Born to a Colombian mother in South-East London, Jessica's passion for acting was lit as a child when she was picked to play a Greek schoolgirl in the original 'House of Cards'. After doing the 'sensible thing' of studying a degree in marketing, the world of acting kept calling and she decided to take the leap and audition for drama school. “My family were very concerned - we came from a very working-class background,” she recounts. “But I knew it was what I wanted to do.”

Since then, Jessica has been “trying to navigate where I fit in - I’m just about finding my place now in it all,” she reflects. Lots of her trepidation traces back to growing up in a country where “it was very obvious that I was different from what I was seeing on TV and film." JLo’s success was a watershed moment, she says: “The impact of seeing a Latina body in mainstream American cinema, doing the rom-com parts … it was huge.”

The main challenges in the industry come from three disadvantages, she says: one, coming from a working-class background with no contacts: "There is still elitism and the notion that 'if you were any good at acting we’d know you.” Two, being a woman: “I’ve witnessed a lot of 'me too' situations." And thirdly, as a Latin American and the typecasting that entails: “I’m still open to playing those roles, but we’ve got a thousand million more stories.” 

However, "thanks to the power of advocacy,” Jess feels optimistic about the progress that’s being made. “I’m being brought into the room more. Slowly the roles offered to me have a broader scope and are less stereotypical."

Her quest for more control has led to Jessica to venture into producing. “There’s more I want to say, and my producing is part of a desire for inclusive, progressive storytelling,” she explains: “we’re quite invisible here.” That is one thing Jessica is determined to change.

Jessica Maria Gilhooley is wearing her own dress. Hair and Makeup by Marta Lopez