Former NSG pupil Jenna-mae White making her acting mark in LA

In recent years the likes of Marc Warren, Matt Smith and Sophie Turner have put Northampton on the Tinseltown map, starring to critical acclaim in films, on television and on stage.

And now it looks as though 21-year-old Jenna-mae White is following suit.

The former Northampton School for Girls pupil made the bold step to move to Los Angeles three years ago, and in the past 12 months has really started to make her mark, with starring roles in TV series and films in the pipeline.

So how does a Northampton girl end up in the glamorous world of films in the USA?

Well, it takes a lot of work, dedication and, of course, talent.

Jenna-mae was born and raised in Northampton.

She went to NSG and had always shown significant acting talent from a young age, being awarded Distinction qualifications in acting and musical theatre from London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts, and the English Speaking Board. She was a regular in her school productions, including starring in Les Miserables.

These achievements caught the eye of actor and director Gary Sefton, who is known for his performance in Saving Private Ryan alongside Tom Hanks and Matt Damon.

Sefton selected Jenna-mae to perform in three of his productions at the Royal & Derngate Theatre in Northampton, including A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Wind In The Willows, and they ran over the course of three years.

Jenna-mae performed on stage with the likes of Cherelle Skeete (from Amazon’s Hanna) and Colin Morgan (from Oscar winning movie Belfast).

Her work at the Derngate led to her being accepted into one of the most prestigious performing arts schools in the world, the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in LA. She graduated last year.

The likes of Anne Hathaway, Danny DeVito, Jessica Chastain and Grace Kelly have also graduated from the institute.

Before going, Jenna-mae had to undergo an audition at the Prince Of Wales Theatre in London, and it obviously went well as she was awarded a merit-based scholarship.

Before heading for Los Angles, Jenna-mae travelled around Europe performing on many significant stages, including the Royal Albert Hall in London, Birmingham Symphony Hall, Menin Gate Bridge, Cologne Cathedral and Wembley Stadium.

She also worked alongside the Royal Shakespeare Company as Young Lady Macbeth and the Tony Award-winning group Frantic Assembly.

Her performances led to Jenna-mae being awarded Northamptonshire’s most ‘Outstanding Advanced Performer’ and ‘Performing Arts Excellence’ by the prestigious Eisteddfod Performing Arts Festival.

It is obviously a huge step to leave your family and live in a different country at such a young age, and Jenna-mae, speaking this month to online magazone voyagela.com admitted as much.

“It hasn’t always been entirely easy, moving 6000 miles away from home and leaving everything and everyone I’ve ever known was a challenge,” she said.

"It took me a while to adjust to a new culture and place.

"I missed my family so much when I first moved here but knowing that I was following my dreams and my family was only a FaceTime call away was very comforting.

"As an actor, you will always face rejection but it honestly fuels my passion for my craft and only increases my stubbornness!”

Since moving to LA and graduating, Jenna-mae has been busy, and is now managed by Hyphenate Creative Management, who also look after the likes of Glee’s Darren Criss and Harry Potter’s Evanna Lynch.

Jenna-mae can be seen in the starring role on season three of NBCs TV series Killer Siblings as well as in feature films My Missing Sister and Most Wanted Santa, which are streaming now on Fox’s TUBI.

Jenna-mae can also be seen in successful shorts Sail Silver Soul, I Can’t Even SMFH and The Ark.

Jenna-mae was also the leading lady in Tik Tok star Sevryn’s debut music video on Youtube and Instagram, which has now had more than 1.5 million views!

In the coming months, Jenna-mae is set to star as the lead in multiple features currently in pre-production, including a horror alongside Hulu’s Michael Cimino and a rom-com opposite star of Stephen King’s IT, Nic Hamilton.

Both are set to be released on streaming platforms globally.