Lyndie Greenwood

THE EVER EVOLVING LIFE AND TIMES OF LYNDIE GREENWOOD

 words by JEROD WILLIAMS

photos by EMILIE ELIZABETH

At first sight, actress Lyndie Greenwood’s classic beauty can be compared to a couple of other actresses in the business right now such as Jasmine Guy or Rosario Dawson, but the comparisons stop there, as this Canadian newcomer is gradually making her mark in the acting world.  With a list of minor roles in short films and guest star appearances in television series such as Being Erica and Saving Hope on her resume, she garnered attention playing Sonya (the head of Division IT) in the CW hit series Nikita, which lasted three seasons; this role soon opened doors for the actress, who now has a contract role playing the spontaneous, no-nonsense demon fighter Jenny Mills in the FOX sleeper hit series Sleepy Hollow.  Bello Mag caught up with the busy actress to discuss life, the evolution of her acting career, her life on-and-off camera, and all things Sleepy Hollow.

“I grew up in Toronto, Canada and I had a very unconventional upbringing and wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world, because it has made me who I am as a person today.”  She is referring here to her mother, who is from Tobago (in the Caribbean), and her father, a Canadian.  When asked about how she “stumbled” into the realm of entertainment, she explains that her career path started out with her interest in biology, which led to her getting her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Toronto.  “I’m a bit of a nerd and a geek like that.  I love science and what it entails.”  All nerdy and obscure things aside, Greenwood is also versed in martial arts, where she parlayed her “kick-ass” hobby into a kung fu short film, and that’s where she fell in love with acting and decided she wanted to give it a shot.  After graduating from the University of Toronto, she began to study acting intensively, training and taking lessons in her down time to sharpen her skills.  Her training ranged from attending classes at Lewis Baumander’s acting studio to studying the Meisner technique with Jason Fraser and working John Gordon at Pro Actor’s Lab, which would prepare her for auditions and her current role, that of Jenny Mills.  “I am getting “comfortable” playing this enigmatic and spontaneous character,” she says.  When we asked her about which actor she would love to work with, someone who could challenge her, her immediately response was Tilda Swinton.  “There is a certain elegance and grace about her that makes her wonderful.  I would love to act opposite of her.”

When we talked to her about working on the set of Sleepy Hollow, she has nothing but humbling things to say about her experience.  “Working on Sleepy Hollow is a lot of fun, and being on the set where it is dark and elaborate is absolutely amazing (she laughs).  It’s great when you can bring someone from the outside to the set so they can see the elaborate decorations.  It’s definitely a great job.  I love everyone I work with and I love playing this character.”

When she’s not crazy busy working, you can find her spending quality time with someone very special in her life: her puppy, Ripley.  “I love my puppy very much, and whenever there’s down time, I love to take walks on the beach.  It clears my head and resets my mind from the hectic work schedule.  I love to exercise, [and] do martial arts and Pilates to keep myself active.”  When we asked her about the values she puts out in the universe that keep her grounded, she goes with the old but timeless adage, “Be true to yourself and everything you stand for.”

As for future projects for this up-and-coming beauty, Sleepy Hollow will be keeping her busy throughout the year.  You will be able to catch Sleepy Hollow Mondays on FOX, and expect to see more of Jenny’s evolution.  Although her plate is definitely full working on the show, she’s excited and is looking forward to seeing how Jenny plays out.

photographer EMILIE ELIZABETH www.emilieelizabeth.com

stylist FRANZY STAEDTER www.franzystaedter.com

makeup NICOLE WALMSLEY www.nicolewalmsley.com

hair STEVEN MASON for EXCLUSIVE ARTISTS using Rene Furterer