Join us for a special episode of The Pilot Podcast where we interview Elena Juatco, star of Hulu's Jann!
We interview Elena Juatco, an actor, singer, musician, and mentor who currently plays the standout role of Cale on Hulu’s Jann. Tune in to find out about her experience on Jann, auditioning for Canadian Idol, playing a fictional doctor, and mentoring youth!
Editing done by Matt Quandt from I Edit Podcasts
Elena’s Social Media:
SExT: Sex Education by Theatre
Transcript available on our website.
BJ:
Welcome to The Pilot Podcast! This week we have a very special episode. Today we're joined by Canadian actor, singer, and woman behind the standout role of Cale on Hulu's Jann. Welcome, Elena Juatco!
Elena Juatco:
Yay!
Mitu:
We're so happy and excited to chat with you today. Would you like to introduce yourself to our listeners?
Elena Juatco:
Oh, sure, yeah. I'm Elena Juatco. You did a great job. I play Cale on Jann, which is streaming on Hulu in America and up in Canada we're streaming on Crave. And thanks so much for having me. I'm-- right now I'm in Calgary. And we're filming season three right now so this is kind of a perfect time to kind of chat about what's been going on and what's to look forward to, so I'm glad we could do this.
Mitu:
Oh, good. Let's get into it. So we want to talk about Cale, a character that stood out to both of us.
Elena Juatco:
Thank you so much. I'm not gonna lie before like-- before, when you reached out, I was like, I should listen to the podcast and make sure they like the show before I sign on and I was-- so I thank you so much that, you know, I'm so thrilled you both love the pilot and the characters as much as I do.
Mitu:
We really did and BJ, especially, always loves like a bad-ass character who holds all the keys and Cale is like one of those characters. And so you're this like quintessential millennial and you're fun and you're funny, but Cale is also someone you don't want to mess with. And so what was your experience playing Cale? Where did you draw inspiration for that portrayal?
Elena Juatco:
Cale is definitely like a dream role to play. Like I agree with you, BJ. Like I love playing, like you said, the character who holds all of the keys, like she's fearless. She always says what's on her mind. She doesn't censor. So she doesn't care what people think about her. She's the dream character and, yeah, playing her has been a dream role. Especially with this project, getting to work with Jann Arden. And I know like some Americans don't know Jann Arden, but to put it into context, she is a Canadian, she's an icon. So she was, like a song writer-- singer/songwriter that, you know, was at the same time as you know, Sarah McLaughlin, like Lilith Fair, like that kind of era. She wrote the songs that was like the soundtrack of all of our failed loves and love lives, you know? So getting to work with her was a big deal so when this show came out and I saw the sides to read with her, like my whole body just had that tingling sensation that I know this, I know this character, I love this character and this is the dream show to get on. So it's been an absolute thrill and I'm so happy people love the character as well. I haven't received a single like mean tweet or anything. I was expecting some hate. I was like, "Okay, like be prepared, it'll probably be people being like, 'Oh, this character, you play a bitch'". No one says that. They just really like love her. And they welcome that female energy, you know? So it's kind of like a lesson that, you know, we don't need to censor ourselves or like be afraid to go after things and know what we need to succeed. That people love that, people love that about women. Like, I just, I love that, that factor of it as well.
BJ:
We all want to be Cale.
Mitu:
Yes. That's true. I need a Cale managing my day to day, like explicitly.
Elena Juatco:
I know! We were talking about that on set, actually. Like one of the actresses is like "I need a Cale. I wish I had a Cale as a manager". And, yeah, my manager can have some Cale moments as well. So yeah, she's like a-- she's in LA, but she was like raised in New York. And so she's like very like "Elena, come on! Like, what are you? What are you? What are you, uh, what are you, Filipino? Filipino, something? What are you Korean? They're looking for Koreans. I told them you are Korean, just go in for the role. You're gonna be great. Okay. Just, just say that your mother was Korean". Like she's hilarious. She just knows. And I'm like, "Okay, okay!" So, yeah, those managers, right?
