Arts

Lawrence Manor actor gets dynamic on YTV show

Eliana Jones talks eyelines, horror films and teenage quarrels

PHOTO COURTESY THE STANLEY DYNAMIC
WELCOME TO THE NEIGHBOURHOOD: Eliana Jones plays Summer, the Stanley family’s neighbour, who keeps Larry Stanley in check with friendly competitions.

A little friendly competition never hurt anyone.

Well, maybe not Summer, Eliana Jones’ character on YTV’s The Stanley Dynamic.

When another young lady is vying for the attention of Larry Stanley, during Season 2, things can get a whole lot more dynamic for the Lawrence Manor resident.

“I’m looking forward to everyone seeing how the characters have progressed,” Jones says, while on the phone from Los Angeles. “We have a lot of cool celebrity guests coming on, so I’m really excited about how people will see us interact with those characters.”

She’s down in La-La-Land until March for pilot season. There’s optimism in her voice when she speaks of potential work, but for now her focus is on The Stanley Dynamic.

The show’s second season premiered Feb. 27, and this year, Jones’ sporty character has some competition in Mina, the sister of Darnell. The Stanleys are a family of five, with three includes and one that just happens to be a cartoon: Luke.

The 19-year-old, Jones, arrived on the show midway through Season 1, and has been the close family friend who works at Brockdale Community Centre.

Grappling with a triangle may be the fictional challenge for her, but the real challenge for Jones was getting used to her animated co-star. Luke is voiced by Taylor Abrahamse, who made the job a little easier for Jones by accentuating his words and being loud.

“The eyeline was the hardest thing for me, and there were a couple of episodes where it looks like I’m looking right through him,” Jones admits, adding her experienced colleagues knew the drill. “Everyone had been there, figured out how to do it and knew all the techniques. So, they were really nice to teach me and walk me through it.”

Jones has been acting since she was 11, and most recently she played a fraternal twin on horror master Eli Roth’s Hemlock Grove.

“It was a cool experience working with all of those amazing actors,” Jones coos. “That was one of my favourite sets to work because I love horror films.”

Though her character met her bloody end at the end of Season 1, getting the chance to learn from the likes of Dougray Scott, Famke Janssen and Lily Taylor was styptic pen to her bloodletting.

“There was blood everywhere, and it was a dream come true,” she says, with a laugh. “The times that I did (work with them), it was amazing just watching them work.”

Be sure to also see her on Backstage where she teams up with Stanley Dynamic co-star Kate Hewlett.

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