Jennifer Wigmore Talks 'Cross' on Prime Video, Chief Anderson & Her Artistic Journey

[00:00:09] Jennifer, thank you all for joining me today on Pop Culture Unplugged.

[00:00:13] Thanks so much for having me. It's nice to meet you.

[00:00:16] Exciting times. We have Cross now streaming on Prime Video. How's your life been so far with this drop about a week ago?

[00:00:23] I mean, it's insane. I'm so grateful to the fans for seeing what we felt when we made it, you know, that I can't believe 92 million people have watched our show.

[00:00:36] It just makes me so happy. You know, it's the dream. It's what you want.

[00:00:41] Whenever you start a show, you kind of want people to love it.

[00:00:45] And so that's, so we feel the love. That's, that's, yeah, that's how I feel.

[00:00:51] That's amazing. We're gonna, we're gonna jump into the show in a few minutes.

[00:00:55] So I was doing some research on you. I'm very intrigued by your, your career so far, you know, acting, writing, visual art.

[00:01:01] How did this all happen to you? What made you go from all these things at the right now into acting?

[00:01:06] Oh, you know what? It's a, that's a very long answer to a short question.

[00:01:10] But I mean, I think I learned, you know, when I was in my 40s and that I, that you needed to diversify.

[00:01:19] It just, having a career as an actor is a very unstable profession, especially when you live in Canada, like I do.

[00:01:27] And so, especially also for women, it can be very up and down depending on your age.

[00:01:34] And so I need, but I couldn't, because I'm an artist, I couldn't, you know, do something else, you know, like I had to, I had to figure out how to sustain that for me, not just financially, but psychologically.

[00:01:48] And how is that going to work for me as a human?

[00:01:52] And so I needed to branch out and do other things that I had more control over.

[00:01:57] I mean, I think actors, unfortunately, you know, one of the things we love about our job is that we have to do it with other people.

[00:02:05] You can't really do it alone.

[00:02:07] And if you are doing it alone, you might need to seek some help there.

[00:02:10] But like, you have to kind of have other people around, you know, and so that can be a really hard when you don't book the jobs when you're on, you know, audition 100 and you haven't booked it, you know, and you're waiting for somebody to say,

[00:02:26] go ahead, do what you love, you know, you, it can be very challenging.

[00:02:30] And so I think I always tell young artists to find the other branches of your artistry that you can use when you're not booking the jobs that keep you into your artist's heart and keep you flexing your craft.

[00:02:45] Because ultimately, they're all just aspects of you.

[00:02:48] What's the goal?

[00:02:50] What's on the bucket list that you want to hit someday?

[00:02:52] Oh, wow.

[00:02:53] I mean, I think I would love to be number one on a series.

[00:02:57] I mean, and that would be the goal.

[00:02:59] But I also, yeah, oh, that's sweet.

[00:03:02] I mean, I love films, too.

[00:03:04] And I would love to be doing more film.

[00:03:08] I mean, I really that I spent my career mostly in American television.

[00:03:12] And and so I would love to be doing a lot more independent film.

[00:03:16] I've always had, you know, when I started my career, I was in theater and my Achilles heels was always new Canadian playwrights.

[00:03:24] Like I just could I could not resist doing working on those shows.

[00:03:28] And I think I just have a problem there.

[00:03:31] Although now all the new Canadian players are going to be like, can I do your show?

[00:03:34] Can you do my show?

[00:03:35] Hopefully.

[00:03:36] But but I would say that's the same about screenwriters.

[00:03:39] Like I'm really interested in independent filmmakers and and and their voices and their original ideas.

[00:03:47] And as a as a screenwriter myself, I would love to be doing more features.

[00:03:54] And so I'll just put that out there.

[00:03:56] Thanks for asking.

[00:03:57] Is there a specific role that you kind of hope you get your hands on someday, you know, like a comedy or more drama?

[00:04:03] Or is there like something you want to make sure you get?

[00:04:07] You know, that's such a cool question, because it's not going to be an answer you expect.

[00:04:11] I mean, yeah, of course, there's a bunch of things I want to play.

[00:04:15] But the characters I really want to play are the incredibly weird fantasy sci fi characters.

[00:04:22] Like I like I'm kind of obsessed.

[00:04:26] I'm a big fantasy person.

[00:04:28] I really like reading fantasy novels.

[00:04:30] And so, you know, like, yeah, there's some really incredible female characters who are strong and driven.