Mitu:
And we see Cale, as you said, wanting to learn and grow. And she actually turns to Todd for advice on how to connect with Jann on that human level. And we see that pay off a bit where Jann is in this sort of ridiculous candy cane or candy world music, video, and Cale explains to her why it's helpful for her to film the video. And there's a little bit of that aha moment. How was it portraying that character development for her, where she gets all these things done, but she is also learning to stop and have these human moments with Jann, where she brings her along with her, because not everyone can keep up with Cale?
Elena Juatco:
Yeah, there's not a lot of moments where you kinda like get to see that part of her. And like for a Cale, I feel like it's all about the end game. Like talking to Jann is like, "How do I get this woman to listen to me? How do I get her to do what I need her to do?" And she just keeps hitting this wall. So I actually-- I love that scene with Jason, who plays Todd, that she realizes that she needs his help to get what she wants, that she just can't do it on her own. And that whole scene with Jann, like, she's just-- she doesn't know how to do it. She doesn't know how to relate. She's trying her best and then Jann understands and does it. And you see her-- and like, the writers are so great, you see her kind of open up and you see Todd come along. And she turns to Todd and she actually, she smiles like, you know, she's like, "Oh, Todd, like, you know, thank you so much. Like that's so, you know, like really thanks so much." And then of course he just drops the bomb and says, "You know what? Jann has been meeting with me behind your back". And then suddenly Cale goes, "Shoop!" And she just like closes right back up and that resting bitch face comes back. And so it's this thing, like, I'm wondering, like, what is it going to take to finally like crack this woman open? Cause you get these little glimmers of like, you know, who she is and what could open her up and like, where does this come from? Where does this shell come from? And the writers are so good at developing that because you know, we've got lots more seasons to go, right? We've got a long ways to go with Cale. So it's just one of the joys of playing with her.
Mitu:
How do you hold that straight face when these things are happening? Because when you talked about going back into that resting bitch face, as you put it, I understood it when I watched the show. But now that I think about it, you were looking at someone in a green screen suit on a treadmill pretending to chase candy. And I just-- when I think about it now, like you, as the person, Elena in the room, how did you just like not lose it?
Elena Juatco:
Yeah, it's weird when I'm-- when I play Cale, like something comes over me. I'm just like-- it's like because she has a laser focus, I guess, as the actor, I just kind of get out of the way and just let the laser focus just come through. And I just-- I guess it's a channeling thing that she's so focused like that. I mean, of course there are times where I break and it usually happens when Jann ad-libs. When she starts going off scripts and then just starts going on and she won't stop. If you let her ad-lib, she'll go for like 20 minutes and she will not stop. And the director would never call cut ever. And like at those moments where I'm just like, "Oh my God, she's still going. This is not ending." And then I'll just-- I'll break, I'll break. But yeah, those are the times I break. Thankfully I've never ruined a take. I think that's like my nightmare. I would hate to ruin a take because I work with such incredible actors and they're doing such like-- especially when it's on them, like I just, I would hate to ruin their take. So yeah. I don't know where it comes from.
Mitu:
Well, I hope that you internalize that you're doing so well on that show too, and that you're not just working with great actors. You are one.
Elena Juatco:
Thank you. Thank you.
Mitu:
And with Jann now airing internationally, or on Hulu, how is it interacting with a more global audience on social media?
Elena Juatco:
You know, it's been really great to see the feedback. That you two love it. That the media loves it. It's the same reception that we're getting in Canada. The kind of love for it. And, you know, I don't think you need to know who Jann Arden is in that context for the comedy to work. It's just to have more people see what we do. That's been the joy and to have people receive it so well. I have noticed a slight difference though, on the social media. Like we just announced, this is a couple of weeks ago, we just announced they released the press release that we're starting production for season three. And suddenly it was like, "Hate tweet, hatred, like stupid show. What a stupid show, like hard pass, like dumb show, never wouldn't ever watch this show." And we were all on set, I was with the other actors. I was like, "Who are these people?" I was like, "You guys, we're getting famous!" Like, yeah, we're getting the hate tweets. These like random trolls are now trolling our show. We must be getting famous. This is a good sign. So that's if any difference, I've noticed it's been, it's been that. So you just laugh it off. But yeah, the reception and that more people are watching it, this is what we were always hoping for from the beginning.
