After rediscovering her love for acting during medical residency, actress Jackie Dallas made a bold decision to swap career paths and pursue her passion. Now she finds herself celebrating her latest role in Netflix’s new drama filled series “The Hunting Wives”. Still a fierce advocate for women’s health, Dallas shares women’s pelvic health advice and chats about the importance of diversity and representation within the industry. To learn more about Jackie Dallas, her acting process, and her advocacy, read on.

Where are you based?
I am currently based in Los Angeles, but I have lived all over the country and work everywhere.

You went to school for medicine but later decided to pursue a career in acting. What inspired you to make that switch and start acting instead?
I rediscovered by passion for acting during my residency in Chicago. Growing up, I always loved acting, but never thought it was something that a normal person could pursue. I grew up in a family of doctors and so medicine was a natural step for me, but I realized that it was an emotionally difficult career choice for me. As a creative and emotional outlet, I found acting opportunities in Chicago’s TV and indie film scene and ever since my first day back on a set, it made me realize that THIS was what I was meant to do. There’s something to be said about finding your calling.. and I was fortunate enough to have found it again.

You have a role in Netflix’s new series “The Hunting Wives” coming this July. Can you tell us a little about what viewers can expect to see from your character and the show itself?
The show is such a fun, twisty, drama filled series about rich women behaving scandalously! My character is an outsider that gets brought in to help fix some problems, but ultimately ends up creating some of her own.

What was your favorite part about filming for “The Hunting Wives”?
It was so thrilling to be a part of such an incredible cast! Getting invited to work alongside actors that I admire so greatly is such a boost in morale and motivation! And every time you get to watch an experienced actor work, you learn so much.

While we have yet to see what your character is like in the show, could you tell us a little about what your process as an actress looks like when playing a role like the one you do in “The Hunting Wives”?
My process for The Hunting Wives was a little different than the usual. Usually, I like to do a little more in depth research on the show so that I can get a better idea of the tone and style of it, but with this being the first season, there isn’t a show that I can watch. But there was a book! And so I started reading the book by May Cobbs that this show is based off of… but when I got the script and started reading that, I realized that my character Jia-Yi is actually one of the new ones that is introduced in this world, and so I stopped reading the book so that I wouldn’t get storylines confused. What’s great about this though, is that it basically gives me an opportunity to really bring her to life. So I started with core personality traits, usually that’s broken down for me by casting, and then I build around that… What is a backstory that made her this way, and what are her goals that shape how she behaves now? What are things that would irritate her, make her happy or she would find humorous? And finally nuances, are there little quirks or ‘tells’ that I can incorporate that make her feel more real? And if there are any elements that I can identify with or relate to, I can bring bits of myself into the role which makes it feel so much more authentic to me and hopefully the audience.

What do you love most about acting?
I love that every day is different. I am the type of person who can get bored easily and need challenges, so getting to work on different projects, as different characters, at different locations is so fun for me! Even when working on the same project, no two days are the same. There are different scenes and situations… and there’s such an imaginative element to it, even though the words are given to you on a page, you have to explore how your character would say them, how they would behave or react… and then you as an actor have to suspend your disbelief to enter this world that is NOT filled with camera and crew… it’s just such a thrill and unique challenge to be a storyteller in a physical form.

You’re not just an actress but also a philanthropic patient advocate for women’s health. Can you tell us a little bit about what this means to you?
Of course! During my time in medicine, one of the things that interested me was clinical research and outcomes, and I started noticing trends in the disparities of healthcare for women and underrepresented communities. It was something that always stuck with me. In fact, I met my husband doing research together, because he was also intrigued by ways that healthcare was much more of a barrier for some demographics and how things could be made better. Fast forward to now, I found that there are opportunities where I can use my voice, platform and knowledge to be an advocate for women’s health. We do our best to attend fundraising events and charities and make donations where we feel will make a difference. On a more personal scale, I also work behind the scenes with several urogynecologists in the Los Angeles area to help educate women about pelvic health, sexual health and how to be their own best advocate in a system that doesn’t always take care of them the way it should. My husband, who is a urologist who specializes in female pelvic health, has also presented at summits in Washington D.C. and works in rural communities to help provide much needed services. We’re a good team!

