Exclusive Interview with Jossara Jinaro of Passions Fame!

On the set of GO FOR IT!

Jossara Jinaro played Rae on NBC's Passions, one of Daytime's most fun soaps. Since then, she's been one busy lady!!  Jossara will be in the movie GO FOR IT!  which hits theaters May 13th.
 

WubsNet: So, Jossara, what have you been up to since leaving Passions?

Jossara: Well, one of the definite highlights was playing Simon Baker's love-interest on SMITH. After that, I primarily focused my energy on films. I've done 8 features and 5 shorts, both in English and Spanish. I actually have one opening on May 13th for Lionsgate which is an urban hip-hop movie called GO FOR IT! Most recently I went back to Colombia and worked on a Spanish Soap Opera for Caracol TV Internacional.
 

WN: What is the main  difference between an "American Soap" and a "Spanish Soap"?

JJ: Spanish soap operas or "novelas" short for telenovela is just like the word sounds, a dramatized novella on television. The main difference is American soaps are on-going and shot in a studio. The Spanish soap storylines end and are mostly shot on locations like a one-hour series.

WN: Which did you like better?

JJ: I loved both for the same reason. On Passions I had the challenge of not knowing where the story-line was going day to day. I had to be very personal with Rae's every thought and feeling and act moment to moment as the writers unfolded her life before my eyes. On LA BELLA CECI, I knew every detail of Katty's story line from beginning to end. The challenge was not to anticipate and stay true moment to moment. It's very exciting really living each second as it reveals itself.

WN: What was it like starring with Chad Brannon from General Hospital and Kamar de los Reyes from One Life to Live in live theater?  You're very lucky by the way!! 

JJ: I worked with Chad on a play called BEIRUT written by Alan Bowne and am currently on stage with Kamar in FIREHOUSE written by Pedro Antonio Garcia. Both of these plays are extremely demanding. Soap Operas are very taxing in the sense that you shoot an entire episode in one day. It requires a great deal of day to day memorization and preparation. It was not a surprise they both had such an incredible amount of discipline about the process. I loved going to the theater every day to work with both of them.  

WN: You are currently in 3 different plays. How do you manage being on stage in 3 different productions at the same time and how does it feel to play such diverse characters?

JJ: Theater was my first conduit for acting. I do everything I can to go back to it in between projects. Since I've been taking time developing films and starting a production company I was able to spend some time with my first love. There is nothing like sharing a story with someone who is right in front of you.  You hear their sniffling, laughter, breathing, and you feel their tears. One night going from a passionate community lawyer, to a heart-broken girl longing for love, to a naive young woman searching for answers... it's like experiencing life through three different pairs of eyes.  It's beautiful.

WN: It still astounds me you can do all three at once! What are the three plays and how are Academy Award winners Jonathan Sanger and Robert Moresco involved?

JJ: Robert Moresco is the consulting producer for FIREHOUSE. Jonathan Sanger directed THE BIRTHDAY PRESENT 2050 by Tania Wisbar. The third play is THE CIRCLE by Tina Lifford.


WN: Not that you have a lot of time but when you are not working what do you like to do?

JJ: You'll catch me at a salsa club dancing the night away!

WN: I know you like to dance. How were you cast as 'Loli' in GO FOR IT!?  Did you get to dance in the film?

JJ: Loli is the diva of the dance floor in this movie. It was required that I read three heavily dramatic scenes from the script and go through a dance audition for the final callback. I started in tap, jazz, and ballet when I was a little girl. I also went through a Musical Theater program that had a rigorous dance department and competed salsa for three years. Once I was cast I was asked to study hip-hop, breaking, popping, and flamenco. I spent six months preparing for the dancing.

WN: Sounds like you are a "Dancing With the Stars" Natural!! You should think about that. By the way, you're not only a performer. How did you become a teacher?

JJ: SAG was going through a strike and a friend of mine advised me to become a substitute teacher. I went through the LAUSD certification process. They were having a shortage of teachers and I was immediately recruited to stay long-term. I ended up teaching Middle School Math and Science. It was such a rewarding experience that even when the SAG strike was over, I stayed on and juggled both careers for three and a half years.

WN: Thank you so much... sounds like GO FOR IT! will be a great movie, can't wait to see it.  I hope WUB Fans in the LA area will check out your plays as well. Thank You!

Here's a link to  Jossara's page on Facebook:

Jossara also has a blog right here on Blogger. (with great pics!)