BJ:
Even since we've been watching, we've seen the rise in social media. And like you said, when you get a hater, that's a milestone. Mitu and I remember our first negative review and we were like "Someone cares enough to say that they don't like us. That means a lot!"
Mitu:
Someone listened long enough to dislike, I think it was the tone of my voice and I think BJ's word choice or something. And we were like, "We did it!"
Elena Juatco:
We did it! We did it! Did you retweet it? Like this is it. That's the fact that you listened to the whole thing and that like, that's very specific. They definitely listened. They're probably still listening. Hi! Thanks for listening!
Mitu:
Hey boo!
BJ:
We appreciate you!
Elena Juatco:
Thanks from The Pilot Podcast. Thank you. We love you.
BJ:
So Jann is all about Jann and her music career, and we've learned that you also have a passion for music. That you sing, you play the piano, you also play the guitar. How long has music been a part of your life?
Elena Juatco:
Oh, since I was like young, young, young, like I-- Filipino gatherings with the karaoke machine, like that's how I started just singing on the karaoke machine. And then in school, like I did every single-- I say this to every kid that loves this and wants to, you know, loves this as an industry or wants to get into it, or just has a passion for it. Like do every choir. I did every choir, every musical, every play, like whatever you could put me in. I was always doing it. So for always, always and of course I listened to Jann Arden music when I was growing up too. Like, yeah.
BJ:
So it sounds like auditioning for Canadian idol was the logical next step.
Elena Juatco:
Yeah, it was, you know, at the time when I auditioned, I was 18 years old. I was a first year of university and I was studying biology. Which is super weird cause I knew it never was my passion. And I was very academic. I got that good gene from my mom. I was good at the sciences, but I just didn't have a passion for it. And then when the auditions came out, it was just kind of like a whim. And I was like, "You know what, I'm just going to try out." And if they say I suck and like I become one of those joke auditions, then I'll know, this was just never meant to be. And I can just kind of put this like what I thought was a silly dream aside. And then I just kept going like further and further and further. And then people started like liked me and voted for me. And then when it was done, I was like, "Uou know what? Like that was like my leap of faith." Like, you know, I can-- I think it's where I kind of found my voice. Like I have a voice and people are listening and people care, you know, what I'm going to do next and what I'm going to perform again. And so that was, that's when I changed my major and I graduated in drama and women's studies and I've been performing ever since.
BJ:
It hurts a little because I studied biology.
Elena Juatco:
Oh, did you? Are you a biology major?
BJ:
I studied biophysics
Elena Juatco:
Oh, you're a smarty pants!
BJ:
Went all the way to grad school so I do really like science.
Mitu:
Yeah, BJ's a doctor.
Elena Juatco:
Oh, you're a doctor?
Mitu:
Well, not a medical doctor. A PhD doctor, but a doctor.
Elena Juatco:
Still a doctor! That is a doctor. You're my mother's dream child, honey. Like, yeah. You know what it was for me doing biology? I don't know where you studied. Did you have to do this fruit fly lab?
BJ:
Yeah, with like the genes and
Elena Juatco:
I can't ! You got through it? I could not do it. You'd like bring the fruit flies home with you cause you have to harvest them. They'd be in your hair. And you had to like make all the charts. Like that was for me, that fruit fly lab that is like lighting your face up right now, that was the turning point for me to be like, "I can't do this. I can't do this anymore." But like, that's so wonderful that that's like that lights you up. Like, isn't that amazing?
BJ:
Yeah, I'm glad you learned that early because there's a lot more of that if you continue down that path.
Elena Juatco:
Oh yeah. I was like, this is not the first and only lab I'm ever going to do doing this. This is just the baby one that I'm struggling enough with.
BJ:
But you weren't struggling. You know, you found what worked for you and you released a debut album Beyond This Line in 2015. Mitu and I were listening to it last week. I really like your song Away.
Elena Juatco:
Thank you.
