and my Dad is also Australian. Both of my parents were in the entertainment industry. My mum was a prima ballerina and an actress while my dad was also a model. When I was teenager, I really loved John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John in GREASE. Dirty Dancing was also a favourite, and I was really into pretending I was one of the Spice Girls!
-Venturing into arts is a hard work and so don’t do it for the money but do it because you love it and are passionate about your craft. That is when you will see success.
-I think most actors dream of being a world-wide success but I have learned that no matter how many accolades you accumulate, you need to be happy within yourself and content inside. All the other things are a bonus.
-I have faced a lot of challenges being a woman in the film industry. I have unfortunately had several #metoo experiences. I am happy that it is now being exposed to the industry and that we are being empowered to speak up. Now, I teach young people acting and I am grateful to have been given the opportunity to share my stories and encourage others to stand up for themselves and not settle for less than they deserve.
-Things have come to a grinding halt in the industry here in Australia as a result of COV-19 as with most countries. I believe in a big BOOM in film and TV once all of this has blown over. It has encouraged creatives to think outside the box in a relaxed state so that is something good that has come out of it. I am currently on hold for season 2 of ITCH, a TV series I am acting in here, and so I am really excited to get back on set, I really miss it!
-I have learned to way them up in relation to where I see my career leading. I have turned down a lot of roles that I don’t feel are right for me and I don’t feel bad, stressed or worried when I do. I trust that when one door closes, God always opens a door that is even better for me, and I am really proud of my career so far.
-I would say that I am most excited about my latest acting role as a series regular with a character called ‘Roshana Wing’ in ABC’s TV series ‘ITCH’. She is a real boss lady and it has been both a challenge and an honour to play her on-screen!
-My advice for newbies: Work hard, be prepared and keep your eye on the ball. When you are knocked down, get back up. If you are choosing to be an actor or any creative really you are going to have to be ok with rejection. If you keep believing that you are excellent and you have what it takes then you will get there!
-It has taken me a while but I finally feel like I kind of have balance between private and professional in place. It isn’t easy to switch your brain off when you are creative so healthy boundaries are good. Having a real go clear schedule for work and play in imperative as sometimes those lines can blur. I am quite a private person, so I would much prefer to curl up inside with my husband, yummy cookies, and a movie rather than go to a premiere but sometimes you have to. It all part of it.
-I am back at university after acting for the past 10 years so that’s a bit of a change! I am doing my MASTERS in Film Production, so that I can start to make my own content. I’m also currently producing a Comedy TV series so that has been fun! I am still acting as well, you can watch me act as Roshana on ITCH!