[00:04:39] Like the Dune prophecy, like I look at all of those women in the Dune prophecy right now.

[00:04:44] I'm like, yes, yes, please.

[00:04:45] All of them, you know.

[00:04:48] So you want that wall with the fancy clothes and everything.

[00:04:52] Like the Viking hair and witches.

[00:04:55] Yes.

[00:04:56] Sign me up.

[00:04:57] Oh, yeah.

[00:04:57] Or like sci fi, too.

[00:04:59] I'd totally be into being a weird alien.

[00:05:02] No, I just I love that stuff.

[00:05:05] I love I love it probably goes to my theater roots, too, because, you know, that's the closest thing to theater.

[00:05:13] I think we get in terms of or the kind of theatrical large performances that you see in those kinds of shows that are required for you to have such an incredible imagination to see, you know, beasts and dragons and, you know, you know, werewolves.

[00:05:30] I mean, I'm just I'm all in.

[00:05:32] Yes.

[00:05:33] Yes.

[00:05:33] So I'd like to I'd like to be a crazy badass in some major fantasy.

[00:05:39] Yes.

[00:05:40] That's awesome.

[00:05:41] That's awesome.

[00:05:42] Maybe we'll see it someday.

[00:05:43] How did so how did Cross come about?

[00:05:46] How did you was this like did you work with somebody?

[00:05:49] They said, hey, we might have a part for you.

[00:05:50] Or was it an audition?

[00:05:51] I auditioned.

[00:05:52] I auditioned probably like everybody else.

[00:05:55] You know, I think it was just one of those things that whatever I auditioned for that scene in the in the first episode where we're at the dining table.

[00:06:07] And and yeah, I just put it on tape and sent it off and then got a call to do it again.

[00:06:13] And I did it.

[00:06:14] And then before I knew it, I was having a meeting with Nzinga Stewart, who was the director of episodes one and two.

[00:06:20] And and then I was having a meeting with Ben and then it was done.

[00:06:25] Yeah.

[00:06:25] It was just one of those things you just never know.

[00:06:28] You know, you put yourself on tape over and over again.

[00:06:30] And you sent now that we're in the world of self tapes.

[00:06:33] Right.

[00:06:34] We send it out into the void and it goes off and you never hear anything again,

[00:06:38] which is a real problem for actors, because part of our our how we grow and learn is getting feedback from production and from casting.

[00:06:48] And so that's been a real problem that we need to fix in our industry,

[00:06:53] because it's really been a very closed loop for actors since the pandemic.

[00:06:57] And that's been really hard on us to to grow or to know if we're growing.

[00:07:02] But I also I would say that that cross is just one of those things.

[00:07:07] I was just the right person at the right moment.

[00:07:09] And then because it's kind of what they were looking for, I guess.

[00:07:13] And what's great about this show, too, it's like very it's very intense once you tune in and you watch it.

[00:07:17] Like how did for you like how would you do the role for Chief Anderson?

[00:07:20] Like what how did you decide you wanted to bring this character to life?

[00:07:24] Well, I mean, I think I didn't know where she was going because we didn't have we didn't get access to the scripts as we were shooting.

[00:07:32] Right. So, you know, we we would shoot them and then we would read another one and then we'd shoot it and we'd read another one and then we'd shoot it.

[00:07:38] And we didn't know it was happening until we got there, you know.

[00:07:41] And so there's something really you can't really prepare for something.

[00:07:46] You don't know what's going to happen.

[00:07:47] But what you can't what I could prepare with is sort of what is the what is the life of an American chief of female chief of police?

[00:07:56] He's like broken through the glass ceiling and really in a very, very male dominated profession.

[00:08:02] And and so I'd spent a lot of time researching those incredible women.

[00:08:07] And, you know, it was never a similar path.

[00:08:11] They all had very different paths to get there.

[00:08:14] And but they all had ambition.

[00:08:16] They all had determination.

[00:08:18] They all had grit.

[00:08:18] Grit was like the key.

[00:08:21] If if Anderson has anything, she has grit.

[00:08:24] That's what I would say.

[00:08:25] I like how she's like the relationship between like Anderson and Alex Cross, you know, like how would you describe that relationship?

[00:08:35] I would say there is a deep respect underneath acrimonious relationship.

[00:08:42] They both like to be right, which is a problem.

[00:08:46] You know, marriages like that, they don't work out so well.