BJ:
Can you tell us, like, what led to that album?
Elena Juatco:
I've always wanted to release an album, especially after Canadian Idol. I was like the only person that didn't release one. I just didn't know-- I was so young and I didn't know what I wanted to say. I didn't know what kind of music I wanted to do. Like it was different like, you know, like American idol has such a big reach that I find that a lot of those finalists suddenly got, you know, roles on Broadway and all of them got record deals. Like nobody called, nobody called my phone. I went back to university and I figured it out and hustled on own. It's a different star system, I think, America and Canada. And I was at the time, I was on a TV series called Open Heart, it was a Nickelodeon in the States and, I was like, "You know what? I kind of now have a platform and I'm just going to do it." And it was one of those things where my friend had just bought a studio-- his friend's equipment and had a studio in a spare apartment, in a spare bedroom of his apartment downtown in Toronto. And I was like, you know what, let's let's write together. Like, let's make something. And so I got like a tiny grant from a Canadian arts council and I used-- that was enough money, like it was just a small one and he's like, "I'll do it, I'll do it!" And he recorded it and it was all songs I wrote in the 10 years since finishing Idol. And it was like the scariest thing I ever done. I didn't know what I was doing. I don't know if I was a good songwriter and I just, yeah, I just like just went for it. And it was really just me. It was very simple, me and a piano, me and a guitar, acoustic. A lot of those, actually all except for one song, they were all done in one take. I wanted to leave all the imperfections in and kind of like tell the story instead of trying to break it all apart. I did it all in one take and it was in this, yeah, downtown Toronto in a spare bedroom. And I did it and I released it on International Women's Day. And I-- because I just love that day. It's coming up soon. And, I like, yeah. And that was like six years ago. It's like been six years and it was a labor of love and I'm so-- that's probably one of the proudest things I've done has been just finishing it, just finish it, finishing it and having it and being like, here it is. And it's mine, it's all my music.
BJ:
That's amazing hearing how you were just put that together truly with passion and just taking that chance. And it makes us wonder, will you take a chance on future releases? Will we hear you sing on Jann?
Elena Juatco:
I've been thinking about that actually. I mean, it's like six years is a long time and now I feel like I've grown so much from that last album that I feel like my sound is different. And my kind of music that I like to write is different. So I've been thinking about that. I don't know if it'll be a single or something else like that. As for the show. Like, I can't say. My mouth is shut or else I'm gonna get fired. I cannot say what is, what is going to happen. But I love that people ask me that question. It's probably like the most popular question I get asked in interviews is "Will you sing on the show?" So I'm thrilled again, thrilled that people like care and want to hear more from me and like I've always said, I mean, it would be an absolute dream to get to sing on this show. And I have full faith in the writers that they would have it happen at the right time at the right moment. Um, so yeah. So thank you for asking me that question.
BJ:
Okay. We're waiting for that right moment.
Elena Juatco:
We'll wait for that right moment.
Mitu:
We are very much respecting these answers. Right moment, right time, trust the process.
Elena Juatco:
Are these your mantras?
Mitu:
I love that. And we'll take that as no more specifics. We promise we won't be the reason that you get in trouble with the show. But switching gears to Open Heart, which you mentioned. We read a fun story about how your mom said that she always wanted you to be a doctor and she was excited that you were able to play one on the series. Was that role special to you and your family? Did you get to speak about like science and medicine and connect on that level?
Elena Juatco:
BJ's lighting up again.
Mitu:
It's so sweet to see.
Elena Juatco:
Isn't it? When I got the role, like that was my first series regular role on a TV show. And my mom sent out the email to the family members when it was official. And my brother was like, "Sis, mom is telling everyone you're a doctor. Like she is so excited." And it was great cause I would call her. I would call her and be like, "How do you pronounce this term? Like, what is this surgery like, dah, dah, dah." I mean we'd get into discussions about it and she'd go into stories. And you know, she said to me, "You know, Elena, I think the thing that was so tough for me when you wanted to do this as a career, was that I never got to share with you this part of my life. And now like I get to share like this part of my life and what it was like, and we can kind of share it together," which I thought was really beautiful. Because it was very-- it was really, really hard for her when I wanted to go into singing and performing and acting as a career. She just didn't know anything about it. And it's a natural mother's fear. Like they-- she didn't know how to help me. She didn't know what advice to give. So it was actually-- and we only lasted one season and it was such a special show. I still keep in touch with the actors on that show, you know. We did pilot season together, like how many years together, and they're still a support network for me. So yeah, it's been great.
