ACTING FOR REAL
Where the journey begins
Jonna started on the stage at Nashville Children's Theatre when she was 6 years old. By the time she was 14, she was signed with AIM Talent Agency and she is well known for her work in the Reba McEntire music video FANCY playing Young Fancy. She also co-starred with Carroll O'Connor and Claude Akins on the hit television series IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT, and was directed by Sam Waterston in I'LL FLY AWAY. After signing with Cassandra Bailey Talent Agency in Florida, Jonna booked speaking roles on popular Nickelodeon shows CLARISSA EXPLAINS IT ALL and WELCOME FRESHMAN.
She attended Dr. Phillips High School in Orlando, FL, known for its performing arts the last two years of high school. By age 18, her coaching career began with young actors on a TV Pilot at Universal Studios in Orlando FL, including a young Nick Carter of the BACKSTREET BOYS.
Jonna was accepted into the Meadows School of the Arts at Southern Methodist University, where she received professional training for Acting. After a hiatus from school to raise her children, she returned to the acting scene at Missouri State University pursuing her BFA in Acting and BA in Film Production from 2006-2008.
In 2009, she moved to Los Angeles where she worked for 2 seasons on the television show BETTER OFF TED along with roles on CRIMINAL MINDS and GENE SIMMONS FAMILY JEWELS.
In 2013, Jonna returned to Springfield and plugged into the media production scene quickly acting in local commercials, voice-overs, and independent films. Soon she was recruited into casting and production work for feature films like ABOVE GROUND (Showtime), commercials for Capital One, Home Depot, and American National, independent films like VINCENTS VOW, music videos and reality TV like SAY YES TO THE DRESS and GHOST HUNTER.
Her passion for the art of acting prompted her to share what she has learned by starting a private acting studio called ACTING FOR REAL, originally based in Springfield, MO. Jonna currently coaching online and hosts in-person workshops to help actors with content for their acting reels. (Easy Reels).
As a coach, Jonna worked consistently with student Cailee Spaeny on her Self Tape auditions for leading roles in film and television. Under Jonna’s tutelage, Cailee booked the lead role in PACIFIC RIM: UPRISING which kick started her career. Since then, Cailee has been in BAD TIMES AT THE EL ROYALE, VICE, ON THE BASIS OF SEX and the remake of THE CRAFT and more recently PRISCILLA, CIVIAL WAR and ALIEN: ROMULUS.
Other students have booked lead roles in HALLMARK films, Independent features, web series, music videos and many commercials.
During 2020, she turned a semi-private acting class into a 37 minute short film, THE LAND OF MILK AND HONEY . Jonna also directed the independent short film, PARADISO, starring Lenny Hernandez and Imari Stout, which has received many awards in the film festival circuit.
Empowering actors to create original content and make something of it, is her specialty. Learn more about Jonna at JonnaKaeVolz.com.