Today we’d like to introduce you to Jordanna Hernandez.
Hi Jordanna, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I’ve always known I wanted to be a performer. Since I was a little girl performing with one of those fake echoey microphones singing Britney Spears. I thought I was gonna be a famous singer, and through the journey of life have turned into an actor who’d be happy expressing their craft with the financial security we all deserve.
I acted all throughout grade school and high school, and then I went to Georgetown University and graduate with a degree in Theater and Performance Studies. Right after that, I decided to join the Studio Acting Conservatory and train in their three-year program, and since then, I have been taking classes in LA and New York and continuing to grow.
That’s all the logistics. What’s really gotten me to where I am today is a little bit of insanity and the tenacity to keep going. I’ve gotten that strength and power through my loved ones and the work that I’ve done on myself. If I hadn’t taken the time to heal some of my deepest wounds (which, btw is a lifelong practice), I wouldn’t be where I am today: empowered and equipped to pursue my craft in a serious way. This industry is no joke. We have to take care of ourselves. Go to therapy, ask yourself the tough questions, stretch your mind and body, and align with the people that will help you grow.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Oh, absolutely not, nothing smooth about this road. The biggest challenge I faced initially was the lack of confidence. Most of my struggles came from myself and not feeling ready. Once I did the work of training and believing in myself, and saving the money I needed to present myself as the full, deserving package, the rest fell into place. The moments where I hesitate the most, I find are reflection me believing I don’t deserve to be where I am. I can overcome that mental barrier once I’ve accepted that’s where I am. Getting an agent was a game-changer. Find a team that sparks something in you. Following my intuition is a process of trial and error FOR SURE. There’s that, and of course, the financial struggles along the way and the constant questioning of purpose within an industry and within a society that capitalizes on our dreams and art. That’s what can break you as a person and has an actor, but that’s why building a solid foundation for myself was pivotal. Ultimately, we choose the problems we want to work through, and getting last-minute auditions, having to get on a set with only a 24-hour notice, memorizing scripts, and not knowing when I’ll book next are all a part of what keeps things interesting and exciting, even when it gets tough.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m an actor, writer, singer, puppeteer, and whatever else needs to get done where I’m needed. I work primarily on camera and come from a theater background. With my writing, I focus on stories around queer chicane, first-generation immigrant characters breaking cycles of generational trauma to find their own light and purpose. I’m not sure what I most known for, maybe I need to ask everyone around me. What I am most proud of is my play, “Por Lo Que Soy,” which premiered at a short play festival in Washington, DC. It’s the story of a young Chicane woman confronting a trauma from her past and finding her own identity within the pressures of her cultural family dynamic. I operate from a place of love; I believe everything we do is an act of love in some way. I’ve been told that I’m earnest really appreciate that. My social media is full of the ups and downs. I’m not afraid to be vulnerable in front of people.
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you, and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
A reiteration that life is about the people that light you up. And that in our quietest moments, we discover our deepest truths.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jordannahernandez.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/holycrapimclever/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordannahernandez/
Image Credits
Dan Corey
Mod Schwalbe
Anthony Chatmon