Mitu:
That's so beautiful to hear. My parents are immigrants to the US from East Africa and so for a lot of young people like me in the US, it was like, you be a doctor, lawyer, engineer. Like, that's what they understand, they know--
Elena Juatco:
You and me, girl, yep!
Mitu:
they know that that is stability. And so I am not in a creative field, but I work in advocacy. And even that for my mom, I may as well have told her I'm a poet, you know?
Elena Juatco:
Like I'm advocating for us mom! Like, do you get how this is actually great?
Mitu:
And so my parents are very, very supportive. But my mom once told me, she remembers the day I told her I didn't want to be a doctor and I must have been a child because I don't fully recall it.
Elena Juatco:
That's a trauma in her mind. Like, come on, mom.
Mitu:
She remembers the day. It's so funny to me.
Elena Juatco:
Has she come to peace with it?
Mitu:
Oh, fully. I think my mom often tells me I'm lucky that we chose each other as a family if you will. You know, she said that she and my dad are just like very progressive. They never really pressured me to go into science or math. My mom just said like, in her mind, she just remembers when I was like, "I don't think I want to be a doctor." I guess. I don't know what sort of career conversation I was having with her at like seven years old or something. But no, my parents are very, very supportive. And my mom was excited about this interview today because I was trying to hip her to the show.
Elena Juatco:
And I think that's so important for like, for like young girls to hear or young kids to hear that it's like, sometimes your dreams are different from your parents. Or what drives you, what gives you passion, what makes you light up is not going to be-- but like to follow your heart and that eventually you will meet at the end and there will be like-- you will be-- I feel closer to my mom now. And she sees me fully as who I am instead of this image of what I think my mom wished I was, you know? I just-- what always scared me with going into this, but that there is that, like, it is important. I think that's what every parent wants, you know? Your kid finds a passion in life and drive and loves what they do. She must be so proud.
Mitu:
Oh, that's very sweet. Thank you.
Elena Juatco:
Yeah.
Mitu:
I'm glad that you have that bond with your mom now, too. I'm also curious, switching gears, when you guested on another big crossover show, Schitt's Creek, from Canada to the US, what was that experience like? I watched Schitt's Creek as like, I think 99% of Americans did. And your role, especially, we try not to spoil on the show, but was such a pivotal moment for the Rose family as they were figuring out their future. How was that? How was the experience of filming on that show?
Elena Juatco:
Oh, boy, that was-- auditioning for that and getting it on the very last season and one of the very final episodes. Like you said in such a pivotal one, I couldn't believe it. I was so thrilled to get the role and then to be on set when they were in their final week of filming and you can kind of feel that energy of things are starting to wrap up. Then it was a very memorable, a memorable role, memorable moment, getting to work with Eugene Levy, who is so, so lovely. And so present, like just his-- his beautiful eyes, you know? There was this, like, I keep thinking of this one moment and like in the boardroom and the technology stops working and he just looks at me like "Ruth" and his eyes and I just kind of, you just, I just felt like I just melted. I was like, "I got to help this man." He's just, so-- Yeah, he's so funny. And like, everyone is a fan of his work. It was great. It was-- it was amazing. And yeah, and like everyone else, I binged the whole thing and was so thrilled to be on set, set for that. And, yeah, and so proud when they like, just cleaned up the Emmys.
Mitu:
Oh my gosh, a full sweep.
Elena Juatco:
All of Canada was having a party. I was emotional. I was getting emotional, watching all of that. And now, like we have, like, one of the producers on Schitt's Creek is a producer on Jann. And so like, Andrew has his Emmy award. And now to have like Jann come into the States is kind of like, you know, that there's really great comedy up here. We have really great actors and writers up here that now we kind of have-- we're getting seen by more people and taken seriously is great, you know? To kind of be in that, in that world of Canadian comedy, it's an exciting time.
