GRACEFULLY YOURS

Jacqueliene Fernandez on navigating negative media attention, empathy as her superpower, and the most exciting part about being an actor.

- SONAL VED

Jacqueliene Fernandez's every response speaks volumes of how aware she is of her surroundings, the cut-throat nature of the entertainment industry, the unsolicited judgments that come as a package deal, and rising above the controversies. She has undeterred faith in everything that life has in store for her. "I believe in God. I never really fear anything," she says. Here are excerpts from our conversation.

Sonal Ved: For the last few months now, you've been in the news for something that is not connected to your work and it's negative in nature. How do you grapple with that kind of attention?

Jacqueliene Fernandez: Positive and negative are always going to be there.

And they will be discussed in life, among people and groups and more publicly, especially in our profession.

But what has helped me the most is giving up this constant desire and need to be loved and realising that this is truly the last illusion we all have and that we all face. This is what has kept me free, humble, and calm.

SV: How do you ensure you keep grace at the heart of everything going on in your life?

JF: I believe in God, I always have. It's an extremely strong force in my life. And because of that, I never really fear anything. I meditate often. Now I'm able to distinguish between right and wrong people, and I keep my family and good people close. I hold on to my ability to be empathetic as my superpower, and not a weakness. I remain respectful to people, animals, and nature.

SV: You walked into the world of entertainment without a godfather from a film background, and now 15 years later, you're confident in who you are. Do you still see yourself as an outsider?