Caught between cultures and generations, millennials Mo and Jen are two best friends and and roommates. They are polar opposites, yet bound by their friendship and the shared fallout from their decisions, be it for better or for worse… usually worse.
Cast
Amanda Joy
Co-creator, Co-Executive Producer, Writer/Story Editor, stars as Mo
Amanda Joy is second-generation Filipino-Chinese-Canadian. She is an actor, screenwriter, and filmmaker based in Toronto. Her crime drama, Hunter’s Chance was picked up for production and is set to shoot this spring. She is set to appear as Sophie in Sean Astin’s upcoming dramedy eHero and is a regular on-air contributor to CBC Radio q. Past roles include leads in the films Virtual Hitman (Official Selection Festival de Cannes 2016), Devil’s Mile, and Disconnection, as well as recurring roles on Degrassi, and Anxietyville. For her improvised performance in the short comedy The Talk, she took home gold at ACTRA’s 24-hour Film Competition. Joy is an alumna of the WGC’s Diverse Screenwriters’ Program. She is a member of The Beaverton’s online writing staff. Other writing credits include The Magpie Bridge, Hunter’s Chance, Quota, and Dig to China (Official Selection Toronto International Short Film Festival 2015). She has worked short-lived stints as a diamond runner and portable hot-chocolate dispenser (true story). Joy is a Ryerson Dean’s Prize Winner, Merit Scholar, and dual Ontario Arts Certificate holder for music, and filmmaking.
Samantha Wan
Co-creator, Co-Executive Producer, Story Editor, Co-Director of “Like a Girl”, stars as Jen
Samantha Wan is a second-generation Chinese-Canadian. Originally from Vancouver, the actor-filmmaker is now based in Toronto. Wan can be seen in the role of Zoe Chow on Private Eyes, a Canadian comedy-drama series and the role of Liat in the online series Kristal Clear. She created, produced and starred in Sudden Master, an online Kung Fu series commissioned by OMNI Television, which accumulated numerous awards, including Best Action Series. For Sudden Master, Wan won Action on Film Festival’s Best Female Action Performer of the Year Award and the Women with a Vision Award for her work as producer/creator. She also won Hollyweb Festival’s Best Actress in a Drama for her role in the series. Wan made her debut playing a principal role in the feature Devil’s Mile and later moved to online series such as Leslieville, Ruby Skye P.I., and Out With Dad. Behind the camera, Wan co-directed the short Where is Kitty Go Lightly, and the Second Jen original pilot/short; she will also be co-directing the episode “Like a Girl” for Second Jen Season 2. She is a dancer and a martial artist, studying Wing Chun under Grand Master Sunny Tang. Coupled with her fight skills, Wan is a certified combatant for stage and screen with Fight Directors of Canada. She is a graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada (2011).
Lily Gao
As Karen
Lily Gao is a first-generation Chinese-Canadian actor, model, and painter. After booking countless major campaigns in Toronto and Montreal, her success brought her to New York, where she studied Method Acting at the Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute. During her time in New York, she performed in and co-directed Off Broadway and Fringe Festival plays. Gao’s on-screen credits include Through Black Spruce, Kin, Carter, Blood and Water, Transporter: The Series and True Justice.
Nile Séguin
As Alister
Nile Séguin is an actor-comedian-writer who is originally from Ottawa and is now based in Toronto. Séguin’s acting credits include The Beaverton, People of Earth, American Gothic, The Expanse and Odd Squad. He is also a Canadian Screen Award-nominated writer and has written for The Beaverton, Still Standing, The Ha!ifax Comedy Fest, This Hour Has 22 Minutes, and is story editor for The Killjoys. An accomplished stand-up comedian, Séguin was the first comic to perform at both the festival Juste Pour Rire and its English counterpart Just For Laughs in the same year. He has performed at the Winnipeg Comedy Festival, Halifax Comedy Festival, Windsor Comedy Festival, Boston Comedy Festival, and at San Francisco Sketchfest. He has opened for Greg Proops, James Adomian, Janeane Garofalo, Greg Behrendt, Aparna Nancherla, and Matt Braunger. Séguin is the recipient of three Canadian Comedy Award-nominations.
Lovell Adams-Gray
As Marcus, Jen’s new friend and potential love interest
Lovell Adams-Gray is a second-generation Jamaican-Guyanese-Maltese-Canadian actor, writer and producer, born and raised in Etobicoke and now based in Brampton, Ontario. He has had the fortune of working with acclaimed Canadian director Clement Virgo and award-winning producer/director Frank Van Keeken. Lovell made his debut as a host on Frank Van Keeken’s popular Family Channel show, The Next Step Aftershow. Adams-Gray is known for the role of Peter Broome in the horror anthology series Slasher: Guilty Party and as Tully in the series Lost & Found Music Studios. Other television credits include The Odd Squad, Dead of Summer, Rogue, Millions, and Warehouse 13. Other appearances include the talk show Great Canadians, the film Len and Company and a number of shorts. Adams-Gray graduated from the Humber College Acting for Film and Television program, and continued his training at the Canadian Film Centre Actors’ Conservatory.
