Fresh from Dances with Films, where she screened the pilot for terrific new series, PISS OFF, I LOVE YOU, actress and filmmaker Jessie McCormack talks with us about the difficulties of juggling so many roles.
Are you a city or a county girl, Jessie? Where’s home?
I grew up in Manhattan so that definitely categorizes me as a city girl but these days I’m much more of a country girl. I prefer the slower pace of Los Angeles which is where I currently live.
And was acting always the goal?
Acting was originally the goal but then I became more interested in writing and then directing. Being in PISS OFF, I LOVE YOU was my first acting experience in years.
Did it mean relocating at any stage for work?
Yes, I moved from New York to L.A. for work. But relocating for the weather would have been enough for me.
Is there a misconception that you have to be Hollywood-based to get all the good roles?
I think it depends on what kind of acting you want to do. If you’re a stage actor then New York is definitely the place to be. In the past if you wanted to act on screen there were many more opportunities in L.A. to make that happen. But more and more shows are being shot in New York these days. I don’t think it’s seen as a necessity to be in L.A. anymore the way it once was.
You got a very good role in ‘Piss Off, I Love You’ – because you directed it! Was it important to you that you play that particular role?
Ha – thank you! I wrote the series for Gaynor Howe and her daughters, Kira and Josie, to act in with me so it was definitely important to me that we all play those particular roles – it was this particular group of people that I was always picturing in my head.
How did the project come about?
I’ve always wanted to write something that took place in London because I’ve spent so much time there and it’s a place very close to my heart. And then I met Gaynor, a wonderful Scottish actor, at a film festival about a decade ago and we instantly clicked and stayed very close friends even though we live on opposite sides of the country (Gaynor lives in London with her family). I knew right away that I wanted to collaborate with her on something and then when I met her fabulously talented offspring, Kira and Josie, I knew we all had to do something together. So PISS OFF, I LOVE YOU is really a family affair and a labor of love for all of us.
Can you tell us about the plight of your character and how you can relate to her?
My character Sandy plays a down-and-out TV host from New York who moves to London when her Scottish best friend Gina (played by Gaynor) offers her a job hosting a show about the cultural differences between the U.S. and the UK. Sandy has a habit of shooting her mouth off and getting in her own way. There have certainly been times in my own life where I was making a situation harder for myself than it needed to be. I’ve tried to learn lessons from those experiences that Sandy hasn’t quite learned yet. I can certainly relate to her foibles, but I hope I’m a little more self-aware than she is!
Did you have a backstory for her – even if it was only in your mind and not in the series?
I did, yes. I always try to come up with backstories for the characters I create. Because this is a short form digital series the episodes average about eight to ten minutes each (we shot six in all) but the hope is to turn it into a half-hour TV show which will give us more time to share the characters’ back stories.
How hard is it writing, directing, producing and starring in a series!?
I won’t lie – it was definitely exhausting wearing all of those “hats”! But in some ways it was helpful because as an actor I always knew what the director wanted! But in all seriousness, I could not have done it without our terrific cast and crew. They were such a talented, hardworking, enthusiastic bunch and I’m forever grateful to each and every one of them. That might sound trite but it’s absolutely true!
Why was Dances with Films the perfect place to premiere the pilot?
I know several talented directors whose projects have screened at DANCES WITH FILMS and they all reported having a wonderful experience, so from the get-go it was a festival I hoped to be a part of. And I have to say DWF has done a magnificent job of getting the entire festival online so people can watch all the screenings from the comforts of their own home. I hope people will check out what’s playing this week – it’s a terrific way of supporting independent filmmaking!