YV Media: What inspired you to write your memoir, The Brink: A Memoir and what is the memoir about?
Jaime Andrews: My greatest inspiration in writing The Brink: a memoir was the thought that it could help young people - or really all people - who have struggled with mental health issues, or who have difficulty overcoming their past. The Brink: a memoir is about my life as a lost teenager, and deals with all the things that kids confront: sexuality, substance use and poor self-worth. It also confronts my very serious brush with psychosis. It's a harrowing story, but I tell it with a sense of humor.
YVM: What do you hope that readers will learn from reading your memoir?
Jaime: I hope more than anything that people will read The Brink: a memoir and know that they can overcome any circumstances that they are dealing with, and to remember that you never know what a person has dealt with in their life. We all need to be more gentle with each other.
YVM: If you had the opportunity to speak to your younger self, what is one thing that you have learned that is written in your memoir that you will tell yourself about.
Jaime: Well, I like to say that I didn't really learn the lessons of The Brink:a memoir until later. I am currently working on the follow up, called Further, in which things get even worse for me, if you can imagine. Obviously, I would love to tell my younger self to focus more on my passions and not use drugs, but I probably wouldn't have listened to myself anyway!
YVM: Share with us how you begin your career in acting.
Jaime: It's so strange, I don't recall making a decision that I wanted to be an actress. It was always just what I did. I was the lead in the school plays from the time I was in kindergarten and I just always stuck with it. My drive to be an actor was definitely a big part of me turning my life around. So, I moved into NYC from Long Island and started pursuing it seriously, taking lots of classes and starting to get little jobs here and there. When I felt like I'd done all I could in New York, I moved out to Los Angeles and that's when things really started to happen for me.
YVM: You wrote, produced, and starred in the award-winning film Division. Tell us about the movie? How did it feel to earn a Best Actress award at The Lady Filmmakers Festival for your performance in the movie?
Jaime: Division is the thing I'm proudest of in my life. I was inspired by the circumstances of the election and pandemic of 2020, and I wrote this very personal story based on that time, wherein a small-time actress connects with a fan online, only to discover they have differing politics. Division asks if we can come together, or if we're too far apart. My experience at Lady Filmmakers Festival was so overwhelming. We actually won four awards, which was so validating, and winning Best Actress, especially, was an incredible honor. I had never carried a film, so it was nice to know people thought I'd done a good job of it.
YVM: What are some of the things that you have planned next for your career?
Jaime: I am super-excited about my latest screenplay, titled Hardcore. It's the first thing I've written that is not based on my life, but it is a true story about a kid I went to high school with. It's really dark and shocking, but I always put my humor in there. So, I would love to produce that film, and my friend wants to develop The Brink into a series. I've got lots of ideas, and I'm psyched about all the possibilities. I'm looking forward to getting back to acting, too, now that the strike is over.
YVM: What are some of your hobbies?
Jaime: It feels funny to call yoga a hobby, because it's such a necessity in my life, not just physically but also to keep me grounded mentally. I also love traveling and try to do it as often as I can, and I was really passionate about horseback riding, but I'm kinda intimidated by it right now after a big fall last year. I hope I can rebuild my confidence there, because I love to do it so much. I also just learned how to play pickleball, and could see myself getting really into it. And I love seeing live music and going out dancing, too.
YVM: How do we find you on social media?
Jaime: I'm on IG, Twitter & TikTok @jmendrews and facebook.com/jaimeandrewsonyourtv - I look forward to hearing from y'all!
Photo Credit:
Photographer: Stacey Bode
Hair and Makeup: Jacque Carder
