Many actors dabble in music and many musicians try their hands at acting. Some never make a dent. Other less fortunate ones fail miserably. But every once in a while, a multi-talented few burst through the barrier and make the crossover from one art form to another flawlessly. Janina Gavankar is that fast-rising star who seems to be able to do it all.
You have seen the 26-year old Dutch/Indian beauty Janina as “Papi” on Showtime’s hit series The L Word. This past Sunday, you saw Janina debut her role as a cop in ABC’s new summer series The Gates, a show which celebrates bloodthirsty vampires, hungry werewolves, and other supernatural creatures.
But what you may not know about this talented actress is that she is also a trained pianist, vocalist, and orchestral percussionist. Her new video, a haunting, gut-wrenching remake of Kanye West’s Love Lockdown debuted six days ago to rave reviews, many calling it better than the original. AmIInTrouble.com first broke the story of her video last month and you should click here for the full exclusive story. In the meantime, enjoy Janina’s video–But, I warn you, don’t be fooled by the undeniable sexiness of it. By the end, you will feel every painful emotion gnawing at Janina in this cathartic video:
CelebMagnet had the chance to sit down with Janina and get answers for some questions posed by CelebMagnet readers:
CelebMagnet: What inspired you to remake Kanye’s Love Lockdown?
Janina: I was going through a dark period, and I needed something. This song was that something. I needed it, and made the video.
Janina: I was going through a dark period, and I needed something. This song was that something. I needed it, and made the video.
CelebMagnet: Which is your first love: Acting or singing and when did you decide you wanted to act/sing?
CelebMagnet: What is next on the plate for you in terms of both acting and singing?
Janina: I grew up training to be a classical musician. I play piano, percussion, and I sang opera first. I realized I wanted to be an actor quite late (in high school), and it changed my whole trajectory. Music informs my work. I can’t tell you how many times I play a piano piece, or a marimba piece and have a moments when I realize what’s being said, in the same way I break down a script. The better musician I become, the better actor I become.
CelebMagnet: Do you consider yourself a minority? And if so, have there been any obstacles in your way because of it either in the music or the acting world?
Janina: I was built color blind, so I work color blind. It’s hard enough to be a girl in the industry. If I gave any credence to another obstacle, I’d be done for. I just keep my nose down and work hard. It may be cheesy, but I’ve lived by the artist code of “If you build it, they will come.”
CelebMagnet: What is next on the plate for you in terms of both acting and singing?
Janina: My new show The Gates premiered last Sunday at 10 PM on ABC. Too exciting! And I’m quietly making more music. I’m going to pick my next projects wisely… so stay tuned…
