Exclusive Interview: Jojo Regina Talks About Her Breakout Role in Where the Crawdads Sing

Jojo Regina is one of the breakout stars of 2022. This summer, she’s blowing audiences away with her performance as young Kya in Where the Crawdads Sing.

From the best-selling novel comes a captivating mystery. Where the Crawdads Sing tells the story of Kya, an abandoned girl who raised herself to adulthood in the dangerous marshlands of North Carolina. For years, rumors of the “Marsh Girl” haunted Barkley Cove, isolating the sharp and resilient Kya from her community. Drawn to two young men from town, Kya opens herself to a new and startling world; but when one of them is found dead, she is immediately cast by the community as the main suspect. As the case unfolds, the verdict as to what actually happened becomes increasingly unclear, threatening to reveal the many secrets that lay within the marsh.

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to chat with Jojo about Where the Crawdads Sing.

PC: You’re starring in Where the Crawdads Sing. Tell us about your character and what drew you to this project.
Jojo: My character is little Kya. She’s a resourceful wild child who loves nature and running barefoot through the marsh collecting seashells and feathers. All those things drew me to the character because I’m a lot like her.

PC: Kya deals with a lot in her life, especially during her childhood. How did you prepare to tackle that journey?
Jojo: To prepare, I rehearsed the scenes with my coach and always searched for something I connected with personally. I looked at what we had in common as well as what was different. We’ve both had to deal with loss. For me, it was the death of a loved one. For Kya, it was that her mom left. For the violence and abuse that she deals with, I used my imagination and just believed I was going through what she had to go through.

PC: The marsh is a character in itself, and you all shot on location. How helpful was that as you stepped into Kya’s shoes?
Jojo: Being in the marsh was super helpful. There are so many things that you just don’t get on a sound stage: the sounds of the marsh, the smells, the danger, the freedom, and the weather. I mean, when I was working on a boat scene in 100-degree heat and there were mosquitos, sweat, and alligators swimming by, it felt pretty real. Side note, little Kya almost never wore shoes.

PC: You’re sharing a character with Daisy Edgar-Jones. What was that collaboration like? Did she share any words of wisdom with you?
Jojo: First, Daisy was amazing. She is a super playful and kind person. We rehearsed a lot together to learn to move alike, talk alike, and be as alike as we could be. We hiked, climbed trees, fished, and played together whenever we could. The collaboration was so much fun. We talked a lot about life and acting, but what I remember the most is that she said I was doing a great job and that I should just keep it up. So, that’s what I did.

PC: This is one of your biggest roles to date. Did anything surprise you about the experience? What did you learn about your craft?
Jojo: Yes, this was the biggest role for me so far! I was surprised by how hot it gets when you’re on an aluminum boat all day in the middle of the marsh. There’s no shade when you get out past the trees, and there’s no way to hide from that heat. I was also surprised by how funny Garret Dillahunt is. He plays such a mean character as Pa, but between takes, he was like my favorite goofy uncle. If you have to be stuck in an aluminum boat in the marsh, you couldn’t ask for a better “stuck in a boat” buddy. As far as my craft goes, I learned how to drive a boat, how to do stunt work for getting slapped in the face, and that you can never listen too much in a scene. But most of all, I learned that I love doing this so much and I can’t wait until I start my next project, which by the way is coming up very soon. I can’t say too much about it, but I can say that it’s another feature film and I’ll be playing a lead role in it opposite another amazing actress.

To keep up with Jojo, follow her on Instagram.

Photo Credit: Amelia Rose Photography