Mitu:
That's true between, I didn't think about between the Emmys and Jann coming and being such a hit and Letterkenny and the Weeknd playing the Super Bowl. There's like this full Canadian culture takeover. I love it.
Elena Juatco:
Like the-- and that was, the Weeknd at the Super Bowl was like right after Dan Levy hosted SNL. It's, yeah, it's amazing. It's been a really exciting time for our-- for everyone up here. Yeah, cause we feel like it's like a win when like, once someone with like-- a Canadian wins and you know? Like all of Canada, we were just like, "Yeah!" Like this is a win for all of us.
BJ:
So you were mentioning production and the people behind the scenes, we know that you have also done production and directing. Can you tell us about SExT: Sex Education by Theatre and, you know, what you've been able to do with teaching people about sexuality and healthy relationships?
Elena Juatco:
Thank you so much for asking me about SExT. It's a passion project. Another passion project that I am so proud to be a part of. SExT stands for Sex Education by Theatre. And it's a platform for youth to educate other youth about sex and healthy relationships. So this is a project that was started by my best friend, Shira Taylor, who's also a PhD doctor.
BJ:
Oh nice!
Elena Juatco:
She just finished her thesis. Her thesis was this project.
BJ:
That's so cool!
Elena Juatco:
And it all started, she went into a community in Toronto and this is a designated neighborhood improvement area of Toronto. It's one of the most diverse, most densely populated communities in Toronto. It's an immigrant destination. And she went to that high school and said I want to start this project and have youth educate other youth about sex. Gone are the days where like, your, you know, the coach in gym class would like hand out a bunch of rubbers and say, "You know, stay safe kids." Like, you know? This is a really important topic, not just safe sex, like what kids are going through now. Social media, cyber bullying, the world they're living in right now is completely different than the one that I grew up in. And the only way for them to learn how to navigate this is to be empowered on their own and to lead by example for others. So it's very youth driven, youth teaching youth, and we just facilitate really. And so this is now a performance, it's a show that features like skits, raps, dances, all things they created and they've toured across Canada to talk to other high schools, particularly to a lot of high schools that are in remote areas where it's so hard to get to and so they don't get a lot of people coming to visit some of these schools have never seen a play before. And these kids are going and they're talking about issues that matter to them and talking to them at that level. And the kind of change that's resulted and the engagement has been so amazing. So as creative facilitator, I kind of help bring their ideas and put it in-- and create something with them. So I wrote a song with one of the youth, her name is Mary Getachew, about her experiences with intimate partner violence. And she sent me-- I was like, "Girl, let's write a song together. Like you must write, I can tell." She's like "I journal a little," and I was like, "Send it to me!" She sent me this beautiful, like metaphors of what it's like and these descriptions. And I just took her words, rearranged it, and put a melody to it. And she now had a song and now she's writing songs and she's amazing. And her voice is insane. And we made this music video together and this is now a song that she sings in the show. And after the show, like you'll have youth coming up to teachers that recognize that and go, "I am in that. I think I need help." Just one kid doing that. There's been more than one that has done that, that recognized someone else. It's someone that looks like them, you know? Going through it and getting help. So "Tunnel Vision," if you want to watch that, that's on YouTube, their SExT ed show on YouTube, "Tunnel Vision." And the other music video we did that I directed was "Bodak Consent," which is a song about consent. Like one of the kids rewrote all the lyrics to Cardi B's Bodak Yellow and they made it about consent. And it's so funny. And I helped her find her inner rap goddess. And she just like owned it. She was like a different person. You know, she said, "I always feel like I don't really like, you know? It feels awkward sometimes. Like, I don't know what my rap artists is." And we just took the time to find it. And she just owned that day. And it was just-- it was so great to see her unleash your inner goddess like that. So yeah, they're still keeping involved and they're still making videos. They have a new partnership now with the local health center, the Flemingdon Health Centre, to make more videos, educating others about COVID, COVID myths, vaccine myths, particularly in that community. Cause it's been devastating, COVID in their community and one of our youth actually had COVID and so he's kind of now a voice of being like, "You know, young people can still get it and it's not fun." Like he's still struggling with it months later having gotten it. And they do it in their own way, you know, they make videos and use it in their language like songs and raps. They just have an amazing sense of humor. And it's always fun to see all the videos they turn out. So that's Sex Education by Theatre, @sextedshow on social media.
