Who is Jess Chanliau? All about 'The Diplomat' star
Jess Chanliau is an upcoming American-French actor, singer, and movement artist. They got their big acting gig and fame for their role as Ronnie Buckhurst in The Diplomat, an acclaimed Netflix political thriller series.
Source: Twitter
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Key takeaways
- Jess Chanliau's bio summary
- Jess Chanliau is bilingual thanks to her multicultural origin
- Actors Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton shaped their acting skills
- Actor Chanliau faced the most transphobia in France
- Who did Jess Chanliau play in The Diplomat?
- Jess is not on social media
- Frequently asked questions
Key takeaways
- Jess Chanliau is a trans and non-binary actor who uses the pronouns they/them.
- They played Ronnie, an American foreign service officer in The Diplomat.
- Jess played over 20 different characters in the play South Bend at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Jess Chanliau's bio summary
| Full name | Jess Chanliau |
| Gender | Non-binary |
| Place of birth | United States of America |
| Nationality | American-French |
| Ethnicity | Mixed |
| Siblings | 1 |
| Marital status | Single |
| School | Marin School of the Arts in Novato, Cours Florent, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland |
| Profession | Actor, singer, movement artist |
Jess Chanliau is bilingual thanks to her multicultural origin
Jess Chanliau was born in the United States to an Irish mother and a French father, although their names are unknown. They had a multicultural upbringing because they grew up in America and France.
Chanliau speaks English and French fluently. In a 2023 interview with Borrowers, Jess said:
My mother is Irish, and my father is French. I grew up speaking French and English. I was born in the US.
Source: Original
Where did Jess Chanliau study?
Jess' educational journey began in France, where they attended college and lycée (middle and high school). They also took classes at the prestigious Cours Florent theatre school in Paris.
For their final year of high school, Jess moved to California and completed their education at the Marin School of the Arts in Novato. After high school, they attended the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts (PCPA) in Santa Maria, California.
Jess then pursued higher education at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS) in Glasgow, UK, where they earned a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in acting. While at RCS, they spent a semester studying and performing at the Conservatoire National Supérieur d'Art Dramatique in Paris as an exchange artist.
Actors Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton shaped their acting skills
Jess revealed that great actors like Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton impacted their acting career. The actor had a huge impact from the '90s show titled The Big Comfy Couch. They shared with Transversing the Stars in July 2023, saying:
I guess, media-wise, like on TV or in film, the first thing that really impacted me was seeing bits of Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, and Lucille Ball. There was this other show, I don’t know if you ever watched it. It had a huge impact on me. It was called The Big Comfy Couch.
Source: Instagram
Jess Chanliau's movies and TV show credits
Chanliau has an impressive background in Shakespearean plays. They played Viola in And When Love Speaks (2013), a mashup of six Shakespeare plays, including Twelfth Night.
They also portrayed Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet (2015) at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. This was the first play that showcased them as a gender queer. In the same interview with Borrowers, Jess said:
I was the only trans person to audition for Mercutio. In the show, everyone else played roles whose gender aligns with their gender identities. I was the only openly gender queer person.
On screen, Jess first appeared in the film Play Time (2008). Per their IMDb profile, they starred in The Riven (2015) and Inmate Zero (2020), where they played the lead role of Stone.
They have also been on TV shows like Brave New World (2020) and done voice work for the video game Chorus (2021). Chanliau plans to feature in sci-fi movies or queer road trip movies in the future.
Source: Instagram
Actor Chanliau faced the most transphobia in France
Jess is a trans-identified non-binary actor and uses the pronouns they/them. They have spoken candidly about their experiences with transphobia, particularly in France.
Despite progressive legislation, they faced significant challenges in France, where they felt compelled to “code switch” and present as more binary to avoid harassment.
Jess has found more support and understanding in the US and UK. These experiences have informed their advocacy work, including a residency with the Scottish Trans Alliance, where they learned to advocate for themselves and others.
Who did Jess Chanliau play in The Diplomat?
They played Ronnie Buckhurst, a US Embassy officer, in Netflix's The Diplomat in 2023. Ronnie is a non-binary character who works closely with US Ambassador Kate Wyler and Deputy Chief of Mission Stuart Heyford.
Source: Instagram
Jess is not on social media
The actor is currently not on any social media platforms. They live their life privately.
Frequently asked questions
- How old is Jess Chanliau? Her age and date of birth have not been revealed to the public.
- Why did Jess Chanliau leave The Diplomat? They left because their movie character passed away in Season 2 of the series.
- Is Jess Chanliau married? Jess is not married for now.
Jess Chanliau is a non-binary actor who challenges the norms while advocating for equity in gender and race. Their ability to blend their talents in acting and music has also made them stand out.
READ ALSO: List of openly bisexual, lesbian, transgender & gay actors, actresses, celebrities in South Africa
As Briefly.co.za published, South Africa is one of the few African countries that has experienced an increase in the number of people 'coming out'. The country has a record of celebrities who have been open about their sexuality.
Source: Briefly News
