Jacque Temple
ED- The Eerie Digest is proud to present the well-known actress, Jacque Temple to all our readers. Jacque, how did you get your start in your film career, and what was your inspiration to do so?
JT- I had the honor to serve as an Advance Person for First Lady Nancy Reagan. An advance person is one who travels 3 weeks before a scheduled engagement to work with the grass roots organizations, the facilities, the press, the Secret Service, and who plans every movement the President, Vice President, or First Lady will take from the time they step off Air Force 1 or 2 until they return to the plane for their departing flight. I learned so much from Mrs. Reagan’s love of in-depth preparation and attention to detail. She made appearing before the camera seem so fun that I told myself “one day I’m going to be working on the other side of the lens”.
ED- What was your earliest work and tell us something about the production ?
JT- Hahaha! My very first play was in 2nd grade. I was the queen of our school Christmas play and realized at that very early age how much I enjoy being part of a team and learning a new process! Unknowingly, the seed had been planted.
ED- You have worked on the East Coast in many theater productions. Please tell us, in length, about these.
JT- Actually, I’ve only performed in a few stage plays but learned so much about the basics and theater tradition from the Little Theater of Alexandra, Reston Players, and Langley Park Stage. It was from my training at The Studio Theatre where I gained a real working knowledge, performance rules, and a strong acting foundation. And there was such a camaraderie from the Studio’s intensive courses, that I eventually became a member of an improv troupe (Full Contact) formed solely of my fellow classmates. Many of us are still friends to this day. Live industrial performances, actually, fully enriched my ability to be present for the camera. I helped train the US National Capitol Police in 24 lead roles as well as actively engaged in exchanging gunfire weekly as part of qualifying the candidates for their officer status and badge. I have great respect for what any police officer faces on a daily basis and the split second decisions they must make. In assisting Kirkland & Ellis in their live court industrials, I played 12 lead roles – all of which centered on lives of real people: captain of the Exxon Valdez, a heart surgeon, a nuclear physicist, a forest ranger, etc. You research extensively the person, what they were thinking as they made life altering decisions, the timeline of events and facts so that while you are on the Stand, your answers, as you field sometimes hostile questions, come from the core of your character. What is fascinating about these roles is that you learn the lingo and inner workings of an industry or field, as well as, about what pushes people to do what they do.
ED- Theater was not the only venue in your career. Television is another strong point for you. Please tell us about your role in the series, ‘America’s Most Wanted’.
JT- I adore ‘America’s Most Wanted’ !!! Such a wonderful group of people in John Walsh and his entire crew. Luckily, I have always played victims that managed to escape. Playing a victim is the deepest darkest place you’ll ever wake-up to in the morning. I also treasure the years I played Hotline Operator while John Walsh hosted the show as it was being produced in the studio (most recently at the National Museum of Crime and Punishment). It is on these days, you see the arch of human nature: heroes, villains, and psychopaths.
ED- You also starred in ‘Mercy’, ‘Rescue Me’, and ‘Gossip Girl’. please tell us about these productions and the roles that you played in them.
JT-I had a wonderful time playing a core nurse on ‘Mercy’. Every now and then, I would be featured, but ‘core’ means you are regularly ‘seen but not heard’. You are someone that can be relied on to be consistently professional week in and week out. You are someone that makes the production day go a little easier because you are a known quantity. In ‘Rescue Me’, I played a mom, bridal dress shopping with her daughter. I had a reaction shot with a throw-away line. These types of roles are done in usually two takes. You may get direction, or if what you’ve naturally done is good – they’ll take that shot and move on. For ‘Gossip Girl’, I had the delight of playing the mom of Vanya (Aaron Schwartz). Vanya was getting married to Dorota (Zuzana Szadkowski). Here again, I learned the traditions of two cultures: Russian and Polish.
ED- Another great series that you performed in was ‘Law & Order CI’. Please share your experience with our readers on this well known show and the role that you played.
JT- Jeff Goldblum has an amazing capacity to bring energy and precision to every single ‘take’. He is a warm and funny man who made me feel so at home. In this scene, I am Mrs. Hansen waiting to see the doctor whom Detective Zach Nichols (Goldblum) is interrogating in the doctor’s office. The doctor also happens to be a serial killer and his story slowly unravels during the course of the episode.
ED- The Silver screen was no stranger to you either, and you were seen in the hit film, ‘Henry’s Crime’. Please tell us about the film and the theme behind it.
JT- ‘Henry’s Crime’ is an indie film starring Keanu Reeves about a man who has been falsely accused and unjustly imprisoned. I play one of the three Parole Review Officers for James Caan’s character who is a career criminal. I will say James Caan has the brightest, greenest eyes I’ve ever seen !
ED- You also had roles in ‘Salt’ and ‘The Good Shepherd’. Please describe these films and the roles that you performed.
JT- ‘Salt’ stars Angelina Jolie and is directed by the marvelous Aussie director Phillip Noyce. I first saw his work in the thriller ‘Dead Calm’. He has a commanding presence with a mischievous sense of humor. I played the only female member of the White House staff, and he did something very interesting by ‘flashing’ my image on the screen the way you’ve seen subliminal messages projected. His style has Hitchcokian elements. In ‘The Good Shepherd’, I was thrilled to be selected by Robert DeNiro as a bus passenger in the opening scene of the film. He simply handed me a book of poems and said ‘read this’. Trying to think what would make my bus passenger special, I began lip reading the words in the book. It was cinematic foreshadowing: the romantic supporting female is deaf and ‘hears’ by reading lips.
ED- These films were very exciting for you. Please tell us about the interaction between you and the other actors in them.
JT- I thoroughly enjoy my peer group. The two markets I’ve worked in – Washington, DC and New York have exceptionally talented and generous actors who treasure our time together on and off set. It’s just always fun being around actors and crew !!
ED- You appear in the film, ‘Arthur’, which is in post-production. Can you give us a sneak-peek of the film and when our readers can get the chance to see it ?
JT- ‘Arthur” is the 2011 remake of the original ‘Arthur’ with Dudley Moore and Liza Minnelli. I will confess I did not expect to like Russell Brand as much as I do. Exceptionally kind and articulate, Russell’s powers of improvisation are rich and colorful. And Jennifer Garner is an absolute beauty as well as a genuine sweetheart. In ‘Arthur’ I propose a toast to them both at the bridal shower hosted at Arthur’s mansion. Honestly? The viewing audience will thoroughly enjoy each and every character in this remake (Helen Mirren plays Arthur’s nanny). I am assuming it will be released to cinemas around Christmas of 2011.
ED- Jacque, it has been an honor and pleasure to have this interview with you. I know our readers will love to learn all about you and will be excited to learn more about you, and your career. We wish you luck, and hope that you will visit with us again, soon.
JT- Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity to share a wonderful industry and its marvelous creative people with you today.
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