Jen Van Epps’ story, and how she struggled to make her dream of acting a reality despite failing to achieve it in Hollywood, could motivate others not to give up on their dreams regardless of disappointments.
Epps was born in California to biracial parents and married a medical doctor with whom she shares a daughter, but she was forced to relocate to New Zealand in 2018 for a fresh start. Her acting career took off in New Zealand, where she became one of the most sought-after actors.
She landed several roles, including Lorri in Destination (2021), Elaine Schmidt in Together Forever (2021), Nicole in Don’t Make Go (2022), and Tess in M3GAN (2022).
Jen Van Epps Was Born To An African-American Father And A Chinese-Taiwanese Mother
Jen Van Epps, originally Jen Brown, was born to biracial parents on March 12, 1990, in Los Angeles, California. She is currently 35 years old.
She is of Chinese-Taiwanese and African-American origin. Her father, John D. Brown, is African American, and her mother, whose name has not been revealed, is Chinese-Taiwanese. Her maternal grandmother was an actress in China, but due to war, communism, and family tragedy, her mother’s family was forced to migrate to Taiwan. As a result, her maternal grandmother’s career ended.
Although the number of siblings she has is unknown, her sole sibling is Tiffany Brown Tillman.
Epps grew up in Los Angeles and attended the University of Southern California, where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in mass communication/media studies.
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A Look At Her Career And Relocation To New Zealand
Jen Van Epps used to like singing and was even a member of an R&B ensemble. She intended to be a Taiwanese idol, but it didn’t work out, and she hasn’t stated why.
In terms of acting, the Los Angeles native spent years attempting to realize her ambition, but her chances were slim. She lost her joy as a result.
Epps and her family relocated to Auckland, New Zealand, in 2018 to start over. Two factors made this necessary: first, she lost motivation to pursue her acting career, which affected her performance in auditions; and second, she was afraid of how people of color were treated, particularly after Donald Trump’s election in 2016.
The actress and her family arrived in New Zealand and began to explore methods to improve their lives. She began focusing on how to enhance her acting talents while also attending therapy to address her anxiety and self-worth issues.
Her career began to improve in 2021 when US film producers began to visit New Zealand to film because the country was COVID-free. She is bi-racial and has an American accent, therefore she was the only one in Auckland who looked like her. Because the producers were seeking those who would make their productions feel more American, this made her stand out.
In 2021, she played the role of Tess in Together Forever Tea and Lorri in Destination Love. She had a breakthrough in 2022 when she appeared in Don’t Make Go as Nicole, but her most successful was in M3GAN as Tess.
In M3GAN, she co-starred with Allison Williams, Ronnie Chieng, and Brian Jordan Alvarez. The film premiered in Los Angeles in December 2022 and hit theaters in the United States in January 2023.
The film was a commercial success, generating $181 million worldwide on a $12 million production budget. It also gained critical accolades for its bleak horror and witty humor.
She Has Been Married To Her Husband For 13 Years Old
Jen Van Epps is married to Greg Van Epps, a medical practitioner. They married in November 2011, therefore they have been married for 13 years.
Rosalyn Van Epps, their daughter, was born in November 2014, three years after their wedding. She is 10 years old.
Rosalyn inherited her mother’s love of the theater. She earned first place in her first tap competition in July 2023.
