When casting agents require a great Canadian with character, they call in Jayne Eastwood.
A lifetime spent in film and television have made the Toronto-born actress one of this country's most beloved and recognizable faces. Eastwood made an auspicious debut in Don Shebib's classic Canadian film Goin' Down the Road in 1969 and has never looked back.
Since then, she's guest-starred in virtually every homemade TV series ever made - from King of Kensington to This Is Wonderland and everything in between - and she's also lent her presence to several A-list feature films, ranging from My Big Fat Greek Wedding to Hairspray.
Of late, Eastwood is putting in weekly duty as the inimitable Ms. Wispinski on CBC's Little Mosque on the Prairie and recently reprised her Goin' Down the Road character in the sequel, Goin' Down the Road Again.
In her rare down time, Eastwood likes to keep on top of the current TV scene, including these three favourite programs.
Nurse Jackie Edie Falco is amazing to watch in this show. Her performance is so real and the actress who plays her assistant Zoey makes me laugh out loud every time I see her. I love the juxtaposition of the two of them. And the show itself is very subtle. It's not your typical hit-you-over-the-head premise; it's almost as if they're not trying to say anything. You're just kind of peeking into Nurse Jackie's life. To me, that's the best kind of TV drama.
Mad Men We don't get it on our cable where we live, so I've been renting episodes and power-watching. It's so character-driven that you don't feel overwhelmed by the plot. And I love that era. I'm 64 so I harken back to the days of nylons and girdles and a nice straight skirt with a smart blouse. It's amazing how much things have changed for women since the early sixties. It was a different world.
House Hunters International This show is a total fantasy escape for me. You're watching people who have way more money than we do buying a house in Fiji. Of course it's not always really rich people. Sometimes it's people relocating, from Dublin to Edinburgh, or wherever. It's almost like a travelogue and you also get to see these wonderful homes. I'm addicted to it.