[00:08:51] So I think I think Anderson really respects Cross.

[00:08:55] I think she knows he's an incredible detective.

[00:08:58] But I also think she has ambitions for herself that knows that he could be trouble for her if he you know, because he's a rule breaker.

[00:09:06] Right. Like he doesn't like to follow the rules.

[00:09:09] And so that could, you know, for a female chief who's that's the top.

[00:09:14] She's the top dog.

[00:09:16] You know, he breaks the rules.

[00:09:17] It's her head that rules, not his.

[00:09:19] Right.

[00:09:19] So so so and I think because she has ambitions for herself, I think she she's worried about how she's going to manage Cross.

[00:09:30] I don't know if you've got to episode six yet where we have a very, very intense little exchange and we really go at it there.

[00:09:40] And that's like the height of their relationship for sure in that scene.

[00:09:45] But then there's a scene in episode eight that you get to see another side of their relationship, which is very, very different than the Anderson that you've seen in the whole season.

[00:09:57] And it's just a little window into the fact that this is a person.

[00:10:02] She has a job to do, but she's also a person.

[00:10:05] She's a grandmother.

[00:10:06] She's a mother.

[00:10:08] She's she's she cares about Cross and she is worried about him.

[00:10:14] And so I think there I think the thing I love about Ben and the writers on our show is that they're they're writing very complicated characters for the long game.

[00:10:25] They're not writing a character for a season.

[00:10:27] They're writing characters for multiple seasons and multiple avenues.

[00:10:33] And they're laying the pipe for what is to come.

[00:10:37] Yeah, I could definitely see that.

[00:10:39] You mentioned earlier how you were reading scripts and then you filmed when you read the part of Chief Anders is going to run for mayor.

[00:10:47] What went through your mind?

[00:10:48] I was like, what?

[00:10:51] She's what?

[00:10:53] Oh, no.

[00:10:55] Yeah, I don't know where that's going to go.

[00:10:57] I mean, I think that's a really interesting plot twist, but it also explains things like it gives you it gave me a real clear insight into her ambition.

[00:11:06] Right. Into what what she's going to put up with, because if she sees herself above this job, the chief of police is not the top that the mayor is top.

[00:11:20] And then maybe the governor, you know, like she sees a ladder that she's climbing.

[00:11:25] Cross could derail that ladder for her.

[00:11:27] So there's there's a there's a reason to try and keep him under control, because if she loses her job, if he blows things up and she gets fired, then her political ambitions are over.

[00:11:39] So it gave me a really clear insight into why she does the things she does, that she's trying to save her neck as well.

[00:11:48] So and if we see a season two and you are you're the mayor, then there were no more chief outfit either.

[00:11:55] Something else.

[00:11:56] Thank God. Wouldn't that be nice?

[00:11:59] Well, when you do see her out of out of the chief uniform in episode five and in episode eight.

[00:12:06] And yeah, but that'd be very nice to not wear that outfit, although I have a lot of respect for that outfit.

[00:12:12] And there's a real you know, when we were when we were there's a real formality to the whole uniform process.

[00:12:21] You know, there's a certain way that certain things have to be and it always has to be the same.

[00:12:26] And and that hat, you know, like it's a really interesting but funny, we all the clothes we were getting from actual, you know, uniform distributors, people who make uniforms across the world.

[00:12:38] And they don't make them for women.

[00:12:40] They really don't.

[00:12:41] Like it's it was a shocking like, wow, these are men's shirts, men's pants.

[00:12:48] These are men's jackets.

[00:12:49] These are men's hats.

[00:12:51] And I'm like, wow, here here's the patriarchy right in my face.

[00:12:56] That we would constantly be altering the outfits because she was.

[00:13:03] And so if you look at chiefs, just remember that they're there.

[00:13:06] They're reminded every day that they are in a man's job because of what they're wearing.

[00:13:12] Is there anything you would change about Anderson?

[00:13:14] Like if the creator said, hey, here, write something down.

[00:13:17] Or would you add something about her?

[00:13:19] Uh, I would love to see Anderson have a vulnerable moment.

[00:13:27] Um, uh, we do see one in eight.

[00:13:31] We do see a little bit of it in episode eight, but I think that they can go further and let us see a side of her that we haven't or wouldn't see.

[00:13:40] Um, a part of maybe where she's scared or vulnerable or, um, we could also, I'd love to see her, uh, when she's like in love or, you know, um, like there's so many aspects to humanity that you just, you know, if you're interested in a person, you want to know how they tick, you know, show all sides of them and, or find a way to.

