BY: KRISTINA RAMCHARRAN
Culture, youth, independence, and belonging. Each of these themes shares one thing in common: they all embody the storyline of Omni’s newest sitcom Second Jen. Now that the show is in its second season, expect more laughs, surprises, and talent like Brampton’s very own Lovell Gray-Adams.
Lovell is the newest addition to the Second Jen cast, bringing much to the show including his passion for acting, but also his Caribbean background, trailblazing the way for other upcoming minority background actors.
He debuts in the show as Marcus, the potential love interest of the main character Jen, who is also a professional model. Lovell sees the role as a relatable personality, a hard-working guy who wants to build a successful modeling career, just as in real life with his dreams of building a strong acting career.
Growing up in Rexdale and Brampton, Lovell discovered his passion for acting in high school along with one of his best friends. “We always kind of kept each other in check. When he was getting his theatre fill, I was getting my film and TV fill,” said Lovell on their exchange of learning while in post-secondary. Currently, Lovell and his best friend Leighton Williams own a production company together with some exciting projects coming up.
On his acting inspiration, Lovell identifies his influences through “I was always a big fan of Will Smith, Eddie Murphy, Denzel Washington growing up. Denzel more so now, because you realize when you were a kid, Denzel didn’t do much fun things.”
“He dealt with really serious things, revolutionary narratives…I think that he’s the Sidney Poitier of our time,” added Lovell on how his love for Denzel Washington developed from his childhood appreciation till now.
“We’re all still kids, all we do is just get older,” says Lovell on the importance of a child’s curiosity, which also adds to the creative process of acting. Such curiosity is what adds to the adventurous spirit in the Second Jen narrative, notes Lovell. “Because it’s a comedy, it really encapsulates what it means to have joy and have fun, and live life to the fullest.”
What Lovell loves most about his character Marcus is that he thinks more using his heart rather than his brain. “Because there’s a lot of pressure in life to be smart, and we look at the people who follow their heart, and we generally down talk them,” adds Lovell including that this is also the way he chooses to think, which is what lead him to pursue acting.
Apart from his love for acting, Lovell like to get his creative juices flowing in other ways. During his spare time, he produces music for fun. He likes keeping music as a hobby as it gives him “freedom to approach it in the way I want to.” What I like about art, is it allows me as a human being to see the beauty in everything. It forces me to look at the details,” says Lovell on appreciating the art of acting. “What I do is very much a gift, and I am happy to share that with the world in any way I can, to the biggest capacity I can,” adds Lovell on the main goal of his career.
Lovell is overwhelmed by the support from his friends and family and ensures that this is just the beginning. And one of the best things he receives from his family and friends, besides support, is culture and belonging. Coming from a Jamaican, Guyanese and Maltese background, and growing up in the greater Toronto area, Lovell highlights multiculturalism as a key aspect of his personality. “I love food, because it’s such a cultural thing for me, it’s a huge way to connect,” adds Lovell on the importance of his culture setting him apart.
“I’m grateful that we’re living in a time now, that people can really shine now, and show what they have. It’s almost like no one cares to tell our stories, we gotta tell them ourselves. We gotta kick that door down,” exclaims Lovell on the influence of telling relatable stories that matter to the Toronto communities. He ensures that Second Jen encompasses that much and even more.
Be sure to catch more of Lovell’s exciting character on Second Jen’s second season airing every Saturday on Omni 2.
