Jill Marie Jones Talks 'Perfect Holiday' And 'Girlfriends'

For six seasons, the world knew her as Toni Childs from 'Girlfriends'. It's a role that established her and then in 2006, Toni was no longer on the show as Jill Marie Jones left the show to start a film career.

While fans may have been upset to see Jill and the character go, they can rejoice in seeing Jill on the big screen. In the time off the show, Jones has been busy making films and going after parts. This year alone has been good so far, as one film 'Universal Remote' was shown at the Hollywood Black Film Festival, and another, 'Redrum', premiered at the American Black Film Festival. 'Redrum' also gave Jones her first leading role.

Her current film, 'The Perfect Holiday' is her first film to be shown in theaters and has a lot of star power in the film as well.

'The Perfect Holiday' is a heart-warming holiday story of Nancy (Gabrielle Union), a loving single mother of three who falls for Benjamin (Morris Chestnut), a talented but struggling songwriter who is working part-time as a mall Santa. Conflicts arise when her oldest son, 10 year old John-John, convinces his younger brother and sister to join him in mischievous plots and schemes against their mother's new boyfriend in the hopes that she will reunite with his hero - their rap-mogul father J-Jizzy (Charlie Murphy). Being narrated by Queen Latifah in a magical role of "Mother Christmas" opposite Terrence Howard, who plays a hard-to-dislike Scrooge-ish character named "Bah-Humbug", 'The Perfect Holiday' successfully brings together all the elements that will make this a Holiday Classic.

In speaking with Jones, she talks about her character, and her experience on 'Girlfriends'.

Can you talk about the character you play in 'The Perfect Holiday'?

Jill Marie Jones: I play Robin, one of Nancy's best friends. Nancy is played by Gabrielle Union, one of my best friends, which is really cool to work with, to be in New Jersey and New York in and out with someone who's a close friend and we had a great time. Robin is fabulous. She's probably a person that would be I think for the audience might be similar to Toni Childs, but the difference between both characters is that Robin loves children, and Toni, even though she had her own, was kinds afraid of the kids.

What attracted you to the role?

JMJ: You know what, I'll be completely honest. I loved the story. I loved the fact that we don't really have a Black Christmas movie. When I say that this movie is clean, I don't even think that the word 'ass' is used in the film. I think the film is rated PG, not PG-13. It's a movie that parents can take their children to go see and not have to worry about covering eyes and covering ears. Also, it was an opportunity to work with your friends and Dana (Queen Latifah), another friend as well, is amazing.

Gabrielle had mentioned to me that you guys are best buds when I spoke to her. So, how was the shoot like when you are with close friends on the set?

JMJ: It was great. Are you joking? First of all, I feel as if I chose this life. I'm living my dream and to actually work and work around people that you love and that are close to you, it's a win-win.

How was shooting in New Jersey?

JMJ: It was awesome. I love Hoboken. I love it. That's where I stayed. I was all up and down Washington and right near the Lincoln Tunnel. I go to New York a lot but when you don't walk it, and you take cabs all the time, you don't really get to know the city. I really felt that I got to know the city. I was there for about a month and a half, so it was good.

What was it like wearing winter outfits during the summer when you shot the film?

JMJ: It was hot because I wore a lot of fur, so it was really hot for me. It's when you have to do it. We thought that the film would maybe open last Christmas. It's a Christmas movie so you can't open it in June, but it came out yesterday (Dec.12) and I'm so excited about it. I went to the theater yesterday and I saw it.

Do you have a favorite Christmas memory?

JMJ: Yeah. I remember when me and my brother were younger and I guess my mother was hip to us, but we would look at the presents before Christmas and we wrapped them back. We thought that no one could really tell, but I guess my mother always knew, so this one particular Christmas, she would put one shoe in this box and one shoe in that box, one sock in that box, and one in the other. That Christmas for us was horrible. We suffered for a week. We were so bah humbug. The real presents were hidden, and it was her joke that she played on us. But it was one Christmas I never forget.

Besides this film, you have had a big year with the release of 'Redrum' on DVD which gave you a leading role. How was doing that film?

