Jessica Greco – Tokens

By starrymag | July 28, 2019

By: Spring Marie Cullen

 

 

Q) What made you want to be a part of the series Tokens?

A) I had worked with Winnie Jong on several other projects where she was a script supervisor (Bomb Girls, Northern Town, etc.) and I wanted to be part of her segue in directing. I think she’s wonderfully talented and knew she’d be a great director. And I’m so happy she decided to write it as well. When someone comes to you with such a strong will to make something that feeling is contagious.

 

Q) How was your character originally described to you? 

A) A stressed out, over worked AD (assistant director) who has the hardest job on the set. Someone who puts a big smile on and makes it work, whatever it is.

 

Q) Did you add anything to them?

A) I added my sense of humor, although all the jokes were already in the script. I wanted her to be funny and dry. A woman on the edge of losing her patience.

 

Q) As an actor and performer, what aspects of the series could you relate to most?

A) Getting pulled in different directions. For every person you see in front of the camera, there are four behind the camera. People and equipment everywhere, things changing moments before we shoot. Long shooting days. And as an actor people are always asking you to be something else, be someone you’re not. It’s a vulnerable position to be in. And then you wait. There can be a lot of down time on set and then waiting for the next job…and hoping people liked you.

 

Q) If “On Call Casting” was an actual service, how successful do you think it’d be? Would you have used it at any point in your career?

A) Wow! I hope it wouldn’t be successful because I hope that people of color would be brought in for roles regularly, roles that were not solely related to what they look like or to fill a quota. But the world we live in doesn’t always work that way. As a white woman I’ve had the privilege of auditioning for lots of different types of roles. So, although I’ve never needed it’s services, it’s very possible that “On Call Casting” would exist.

 

Q) Tokens is very tongue-in-cheek, but comedically touches base on some important aspects of the entertainment world. How did it feel to play a role in telling this story?

A) I am so grateful to have gotten the opportunity to work on this project. It shines a light on the very real problem of representation in the media. Our leads are people of color, as is our director, and we had women in many key roles as well. That has only happened to me once before in 20+ years of acting. I am so humbled that Winnie wanted me to be part of the team and the fact that we’re taking this all on in the format of a comedy makes it all the sweeter. We laughed a lot!

 

Q) What were some of your favorite scenes or episodes to film?

A) There was an improv scene between myself and Daniel Maslany who played “Dennis the AD” that never made it to air but was very fun to shoot. Daniel and I were just trying to make the crew laugh and we said some pretty ridiculous things.

 

Q) What advice would you give to actors considering working for a casting company?

A) Don’t work for a casting company, get an agent you like and feel like you can call on the phone whenever you need to, you have to trust that person. Get pictures that look like you, not some version of you. You’re great, believe that. And take classes. They won’t all be winners but if you find a teacher you like, stick with them.

 

Q) What do you hope viewers take away from watching Tokens?

A) I hope they laugh. I hope they binge watch. I hope they tell their friends to watch and I hope they start to notice and question the casting choices on other shows. I hope they take away the message that representation matters. It’s not a joke, but we are pretty funny.