Jarry is a NYC-based model/actress, musician, and influencer who did something courageously out of the ordinary — she came out as bisexual on the hit Netflix show, Dating Around. With a social media following rising at astronomical rates, Jarry never chooses silence. Jarry is a bold voice with an extra aesthetic, and she is committed to lending her voice to strengthen the visibility of the LGBTQ+ and Asian community. In our interview with Jarry, we talk about her life in NYC during the pandemic, her coming out moment, and the current wave of violence against Asian Americans. You don’t want to miss this moment with Jarry! Please read our full and exclusive editorial and interview below.

Where are you based?
I live in Manhattan, New York City but grew up in Wales, England, and Connecticut.

You’ve had an interesting career path. Can you give us the story of how you went from being a journalist to modeling and acting?
I started acting on the side for fun in 2017 while I was still working as a deputy editor at BuzzFeed, then fell into modeling as well in 2018 after being asked to walk in a NYFW show in honor of the #MeToo movement. In mid-2018 I left BuzzFeed to focus on my entertainment career full-time. I had taken acting classes in the past and wrote for a playwriting festival while in prep school, and that’s why I thought it’d be fun to try as a hobby in New York, and here we are!

Your online presence is colorful and eclectic. What vision did you have for establishing yourself as a brand?
Thank you! I wanted my personal brand to convey my taste in fashion — which is all about being bold and “extra.” I love vibrant colors and fun prints.

During the pandemic there’s been a skyrocket of unemployment and job transition. What advice do you have for people who are looking to switch career paths at this time?
This turbulent time is — while unfortunate — also ideal for trying out a new career involving one of your passions. If you’re afraid of making a jump or taking a risk, just keep in mind that no job or career is truly 100% stable. You could lose out on a lot more by not taking the risk, because none of us can predict our future success.

You have been named an “Inspirational Leader of Hollywood” for many reasons - especially in breaking down barriers for young Asian women. What barriers do you think are common for young Asian women? What intentional steps did you take in curating your online presence did you take to break those barriers?
In the entertainment industry and fashion industry in particular, there’s still a dearth of adequate Asian representation both on-screen (or in media) and behind the scenes, though it’s been gradually improving over the past few years. There are still few leading roles for Asians, and not many Asian women (or men) have a “seat at the table” influencing casting or hiring decisions. I try to showcase my career path on social media because I didn’t see Asian women in entertainment or fashion when I was growing up, so I didn’t even consider working in those fields.

It has been a weird time in history for Asian Americans. On one hand there is an increase of representation going on in the media, but on the other hand there has been an increase of violence happening as some people seem to blame China for the pandemic. What do you think the future holds for the Asian community in America? How can we keep things going in a positive direction?
It’s difficult to answer such a broad question about the future but hopefully, more representation and education about Asian cultures in media and open communication will decrease the prevalence of anti-Asian violence in America. We need more politicians and public figures to step up and show their support as well. Many organizations like Hate Is A Virus are doing great work if you’re interested in learning more.

What advice do you have for any young Asian talents trying to break into the industry?
I would encourage them to work on building their social media presence — it’s helpful in many industries, but in entertainment and fashion especially. Don’t be afraid to showcase your personality in addition to your portfolio online. Many casting directors will look up potential talents’ Instagram accounts so it’s best if your social media represents your unique traits and skillset.

You’ve served as an inspiration in more ways than one- including when you came out as bisexual on Netflix’s series Dating Around. What was the experience like coming out on a hit show?
It was a bit nerve-wracking because I hadn’t been public about my dating life in general, but the reception was positive overall. I’m grateful for the exposure the show has given me as people still recognize me from it a couple years later.

Your episode of Dating Around had a salient conversation about stereotypes of bisexuality. Can you talk more about the stereotypes of bisexuals in media? What kind of progress would you like to see in the media moving forward?
Bisexuality in media is often treated as a comedic punchline — “bisexual” characters are often ones shown as going through an experimental phase, or being overly promiscuous. In reality, being bisexual says nothing about who you are as a person beyond the fact that you are attracted to both men and women (or that gender does not play a role in who you decide to date). More human, realistic representation of bisexuality as simply that — rather than some overarching trait in a character for comedic effect, or to advance a plotline — would be ideal. It’s the same for any type of representation — we don’t make a big deal out of characters being straight, so why should we make a character’s whole identity “being bisexual” or “being Asian”, etc.?

Let’s talk about being at home. Being in Manhattan, how has this past year been for you? What was your response to the pandemic when numbers were escalating in 2020? Were you ever tempted to leave NYC? How have you been staying positive during shelter-in-place?
I practice gratitude for the extra time to work on creative projects. The pandemic gave me the space and time to launch my cooking blog last spring, and to start painting and recording music again last summer. I’m generally a paranoid person so I had already started preparing for the worst back in February 2020. Overall, I don’t mind being in the apartment with the company of my partner and our cat, and I was able to streamline my workflow at home, so it’s been a net positive.

You’ve continued to do shoots and ads from your apartment in Manhattan. Do you have any tips for finding creativity and motivation during the monotony of working from home?
Anxiety over the uncertainty of the future during the pandemic definitely helped fuel my motivation and creativity! I find that pressure can be great for that — so if you need an extra push, give yourself a hard deadline for your goals and you’ll be amazed at what you can come up with.

It’s really impressive that you learned how to photograph yourself at home during the pandemic for brands. What is your process for photographing yourself? What equipment can you not live without?
Last year I converted the spare bedroom into a mini content studio, so I use either my Nikon DSLR or iPhone 11 Pro on a tripod with a self-timer remote, and have an assortment of professional lighting and backdrops available (I also invested in a green screen for video). I have a separate set for product photography but all the lighting I purchased is fairly inexpensive. I couldn’t live without my softbox lighting kit from Amazon (under $80) and I’m also partial to all the props I’ve collected over the years (everything from a bubble machine to inflatable tigers)!

Have you picked up any tips and tricks for keeping your audience engaged on Instagram during the pandemic?
I love using the interactive story features like polls and question stickers to keep my audience engaged — which also allows them to feel that they have a direct impact on choices I’m making in daily life.

While you have been at home was it difficult to establish a work routine? How have you balanced work with leisure?

I’ve always struggled with work-life balance because I can be a workaholic. It’s actually gotten easier while working from home during the pandemic because now I take set breaks to cook meals, etc. It may sound counterintuitive to schedule breaks on your calendar but it definitely helps!

When you were at Buzzfeed as the Deputy Books Editor, we can’t help but notice that you published an impressive amount of book recommendations. Do you have any recommendations for us? We’re always up for another good read during quarantine!

I’ve been reading a lot of poetry collections these days. One of my favorites has always been Night Sky with Exit Wounds by Ocean Vuong! I also love Deborah Landau’s poetry.

We can’t conclude the interview without asking about Potato, your bengal cat! Have you always wanted to own a Bengal cat? Has he liked the new routines of working from home?
I love animals but didn’t have any pets growing up, so I always wanted one, but I didn’t expect to have a cat specifically! My partner and I both had a dream about a cat on the same night once, so we decided to get Potato. And he loves it because he loves constant attention, haha!

You don’t just love Bengals, but you love all cats! Before the pandemic you used to volunteer at KittyKind, a local cat shelter. Can you tell us a little bit about KittyKind and why you decided to work with them?
KittyKind rescues over 400 cats a year and is entirely volunteer-based — I love how everyone there genuinely loves and cares about cats. I decided to volunteer because I’m passionate about animal welfare and wanted to directly help take care of them, in addition to contributing to charities.

What is your motto in life?
You can accomplish anything you set your mind to.