Patrick Kwok-Choon
As Harrison, Karen’s fiancé
Patrick Kwok-Choon was born in Montreal, Quebec, to Sino-Mauritian parents. He is now based in both Toronto and Los Angeles. Kwok-Choon is best known for his roles as Lt. Rhys on the critically acclaimed TV series Star Trek: Discovery and as Seth Park on the mystery-drama TV series Open Heart. Other television credits include guest-starring roles on Wynonna Earp, Ransom, and Rookie Blue. Kwok-Choon is no stranger to the stage. He landed his first starring role immediately after graduation, playing Ferdinand in the Canadian Stage production of The Tempest, followed by an appearance in the company’s production of Rock ‘n’ Roll by Tom Stoppard. He has gone on to perform in theatres across the country, most notably Soul Pepper Theatre Company’s Kim Convenience and Mirvish Productions’ War Horse at The Princess of Wales Theatre. He is a graduate of George Brown Theatre School, and the Canadian Film Centre Actor’s Conservatory.
Oscar Moreno
As Diego, Harrison’s friend and Mo’s potential love interest
Originally born in Bogota, Colombia, Oscar Moreno moved to London, Ontario, with his family in 2003 after having lived in New Orleans for three years. While in London, he participated in The Grand Theatre’s High School Project, where his passion for the performing arts was awakened and fostered. This led Moreno to Ryerson University in Toronto to study Theatre Production. After graduating in 2013, he was cast as Ritchie Valens in a production of The Buddy Holly Story at Theatre Northwest (BC), embarking on the start of his professional theatrical career. He later reprised the role in his hometown at The Grand Theatre. Since then, he has been cast in leading roles in a number of short films. Moreno will soon make his television debut as Matteo in Shadowlands and will appear as Diego on the upcoming season of Second Jen. Moreno is now based in Toronto.
Ho Chow
As Mr. Hsu, the landlord
Born in Hong Kong, Ho Chow immigrated to Canada in 1965. His first job in his newly adopted country was shining shoes in front The Holiday Tavern at the corner of Queen and Bathurst in Toronto (now CB2); he charged 10 cents a shine. He delivered mail for Canada Post for 12 years before deciding to become an actor. He quit the Post Office and bought a restaurant with his supportive wife so he could audition anytime. He has been acting for over 25 years. Accomplished in both dramatic and comedic roles, his film and television credits include Lost Girl, Nikita, Republic of Doyle, Covert Affairs, Fifth Estate, Aaron Stone, Testees, The Sopranos, The Border, Mayday, Hand and Mike, Degrassi, and Kung Fu – to name a few. He is proficient in Martial Arts (Kung Fu) and cooking. Chow resides in Toronto with his wife and two daughters.
Janet Lo
As Jen’s mom, Bunny
Janet Lo is first-generation Chinese-Canadian. She has worked internationally, portraying roles across Canada as well as appearing in Los Angeles and China in theatre, film, television and radio. Most recently Lo co-created, produced and starred in the title role of Madam Mao. Film and TV credits include Pay the Ghost, Diary of the Dead, To Die For, The Listener, Missing, and the upcoming film The Poorest Man in the World. Stage highlights include Red Snow, Tout Comme Elle, Hana’s Suitcase, Pu-Erh, M. Butterfly and a season at Shaw Festival.
Timothy Lai
As Jen’s brother Eric
Timothy Lai began his acting career at the age of seven, following in the footsteps of his two older sisters, Katherine and Alexandra. Since then, he has appeared on the series How to be Indie, Beauty and the Beast, Rookie Blue, Defiance, and Heroes Reborn. A recent graduate of Ryerson University’s Film Studies, Lai worked as the editor and sound designer on Oxford, a short film that was runner up for Best Canadian Short at the Grand River Festival 2015, and an Official Selection at the Atlantic Film Festival 2015.
Caroline Mangosing
As Mo’s mom, Maryjun
Caroline Mangosing is a first-generation Filipino-Canadian, multi-disciplinary artist, and entrepreneur based in Toronto. She was a founding partner of the Toronto-based film and television production company, The Digital Sweatshop, where she produced her first feature film, AngPamana: The Inheritance, which had a wide theatrical release in the Philippines, as well as other independent projects that aired on CBC and Vision TV. As a professional actor, Mangosing has starred in some of her own productions, as well as other theatre, film, and TV productions. Her credits include a principal recurring role on How To Be Indie, for three seasons, and most recently, a guest-starring role on Remedy.