BJ:
That's amazing. I wish I had a program like that in middle school/high school. I definitely just had a guidance counselor, show us a video and that's about it.
Elena Juatco:
It's terrible and you know, what's crazy is that when she went to that school, she was like-- they were like, "You know what? No one's going to want to participate. You're not going to get anyone that wants to talk about sex." And she went and talked to a few classes and every kid was like, "What? Like, I want to do that!" And then she said she ran out of paper. Like she was taking out receipts from her wallet so people could write on the back of the receipt their emails and stuff. And then the first meeting, she's like, "I couldn't. I only had room for this many kids, but I can't say no, because so many kids came and like the discussions they had were just like, wow, they have so much to say." It's literally giving them a platform. A lot of times you don't think like, oh, kids won't have anything to say about this. Oh my God, opposite. They have so much to say, we just need to listen.
BJ:
And one thing I noticed while you were talking about this, you really lit up when you were in this mentor/facilitator role. Do you see yourself continuing to be a mentor or teach acting, songwriting, or those types of creative fields?
Elena Juatco:
I love mentoring. I do. I really do light up, don't I? I do love mentoring. I don't know if it's like, "Yeah, I wish like I had something like that growing up" I find it like incredible cause like, I don't know. When I meet them and I can see I'm like, "Oh my God, I see a songwriter in there. I see like, this bad-ass woman in there." And getting to mentor them has just been so gratifying, especially when they kind of unleashed that. It's just so satisfying. I'll always be involved with SExT. They're always going to be my babies. Like, you know? Shira is like-- she's basically my wife. I call her my wifey. Like she got a ring when I got married, we did a ring exchange. I spent Valentine's day with her still. And they're like our children really. And like this program is like, I hope going to go on way, way, way, way, way, way as like youth teach other youth who teach other youth who teach other the youth. And I'm always going to be involved with that for sure. It's an honor, you know, to get to mentor, mentor talented kids like that. Every kid has a talent. It's an honor to mentor. I love it, yeah.
BJ:
Well, definitely check out those music videos. So you have SExT that's going to keep going on. We know you're filming season three of Jann. Can you tell us what's next for Elena? What's next for Cale? I know you're dancing around some of those details.
Mitu:
Any hints you can give us or larger storylines?
Elena Juatco:
I can tell you when I read the scripts for season three, I did a lot of like fast clapping.
Mitu:
Ooh. Okay.
Elena Juatco:
And I laughing out loud and lots of clapping. That's what I will tell you about season three.
BJ:
It's a good sign.
Elena Juatco:
It's a good-- it's a good sign. This is going to be so-- and one thing I can give away is that Michael Bublé is going to be guest starring.
Mitu:
Another Canadian icon.
Elena Juatco:
Icon, people, icon! And like a treasure. The man is a treasure. He's so beautiful and kind, and like, now we've had a lot of famous people come on. Like I met Sarah McLaughlin. That was a whole other like freak out fest. But like, I'm now like pretty cool when I meet celebrities on set, I'm like, "Oh, Elena, I play Cale. Nice to meet you. Like, can I get-- like, do you need anything?" I'm very cool. But then like once the day is over and I get in the transport van to head back to the hotel, I let out this like high pitch squeal. Like I just was like-- my adrenaline was pumping, like for Michael Bublé and his episode is so funny. So excited for people to see it. So that is one spoiler that I'm allowed to give away.
BJ:
Oh, an exclusive.
New Speaker:
That's my exclusive, that's my exclusive. So yeah, I mean, we're still filming this. I'm going to be here until the end of the month, coming home later. So that's been my primary focus and yeah.
