INTERVIEW: Jenna Clause on Amazon Studios’ ‘The Wilds,’ Her Complex Character, Dream Storyline, and Diversity in the Industry

Jenna Clause stars in the Amazon Original series The Wilds, and the actress opened up about portraying the character of Martha Blackburn.

The Wilds is a dystopic survival drama series that follows a group of teen girls that are stranded on a deserted island after their plane crashes. With the girls having such different personalities and coming from diverse backgrounds, they have to find their own way of surviving together as a group. The big twist? The plane crash was no accident. Martha is a shy animal lover with a heart of gold. The island shows her just how strong she truly is. Season one is a total of ten episodes, which are all available to stream, and the series has already been renewed for a season two.

Read our exclusive interview with Jenna Clause to find out more about how the role challenged her, the show’s cliffhangers, being renewed for season two, social isolation, and self-love.

GLITTER: Where are you from, and where do you reside now?
JENNA: I was born in Buffalo, NY, and currently reside in Southern Ontario.

GLITTER: How did you get your start in acting, and when did you know you had a love for it?
JENNA: I took my first acting class when I was 13 in grade 8! I knew I had a knack and love for being theatrical when I was about 5/6 years old and reciting Disney movies all the time.

GLITTER: The Wilds was such a different series from what is currently on TV; what attracted you to the project?
JENNA: I was really attracted to the overall storyline and the fact that we had eight all-female diverse leads to tell different background stories. I knew our characters could resonate with so many people watching, and that’s what really attracted me to this project.

GLITTER: What was your favorite thing about Martha’s character, and were there any challenges to playing her?
JENNA: My favorite thing about Martha is the fact that she’s so empathetic. She accepts you for who you are and always handles her situations with gentleness and patience. Her back story is about a vulnerable young Ojibwe girl that was sexually abused, so for me to portray years of closeted pain and tolerance was definitely a mental challenge.

GLITTER: One of the more subtle cliffhangers was that we did not see Martha get interviewed for her episode, but we do hear the agent mention something about figuring out a way for her parents not to be able to sue. What was your reaction to this, and anything you can tease about it being explored in the second season?
JENNA: My initial reaction was for me to think that she possibly dies! Despite this cliffhanger, I think she needs to answer a lot of questions along with getting to see her grow as a survivor of her past-so I’m hoping she has her time to explore a new and recovering life.

GLITTER: Martha’s backstory was one of the more complex ones; how did you approach it acting-wise? 
JENNA: It was a new depth of pain and tolerance that I needed to explore to help me get in the mindset of just “Sweeping things under the rug,” especially with the things she’s been through. It shows how extremely difficult and mentally deteriorating it is to want to stay silent about abuse. Acting-wise, I really had to mentally strain myself to resurface my own personal emotions I had when I went through painful times in my life.

GLITTER: What do you think being on the island taught Martha, and how would you describe that moment when she is pushed to break her own beliefs to survive and have food?
JENNA: The island taught her to fight for her life. Not just physically but mentally. The life or death situation aligned with her mental health as well. It was ‘life’ if she overcame and killed what’s been haunting her in order for her to lead a new and stronger life. It was ‘death’ if she let her past affect her for the rest of her life of accepting things she can’t even carry. It was an empowering and beautiful moment for me.

GLITTER: Was there a specific moment while you were reading the script when your jaw just dropped?
JENNA: Definitely the ending. We had Leah about to confront Nora-then to be interrupted by a shark going for Rachel?! Sarah Streicher is the queen of writing plot twists. I was also so excited I got to scream, “Shark!”

GLITTER: What was your reaction when you found out that the series was renewed for a season two?
JENNA: I cried tears of joy when I found out we got renewed for season 2! In 8 days as well! It’s an unmatched feeling I can’t describe.

