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Born in Toronto to Jamaican parents, Jessica\u2019s journey into the arts began not on a red carpet, but in a school auditorium. \u201cI remember playing one of the stepsisters in a Cinderella musical,\u201d she recalls with a smile. \u201cI wanted to be Cinderella so bad, but I told myself I\u2019d make the best of what I had. And when it came time to sing\u2014I sang<\/em>! That moment stayed with me.\u201d<\/p>\nThough the support system wasn\u2019t there in her early years to pursue acting full-time, she never let the dream go. Seven years ago, she stepped back into that dream\u2014and she\u2019s been blazing a path forward ever since.<\/p>\n
Jessica first caught the industry\u2019s attention in the award-winning short film \u2018She Waits<\/em>,\u2019<\/strong> where her portrayal earned her Best Actress honors at the International Black and Diversity Film Festival. That performance set the tone for what would become a recurring theme in her career: raw vulnerability and deep commitment to craft.<\/p>\n \u201cWinning those awards meant everything,\u201d she says. \u201cI put my all into becoming these characters. There’s a part of you that needs to be vulnerable and authentic\u2014and that doesn\u2019t come easy. It\u2019s the work we do in private that we\u2019re awarded for in public.\u201d<\/p>\n Her momentum didn\u2019t stop there. Jessica went on to win Best Actress accolades at both the Toronto Nollywood International Film Festival and the Inaugural Canadian Black Screen Awards for her gripping lead performance in the feature film \u2018Irreconcilable Differences<\/em>.\u2019<\/strong> On television, audiences might recognize her from the Peacock Original series \u2018Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol<\/em>,\u2019<\/strong> or from the nostalgic Vice TV docuseries \u2018The Dark Side of the ’90s<\/em>,\u2019<\/strong> where she embodied Mel B\u2014aka \u201cScary Spice.\u201d<\/p>\n Though she makes it look effortless, Jessica is quick to admit the balancing act isn\u2019t always graceful. \u201cIf I told you I balance all these roles, I\u2019d be lying,\u201d she says candidly. \u201cThis industry doesn\u2019t leave much room for balance. You sacrifice sleep, your social life\u2014but you find a way. Acting comes most naturally to me, and it’s the foundation for everything else.\u201d<\/p>\n Determined to leave the industry better than she found it, Jessica co-founded Black Actors Canada<\/em>, a nonprofit created to support and uplift Black talent in Canada. \u201cWe saw a void,\u201d she says. \u201cThere was a lack of support and infrastructure for our people in this country, so we decided to build something for us, by us<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n Her hope? That the next generation of talent won\u2019t face the same roadblocks. \u201cWe want to give young Black actors the tools, resources, and community they need to thrive. This is about professional development, but also about identity, voice, and visibility.\u201d<\/p>\n Jessica\u2019s Jamaican roots are not just a footnote in her bio\u2014they\u2019re a key ingredient in her storytelling. \u201cI\u2019ve used my patois in a role for a short film called \u2018Duppy,\u2019<\/em><\/strong> she says. \u201cI even had my mom help me with the script. Growing up in a Jamaican household gave me a unique set of skills\u2014language, rhythm, humor\u2014that I now get to use professionally.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s that same authenticity she brings to every role, blending lived experience with refined technique to create performances that resonate deeply.<\/p>\n There\u2019s no slowing down for Jessica Myrie. She\u2019s currently in production for the feature film \u2018Dirty Paraffin<\/em>,\u2019<\/strong> is producing a new TV series, and has a short film lined up for fall\u2014one she\u2019ll both star in and produce. This fall, she\u2019ll also host the prestigious Toronto Nollywood International Film Festival.<\/p>\n But even as her r\u00e9sum\u00e9 continues to grow, she\u2019s keeping her eyes on the bigger picture. \u201cA big goal of mine is to create more content and resources for emerging actors,\u201d she says. \u201cThrough Black Actors Canada<\/em>, I want to help build a generation of artists who feel seen, supported, and powerful.\u201d<\/p>\n From talent shows in Toronto to international film accolades, Jessica Myrie is proving what\u2019s possible when passion meets purpose. She\u2019s not just telling stories\u2014she\u2019s changing the narrative.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In an industry where persistence often rivals talent, Jessica Myrie is proving she has both in spades. The Canadian actress, host, and producer has become a formidable presence in the film and television space\u2014garnering multiple Best Actress awards, co-founding an influential nonprofit, and balancing a dynamic career that spans screen, stage, and storytelling. Born in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11023,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[240,239],"tags":[82],"class_list":["post-11032","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-canadian-news","category-international-news","tag-featured"],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sandbox.reggaenorthca.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11032","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sandbox.reggaenorthca.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sandbox.reggaenorthca.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sandbox.reggaenorthca.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sandbox.reggaenorthca.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=11032"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/sandbox.reggaenorthca.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11032\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11037,"href":"https:\/\/sandbox.reggaenorthca.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11032\/revisions\/11037"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sandbox.reggaenorthca.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/11023"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sandbox.reggaenorthca.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=11032"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sandbox.reggaenorthca.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=11032"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sandbox.reggaenorthca.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=11032"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sandbox.reggaenorthca.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Jessica-Myrie-Pic-2-225x300.jpeg\")
In addition to acting, Jessica has flourished as a host and producer. She currently hosts \u2018Black Business Live,\u2019<\/em><\/strong> a digital platform showcasing Black entrepreneurship, artistry, and community. \u201cI got involved after one of the founders saw an interview I did about my acting career,\u201d she explains. \u201cOne of my most memorable interviews was with Vivica A. Fox. She\u2019s someone I\u2019ve always looked up to. And speaking with Kardinal Offishall\u2014growing up with his music, that was a full-circle moment for me.\u201d<\/p>\n