Jennifer Ward-Lealand: Mastering New Roles and the Art of Aging Gracefully

At nearly 59, the esteemed actor Jennifer Ward-Lealand is embracing the liberties and wisdom that come with age. In a candid conversation with Thrive editor Niki Bezzant, she shares her zeal for learning te reo Māori, performing in a choir, and her latest endeavor: guiding fellow actors through the intricacies of on-stage intimate scenes.

The Power of Experience and Self-Assurance

Jennifer Ward-Lealand Te Atamira radiates a confidence cultivated through decades of experience and an unwavering passion for her craft. When questioned about the source of her self-assurance, she ponders, “Perhaps I simply exude confidence because I’m invigorated and inspired by the work that I do and witness around me.”

She continues, “I can advocate for things because I fundamentally believe in them. It’s about finding that voice and discovering what propels you. There is a confidence that accompanies that, knowing you’re destined to do something and being able to stand behind it wholeheartedly.”

Thriving in the Spotlight as the Years Progress

As the 2020 New Zealander of the Year, Jennifer’s career encompasses acting, directing, teaching, and public speaking. Despite working in an industry often scrutinized for its portrayal of aging women, Jennifer welcomes the aging process. “I truly have,” she affirms. “Sure, the body might not be what it once was, but in my thirties and forties, I thought I was in my prime. Now, at nearly 59, I feel like I’m genuinely in my prime.”

She adds, “I’ve navigated menopause and am glad about that. I’ve also completed the major part of my parenting; my children are nearly 22 and soon to be 25. There’s a freedom that comes with that.”

Embracing Challenging Roles and Cultivating New Passions

Jennifer continues to undertake roles that challenge her, such as portraying the wife of the French president in the Auckland Theatre Company’s production of “Two Ladies.” She describes the role as “a wonderfully complex character of a woman my age, allowing me to bring all of my life experience to it.”

She is also excited about her directorial debut, “Disrupt,” which will be screened at the Whānau Mārama: New Zealand International Film Festival. “I’m still very eager to learn,” she says. “Striving for things is an excellent way to keep yourself engaged and your brain active.”

Intimacy Coordination: A Revolutionary Approach

One of Jennifer’s newer roles is as an intimacy coordinator, a profession that has gained prominence in recent years. She explains, “You’ll have two actors who show up. They’re both professionals who’ve never met or worked together before, and they have to perform an intimate scene. Nobody would want to do that without proper guidance, but that’s what the scene requires.”

In the past, intimate scenes were often left to the actors to figure out, which could be difficult and even traumatic, especially for young or inexperienced actors. Jennifer notes, “Before the ‘Me Too’ movement, we heard a lot of stories about damaging experiences that actors were having. Consent wasn’t always part of the picture.”

An intimacy coordinator puts professional processes in place, treating intimate scenes with the same care as stunts. Jennifer decided to train as an intimacy coordinator after working with one herself. “It was a game changer,” she says. “It was the best and cleanest experience I’ve ever had in an intimate scene, and it felt creative and fun with no baggage attached to it.”

She has since worked on over 40 productions as an intimacy coordinator and helped establish guidelines for intimate scenes through Equity New Zealand. “I absolutely love it,” Jennifer says. “It’s going to be one of the things I’ll be most proud of having done when I die. Because it’s a culture change—a culture change has taken place.”

The Richness of Te Reo Māori

Another passion of Jennifer’s is learning te reo Māori, which she describes as “one of the greatest loves I’ve encountered in my life.” She explains, “It’s really opened up so many other ways of thinking, being, and understanding; of he tirohanga Māori, which is a Māori worldview.”

She adds, “The beauty, poetry, and sheer cheekiness of the language—there’s a world in every word. There aren’t many times you can say ‘Your vagina!’ (Tō teno!) in a humorous way, but you can in te reo. It’s a kind of ‘Got you!’ or ‘What nonsense!’ And because of all the metaphors used in te reo, there’s an ability to play with words.”

Jennifer says she’ll be a student “until I die,” and that learning te reo is far more than just learning a language. “I feel fundamentally more connected to this whenua because of my journey in learning te reo Māori, because the language is deeply connected to the natural world.”

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