Meet Jordan Letson | SAG Actress

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jordan Letson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jordan, we’d love for you to start things off by telling us something about your industry that we and others not in the industry might be unaware of?
I don’t care if it’s the worst film on earth—it still took time and effort, to some degree, to create it. And if a film is recognized as a great film, that’s like capturing lightning in a bottle. Watching 30 seconds of a car crash or battle scene always blows my mind because the actors, camera operators, lighting, sound, production design, costuming, hair, make up, etc.— they all had to cohesively work together just to create 30 seconds of a seamless moment that doesn’t look like it took weeks to prep and then perhaps days to shoot. That’s what I love about filmmaking.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’m STILL learning how to navigate this thing. I got my BFA in theatre from the University of Arizona. I was made to believe early on I wouldn’t go very far, but right out of college I got my first theatre contract with Southwest Shakespeare Company in Mesa. I worked with them for 3 years, acted in 10 shows, and got major roles such as Yelena in Uncle Vanya, Goneril in King Lear, Mistress Page in Merry Wives, and Beatrice in Much Ado.
By 2017, I moved to Los Angeles to find work in screen acting. Along the way I started doing voiceover work and became a narrator for John Deere Kids on their YouTube channel. I also started working as a background actor on Hollywood sets and actually loved the masterclass that it was for me. Some people turn their nose up at it, but I always say, unless your film is set during an apocalypse, you NEED background actors. It also is what helped me get my SAG credits in order to join the Union in 2021.
The pandemic as well as the strike last summer were detrimental to this industry and I am so fortunate I have my side hustle as a massage therapist to keep money incoming, but I do worry sometimes if I’ll ever have an acting career that can sustain me.
In the meantime, I recently shot a short film called Twenty-Nine Again directed by Alex McFry. It’s making its way through the festivals and I am so proud of it, and can’t wait for friends and family to see it. So it’s little glimmers of hope like that that keep me going during these crazy times.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’m old school (and broke), but here’s what I love to show people when they visit:
Go to Griffith Park, grab a coffee at Trails Cafe, hike up to the observatory, gaze at the Hollywood sign, and soak up some vitamin D.
Then head out to Burbank, dine at Bea Bea’s and get some matcha pancakes, then check out the Bearded Lady Mystic Museum.
At some point I’ll insist that we go to the Huntington and spend the day being cultured by the botanical gardens, art galleries, and libraries. To eat, I love going to Edwin Mills by Equator. The vibe is eclectic chic and they’ve got an excellent happy hour menu that changes daily.
I always want to see a show at Bob Baker’s Marionette Theater near Highland Park and finish the day seeing a movie at Vidiots. It’s a plus if you count soda, popcorn, and candy as a meal.
We’ll have to get a beach day so grab chicken sandwiches, burgers, and shakes from The Win~Dow near Venice beach, enjoy the waves, then walk the canals.
To end the week with a bang, we’d see a concert and have a picnic at the Hollywood Bowl.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Oh that has to go to my dad, Pat McAlpin. Bless him for not giving me any grief for wanting to pursue acting or else I would have been such a disappointment. I’ve always called him my biggest fan. Since I was a little kid he always supported me, maybe even deluded me into thinking I was more talented than I actually was, but I’m eternally grateful for the way he helped shaped me into the artist I am. For all the musicals he took me to, acting classes he allowed me to be in, or just taking me to the movies on a weekly basis to watch my favorite actors like Jim Carrey do what they love most.

Instagram: JordanLetson

Other: TikTok: JordyLets

Image Credits
Wasily Castillo
Jackie Shearn
Gabriel Valbuena
Mark Gluckman
Marc Robles
Alana Cheuvront