We’re giving actress Helena Marie tens across the board for her starring role in CBBC’s My Perfect Landing. The must-see drama follows a family of gymnasts going for gold while dealing with the struggles of life and their recent move from Miami to Toronto.
Helena’s character, Whitney, is a concerned mother and former gymnast who wants nothing but the best for her kids. But as the season progresses, Whitney must confront her past to help her children grow.
Pop Culturalist caught up with Helena to chat about her career and My Perfect Landing.
PC: You’re an actress, producer, and writer. How did you discover your passion for the arts?
Helena: I saw so many live performances when I was a child, like Shakespeare in the Park and Cats. I was enthralled. Then, when I was around seven, I begged my dad to take me to see The Phantom of the Opera. He did, and afterward he bought me the cassette tapes of the show. The whole show—not just the songs but the entire performance, including the dialogue. I would listen to those tapes obsessively and imagine that I was Christine.
PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Helena: The people in my life have influenced me every step of the way. The way they push themselves and overcome their own obstacles inspires me. That, combined with their love, pushes me forward every single day. I wouldn’t be where I am without them.
PC: You’ve had a lot of success already in your career. When you look back, is there a particular moment that stands out to you?
Helena: A few years back I cowrote, produced, and starred in a short film called Crazy Love. The story centers around my character, Sam, and the fact that she doesn’t know how to escape her abusive husband. I had to ask for so many favors from friends, family, colleagues, and strangers to help make that little film come to life. The outpouring of support I received was overwhelming. I cannot overstate how much that impacted me.
PC: You got your start in theater. What has the transition been like going from the stage to the screen?
Helena: I barely scraped the surface of theater life before I made the jump to film and television, so the transition didn’t feel monumental. But I do remember having certain fears because of things I had heard like stage actors don’t know how to be on camera and vice versa. I quickly learned those things weren’t true. It’s a different medium, and you certainly need to have an understanding of the medium you are performing in, but acting is acting. We feel, we hide, we laugh, and we cry. Whether you’re doing that on stage or on set, if the emotions you portray are sincere, that’s what will come across and be received by the audience.
PC: Tell us about My Perfect Landing, your character, and what drew you to this project.
Helena: My Perfect Landing is about a family trying to do their best while carrying some serious emotional baggage. My character, Whitney, is a former gymnast who opens up a gymnastics studio with her father, a former Olympic medalist. As the two of them stumble through making the business work, Whitney’s daughter is trying to find her own way in the world of gymnastics—mostly behind her mother’s back. I immediately fell in love with the characters in the show. I felt like it was written in such a way that respected everyone’s point of view, even when they differed. I knew I could play Whitney in a way that justified her strict rules while showing her heart.
PC: What can you tease about Whitney’s arc in Season 1? How did you prepare to tackle her journey?
Helena: The family drama in the first season concerns Whitney stifling her daughter’s talents for fear that she’ll get hurt. This fear comes from an incident in Whitney’s past when she herself got hurt while training with her father. As the season progresses it becomes harder for Jenny to hide her capabilities—and what she’s been doing with them without her mother’s knowledge. Needless to say, that cat’s gotta come out of the bag sometime! As far as preparation, the most important tool for me was the backstory the writers and creator, Frank van Keeken, had given Whitney. That was my starting point, and from there I tried to draw on my own emotions and experiences and just play Whitney as honestly as I could.
PC: Guilty pleasure TV show?
Helena: Riverdale
PC: Guilty pleasure movie?
Helena: Sex and the City
PC: Favorite book?
Helena: Unbearable Lightness: A Story of Loss and Gain by Portia de Rossi
PC: Favorite play or musical?
Helena: The Phantom of the Opera
PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Helena: Imogen Heap
PC: Who would play you in the story of your life?
Helena: Jennifer Lawrence
To keep up with Helena, follow her on Instagram.
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