GLITTER: If you could pick your storyline, what would be your dream season two storyline for Martha?
JENNA: I would want Martha to finally explore a new and healing life. I want to see her growth of accepting things more, dancing without any hesitation, and learning to love herself without letting someone else control her mental health. Just in general, I want to see her get the experience she’s been lacking in life because she’s been too afraid to rise to more adult experiences.

GLITTER: If you were stuck on a deserted island, who would you want to be stuck with you, and what item would you bring with you?
JENNA: I would take my best friend Dante and bring an ax!

GLITTER: What has the positive response from fans of the series meant to you? 
JENNA: It means more than they know. All the love I’m feeling from them is really rewarding, and I’m really running out of ways to say “I love you back.” They’re so supportive, and I care about them. So for our show to resonate with them and have them say it helped their mental health or helped them get through a tough year, I couldn’t be happier for them, and that’s what makes me happy to be doing what I do.

GLITTER: Anything you can tease about season two? Will you be filming it soon?
JENNA: I currently have no new information to share; I know as much as anyone else who’s watched our show. Hopefully, soon I’ll hear about dates on when we’re going to shoot.

GLITTER: What message do you hope this series gives female viewers watching?
JENNA: There are eight different messages within each of our characters. For anyone who related to one or all in different degrees, I hope they can take away the fact that they’re not alone in their struggles. I would also want them to know these struggles can live within any ethnicity and not what you would typically see. These are things that make our show special: the messages portrayed through diversity and being a woman.

GLITTER: The series had a very diverse cast, which was beautiful to see; what do you think the industry needs to work on to ensure inclusion?
JENNA: I would say this industry needs to work on their acceptance. Acceptance of race, sexual orientation, body type, and talent. The way I see it, there are 7 billion people in this world and to not accept that not everyone is gonna be the same, I think is disastrous and ignorant considering talent and passions for this industry can be in anyone- and I mean anyone.

GLITTER: Representation is such a valuable thing, and this series was a great effort at that. What is the importance of representation to you?
JENNA: In this instance, the importance of representation means that I am authentic. I am an indigenous person playing an indigenous character. To present audiences with improper authenticity to characters will then distort viewer’s perspectives on that specific group of people they’re portraying. For me, to be an indigenous person playing an indigenous character gives authenticity to this project. It gives proper outlooks on how the world and society view indigenous people.

GLITTER: What was a day in social isolation like for you, and what was your favorite way to spend your free time? 
JENNA: My typical day in isolation includes a lot of reading and definitely spending a lot more time with my family. My favorite way to spend my free time is playing video games and watching horror movies with my brother.

GLITTER: What do you put on entertainment-wise when you want to feel good?
JENNA: Just for laughs, South Park.

GLITTER: Last movie you watched that completely shocked you?
JENNA: Papillon (2017) and Gone Girl. Those were great movies.

GLITTER: If you could join any film franchise, which would you pick, and what role would you want to play?
JENNA: I’ve always dreamed of being a mutant in an X-Men movie. I would want to be Mystique or Quicksilver.

GLITTER: Any hidden talents or things fans don’t know about you?
JENNA: I am an active lacrosse player and even played in New Zealand while filming the season!

GLITTER: A motto you live by?
JENNA: “What would Charlie Hunnam do?” Or “We may encounter many defeats, but we must not be defeated.”

GLITTER: A song that you could listen to on repeat and never get tired of?
JENNA: Mac Miller’s “I Can See,” and “Fight the Feeling.”

GLITTER: Something you’re extremely passionate about?
JENNA: I am passionate about lacrosse and acting!

GLITTER: Glitter has a celebrity #SelfLoveCampaign. What does self-love mean to you?
JENNA: Self-love, to me, means you do things for your mental health and your body because you love it, not because you hate it.

GLITTER: Do you have any new projects coming up that you can share?
JENNA: Currently, all I have lined up is Season 2 of The Wilds!

GLITTER: What are the best social media platforms for fans to follow? 
JENNA: My Instagram is @jennaclause, and my Twitter handle is @jenna_clause.