[00:14:04] Um, and so hopefully, hopefully.

[00:14:06] Yeah.

[00:14:07] Or even like a little background story and more about it.

[00:14:10] Yeah.

[00:14:10] Yeah.

[00:14:11] I mean, I think that's the great thing about season one is you've been introduced to a whole host of characters who I think the show is committed to growing.

[00:14:20] I just, you just don't know which one they're going to grow next.

[00:14:23] Um, but I, uh, but I think because, you know, you'll, you're going to see everybody in season two.

[00:14:28] So, uh, so.

[00:14:30] And you'll, you'll see who they're growing in season two.

[00:14:33] Right.

[00:14:33] So, uh, and then, but just hold on because, you know, if we get a season three, you're going to see a whole new story too.

[00:14:40] Right.

[00:14:40] That's the great thing about the show is that it, it, it really does end, uh, the, you know, the, the serial killer story ends at the, uh, end of the season.

[00:14:50] Uh, and we, he'll move on to another case in season two.

[00:14:55] Uh, um, but the characters will still remain, um, and grow as well.

[00:15:00] Amazing.

[00:15:01] Have you started filming season two yet or was that already filmed too?

[00:15:04] We have finished.

[00:15:06] So when do they think they might release that next year sometime?

[00:15:10] Or.

[00:15:11] I don't know.

[00:15:12] I hope soon.

[00:15:12] Actually, I really hope for the fans that it's sooner rather than later because, uh, you know, I mean, why not?

[00:15:20] We got it.

[00:15:21] Let's, let's let it out of the bag.

[00:15:23] You know, um, I would love them to release it.

[00:15:26] I'm sure it'll be sometime next year.

[00:15:28] Jennifer, what's next for you now?

[00:15:30] Any other projects you're allowed to tell us about that you're coming up?

[00:15:32] What's the plan?

[00:15:33] Yeah.

[00:15:34] I, you know, I just, I work on another show.

[00:15:36] It's a kid's show from England called, uh, Mallory Towers.

[00:15:40] And it's just a season five.

[00:15:42] The other half of season five is just dropped on BBC iPlayer.

[00:15:45] Uh, and, uh, and I've just finished shooting season six of that as well.

[00:15:49] So that'll come out next year too.

[00:15:52] Um, I'm heading into, uh, um, bargaining for, uh, my union.

[00:15:57] I'm representing, uh, my union at the bargaining table, just the same way that SAG-AFTRA, uh, had, um, their negotiations.

[00:16:04] We're also in the process of that with the producers here in Canada.

[00:16:08] Uh, and I'm also working on my screenplay, which I've been writing for a while now.

[00:16:12] Uh, and I'm going into a really beautiful, uh, writer's lab intensive, which is a, a, a group from America, um, that, uh, are for women over 40 writers, women over 40 female identifying.

[00:16:26] Uh, and so I'm going into an intense writing, um, period with a group of incredible women who are going to help me work on my script.

[00:16:33] And, uh, then it's going to be Christmas and I'm going to, you know, the year's flying.

[00:16:38] Yeah.

[00:16:38] Right.

[00:16:38] And then, you know, hopefully, you know, new year will bring new opportunities and new projects.

[00:16:45] Amazing.

[00:16:46] Maybe that cool feature film that we were just talking about.

[00:16:49] Uh, how can the viewers and listeners now find you on social media, keep up with you with everything that you post out there?

[00:16:55] Oh, well, you can always find me on Instagram at, at Jennifer Wigmore.

[00:16:58] Um, you can find me at Jennifer Wigmore.com.

[00:17:01] Uh, I, you can also find my art there too.

[00:17:04] My visual art, um, as Jennifer Wigmore art.

[00:17:07] Um, yeah, I'm on Instagram a lot, so you can find me there easily.

[00:17:11] Yeah.

[00:17:12] Jennifer, thank you for giving me a few minutes today.

[00:17:14] This was great.

[00:17:15] Uh, when it cross season two comes out, let's continue on with this, uh, chat about, uh, Anderson.

[00:17:19] Yeah.

[00:17:20] We'd love to talk to you about it.

[00:17:21] Yeah.

[00:17:22] Yeah.

[00:17:22] Yeah.

[00:17:23] Yeah.

[00:17:24] Yeah.