Filipino-Canadian actress Victoria Sawal made a breakthrough performance in The Umbrella Academy Season 4 as Jennifer.
Sawal's Jennifer entered the final season of the Netflix series as someone from Ben's past in the original timeline.
It is revealed that hidden beneath Jennifer is a substance called Durango that could prove catastrophic once merged with Ben (who has marigold in his system).
Meet Victoria Sawal - Biography Details
Victoria Sawal's Acting Journey Was Changed by Guillermo del Toro
Victoria Sawal made her acting debut in 2013's Pacific Rim, a film directed by renowned filmmaker Guillermo del Toro.
In the movie, she was upgraded from an extra to a speaking role, which led to her taking acting lessons to improve her craft.
Sawal, who originally hails from the Philippines but holds a Canadian nationality, spoke with Canvas Rebel about her experience in Pacific Rim, noting that one unscripted line changed the trajectory of her career since Del Toro noticed her:
"I could not contain my excitement and ended up blurting out some unscripted lines. I was placed next to a cage with a live chicken in it, and told that I would be pretending to sell this chicken to anyone passing by. I took that background work seriously, some would say TOO seriously and I started yelling chicken related lines left and right. At some point, I yelled 'this is not KFC!' in Charlie Day’s face. Next thing I know, they yell cut and multiple people started swirling around me with iPads taking photos of my clothes and hair. I was certain I was about to be fired, and they were simply collecting my mugshot to put me in film jail or something... A man with thick glasses, wearing all black, walked towards me and asked me if I was free later on that month, because there was another role he wanted me to play in the film."
The 31-year-old actress then said that her experience in Pacific Rim allowed her to become "hungry for anything to do with acting:"
"Guillermo Del Toro had just plucked me out of 500 extras to be upgraded to an actor role on ‘Pacific Rim’. Everyone proceeded to call me ‘Chicken girl’ for the remainder of filming. That opportunity started everything for me, it was love at first set. I had gotten a small taste of movie magic and became hungry for anything to do with acting. I immediately signed up for acting classes and found an incredible agent who I still adore 10+ years later."
Victoria Previously Starred in Star Trek: Discovery
While Pacific Rim served as the beginning of her impressive acting career, Sawal flourished and bagged several more roles in different projects, such as Millions, Endlings, Y: The Last Man, and The Handmaid's Tale.
Before starring in The Umbrella Academy Season 4, the actress' most recent role was Lieutenant Naya in Star Trek: Discovery. She starred in seven episodes of the series' final season.
In the Star Trek series, Lt. Naya is a human Starfleet officer aboard the USS Discovery.
In the same interview with Canvas Rebel, Sawal admitted that she is proud of her role in Star Trek: Discovery since her father is a huge fan of the franchise:
"My father is a Trekkie and raised me on re-runs of 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' and 'Star Trek: Voyager;' so it’s truly an honour to be part of the Star Trek family."
The 5'4" actress also teased that there are a few more projects that she is set to star in later this year:
"I have a few other projects coming out this year, though I can’t share much; I can tell you that I am extremely excited for what is to come and though more than 10 years have passed since my first acting job, I am still learning and growing and still in love with what I get to do. Just goes to show you, making bold choices and enjoying what you do can really catapult you into the right direction."
Victoria Is Working on an Album with Her Band
Aside from her passion for acting, Victoria also pursued music at one point, releasing several singles along the way. She will also make an album with her band, Sans Serif.
Sawal told Canvas Rebel that her music career involves "performing at festivals, song-writing, and busking in Toronto."
The actress embraced singing since it helped her "sharpen [her] ability to use [her] voice to command and influence an environment:"
"Being a singer helped me sharpen my ability to use my voice to command and influence an environment, to evoke emotions within an audience. Though I still sing today, I chose to pursue acting full-time rather than music, to capitalize on the momentum I experienced early on in tv/film. Acting provided me the opportunity to sustain myself consistently while still pursuing music whenever I have time off. I’m currently in the process of recording an album with my band ‘Sans Serif’.
Fans can listen to Victoria's music here on Spotify.
Victoria Earned a Best Actress Nomination at Days of the Dead Fest
Victoria Sawal recently received a Best Actress nomination for her role in the short film Sanguine, which played at the Days of the Dead film festival in 2024.
Sanguine revolves around the story of a bad first date as Mirabel (Sawal) is captured and experimented on by mysterious individuals.
Director Robin Careless expressed her admiration toward Sawal on Instagram, noting that it is a "well-deserved" recognition for his lead star.
"I'm so proud of [Victoria Sawal] for her nomination of Best Actress at this year's Days of the Dead Film Festival! Well deserved for sure, and thank you to Days of the Dead for recognizing it."
Days of the Dead is a horror-focused convention that features independent movies and short films. It is held in various locations, such as Los Angeles, Chicago, and Atlanta.
Aside from her stellar performance in Sanguine, Sawal also won the award for Best Lead Performance for her role in a short film called Escape: A Ghost Story at the 2021 Horrorhound Film Festival.
Victoria Will Next Star in Indie Movie Morningside
Victoria Sawal is set to star in an indie movie called Morningside as Jenni.
Joining her in the film are Kiana Madeira (Fear Street), Alex Mallari Jr. (The Adam Project), and Brandon McKnight (The Flash). Filming for Morningside began in December 2023.
Morningside tackles the ups and downs of the diverse set of characters in Scarborough's Morningside community center. The movie has no release date yet.
How To Follow Victoria Sawal Online
Fans looking to keep up with Victoria Sawal online can follow her on Instagram (@growingolden).
The Umbrella Academy Season 4 is streaming on Netflix.
Read more about The Umbrella Academy:
Umbrella Academy Season 4 Cast, Characters & Actors (Photos)
Will Umbrella Academy Season 5 Release? Netflix Officially Confirms the Fate of the Series
How Did Ben Die In Umbrella Academy? What Happened to Him, Explained
