IN CONVERSATION WITH JENN LYON

interview by JANA LETONJA

Jenn Lyon is having a moment, and it’s one she’s earned the long way. Currently starring as Courteney Potter in NBC/Peacock’s breakout hit ‘Stumble’, she delivers a razor-sharp, heartfelt performance as a fiercely driven cheerleading coach chasing a record-breaking 15th championship. Since its November 2025 debut, the series has earned rave reviews, with critics and audiences drawn to its blend of sports drama, workplace comedy, and emotional warmth. Long admired for scene-stealing turns in ‘Claws’, ‘English Teacher’, and ‘Sirens’, Jenn’s career has been defined by resilience, reinvention, and a refusal to be boxed in. Off-screen, she’s equally compelling—open about her journey through recovery, body acceptance, and finding freedom in fashion, while continuing to advocate for collaboration, humor, and humanity in an industry that often resists all three.

‘Stumble’ has quickly become a fan favorite. What was your first reaction when you read the script for Courteney Potter?

I’m pretty sure I suddenly molted evenly all over my body and then immediately grew new, glossier feathers. 

Courteney is driven, flawed, funny, and deeply human. What did you want to make sure audiences understood about her beneath the bravado?

Her personal ambition is fierce, but it is directly fueled by her want for the kids she coaches to experience victory. She knows how life-changing it is to feel yourself belong and to compete. 

The show blends sports drama with workplace comedy. How did you find the tonal balance in your performance?

The writing is so sharp and definitely threads that needle. I break down the scenes and scripts, like a real theatre nerd, into objectives and beats and tactics so I can make sure I’m charting those levels. North Carolina School of the Arts taught me well. I mean, I also try to make myself laugh and I’m a tough crowd. 

Courteney is chasing her 15th championship. What does ambition mean to you at this stage in your life?

It depends what time of day you ask me. Sometimes I really get the verve of forward motion and the sense that I have to make stuff happen at any cost, and other times I’m still and very aware that we are floating on a rock in a vast expanse of space. Thankfully, the older I get, the more I am aware that there is no big arrival. And also, we are terrible predictors of what will actually matter or make us happy. Best to stay on the side of being loving and useful if you ask me.

You’ve spoken openly about working odd jobs between acting roles. How do those experiences still inform the way you approach your career?

Well, it keeps you connected and thrumming along with the community around you. Everyone has a story and needs, and is just as vital and weird and special whether you are working in a grocery store or on some big movie. Actors have a tendency to think their life begins or matters when they get to do the work they love and it’s not happening when they don’t, but it’s all life and it’s all happening right now. 

Comedy feels especially vital right now. Why do you think laughter, and smart, character-driven comedy, matters so much in this moment?

What feels better than laughing out of the blue in the midst of something hard? Have you ever been in a fight and a puppy runs up out of nowhere? There is no possible way to return to the same fight as the same person after that. This probably isn’t the right answer to character driven comedy, but I don’t really have a dissertation on that. What I do have is the deep and common understanding that if someone unexpectedly farts at a funeral, it is perfect. 

You’ve been candid about your journey with body dysmorphia and recovery. How has that experience reshaped your relationship with yourself and your work?

I still struggle some days, because those are the waters we swim in, in this particular career, but I have an allegiance to my body now that I didn’t have before. I’m so grateful she is still here. I abused her for decades. When you deny your own hunger and punish yourself for so long, when you are muting or covering your real appetites and desires, it’s hard to understand what you actually value and I think it makes it much harder to understand and accept others, real people and characters, as bodies with appetites and desires. I’m better at my job now because I eat food. I probably could have just said that. 

Fashion used to feel intimidating for you. What changed, and how do you approach style now?

Oh, it’s still super intimidating, but I guess I’m just older now and okay with the fact that I don’t know what the heck I’m doing. And we might as well just try stuff because of the whole floating on a rock in a vast expanse of space part.

How does expressing yourself through clothing connect to confidence and creative freedom?

I think that if your pants are too tight, you won’t be able to do the air kick you want, and if you can’t do the air kick of the moment, that’s objectively going to make you less confident. 

You’ve often played characters who break molds or defy expectations. Do you actively seek out roles that challenge norms?

Maybe, or maybe those are the roles I get because no one would buy me as a “normal” lady. I used to audition for commercials a lot and I would have to like put down a rotisserie chicken on a table as a nice mom type, and boy did I never book those jobs. I guess I seemed like a criminal or a secret alcoholic? I might be incapable of setting a chicken down without mischief? 

As someone who’s found success on stage, television, and streaming, how do you choose what’s worth saying yes to now?

I keep giving the answer “unemployment” because I think it’s important that people know that the majority of actors do not have the luxury of saying yes or no to projects. I would love to have offers coming in all the time, but the reality is that I’m always auditioning for the next gig. A role comes along like Courteney in ‘Stumble’ and I’m scrambling, like the other women who want it, to hopefully get to play this amazing character. 

TEAM CREDITS

talent JENN LYON
photography TYLER PATRICK KENNY
editor TIMOTEJ LETONJA
interview JANA LETONJA