Season 3 of HBO’s drama series The Leftovers story focuses primarily on the Garvey family (Justin Theroux, Amy Brenneman) and their neighbors Erika (Regina King), John (Kevin Carroll) and their teenage daughter (Jasmin Savoy Brown) who all currently reside in Jarden, Texas.
Jasmin will be seen as a lead in TNT’s new drama Will. Will tells the wild story of young Shakespeare’s arrival onto the punk-rock theater scene in 16th century London.
It is described as a contemporary version of Shakespeare’s life, played to a modern soundtrack that exposes all his recklessness, lustful temptations and brilliance. Jasmin plays Emilia Bassano, the “Dark Lady” of Will’s sonnets. A musician, poet, writer and proto-feminist, Emilia is an exotic and strikingly beautiful young woman who goes on to become the first female professional English poet. The show is set to premiere on July 10, 2017.
Check out the trailer below:
Tell us about your new TNT series “Will”, premiering on July 10th. What was it like playing ‘Emilia’?
Playing Emilia was challenging. Because she was a real person who somewhat catapulted the role of women in literature for all of history, I felt immense pressure to do her justice.
I wanted to capture her strength, resilience, and brilliant mind while maintaining her sense of humor and femininity. With that came transforming my body and pattern of speech to that of Shakespearean time. We spent several hours developing my accent doing physical exploration to get me comfortable and free in my body under those constructs. Because she is the most challenging role I’ve played thus far, she is the most rewarding.
What is your favorite Shakespeare play and why?
I love A Midsummer Night’s Dream because of the magical elements and the themes. Titania’s monolog that begins “These are the forgeries of jealousy.” is one of my favorite monologs from any piece of theater because of her reverence for the power of earth. I also find the banter between Titania and Oberon to be quite entertaining, and Puck is, of course, a legend.
You play the character ‘Evie Murphy’ on HBO’s The Leftovers. What was your favorite scene to shoot?
My favorite scene to shoot was from episode 4 of season 3. I got to play three characters in season three, and one of them was Daniah Moabizzi, an Egyptian girl living in Australia who Kevin Garvey mistakes for Evie Murphy. He traps her in the library and she tries to convince him, this crazy stranger man, to let her go in peace. Gazing into Justin Theroux’s eyes and being there with him as he went through a mental breakdown was like nothing else I’ve done. I loved every moment of it.
Why do you continue to study acting, when you are already a successful actress?
I don’t think success is a direct reflection of ability or talent. Unfortunately, one does not define the other. I respect the craft of acting, and I want to be the best that I can be.
What would be your dream role?
I have many! On the topic of Shakespeare, Puck is one of my dream roles! As is Lady M.
You have filmed projects all over the world. Which has been your favorite so far?
This is tough because the experiences and projects are all so different! The Leftovers is forever my favorite because it gave me an abundance of life and love. Not only did The Leftovers begin my professional career, it also gave me a dear friend, Violett Beane, a forever family in the cast and crew, opportunity to travel the world, an exquisite character journey, three characters to play, and the love of my life. Nothing will ever top that.
According to your bio on IMDb, I see that you are a “tinkerer of instruments.” Any plans to record your own album?
Absolutely! I am in the process of writing now.
Tell us about your background. What was it like growing up in Oregon?
Growing up in Oregon was a mixed basket of experiences. On one hand, it was a childhood heaven. Nightly summer bike rides around the neighborhood to my best friend Michael’s house where we’d ride to the creek and catch minnows, climb trees, get lost in forests and make smores in his parent’s backyard. Igloo making in the wintertime, pulling over to the side of the road to pick fresh berries, beautiful flowers in the spring… waterfalls and hidden trails sprinkled all throughout the state. Oregon is the most beautiful place in the world (or was at least before global warming became so extreme). On the other hand, it is not diverse at all, and a number of people are ignorantly racist. The experiences shaped me and caused some identity crises that I am still working through, but I did love it.
If you could give one piece of advice to your 10-year-old self, what would it be?
Don’t rush anything. Everything will happen when it is supposed to. Enjoy right where you are at all moments.
How do you maintain your curls?
Mixed Chicks! I am obsessed! I just made the switch and currently, that is all I use. However, my hair is in braids right now, so I am taking a break from the summer heat.
Jasmin is a multi-talented performer, who resume includes Freeform’s ‘Stitchers’, ABC’s ‘Grey’s Anatomy’, FOX’s ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’, and NBC’s ‘Grimm’. She recently appeared in the film ‘Lane 1974’, which premiered at SXSW on March 11, 2017. She also played a supporting role in the Sundance hit film ‘Laggies’.
In addition to acting, Miss Brown is passionate about supporting classical KUSC and is a monthly contributor.