Mangosing was the founding executive director of Canada’s first and only Filipino arts and cultural centre, Kapisanan Philippine Centre for Arts and Culture in Toronto (2007 to 2015), and its signature Kultura Filipino Arts Festival, currently in its 11th year. In 2013, Mangosing successfully launched Kapisanan’s social enterprise initiative, VINTA Gallery, a curated retail experience featuring a modern Filipiñana fashion line as its signature product, which she designs. Mangosing expanded VINTA Gallery into an ethical for-profit business.
Episodes
S1 E1 · Couch Surfing
Jen and Mo get an apartment to try to prove their independence.
S1 E2 · Jenny Has the Gay
Jen has to convince her mom that she is not Mo’s lesbian partner.
S1 E3 · Re-Tales
Mo is forced to adapt when the store she works for is taken over by a big corporation; Jen asks Nate and Lewis to help her prepare for an interview; Lewis tries to get Nate to confess his feelings for Jen.
S1 E4 · Borrow-a-Buddy
To make extra money, Mo rents her friendship to a surprising client; Jen struggles through a blind date.
S1 E5 · Pap Fiction
During a doctor’s exam, Jen and Mo discover even the closest friends have secrets.
S1 E6 · Asian Night
Jen and Mo throw an Asian-themed party to prove that they are real Asians.
S2 E1 – Forecast Calls For Wedding Showers
Forecast Calls For Wedding Showers. Jen and Mo are forced to confront their feelings when they attend Karen and Harrison’s wedding shower.
S2E2 – The Break In
The Break In. Jen and Mo’s change jar is stolen and they must deal with the local authorities and Marcus trying to install an alarm system.
S3E3 – Like a Girl
Things get complicated as Jen tries for once to be bad, and Mo tries to be good; Mo volunteers at a church fundraiser while Jen walks on the wild side.
S2E4 – The Book of Jenesis
Like A Girl. Jen starts a new job where she’s forced to wear a skimpy uniform and deal with touchy customers. Mo attends a sexual harassment seminar.
S2E5 – No Escape Room
No Escape Room. Jen and Mo navigate the strange world of online dating by finding two cyber dates to go with them to an Escape Room. Trapped together, Mo’s learns her date is a self-absorbed actor, while Jen’s is much younger and way more successful than her.
S2E6 – Wall Squirrely
When Jen and Mo find a squirrel in the house, each blames the other for the arrival of the four-legged foe. As they seek safety atop various pieces of furniture, they’re forced to re-examine that friendship and determine if they’ve outgrown each other or continue to grow because of each other.
S3E1 – Vive Le Conflict Resolution
Jen gets into a heated online debate with a troll and she obviously must win. She goes to great lengths to change the narrow-minded perspective of GoodOlDaze69, which leads to a shocking discovery. Meanwhile, Mo’s dreaded corporate training workshop is shaken by the arrival of an ultra-cool rival manager Scout, who exposes Mo’s impatient side during a series of exercises…yet also ignites a spark between the two.
S3E2 – Happy Birthday
As Jen’s birthday approaches, Mo and Marcus team up to find her perfect gift. But the seemingly straightforward task takes a turn for the weird as the two compete to prove who knows Jen best- the best friend, or the boyfriend. Meanwhile, Jen makes her first foray into the fun (and judgmental) world of personal finance at her local bank.
S3E3 – Sense And Sensuality
When Jen has trouble communicating her desires to Riley and Mo struggles through her commitment issues with Scout, the couples attended an Intimacy workshop. Celebrity coaches Dorris and Cliff, redefine intimacy and push the group get in touch with their sensuality. Tackling their repressed feelings, Jen and Mo wonder if they may be in over their head, as everyone makes out with apples… and that’s not even the weird part.
S3E4 – Exes and CEOS
After discovering all of Riley’s exes are Asian, Jen develops a series of tests to determine whether or not her new boyfriend has yellow fever. It’s all well and good for Jen, until she realizes she may have her own biases to own up to. Meanwhile, Mo sets off on an epic quest, as her diversity initiative proposal leads her to the most terrifying place of all- Beta Games Head Office.
S2E5 – No Escape Room
Jen and Mo navigate the strange world of online dating by finding two cyber dates to go with them to an Escape Room. Trapped together, Mo’s learns her date is a self-absorbed actor, while Jen’s is much younger and way more successful than her.
S3E6 – Balikbayan
When her family visits from the Philippines, Mo goes all out to prove how well she’s been doing on her own – but faulty circuits, food mishaps, and a-few-too-many years apart threaten to turn the little reunion into a big disaster. Meanwhile, with a wall-squirrel haplessly munching its way through the apartment’s wiring, Jen is forced to answer the age-old question- how many Millennials does it take to screw in a lightbulb?
