THE BIG INTERVIEW: FTN interviews actress Alyssa Jacobsen

Alyssa was born in Orlando, Florida, but remembers her childhood in Northern Virginia where she spent twenty-one years of her life. Acting was always something she had a passion for, but it didn’t seem like a possible career choice at the time. Nevertheless acting never disappeared from her life.

At the age of fifteen she received her first dose of acting by signing up for a drama class in 9th grade and continued taking acting classes all through high school. While she was there, she worked on several different theatre productions and her inspiration to pursue acting became stronger. Alyssa was honored with the award for Best Thespian her senior year and went on to receive a scholarship for acting.

She studied theatre at the Northern Virginia Community College and later attend an acting program in London with the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.

After attaining her associate degree from NVCC, she took a year off to work and explore her options. She decided Los Angeles would make the most sense for her chosen career path. A month before the cross-country move to LA she auditioned for an independent film company, Opening-Act Productions , and was cast as Lisa, a mean-girl cheerleader in high school (Rise Of The Fellowship), thus beginning her professional acting career.ALYSSA JACOBSEN

FTN: Hi Alyssa, thanks for taking time to talk to us today, first up, how did you first get into acting?

AJ: I’d always had an interest in acting, but I started taking it seriously when I became involved in the theatre department in high school. When I graduated from High School I did a summer intensive with RADA in London and I knew I wanted to pursue acting full time which led me to Los Angeles, and here I am!

FTN: You have worked in a number of theatrical productions, especially in your youth. Do you in enjoy performing in front of a live audience?

AJ: There is something really special about being in front of a live audience. I miss it. Sometimes I think about getting back into it just for fun, but it really requires a lot of time. Between rehearsals, auditioning and working, it becomes almost impossible to dedicate the time a theatre production would require.

FTN:  In Rise of the Fellowship, you play the part of Lisa/Dream Girl. How did you get the part?

 AJ: Funnily enough, I originally went in to audition for Stacy’s character. I showed up in full-on goth attire, and after my read they asked me to read for dream girl. To my surprise I ended up getting a call back for dream girl and after that I booked it. I was really excited!

FTN: Rise of the Fellowship is heavily inspired by Fanboys and the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. Are you a Lord of the Rings Fan and who was your favorite Hobbit and Wizard?

AJ: I am a Lord of the Rings fan (who isn’t?) (FTN MD Marc, just saying). I’d say my favorite hobbit is Sam. I felt the most emotional attachment towards his character. My favorite wizard is Gandalf. He reminds me of my grandpa.

FTN: What was it like to work on Rise of the Fellowship as it appears to be a fun picture?.

 AJ: It was an amazing experience. It was the first feature film I’d ever booked, so I was pretty nervous. It can be intimidating being on a set. Ron and the team made everyone feel so comfortable and I felt at ease working on set. It was really fun!

FTN: Are there any projects that you are currently working on or may be involved with for the future?

AJ: I’m working on a few creative projects at the moment. I’ve been staying busy auditioning and hopefully there will be exciting news to report soon ;].

FTN: If you could choose one Actor or Director that you would like to work with, who would it be and what genre of film?

 AJ: I love Tim Burton’s work. I love how dark and edgy he is. If I could work with any director he would be my first choice. If I could work with any actor I’d have to pick Jim Carrey first. I can only imagine how much fun it would be to work with him and be around his energy all day. If I could work with any actress it would definitely be Rachel McAdams. I adore her. I think she can create chemistry with anyone and anything. I love watching her performances.

FTN: Finally, Star Wars or Lord of the Rings?

 AJ: Lord of the Rings…duh.