JMJ: It was awesome. It was a passion project. To be able to play a different half in the film where I'm unrecognizable and to be able to play a serial killer and to be able to go there, it was awesome. I felt it was a dream role for me. I loved it.

As you are venturing off in the film world, do you believe your TV work has helped you or the opposite? Do you feel you may be typecast for parts?

JMJ: You know what, it has definitely helped me. No one would even know who I was if it weren't for 'Girlfriends'. There's a lot of talented women and men in this town that have no representation and go after audition and audition and don't get parts, so of course, being on television helped me. I owe all of that to Mara Brock Akil, UPN, and Paramount for giving me a shot and also giving someone a shot with nothing on her resume. I came very green and I just wanted to act. I just wanted to be an actress. I didn't care about the pain, I didn't care about money, I just wanted to work and they gave me that opportunity, so of course that is why. You second question was about being typecast, and I say no a lot, which is okay, but also I knew with my first season on 'Girlfriends', I had some credit stuff I needed to clear up. If this show doesn't go pass the first season, I'm going to clean up my credit and that's what I did. I positioned myself in a way where I can say no. I'm all about movie forward and not necessarily lateral move in terms of my career so I do say no a lot. I do get that, 'Can we do that type of role?' again and unless that turns me on in some sort of way, I won't do it.

It's been two seasons since you left the show. Do you miss playing Toni Childs?

JMJ: Oh my God! I feel like I gave birth to her. Obviously, Mara created the character, but for six years that's all I had and her back-story and everything I worked on, I feel like I gave birth to her. I totally miss Toni. I love the fact that people still come up to me in the street and be like, 'Toni Childs!' It brings a smile to my face.

Would you consider coming back for a cameo or an episode?

JMJ: Anything's possible. The life that I have right now is because of Mara Brock Akil, Kelsey Grammer, UPN, Paramount took a chance on a girl with talent or that they saw had talent that on my resume was blank. I don't know how much you know about in this town, but that doesn't happen all the time. So, everything I have at this moment and the life that I'm being able to live is because people gave me a chance.

Are you still doing the Bailey's Irish Cream commercial?

JMJ: I did a three year campaign for them and it's weird because I shot 14 commercials but only 3 airs here in the states, but the rest airs internationally. I love Bailey's. I think it's a very sexy drink and I love how the whole push for Bailey's the second go around was to incorporate the blended Bailey's. I think it's a great drink for the holidays.

Now that you are doing more films, do you find the work less grueling than TV?

JMJ: You know it's just different. I still put the same work in, but you are talking to a girl who puts in like 5, maybe 6 hours in for an audition that I might not even book. The cool thing to me about movies is that the research part is what I love. Breaking down the character, but after two months, I get to do a new character, and that's cool. Sometimes when you are on a TV show, and if you are blessed to go for six years like I was, it's the same character. The difference, why I am so blessed, having 'Girlfriends' be my first big thing, is that my character from you met her and where she ended on the show, they (the writers) challenged me all the time. I felt as if I was able to play different characters. From promiscuous in the first season and then she has a STD, and she hates kids, and men coming through, and then she got pregnant, and then we went through the pregnancy, which I had never done before as an actor and I had don't have children so I asked everybody I knew that had kids for everything they could give me. The baby came and I felt that I was really challenged. 'Girlfriends' like 'Redrum' was a great experience for me as an actor.

With so much done in six seasons, do you think the character ran its course?

JMJ: No, I think if Toni came back and when I say no, I say it because there are brilliant writers on 'Girlfriends'. There is so much more that you can do. For me and my career, my contract was up after six seasons and there's a whole film world that I wanted to experience and that's what I've been doing. I think if Toni came back to the show, there would be so much more to write and much more to bring. That's a testament to how great Mara and the rest of the writers are.

What keeps you grounded?

JMJ: My mom. Hands down, my mother. I talk to her like 5-6 times a day.

Why should anyone go see 'The Perfect Holiday'?

JMJ: They should go see because it's a great film. It's a beautiful film about a family. It's really a kid's film. It's about children. One, go see it because it's a beautiful Black movie. Tow, go see it because it's a beautiful Christmas movie and like I said before, it's clean. I really do believe that this is a film that in ten years, you can pull out and show your children.