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‘One of Us Is Lying’ Star Jessica McLeod

‘One of Us Is Lying’ Star Jessica McLeod

Jessica McLeod

One of Us Is Lying, the Peacock Original that launched last month, sincerely left viewers on the edge of their seats.

Based on the New York Times best-selling novel by Karen M. McManus, One of Us Is Lying is the story of what happens when five high schoolers walk into detention and only four make it out alive. Everyone is a suspect, and everyone has something to hide. The teen drama, which gave us a total of eight episodes, delivered satisfying twists and turns, but also a cliffhanger that calls for a second season.

OFM had the opportunity to chat with Jessica McLeod, who plays the role of Janae. Professionally acting since childhood, some of her other notable credits include You Me Her, Eve of Destruction, Shall We Play?, and the Van Helsing TV series.

Can you begin by telling us what you have enjoyed the most about being a part of this production?
For me, it’s the team. I think all the people behind the camera, the producers, directors, our whole crew in New Zealand, and the entire cast, it was just awesome. I have really enjoyed collaborating with everyone.

For those who have not yet watched, what makes One of Us Is Lying worth checking out?
Honestly, I think it is very fun. It’s a fun watch, it draws you in, and it’s very bingeable. Now that all the episodes are out, it is super easy to watch all at once, which is awesome. Come for fun and stay for the acting.

Do you have any memorable behind-the-scenes moments you would like to share?
There is one scene at the end of episode eight, which is very dramatic. I can’t say what it is, but it’s a huge moment in the show, and somebody let out a little bit of gas during that scene. It was so funny that I actually began to weep [laughs]. Because it is such an intense moment and all of us were so in it, then it became a real light moment, which was nice.

Jessica McLeod

What can you tell us about your character, Janae?
Janae is Simon’s best friend, and Simon was her only friend. After he dies, she is kind of left to pick up all the pieces of what he left her with. She is very angry and isolated, and she is ready to find out who killed Simon.

What was your first impression of Janae after reading the book, and what did you do to make this character your own?
My first impression of Janae after reading the book, I was kind of attracted to the idea of someone realizing that nobody was trying to make her feel different. She kind of did it to herself, and I thought that was interesting. It feels very true to me in high school. We all think of other people as the villains in our own story, but we’re all living in our own story, and nobody is really thinking about us all that much. I thought that was fun.

Also, I thought she was really gay. It doesn’t say that she is gay in the book, but I read it that way, and I think a lot of other people did too. That is kind of what I brought to the series. They weren’t necessarily going to go down that road, but when we were shooting the pilot, that was something I talked to Erica and Jen, our executive producers, about. They ran with it, and I think Janae is a good step of representation for the queer community. Being gay is the least interesting thing about her, and she is not ashamed of it. She’s like, if you don’t know that I’m gay, that’s embarrassing for you. It’s very obvious, and that was fun for me to do. I’m glad it was put in.

Being gay is simply a part of who Janae is. It’s nice to see that more shows aren’t making that the focal point.
Totally. Then there’s Cooper, the other major queer character in the show, and he has a very different experience with his coming out and queerness. It’s cool that we get both sides of the spectrum.

Besides LGBTQ characters, why else do you think One of Us Is Lying appeals to LGBTQ viewers?
That’s a good question. Ultimately, I think this show appeals to everyone, queer or not. There is great representation if we’re looking for that, but I hope we get to a point in TV and film where everything has great representation. You either like it or you don’t, irrelevant of whether there’s enough representation because there is, which would be great.

Overall, what do you hope audiences take away from the show?
I would love for young people to watch it and feel a little bit less alone. Something that the show does very well, it explores that every single person, however they might seem on the outside, they have a million different things going on at home, inside their own brains, etc. We are all kind of our own worst enemy and our own worst critic, and it is important to remember that when you’re young. I know that I struggled with that a lot, and I still do sometimes. I just hope that people watch the show and feel a little bit less alone.

Jessica McLeod

How has the audience reception been?
From everything I have personally seen, pretty good. Obviously, a lot of changes were made in the series, but from what I have seen, people have acknowledged that those changes make sense. It’s been fun to see the fanbase really clutch onto certain characters and relationships.

Any word if a second season will be in the works?
No official word yet, but fingers crossed!

You have amassed over 40 credits in film and television throughout your career. Have you always had a passion for acting?
I have wanted to act since I was very young, but nobody in my family does anything in the arts. That was a bit of a barrier for me, but I almost got scouted when I was younger and that was a little whirlwind situation. Then I found myself doing it more consistently. I have taken lots of breaks throughout my life because of school and trying to do both, which is very hard to do, but I always came back to it. I feel like it’s truly one thing I am very good at.

I saw that you have been in a couple other horror/thriller/suspense projects. What do you love the most about these genres?
Thank you for asking that question! It’s my favorite genre to do. It’s so much fun, and I think I like it because everything is so heightened. You have to imagine so much about what’s going on. Pedestrian and normal everyday life can be fun too, but I very much enjoy crazy makeup, blood, stunts, and special effects. It’s all so exciting to me, and the energy on those sets are so different. Everyone has this little spark in them, and it just feels like playtime to me. Childhood pretending.

What does the rest of 2021 look like for you?
In addition to acting, I write and produce a little bit, so I am trying to focus more on that for the rest of the year. And auditioning when I can. I think this whole process has been amazing, but also really draining. When you do a project for so long, you kind of get to a point after it’s wrapped or whatever where, at least for me, I need to take a breather for a little bit. That is what I am doing right now.

Before we wrap up, are there any other upcoming projects or anything else you would like to mention or plug?
I will be in a new movie called The Unforgivable that will come out in select theatres November 23, and it will be available on Netflix December 10. I have a small part in it, but it has a great cast. Sandra Bullock, Viola Davis, Vincent D’Onofrio, Jon Bernthal, it’s crazy! I am very excited for it.

To stay up-to-date and connect with McLeod, follow her on Twitter and Instagram. One of Us Is Lying is available to stream on Peacock.

Photos Courtesy of Nicola Dove/Peacock
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