interview by JANA LETONJA
Actress Skai Jackson most recently starred in Paramount feature film ‘Sheroes’ and will be seen next in thriller ‘Man in the White Van’. She is currently the face of L’Oreal Cacharel’s fragrance ‘Bloom Up, Yes I Am’.
Skai, you recently starred in Paramount’s feature film ‘Sheroes’, about four friends arriving in Thailand and fighting to stay alive. Tell us more about your experience on this film.
Filming ‘Sheroes’ was really fun and a great experience. It didn’t even feel like work to me because I was basically on vacation for a month. Sasha, Isabella and Wallis were a joy to work with and we really hit it off. I love that this film showed that just because we are women that doesn’t put a limit on what we can do. And no matter what the situation is, we can all stick together.
top and skirt SAU LEE
shoes FLOR DE MARIA
earrings LE VIAN
What is your most fun memory from the set of this action adventure comedy?
My favorite memory being on set was actually our day off when the entire cast got together and we went and toured all over Thailand together. We did a lot of fun activities on the side, which I believe made us closer and you can see that on camera. We even had a sleep over and slept in the house we were filming in and that was so much fun to do as well.
dress MURMUR
cape KHOSROV
shoes HARDOT
earrings CAST
rings MARA PARIS
Next up, we’ll see you in the thriller ‘Man in the White Van’. What can you tease about this upcoming film?
‘Man in the White Van’ was super cool to film because I always wanted to do a thriller. It’s a time period film and those are always my favorite to do. The film is based on true events, so it’s even more crazy to just watch it and remember these things really happened. It’s a film I think everyone is going to love and will keep their eyes glued to the screen.
You started acting professionally when you were only 5 years old. How did you experience acting then versus how you experience it today?
I started modeling at nine months old, did my first commercial at one and first film at four. I started at a really young age, so to see the industry evolve and grow to what it is now is crazy. I think I experience it the same because at the end of the day, acting is acting. I think the only thing that has changed is the type of roles I do. It was always a passion of mine and still is now, but it is fun to see how the industry has changed in so many ways .
dress LE THANH HOA
earrings NICKHO REY
What kind of roles and stories excite you the most?
I love time piece films and roles that don’t show a character with the typical perfect life. I love real, raw films and I want to do more of those in the future. I also love a young girl in a leading role and her story being told in films. Those are my favorite.
Besides acting, you are also passionate about fashion. What does fashion mean to you?
Fashion means so much to me. Since I was a little girl, I have watched different TV shows, read magazines and paid attention to what people were wearing. My favorite shows to watch were ‘The Nanny’ because of how fashionable Fran Drescher’s character was and ‘Sex and the City’ because of all the different, cool looks Carrie had on. I’m really into vintage fashion and have a lot of cool items that are older than I am. Vintage Dolce & Gabbana and Roberto Cavalli are my favorites. Fashion is a fun way to express yourself and try cool different things. I love fashion pieces that are unique and not a lot of people have to this day. A lot of my vintage items are from the 90s and very early 2000s, before I was born. I’ve been a little fashion girl since I was young and still am to this day.
coat VASSIA KOSTARA
shoe AGL
earrings CELESTE STARRE
rings SIMONE and ERINESS
You have a sunglasses collaboration with Dime Optics. Tell us more about the collection itself and what inspired it.
I love wearing sunglasses, so I wanted to make a really fun collection with Dime Optics that was affordable and everyone from any age can wear. I wanted to make glasses that were fashion forward, but not that crazy expensive. I feel like sunglasses pull the look together, so I thought it would be really fun to create a sunglass line. It was really sweet to see all the fans buy my sunglasses and I’m super grateful that they always support me.
The proceeds from the sales actually fund providing vital eye treatments for population without reliable access to healthcare. Why is giving back to the community something that is so important in today’s world and also to you personally?
Giving back is really important to me because I know where I come from. A lot of people think I come from money or I’ve had a fabulous lifestyle my whole life, which is far from true. My mom and I have been homeless and there have been times where I didn’t know when my next meal would be, so it’s really important to give back to people in need. I feel like God blesses people with money for a reason not to just spend it on themselves, but to bless and share it with everyone else. It’s really important to not only support the people around me, but also through different organizations in the community. I’m really grateful for everything that I have and I know that anything can be taken away at any moment in time. Life isn’t perfect and a lot of people go through tough things in this world, so it’s just really important for me to give back to others and at least try to put a smile on someone’s face.
dress ROBERTO CAVALLI
shoes CHARLES & KEITH
earrings CAST
You are also the face of L’Oreal Cacharel fragrance ‘Yes I Am Bloom Up. How would you describe this fragrance and why would you recommend it to every woman?
I love ‘Yes I Am Bloom Up’. I’ve been the face of the fragrance for over a year, but it’s my every day staple that I put on whether I’m just going to the supermarket or even going to sleep. I would recommend it to any woman in this world because when you spray it on, it just makes you feel amazing and confident. My favorite thing is when people ask me what am I wearing and complement that I smell so good. I always get those compliments when I am wearing the ‘Yes I Am Bloom Up’ fragrance.
What can you share with us about your projects, dreams and goals for 2024?
I don’t really like to share too much about what I want to do in 2024 because I feel like it spoils it. But just know I have a lot of fun things coming up. I can’t wait to get into producing and directing, and honestly just continue to live in the moment and support others as well. I feel that 2024 is going to be an amazing year for everyone and I’m really excited for the fun things that I have coming up.
TEAM CREDITS:
talent SKAI JACKSON
photography DAVID URBANKE
styling SHELBY BARBOUR
make up BRANDY ALLEN
hair ASHANTI
hair assistant ADRIANNA PROFIT
photography assistant ERVIN HADANI
editor TIMOTEJ LETONJA
editorial director and interview JANA LETONJA
cover design ARTHUR ROELOFFZEN