What disorders should women be concerned about if they are concerned about their pelvic health?
The most common conditions are unfortunately issues that are socially considered embarrassing or taboo to talk about openly, which is why so many women remain untreated and so many medical professionals do not consider the diagnosis because they think it is so much more rare than it is. Things like urinary incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse or pelvic pain, are often dismissed as being a ‘normal part of aging’ or an ‘unavoidable reality after having children’ or not even a reality at all and ‘all in their head’... it’s so frustrating because these are all valid reasons to seek treatment and there ARE treatments available for them!

How can a woman improve her pelvic health?
Specific treatments are different for different conditions, which is why it is so important to find a specialist in female pelvic health, and not be afraid to seek a second or third, or even fourth opinion if you feel that your provider is not taking your concerns seriously. Something as vague as pelvic pain, can be caused by a number of different reasons such as low estrogen, bladder inflammation, a gynecological issue, or even a hypertonic pelvic floor, meaning the pelvic floor muscles just carry too much tension and tightness due to stress or other sources of discomfort. These are all treatable issues, but it can take a bit of specific questioning and testing to come to the correct diagnosis, so being as educated about your symptoms and conditions will help you communicate effectively with your provider, and don’t be afraid to ask questions.

As an advocate for diversity and representation within the industry, what are some changes you hope to see in the coming years?
It is becoming more and more obvious to me that the fastest way to make change is to do it yourself. I know that there are growing healthcare organizations who continue to rally for increased awareness for not only patients, but healthcare providers as well, such as the North American Menopause Society (NAMS) and the International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health (ISSWSH). And with growing online communities that focus on specific conditions, such as the Interstitial Cystitis Network, women are becoming better equipped to self-navigate their conditions and be their own best advocate when it comes to taking control of their health. But I hope that with this growing awareness, the healthcare system and government administration will begin to put forth more resources to help fund more research into female health conditions, and provide better care for women’s health when they need it.

With the current state of affairs, what do you think can be done to make sure that women’s health is better researched?
First we have to acknowledge that inequalities exist. Historically, most research has revolved around conditions that also affect men, and in those studies, most of the findings are based off of predominantly male participants. We know now that women can not only present in different ways, but need more nuanced treatment options, even for the same condition. And that’s not even getting into the dearth of research for women-specific conditions. I think we need to increase dedicated funding for women-specific conditions, mandate inclusive clinical trials that analyze sex and gender differences, and train more researchers in underrepresented areas like pelvic and sexual health. It’s also crucial to involve and educate lawmakers and the public about existing gaps.

What advice do you have for young girls wanting to pursue a career in acting or medicine?
They are both very challenging fields in their own ways. Many people may not realize that in order to pursue acting as a career, it often requires years of time, effort and training. I would say reflect on your reasons of why you want to pursue either of the fields to see if it is truly rooted in passion. Both fields can be overwhelming if you are chasing fame or money, and don’t find satisfaction in the journey itself. Also, be as business minded as you can be, research the structure of the industry and how it is affected by economy and policy. The landscape of both fields are rapidly changing, and as you would with any career, look ahead to where the industries may be in 5 or 10 years and find ways to best prepare and position yourself for success. And finally, don’t get discouraged. If this is the only path that you can see yourself taking, keep at it, learn as much as you can, and continue to grow better at it. Success will find you, and when it does, it’s the most rewarding thing ever!

Are there any upcoming projects you are currently working on that we should be on the lookout for?
The Hunting Wives is just released on Netflix July 21st so if you haven’t binged it yet, give it a watch and enjoy the wild ride!

It has been a rough few years, and we expect at least four more. How have you been staying positive?
Every morning, I try to start the day off with gratitude. It has been a rough few years in so many ways, and I recognize that there are many people who have endured so many deeper challenges, so I try and keep that in perspective. And at the end of the day, I try and reflect on something good that happened that day. I’ve also found other creative outlets for when acting work is slow. That’s actually how I got involved with working with my circle of urogynecologists here in LA, we were talking about it came up that I had a unique set of skills to be able to help them with their outreach and impact. It’s a reminder that sometimes, there are great things that can still happen during not so great times.

What is your motto in life?
No regrets. Life’s too short to worry about how things might not work out, you just gotta go out there and do the best you can and trust that the universe will either give you what you want or what you need.

To learn more about Jackie Dallas, please check out the links below:
Instagram: @jaxdallas
https://www.imdb.me/jackiedallas

Jackie Dallas on Acting and Advocacy