Devery Jacobs

Interview by Blaine Schlechter for I'm Here With Magazine

You are having a fun week this week with two shows premiering almost at the same time. Let’s start with the Netflix Original series that just debuted this week – THE ORDER. You play the character of LILITH BATHORY…tell us a little about the character and about what viewers can expect when they watch the show?

Yes, it seems like all of the projects I’ve done recently are coming together all at once! Lilith is a bad ass. She is a double agent between the two sworn secret societies. Lilith is really like not having this guy; she hates the order, she doesn’t agree with what Jack’s doing, but even though she’s kind of a tough character with a bit of a mean streak and some blood lust, she’s also a really good friend deep down. It was a really fun journey in exploring such a sassy character. It’s a pretty fun show.

Speaking of great shows…another one that will have its season 2 premier on Mar 10 – AMERICAN GODS, where you play SAM BLACK CROW. What’s in store for the fans in the second season?

Sam Black Crow is the biggest female characters in the novel, which I was a huge fan of. Sam represents two-spirited indigenous people and it was a character that I was hounding for years because I have been such a fan of the novel. So I’m happy that I was cast in it and there’s been a huge outpouring of support for Sam and wanting me to play Sam and I’m really excited for everybody to see the introduction of Sam in the season. I make an appearance in episode three and its Sam’s first encounter with Shadow Moon. Sam is really sarcastic, she’s another tough…I don’t know what it is but apparently I’m like really good at tough character’s (laughs). She’s tough and sarcastic but she’s also innately curious about life, but also about Shadow and they have a really amusing encounter that exposes a side of shadow that we haven’t seen in the show before. This is the introduction to Sam in this season and there’s so much source materiel to pull from the book…I’m excited for everybody to see us dive into Sam.

You also write and direct projects that are pretty close to your heart, like STOLEN and RAE. Is there anything you’re working on now that you can tell us about?

I’m co-writing a feature film called This Place, which received Telefilm Talent to Watch funding. I’m co-writing it with V.T. Nayani, who is also directing and she is the daughter of Tamil refugees and our friend, Golshan Abdmoulaie who is an Iranian refugee poet. We are combining each of our voices and perspectives. I live in Toronto now and we are creating a film that is so innately Toronto, where it follows the journey of these two lovers, two women. One of them is a young woman who is the daughter of Tamil refugees who’s dealing with the passing of her father, and the other one is a half Mohawk, half Iranian young woman who’s travelled to Toronto to seek out her father who doesn’t know that she exists. It talks about how the past influences the present and explores how the refugee experience has very similar parallels to the Indigenous community. We’re writing it and I’m going to be acting in it…later this spring is when we’re set to shoot.

You are obviously proud of your Indigenous roots, what does it mean to you to be considered a role model for other indigenous actors or any young female actor for that matter?

I definitely feel the pressure of that and the pressure of representing my community properly. I think it’s something that I take on because the history of media and the history of film and television has always been filled with misrepresentation like white washing and red face. Now is a time where we can finally take control of our stories back and to share our truths on screen, which is something that is so important and I’m so grateful to be able to do that in my work. I take it on and being able to help Indigenous people is something that I’m hugely passionate about in my life and something that I love exploring through art.

Being so busy, I’m sure you take time to recharge…what do you like to do for fun?

It’s weird when you work in an industry that you love so much, because it’s like your work becomes fun and your fun becomes work. So even if I want to binge watch a season on Netflix, I can’t help but break it down like a film maker and see it through that lens. Something that I love to do is I’m an avid reader, so I’m always trying to read new books and find time for that. I also love going back home to my community. I’m a huge foodie, so I love preparing food and I love going to restaurants. Just trying to keep a balance of it all and also live my life while I’m trying to achieve these wild dreams.

So being a self-proclaimed foodie – which do you prefer, dining out or cooking at home?

Ohh…I used to say dining out for the most part, because there some really talented chefs out there from other cultures that I don’t understand the flavours of cooking with yet. But I’m getting into combining flavours and experimenting in the kitchen, so I need that balance of both.

So actress now and future restaurateur?

I love it. One of my goals is to become a celebrity gust judge on Top Chef and just eat all the free food (laughs). That’s the plan!

That would be awesome, I will watch for that. THE ORDER is on Netflix right now and AMERCAN GODS premiers Mar 10. Thanks for chatting with me Devery.

Awesome, thank you so much, have a good one.