Lisa Jakub

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Lisa Jakub
Lisa kub.jpg
Born (1978-12-27) December 27, 1978 (age 46)
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Alma mater University of Virginia
Occupations
Years active1985–2001 (actress)
2013–present (writer)
Spouse
Jeremy Jones
(m. 2005)
Website hellolisajakub.com

Lisa Jakub ( /ˈkəb/ ) (born December 27, 1978) is a Canadian writer, yoga teacher, and former actress. [1] She is best known for her roles as Lydia Hillard in the comedy-drama film Mrs. Doubtfire (1993) and as Alicia Casse in Independence Day (1996). [2]

Contents

Childhood and education

Jakub was born on December 27, 1978, in Toronto, Ontario. [3] She is of Slovak (father) and Welsh and Scottish (mother) descent. She attended multiple schools in her early life, including Hillfield Strathallan College. [4]

Jakub graduated from the University of Virginia with a degree in sociology in 2010. [3]

Acting

Jakub's first role was as Katis' Granddaughter in the 1985 film Eleni . [3] She appeared in comedy-drama film Mrs. Doubtfire (1993) alongside Mara Wilson, Sally Field, Matthew Lawrence, and Robin Williams. [5] [6] When Jakub received the part of Lydia in Mrs. Doubtfire , her high school expelled her for accruing too many absences. Robin Williams wrote a letter to Jakub's high school, pleading with them to re-admit Jakub but this was unsuccessful. [7]

She played Sandra in Matinee (1993), appeared in A Pig's Tale (1994) and Independence Day (1996), The Beautician and the Beast (1997), and played the "inspiration" for Princess Leia in the short film George Lucas in Love (1999). She starred in Picture Perfect (1995), and portrayed a bordello worker in the American Old West in Painted Angels (1997). [3]

Personal life

Jakub retired from acting in 2001 at the age of 22, [8] and soon moved to Virginia. In 2005, she married Jeremy Jones, a longtime friend and former theatre manager. [9] [10] Jakub stated she has no plans to return to acting. [11]

Jakub later became a writer, authoring two non-fiction books: the autobiography You Look Like That Girl (2015) and Not Just Me (2017). She also contributes to online blogs. [12]

Jakub is a qualified Kripalu yoga teacher. [13] She has openly discussed her battles with anxiety, depression and panic attacks, from which she has suffered since her teenage years, and credits her yoga practice for helping her to overcome them. [14] In 2021, Lisa launched a new website, BlueMala, which she described as the resource that she wished she had when she was in her darkest moments. The website contains her articles on mental wellness along with her yoga and meditation videos. [15]

Writings

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1985 Eleni Katis' Granddaughter
1991 Rambling Rose Doll
1993 Matinee Sandra
1993 Mrs. Doubtfire Lydia "Lydie" Hillard
1994A Pig's TaleTiffanyVideo
1996 Independence Day Alicia Casse
1997 The Beautician and the Beast Katrina Pochenko
1998 Painted Angels Georgie
1999 A Walk on the Moon Myra Naidell
1999 George Lucas in Love MarionShort film
2000Double FrameTara

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1986 The Right of the People KatieTV film
1986 Kay O'Brien Allison VillaneuvaEpisode: "Taking the Heat"
1986Christmas EveLittle GirlTV film
1987 Friday the 13th: The Series KristenEpisode: "A Cup of Time"
1988Once Upon a GiantLittle Red Riding HoodTV film
1988 Alfred Hitchcock Presents MissyEpisode: "Kandinsky's Vault"
1988Emergency RoomAngie SertoliEpisode: "All Hallows Eve"
1989 The Twilight Zone Lisa CranstonEpisode: "Street of Shadows"
1989 Friday the 13th: The Series Janine CarlsonEpisode: "The Playhouse"
1989 Glory! Glory! TV film
1989The Phone CallHolly HendersonTV film
1990 War of the Worlds JulieEpisode: "The Pied Piper"
1990 Night Court BarbieEpisode: "My Three Dads"
1991The Rape of Doctor WillisCarrie WillisTV film
1991The Story LadyAlexandra PollardTV film
1993Bride of Violence 2AnnaTV film
1994 A Child's Cry for Help Amanda SpencerTV film
1994 Due South Christina NicholsEpisodes: "Chicago Holiday: Parts 1 & 2"
1995Fight for Justice: The Nancy Conn StoryLeisa ConnTV film
1995 Picture Perfect J.J. ThomasTV film
1996Bermuda TriangleAnnieTV film
1996ReckoningShelley MaitlandTV film
1997Newton: A Tale of Two IsaacsClara StoreyTV film
1997 On the Edge of Innocence Ally WinthropTV film
1998Dream HouseJenny ThorntonTV film
1999 Mentors Joan of ArcEpisode: "Raising the Siege"
1999 Jack & Jill MegEpisode: "Pseudos, Sex and Sidebars"
2000The Royal Diaries: Isabel - Jewel of Castilla Isabel TV film

References

  1. "Mrs. Doubtfire's Lisa Jakub Turns 40: See Cast Then and Now". E! Online. December 27, 2018. Retrieved May 8, 2019.
  2. Kitchener, Shaun (April 6, 2018). "Mrs Doubtfire child star Lisa Jakub looks like THIS now: What happened to Lydia?". Express.co.uk. Retrieved May 8, 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Lisa Jakub". IMDb. Retrieved July 26, 2018.
  4. Lisa. "What are you? | Lisa Jakub". Lisajakub.wordpress.com. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
  5. "What happened the 1st time 'Mrs. Doubtfire' star saw Robin Williams in character". TODAY.com. Retrieved May 8, 2019.
  6. TODAY (October 5, 2018), 'Mrs. Doubtfire' Actress Lisa Jakub Reveals Robin Williams' Impact On Her Life Now | TODAY , retrieved May 8, 2019
  7. "Robin Williams' Mrs. Doubtfire Costar Pens Moving Blog Post in His Honor". August 14, 2014. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  8. "Former Child Star Trades Fame for Happiness—and a New Best Friend" . Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  9. "Lisa Jakub's Post-'Mrs. Doubtfire' Life: Former Child Star Blogs To Inform Us Of Her Whereabouts". Huffpost. May 31, 2013. Retrieved November 16, 2019.
  10. Jacobs, Soraya. "'Mrs. Doubtfire' star Lisa Jakub reveals why she left acting". ca.omg.yahoo.com. Retrieved May 8, 2019.
  11. Jakub, Lisa (April 23, 2014). "Things change and nothing changes: Mrs. Doubtfire 2 debrief". Lisajakub.wordpress.com. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
  12. "About". Lisa Jakub. Retrieved July 26, 2018.
  13. "Lisa Jakub". Kripalu. Retrieved July 26, 2018.
  14. "The Anxiety Book: Not Just Me". Lisa Jakub. Retrieved July 26, 2018.
  15. "Our Story". Blue Mala. Retrieved October 4, 2021.