I recently got the chance to talk to Andrea Frankle about her role in ’21 Jump Street’. Here, Andrea talks about what it was like working with the cast and crew on-set and how she got into acting in the first place…
Hey Andrea. Thanks for taking the time out to talk to me about your new film, ’21 Jump Street’.
Hi Matthew. Ok, my pleasure. Thanks for your interest.
What’s the general plotline surrounding the film?
Generally, this film is a super fun ride down the parody lane of ’21 Jump Street’, when two guys who were anything but friends in high school, are reunited by the same dream: to be a cop and to be really good at it.
Tell us a bit about the character you play in the movie…
I play the character of Cinnamon, a prostitute who frequents the police headquarters where Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Jenko (Channing Tatum) are underachieving cops. Cinnamon genuinely likes these guys and wants them to do well.
How did you get involved in the project in the first place?
I’ve been working professionally as an actor in New Orleans for 12 years.
How would you say this film is different and unique?
It’s an homage to the original ’21 Jump Street’ concept of rogue cops going undercover, complete with brilliant cameos by original Jumpstreeters Johnny Depp and Peter DeLuise, while having an absolute ball of a good time with it.
The film stars Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, Brie Larson, Dave Franco, Rob Riggle, DeRay Davis and Ice Cube – with Phil Lord and Chris Miller onboard as directors – what was it like working with the cast and crew on-set? Any good anecdotes
Working with Chris Miller and Phil Lord was brilliant fun. Seeing two friends also be professional collaborators on this level of film-making was really inspiring. The comedy of this movie goes beyond slapstick humour. It’s truly intelligent hilarity. It’s a challenge to write and to communicate to your team behind the cameras as well as in front of them, and they did both with chillaxed ease. Seriously. These guys are awesome.
Let’s talk a bit about you Andrea. What made you want to get into the industry in the first place?
I’ve been acting in theatre since I was a kid. My mom is a singer – in fact, she was my music teacher in grade school! – and she was always involved in community theatre. So, sure enough, I caught the ‘bug’ and it’s been with me ever since. I started working in the TV and film industry after graduate school. I went to Louisiana State University (LSU). There was so much film and television coming to Louisiana, thanks to a tax incentive passed in 2002, it seemed like the logical next step for me.
What advice would you give to anyone wanting to get into the industry?
Be sure! 🙂 Be ready. Be patient. Be grateful to your family and friends who support you. Be a multi-tasker. Make sure your other jobs allow for flexibility, as that is truly the greatest challenge. There is no continuity in this business of being an actor.
You’ve been in a number of different film and TV series – which actors/actresses have been your favourites to work with so far and why?
Many of my favourite actors to work with have been my fellow theatre cast mates from theatre productions I’ve done over the years. But in film and TV, I have been fortunate, too, and some of my favs are Hilary Swank – she’s incredibly focused. Our scenes were so intense. I learned so much from working with her on ‘The Reaping’. I loved working with Minnie Driver and Eddie Izzard on the FX TV series ‘The Riches’. They are both such lovely spirited people, and were so devoted to that project. But my favourite star so far would have to be Brooke Shields, with whom I just finished working on ‘The Hot Flashes’. She is so sweet and down-to-earth, and really such a talented actor. She’s at the top of my Fav List right now, for sure.
What is currently on your I-Pod?
I just listened to Coldplay this morning in the gym, but frankly I’ve got quite a mixed bag on my I-Pod. I go from hot and sassy attitude like Nikka Costa to expansive soundtracks like ‘The Last Of The Mohicans’ to classic artists like Bruce Springsteen and Beethoven. It depends on my mood – but I guess that’s the point!
If you were stranded on a desert island, what three things could you not live without?
My husband. A book. And my face moisturizer.
What is your favourite word?
Tribeca.
What’s coming up for you in 2012?
As I mentioned earlier, I worked on ‘The Hot Flashes’, a comedy starring Brooke Shields, Daryl Hannah and Wanda Sykes. I also just finished working on ‘The Host’, starring the incandescently talented Saoirse Ronan. And I’m just starting work on a film called ‘Beautiful Creatures’, starring Jeremy Irons and Viola Davis. So far, 2012 is looking good!
Thanks for the interview!
Matt J. Horn 