Jewel Staite is a Canadian actress who was born in White Rock, British Columbia, on June 2, 1982. She began her acting career in 1991 and has worked in both film and television. She is best-known for playing Kayleen Fry in ‘Firefly‘ and ‘Serenity’. She is also known for playing Caroline Swift in ‘The Killing’. Although she is now a successful and well-known actress, there are many things that you probably don’t known about this talented actress. Here are ten fun facts about Jewel Staite.
1. She Was Discovered at the Age of Just Five
Staite had an early start to her career as she worked as a child model before becoming an actress. She was spotted by an agent while out shopping with her mother in a shopping mall in Vancouver, Canada.
2. She is From a Close-Knit Family
Jewel Staite is from a large and close-knit family. She is the youngest of seven children. As an adult, she now lives just a few blocks away from her parents with whom she remains close.
3. She Raises Money for AIDs charities
In her spare time, Jewel Staite raises money for charities that raise funds for AIDs awareness and research. This is a cause close to her heart as her uncle died of an AIDs-related illness. She took part in a ceremony for an AIDs memorial in Vancouver which will name local victims of AIDs.
4. She Deliberately Put on Weight for a Role
While many actresses try to keep their weight down as they believe that this will help them to get roles, Jewel Staite actually put on weight for a role. When she played Kaylee in ‘Firefly’ in 2002, she deliberately put on 20 pounds. This series was later adapted into the 2005 motion picture ‘Serenity’ and she had already lost the weight that she had gained. However, she was told that she did not have to regain the weight as they had no plans to offer anyone else the part anyway.
5. David Duchovny Gave Her Mouth-to-Mouth
In 1993, Staite appeared in one episode of ‘The X Files‘. In the storyline, David Duchovny’s character had to give her mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Talking about this experience, she said that it was a tough job, but somebody had to do it.
6. She Made Her Film Debut in 1995
In 1995, Jewel Staite made her film debut playing the role of Samantha in ‘Gold Diggers: The Secrets of Bear Mountain’. This is an adventure drama film that was written by Barry Glasser and directed by Kevin James Dobson. It starred Anna Chlumsky, Christina Ricci, Polly Draper, Brian Kerwin, Diana Scarwid, and David Keith.
7. The First Television Series in Which She Appeared Was ‘The Odyssey’
Although she had already had a small role in a television film, Staite’s first role in a television series was in 1991. This was when she played the role of Labelia in an episode of ‘The Odyssey’ called ‘The Believers’. She then returned to this series in 1994 to play the same role in an episode called ‘The Prophecy’. ‘The Odyssey’ is a children’s adventure fantasy television series that was originally broadcast on CBC Television.
8. She Has Worked for an Executive Producer
Staite is best-known for her work as an actress. However, she has also taken on a role behind the camera as she was an executive producer for the 2016 comedy film ‘How to Plan an Orgy in a ASmall Town’. She also starred in this film in the lead role of Cassie Cranston. This movie was written and directed by Jeremy LaLonde. It also starred Ennis Esmer, Lauren Lee Smith, Katharine Isabelle, Mark O’Brien, Tommie-Amber Pirie, and Jonas Chernick. This film won awards at the Canadian Film Festival for Best Ensemble Cast, Best Feature, and Best Costume Design.
9. She Has Been Married Twice
Jewel Staite has been married twice and her first husband was the actor Matt Anderson. They married in 2003 and actress Morena Baccarin was her maid of honor. Sadly, the couple divorced in 2011. She then married Charlie Ritchie in 2016.
10. She Has a Son
Jewel Staite is now managing to juggle her career with motherhood as she and her husband have a son. At the age of 33, she gave birth to their son on December 9, 2015. They called him Wilder Cathcart Ritchie.
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