BJ:
Are there any other projects you want to highlight for our listener or have them focus on Jann for now?
Elena Juatco:
Yeah, watch Jann. We're streaming on Hulu in America, Crave in Canada. Checkout Sex Education by Theatre. They'll be releasing new videos, @sextedshow. I do have other projects that with no official release dates yet, but you can always follow me on social media. And I'm @ElenaJuatco on social media and Juatco Is spelled, 'W' is spelled with a 'Ju' I didn't know if you know that 'W' is spelled 'Ju' that's how it's spelled correctly. That's the correct spelling of the "wa" sound is 'Ju'.
Mitu:
We always ask this question of the creatives, like you, who join us for interviews. What advice do you have for our listeners who want to get into this creative industry?
Elena Juatco:
There's so much, so many different pieces of advice, but the thing that has helped me the most is to never think that, you know, everything. Always be learning something. Before I booked Jann, I didn't work for a year. And it was a hard, hard year, like I was auditioning and I just couldn't get through. And it's easy to just kind of blame the world and blame, you know, the casting directors and blame all this other stuff while you're waiting for it to hit. But I knew that there was more that I could could learn. And so I found an incredible acting studio that changed my life. And I learned from actors that are better. I love surrounding myself with people that are smarter and better than me. Like the actors at that studio. I would just watch and learn from and challenge myself, get called on my shiz. And it was because of that hard work that I did that I think I booked Cale. So it's always, always pushing yourself to learn. There's so much, there's so much to learn like out there. And don't get caught up in your ego when you think you're good and you've got everything, and you just need to wait for things to happen. There's no waiting, go create something, go learn, take a class, push yourself. Yeah, don't give up!
Mitu:
That's beautiful, channeling your inner Cale. Always willing to grow. Always willing to learn.
Elena Juatco:
Yeah, yeah, Cale, I know, taught me so much. It's great to like learn this character-- to have this character. There's sometimes where I've like tried to speak up for myself and I either, I don't, or I start to cry. I don't know if that's ever happened and times where I'm rightly-- I should be angry about this. This is an injustice. This is wrong. And I try to speak and my voice shakes. And I learned that that's your body saying, "No, no, no, we don't do this. We're the nice girl that's easy to work with that people like that mum prizes as her sweet daughter. We're sweet and we're likable. We don't do this." And so your body will shut yourself down. So if anything, Cale has taught me that what's even more beautiful and what people want to see even more are strong women that speak their opinion and don't censor themselves. So she's taught me a lot about that and finding more power in myself and in my voice. I don't cry anymore.
Mitu:
That is such a word, I love that. You don't have to battle that inner self of yours, especially if you are socialized as a woman who is taught to be quiet or that, like, it's okay for you to voice your opinion and it's okay for you to push through that discomfort and it's worth it for you to voice your opinion. I am really grateful for that, for you sharing that today.
Elena Juatco:
Ah, thank you. And it takes practice. It takes practice and like-- and that's what I love about the art of acting and why acting and drama works with SExT is that it acting teaches you empathy and it gives you practice to be the braver version of yourself. So like what these kids do, they practice, they put themselves in scenarios and they act out like what they would do and they practice it. So I did an acting class, my acting coach would throw these roles at me where these women express their opinion and I would practice doing it. And then I would feel the wanting to shut down and my coach would be like, "What are you doing? Keep going, keep going. Don't censor. You just keep going, keep talking." And then that's how I found it. Like that's what is so beautiful about this art form called acting? I love it.
BJ:
Awesome. What a great way to wrap things up. We do want to thank you again, Elena. This has been an awesome interview. We've learned a lot about Cale, about you, your projects, that you didn't become a doctor, but you found your passion.
Elena Juatco:
You did! You did it so I didn't have to.
BJ:
Yeah, exactly. I like that. I took over for you so you didn't have to go do anything with fruit flies again.
Elena Juatco:
Thank you, thank you.
BJ:
No problem, but really thank you again for joining us today. This has been great.
Elena Juatco:
It's been so lovely talking to the two of you. Thank you so much.