If you’ve been missing “Jane The Virgin” in these winter months, fear not! The midseason break has ended and we spoke to Andrea Navedo, Jane’s onscreen mother, Xiomara, to celebrate!
On the benefits of having soap opera experience.
“Soap operas are like TV boot camp. You have to be able to self-direct, learn a ton of dialogue in a short amount of time, and deliver a performance in one or two takes. Working on sitcoms, you have the luxury of time, but you have those acting chops and muscles worked out from doing soap work.”
On acting opposite Jaime Camil.
“We never had a chemistry read or an audition together! They never even saw us together! And the first time I met him was during the pilot. He didn’t have much to do or say. I think he had one line. I had no idea at the time, but he’s such a great guy. I watch him and he can take direction from any director. He’s a team player and wants to make ‘Jane The Virgin’ the best that it can be.”
On improving your performance.
“You’re not going to learn about acting on TV and in film. You’ll learn more in plays and in class. In fact, I’m trying to get into acting class now! In TV and film, you get these short scenes shot out of sequence, and you never get that sense of character through line. When you do a play, you spend months with a character and the story, and you get to explore and find nuances you would not find on TV. Do theater and keep studying!”
On how she differs from Xiomara.
“One thing I love about Xiomara is she’s flirtatious, into her body and her looks and her sensuality, and I love those things about her because I’m the exact opposite. I’m way more conservative than she is, but that’s the cool thing about acting! That you get to explore parts of your personality that might not be at the forefront…. I’m definitely way more shy. I watched the midseason finale and I saw myself in those shorts and I had a heart attack! I just cringed looking at it. But when I’m at a fitting I’m totally in the headspace of Xiomara. And I don’t even think twice. Sometimes I’m shopping and I’m, like, ‘That’s so Xiomara!’ I get totally into the fittings with her, with the heels and the jewelry.”
On relating to her character.
“On a personal level, I’m a mom with two kids, 8 and 11, and I’m still pursuing my dreams. Having children slowed me down a little bit but it didn’t stop me. That’s one thing I love about Xio; she has this faith, and to go on this quest to be a singer-performer, even at her age, she’s still trying to do it. It’s really easy to give into ‘I want to raise my kids,’ ‘I want to be the best mom, so I have to give up my dreams.’ I don’t believe that. I think if anything, being a living example to your children is beautiful. My mom was a single mother in the South Bronx living in adverse conditions. Seeing her struggles to get herself off of welfare and get back into the workplace and give me and my sister a better life—it’s an inspiration for me.”
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