In the Amazon Prime Original series CROSS, Jennifer Wigmore plays Chief Anderson, with Series 2 releasing Wednesday 11th February, with Aldis Hodge starring as Detective Alex Cross in the series, which is inspired by James Patterson’s novels. Having played Miss Grayling in Series 1 of Malory Towers, which aired on CBBC in the UK, Jennifer returned to the Enid Blyton adaptation for the Christmas Special in 2022, continuing in her role of the headmistress for Series 4, 5, 6 and the final series 7, and she worked with a cast including Ashley McGuire (Matron), Geneviève Beaudet (Mam’zelle Rougier) and Jason Callender (Mr. Parker). Jennifer played Bianca Bonhomme in the Hallmark film Melt My Heart This Christmas, and she played Miriam in The Fabric of Christmas and Kendra Oldsten in Christmas at the Drive-In. Amongst Jennifer’s further screen roles, she played guest character Mrs. Kelner in the Series 19 Christmas episode of Murdoch Mysteries, Kayla in A24 feature film Dream Scenario (which starred Nicolas Cage as Paul Matthews), Regina Oliver in Y: The Last Man, and she played Sister Maria in episodes of Anne with an E. This year, Jennifer is returning for Series 3 of CROSS, filming a short film this summer and working on her own first feature script – Tear Us Apart. We caught up with Jennifer about playing Chief Anderson in CROSS, filming as headmistress Miss Grayling in Malory Towers and working with Nicolas Cage in feature film Dream Scenario.

Can you tell us about the Amazon Prime Original series CROSS and your character Chief Anderson, and what can viewers expect from the upcoming Series 2 releasing on Wednesday 11th February (without spoilers)?

The case that Cross is investigating takes him out of Washington and working closely with the FBI. Interdepartment clashes cause Anderson to have to throw her weight around and lay down the lines of her territory.

With the series based on the novels by James Patterson, how did you prepare for filming and how is it being part of the series?

Ben Watkins, our showrunner, very smartly is not adapting the books but taking the characters and building new stories. While I read many of the books prior to filming, Anderson is an amalgamation of many Chiefs in Patterson’s books. I did quite a bit of research on female Chiefs in America and the challenges they face getting where they are. It’s why Anderson is so tough.

What is Chief Anderson like to play and how is it filming alongside the rest of the cast, which includes Aldis Hodge as Detective Alex Cross?

Anderson is fun to play because she is incredibly tough, smart, and unafraid. It’s not every day I get to play characters that go toe to toe with great, strong actors like Aldis, and being able to boss him around is very enjoyable. The cast and crew of this show is like a family. We have a wonderful time together, and it is an absolute blast to do.

In 2020, you started your series regular role of headmistress Miss Grayling in Malory Towers – aired in the UK on CBBC, what was it like bringing the Enid Blyton books to screens and seeing the fan response worldwide to the release of the series?

It was wonderful. Playing Miss Grayling has been one of the highlights of my career. I loved how the character evolved over the series and how passionate she was about guiding young women to be their best selves. The writers really stayed true to the characters that Enid Blyton envisioned, while also updating them for modern audiences. I am deeply proud of the impact the show has had around the world and miss it terribly.

How was it returning as Miss Grayling for the 2022 Christmas Special and going on to reprise and develop your regular role throughout Series 4, 5, 6 and 7?

Well, that was a wonderful surprise, and I am deeply grateful to the team for bringing me back. It was a very sad moment when the schedules collided with Y: The Last Man during COVID, and it prevented me from working on Malory Seasons 2 and 3, which were shot at the same time. Shooting the Christmas episode was extra special because of all the time I got to spend with my dear friend Ashley McGuire. 🙂

Do you have any favourite highlights from filming for Malory Towers and being part of the cast over the years that you can share?

Well, there are many. Being stuck in a phone box with Ashley was hilarious, and it was also so hot we almost melted. Getting whipped cream all over me when Geneviève (Beaudet) hit Jason (Callender) with the pie was truly one of the funniest and most genuine moments I’ve ever had on film. That was not supposed to happen, and we only had one take, so we had to keep rolling!

What was it like filming the final series, which was released at the end of 2025, and how was it reading the scripts for the last episodes?

There were many tears. Shooting that final scene with Gwen overlooking Malory Towers was a deeply emotional experience for me. I was so excited when I read the scripts that Miss Grayling was going to spend time with each girl, because that is exactly what Jennifer Wigmore wanted! 😉 I had a wonderful time with each girl shooting those scenes. Great memories, and I’m delighted that I got to watch them grow up. Such wonderful young women.

