IN CONVERSATION WITH JENNIFER MORRISON
interview by JANA LETONJA
Jennifer Morrison is a multifaceted actress, director, and producer whose career spans some of television’s most influential series. From her iconic performances on ‘House’, ‘Once Upon a Time’, and ‘This Is Us’ to her growing body of work behind the camera, she has consistently expanded her creative footprint. She joins the cast of Netflix’s global hit ‘The Night Agent’ for its third season, premiering on 19th February, starring as the First Lady opposite Gabriel Basso, Stephen Moyer, and Genesis Rodriguez. With her production company, Apartment 3C Productions, Jennifer continues to shape stories with intention, depth, and a distinctly modern perspective, both in front of and behind the lens.
Joining ‘The Night Agent’ in Season 3 as the First Lady is a fascinating pivot. What drew you to this role?
Since the day ‘The Night Agent’ was out on Netflix, I was a fan. I love the show. I admire the writers on the show, and I am invested in Peter Southerland’s journey. When I heard there was an opportunity to be a part of the show, it was a no brainer. I threw myself at it with total passion.
What can you share about the dynamic between your character and the rest of the ensemble?
The character I work with the most is the President, played by Ward Horton. We had never met before this job, and yet, I immediately felt as if I had known him forever. He is a generous scene partner, a thoughtful human, and curious in a way that is so inspiring. Everyone should be lucky enough to work with Ward.
I also had the incredible joy of working with Fola Evans- Akingbola. Fola emanates light. She has always been one of my favorite characters on the show, and her energy and presence made it so that there was no acting involved in expressing a true bond and friendship between our characters. Some of the toughest work started when Chelsea and Jenny had a falling out. I found it heart breaking to play out the demise of their trust and friendship.
‘The Night Agent’ thrives on tension and moral complexity. How did you find your way into that world?
Shawn Ryan is known for writing morally complex characters. He and his writers find a way to humanize even the worst of decisions. I am fascinated by the friction of watching good people make bad decisions as well as bad people making good decisions. We live in a world that wants to divide everything as if there is no grey area, and this show really explores the grey areas in us all.
Playing a morally complex character like Jenny really pushed me to create as detailed of a back story as possible for her in order to justify her decisions through her eyes. The lens through which she sees the world allows her to believe her decisions are justified in the moment. I do think she realizes in the end, that what she did was not in line with her true values.
You’ve played characters audiences deeply connect with, from ‘House’ to ‘Once Upon a Time’. What do you look for now when choosing roles?
I am always looking to expand my experiences. Before ‘The Night Agent’, I had not played a character who was in the political arena. Some of my favorite shows of all time, ‘West Wing’ and ‘The Diplomat’ are set in that world, so Jenny was extra intriguing to me. I am always looking to experience characters who are outside of my previous experiences.
How has your experience as a director shaped the way you approach acting on set?
For the most part, it really gives me faith in the process in a different way. It used to feel very intimidating to give too many options in a performance. As an actor, you have no control over what they chose to use or lose. So, it feels like you want to protect the sense of the character that you have.
What I know now, from being in the editing room so much, is that you never really know what combination of emotions will be the most effective until you see it all cut together. I am much more liberal now about giving many very different options within my performance and trusting the show runner to pull from those options and create the best result.
Launching Apartment 3C Productions was a major step. What gap were you hoping to fill with your own company?
I grew up loving films. My dad is a big movie lover and some of my most vivid memories as a kid were either watching movies with my dad or going to Blockbuster to pick a movie to watch with my dad. Some of his favorites were ‘What About Bob’, ‘Field of Dreams’, ‘Shawshank Redemption’, ‘Die Hard’, and I could go on and on. These movies all allow you to truly enjoy watching. They have strong characters who have to overcome something, but they also have beautiful and thought-provoking themes weaved into them in an invisible way.
I want to make the movies and television that I want to see. I hope to bring more complex characters to the screen, but also always leave the audience hopeful that we all have the capacity to evolve and grow. There is the potential for greatness in us all and I want to tap into believing we can make that potential a reality.
How do you define your voice as a storyteller now compared to when you first started producing?
I am not sure my true voice has changed drastically. What has evolved is my experience in every genre. My stepping into the world of television directing and producing, I have had the opportunity to really explore the visual language of every genre on television and that informs my ability to more exactly express myself as a filmmaker.
How do you maintain creative balance when juggling acting, directing, and producing?
I am not sure there really is a way to balance any of it, especially as a parent. However, the only way forward for me is to trust my gut. It is how I have always operated. I follow my heart. When a project draws me as a director, I lean there. And when my heart really leaps at a character, I pursue acting. There are always tough decisions, but I can confidently say I can always feel in my gut where I need to go next.
What keeps you creatively curious after so many successful chapters?
The reason I love being in this industry is that you never run out of things to be curious about. Every project opens the opportunity to research areas I have never researched before. My book shelves are filled with years and years of discovering new people, new literature, new ideas through the projects that I have worked on. The curiosity is the way.
As you move forward, what do you hope audiences will continue to discover about you as an artist?
I think what’s most important to me is continuing to surprise people. I never want to get comfortable or complacent, I always want to keep pushing forward to try new and unexpected things. I have always been a bit of a shape shifter on stage, I would love to show more of that ability on screen someday.
TEAM CREDITS:
talent JENNIFER MORRISON
photographer DYLAN PERLOT at EXCLUSIVE ARTISTS
styling CRISTINA EHLRICH at THE ONLY AGENCY
makeup COURTNEY HART at FORWARD ARTISTS
hair MARISSA MARINO at A-FRAME AGENCY
styling assistants SOFIA HAMLIN & ISABEL STERN
editor TIMI LETONJA
editorial director & interview JANA LETONJA
