I was born in the Philippines towards the end of the first Marcos era. Growing up in a military family, I’ve lived in: Bataan, Yokohama, San Diego, and New York. I’ll never forget the smell of jet fuel, walking along the tarmac as a kid, next to fighter planes parked on top of the USS Midway. Fun fact: I grew up in the same base that Mark Hamill did in Japan.

I studied classical singing (I’m a Mezzo) and world theater at San Diego State University. My early 20s was pivotal, my mom lost her decade-long battle with cancer right before I graduated. In my last semester of undergrad, I was shuffling between classes, performances, and taking care of my mom. During that time, acting was the only thing I had to preserve my spirit. And that’s when I decided to go all in. If I had to live in a world without my mother, then I would fill my life with purpose. In 2009, I sought out a scholarship to attend Columbia University’s Master of Fine Arts in Acting program and moved to NYC. I have been a proud New York actor ever since.

I have performed at theaters across the country, my favorites being the California Center for the Arts, Northcoast Rep, Joe’s Pub at the Public Theater, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Hudson Valley Shakes, Shakespeare Theater of New Jersey, Ma-Yi Theater, New York Theater Workshop, Classic Stage Company, and the National Opera America Center, where I directed and performed my one woman musical show, Freely.

As a stage-trained actor, I am at home working in Theater as well as Commercials, Animated TV, and Voiceover more broadly. I am proud to be helping redefine Asian American representation for audiences across Young Adult, Sci-Fi, Romance, Self Development, Women’s Fiction, and Children’s content. Over the last 20 years, I’ve played a range of characters from sprightly and sassy to androgynous and mythical, to clumsy and badass.

I love playing the anti-hero, like Rufio from Hook, Elphaba from Wicked, Ellie from The Last of Us: prickly, orphaned, joyful, loyal, outsiders that have epic journeys before them. It’s the story of my life.

I like to stay active by doing yoga, going on nature walks, swimming, practicing martial arts, and get inspiration for my craft by going to live concerts, or going to the theater. Sometimes I play videogames with my husband, from Mario Kart to Gears of War, often giving irreverent voice to my avatars as we kill aliens: “Fire in the hole!” or “Captain, we’ve been firing at aliens for 24 hrs, permission to pee?”

I love learning new things. My free time is spent skill-building: absorbing audiobooks, listening to podcasts, and reading memoirs of people I wanna be when I grow up.

If you’re in NYC, I’ve got the 411 on great boba and cafe recs - I’ll meet you there!

email: jen@jenolaya.com phone: 917-744-7317