How was it having a guest role in the Christmas episode of Series 19 of Murdoch Mysteries last year as Mrs. Kelner?

Being on Murdoch is a rite of passage for every Canadian actor. I knew so many of the cast and crew that it felt like being at home. I had a great few days with Yannick (Bisson) and the gang.

How would you describe your character Bianca Bonhomme in Melt My Heart This Christmas and what was it like on set of a Hallmark Christmas film?

Well, on set was COLD! We shot that outside in Ottawa in February. Bianca was a really fun character with a lot to do. I was thrilled to see that the story really featured the relationship between Holly and Bianca and that Bianca had a full arc. Not something I get to play all the time. The entire cast and crew were wonderful, and I’m glad the final movie was warmer than we all were!

Having also played Miriam in The Fabric of Christmas and Kendra Oldsten in Christmas at the Drive-In, what do you enjoy most about working on Christmas films and how was your time filming for both?

I actually really enjoy them. They are fun, and the people are kind and uncomplicated. I’ve had a great experience on the four that I have done. And it’s Christmas all the time! What’s not to love?

How did you find the experience being involved with the 2023 A24 feature film Dream Scenario as Kayla, which starred Nicolas Cage as Paul Matthews?

Well, that was a real trip. Not every day Nicolas Cage slams your hand in a door! I had a great time on that one, and doing all the prosthetics and makeup was fun too. Kristoffer (Borgli), the director/writer, was really fun to work with too.

What was it like playing the recurring roles of Regina Oliver in Y: The Last Man and Dianne Lewis in Designated Survivor?

Playing Regina on Y: The Last Man was an absolute career highlight. Working with all those women, with a female-forward crew and team, was incredible. We were also in COVID, so it was especially poignant. I wish the show got more kudos; it felt like it was dismissed, and it absolutely shouldn’t have been. I think it was ahead of its time.

You joined the cast of Anne with an E for episodes in Series 3 as Sister Maria, what was this like?

It was a hard part to play, to be honest. Playing a reprehensible person is not easy for an empath. It was difficult. But I think it is important to play those roles with as much honesty as one can in order to respect the history of what happened to Indigenous people in this country. I was grateful to work with the many wonderful artists on that show who helped me tell a difficult story with integrity and truth.

Over your extensive acting career so far, you have filmed for many other projects including Frankie Drake Mysteries (as Mrs. Gordon), I Was a Sixth Grade Alien (as The Teacher / Ms. Weintraub), The Royal Diaries: Elizabeth I – Red Rose of the House of Tudor (as Queen Catherine Parr) and Little Men (as Margaret “Meg” Brooke); can you tell us about some of your further roles?

All of them were important, and I have wonderful memories of each of them. Little Men, in particular, gave me a real head start in the business, and it is especially sweet since that part only came to me because I advocated for myself and asked to audition. Getting that role launched my career in film and TV.

How did you originally get started in the acting industry and was it always something you wanted to do professionally?

My father was an actor, director, and artistic director of a theatre. I was surrounded by actors all throughout my childhood. I don’t think it was any surprise that I became an artist. I went to theatre school at Grant MacEwan University – then College – in their two-year theatre performance program. We did musicals. It was a wonderful program that launched me quickly into the business, and I haven’t really stopped since.

Do you have any favourite films and TV shows to watch, and how do you like to spend your free time?

Well, as I am in television and film, I do try and watch a lot of it. Currently enjoying Heated Rivalry!! Yeah, Team Canada! And I’m super proud of that show’s global success. I am sincerely hoping that it leads to more Canadian TV shows and support for Canadian features that take risks with dramatic content.

What advice would you give a young performer aspiring for a career like yours?

To keep going to class! Actors need to work out and express themselves through their art. That doesn’t happen in auditions, especially now with the grind of self-tapes and the lack of any feedback loop. Get into an acting class that gives you support and a place to act that is not about auditioning. I go to a class every Monday night and have for years. It makes me feel more grounded, and I have less noise in my head about the business.

What are you hoping 2026 brings for you and do you have any projects coming up that you can tell us about?

Yes, it looks like I will be returning to CROSS for Season 3, which we start at the end of March. The business has been very slow, so I am hoping that we see a bit more volume in 2026, and with the success of Heated Rivalry, that the Canadian shows start up again. I am also hoping to do some independent features. I am shooting a short for an indie this summer to gain financing, but I hope that more indie Canadian films come my way this year. I am also going to be trying to get my own first feature script, Tear Us Apart, made. That should be an exciting journey for sure!

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