Fans of the award-winning television series Chronicles of Jessica Wu were disappointed when the show was required to take a break during the pandemic. Excited anticipation about the approaching season number three, set to air later this year, is almost uncontainable for the show’s loyal audience. Actress Helena-Alexis Seymour is equally enthusiastic about her return as Jessica, the role which earned her multiple Best Actress awards (Las Vegas Movie Awards 2020, Toronto Film Channel Awards 2021) as she experienced the same Covid shutdown as did her peers throughout the TV and film community.
While certainly a dose of action-packed drama, Chronicles of Jessica Wu is increasingly more relevant than ever with a female protagonist who is on the spectrum, black, and committed to justice rooted in a better world. The show delicately handles some of the most important social scenarios of the day in a manner that makes the importance of “right and wrong” immensely relatable through the eyes of its main character.
Seymour along with costars including Billy McCartney (of Oscar Winning Film Boyhood) as Dennis Landry and Jasmine Hester (of Primetime Emmy Winning Series Black-ish) as Sarah Stanton promise to bring the chemistry which has made this show so transfixing to an even wider audience this Fall.
Filming for season three has already wrapped and secrets about important plot points have been leaked on various websites. Wide sweeping social issues like police brutality are found in the upcoming season of Chronicles of Jessica Wu as well as more personal ones such as Kenya (Jessica’s stepsister) escaping from prison and delivering the powerful secret of who killed David Wu (Jessica’s father). Fans will also be elated to see the return of Jessica’s best friend Nickel but shocked at the reasons for her resurgence into the story.
One thing that’s been proven is that audiences of the superhero genre delight in the dichotomy of personal meets extraordinary struggles of these crime fighting characters. As Jessica Wu, actress Helena-Alexis Seymour has manifested the face of a champion for a modern day woman of color who is on the spectrum, and done so in a way that has endeared Jessica to legions of admirers.
Ms. Seymour professes, “I am grateful for the wins and nominations I’ve received for my portrayal of this character. I believe the deep research I did on the autism spectrum really showed through my portrayal of Jessica as I wanted to make sure she was as authentic as possible. I have her little quirks and habits as well that made the character memorable. Also, the complete character/personality switch going between Jessica and Equation (her alter ego who fights crimes) really shows my range as an actor as well as how Jessica has a complete different personality with and without her mask.”
Also known for her role in feature films such as the multiple Oscar Winning Birdman (starring Michael Keaton) and the action blockbuster XXX: Return of Xander Cage (starring Vin Diesel), Helena-Alexis has made versatility her brand. That trend continues in the upcoming Hallmark Channel Series Feeling Butterflies and the Provocative Feature Film More Than He Knows.
While noting that the exploration of different genres is a professional strength of hers, the actress confesses, “I love comedy and action acting genres best. I love to laugh and make jokes with people through my characters. Laughter is medicine. Action is also a favorite of mine, though the complete opposite of comedy. I have been taking kickboxing classes for the past six years and anytime I can use my skills and athleticism is a plus for me! I love to be active and so if I can be active while be on set, it’s a blessing.” See Helena-Alexis starring in the title role of Chronicles of Jessica Wu on Amazon Prime premiering this Fall.
Writer: Coleman Haan