Jessica Parker Kennedy

Interview by Violeta Nicola

Photography by Ryan West
Styling by Lisa Cera
Makeup by Motoko Honjo Clayton
Hair by Matilde Campost

Jessica Parker Kennedy is a Canadian film and television actress. Jessica has also appeared in many high-profile projects including The Flash, Black Sails, and The Secret Circle. She can currently be seen in Percy Jackson and the Olympians on Disney+.

You have an incredible history of movies and TV shows. What was it like when you first started acting? How did you become involved with the acting world?

My mom took me to a lot of theatre when I was kid so I was exposed to what acting was at a young age. I’ve always felt it was really magical and wanted to be a part of that magic. When I graduated from high school, I went into a two year theatre program and have been acting ever since.

Across your career, you have had the opportunity to tell many stories. Which are some of the ones that stuck with you and why?

If there was a story I wish I could continue telling, it would be a from a series I was on called “I Love Bekka & Lucy” created by the incredible Rachael Holder. I got really attached to that character and the world Rachael created for us. If we had been given more time, I would have loved to have expanded so much on that story.

Most recently, people can see you as “Medusa” on Disney+’s “Percy Jackson”. Were you a fan of the Percy Jackson universe or the Greek gods mythology prior to the project?

I was only familiar with the series and the mythology but I’m definitely a fan now. I really love the show and can’t wait for Season 2.

Medusa’s storyline was changed from the original book to give the character more depth. What did you think of the incredible response to the character’s development?

I’m proud to tell her story and so glad people are enjoying it. It’s complicated because Medusa is a monster but she is also a victim and I think the show runner and writer Jon Steinberg wrote the most amazing scenes to explain her feelings and experience in a way that adults can understand but that’s still appropriate for children.

Your film “Good Bad Things” recently won the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award at The Slamdance Film Festival. What can the fans expect from your character in it?

They can expect a story of true love. Love can be complicated and messy but it’s worth fighting for. I’m incredibly proud of that film.

Another incredible project you were involved in was “Black Sails”. The world of pirates seems almost mythical. How did you prepare for portraying your character?

I think about that time of my life a lot. We shot in South Africa on the most incredible sets. It was an amazing four years. Jon Steinberg also created that show. He is such a gifted story teller. To prepare I read a lot about the history of Nassau, which is fascinating.

You’ve been in a range of different projects over the years. What first draws you to a project when you read a script and know it’s a good fit for you?

I like telling stories about complicated people or people that are in complicated circumstances. It’s relatable and the most rewarding and fun to play.

Are there any specific artists or fellow creatives you would love to work with?

I have a long list of people I would love to work with but I’m really excited to act alongside my husband, Ronen Rubinstein, one day. He’s really talented. I always thought it was so cool how Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward made sixteen movies together.

You’re an animal lover, a vegan, and have worked with some great organizations in the past. Do you hope to raise more awareness on issues regarding animals and the meat industry in the future?

Absolutely. If people had any idea how their meat made its way to their plate, way less people would eat it. The same goes for that ice cream cone you want so badly in the summer, but people are not normally exposed to that information unless they go looking for it. Factory farming practices as well as practices in the dairy industry are barbaric. Our animals are tortured, mother cows are ripped away from their children, not to mention what it’s doing to our environment. To me it’s totally crazy. I feel like I’m living in the twilight zone.

Finding a way to educate the general public in a very public way is what would help us but no one is talking about animal welfare on the news and vegans who speak up are often portrayed as winy and a nuisance which is very frustrating. All animals deserve our respect and attention. Period.

Specifically, you’re a supporter of Stand Up for Pits and an Ambassador for Shizzy’s Wild Cat Rescue. Where does your love for pit bulls and wild cats come from?

As for Pit Bulls, I learned a lot about them when I adopted my pit bull, Fresh. She is the one of the best things to have ever happened to me. I had this gorgeous, kind, sweet creature and thought to myself, why does this little angel have such a bad reputation? A friend introduced me to The Stand Up For Pits Foundation and I learned so much about pits bulls and how extraordinary they are and how misinformed people are about them. Shazir Haque (Shizzy) contacted me on Instagram and taught me so many disturbing facts about wild cats and their treatment and lack of rights in our country and around the world. He is building an incredible wild cat sanctuary in North Carolina and I cannot wait for it to open. It will be a safe place to rescue wild cats in need as well as a place to become educated on what you can do to help so that we no longer need sanctuaries.

Are there other philanthropic issues you want to focus on in the future?

Anything to do with saving our planet and saving animals.

Looking back on your career, what do you hope people will feel when they watch your work?

I want people to feel like I’ve temporarily taken them out of their lives and into a different story all together. I want them to feel that because that’s how I feel when I watch an incredible movie or TV show.

Looking ahead, what personal goals have you set for yourself? What do you think 2024 has in store for you?

I’m always searching for a sense of peace which is very hard to find on earth when you know the horrors that go on here. I mostly have those moments when I’m with my dogs. I watch them be completely present and happy when they play or rest or try to communicate with me and I try to find those moments within myself. I think I’m striving for that more than anything.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.