Why Jacqueline Fernandez Took Up an Acting Course in LA

The actress trained for almost two months with LA’s Ivana Chubbick.

Jacqueline Fernandez trained with LA-based acting coach Ivana Chubbuck last year.

(Photo courtesy: Jacqueline Fernandez)

Jacqueline Fernandez, who recently signed on to play the lead in the Netflix show, Mrs Serial Killer, opened up about taking up an acting course last year, and once again before beginning work on the new show.

In an interview with Film Companion’s Anupama Chopra, Jacqueline said that she decided to take up training with Ivana Chubbuck, a renowned teacher based in Los Angeles as she wanted to work on her craft.

“Last year, surprisingly I had two months off. Something that has always intimidated me was acting lessons. And I have been in front of the camera for like 10 years and 20 films, but it was a huge fear,” she said.

“I really felt like I should get to an acting class and overcome this fear and the whole challenge of this. So I figured out I have these two months off. Los Angeles seems to be the place where some great actors are born. So I did a little research and I found Ivana Chubbuck. She has given the training to a lot of our Oscar winners.”

Jacqueline Fernandez

Chubbuck though, told Jacqueline that she would have to first do a one month regular course before she could get a one on one with her.

“She said you have to do my course if you want to do one on ones with me. So she didn't put me in beginners, she put me in advanced and that scared me even more. I did the month long course and it was the most beautiful experience I ever had. It humbled me because I saw how hard these kids were working and the passion that they had.”

It is quite rare for a glamorous Bollywood star, who has already spent 10 years in the industry already, to go back to the basics, but Jacqueline admitted that she had just been winging it so far.

“I came in with no training. I had no idea about even the difference between director and producer. I was part of the film industry but I was just winging it, going day by day. After a point it was becoming monotonous. It would scare me every single time I had to show up on set.”

Interestingly, people from the film industry dissuaded her from doing the course.

“Funny thing was that when I was going for this course, everyone here was like ‘why are you doing this?’. Even big people! Some even told me that you are really active on social media, don’t put it up on social media. But everyone I met in LA was like of course you have to do an acting course. What do you mean by this is your first acting course.”

Jacqueline Fernandez

After signing Mrs Serial Killer, Jacqueline went back to Chubbuck and did a workshop to brush up her skills some more, so she could do justice to her role, as the series rides completely on her shoulders.

“Then I did a week of one-on-one with her where she brushed up on things. Its a lot of introspection. I called her my therapist. When Mrs Serial Killer came along, I called her . I really wanted to dig deep and do this character justice. So I went down there for a good 10 days and worked just on Mrs Serial Killer.”