Jennifer Anne Smith, born May 1970, is an American actress and film director who has made a significant impact in the entertainment industry. Born in Buffalo, New York, she began her acting career as a teenager, landing her first professional role at the age of 15 with a small city theatre in Buffalo.
She attended the Buffalo Academy of Visual and Performing Arts (BAVPA),a state-funded arts high school, where she honed her skills and developed a passion for the performing arts. At 16, she began working as a production assistant and actress for John Fanning's South Buffalo Theatre Group, where she was mentored by the experienced director and gained valuable insights into the world of theatre and film.
In 1988-1989, Jennifer attended the Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester on scholarship, further expanding her knowledge and skills in the arts. She was selected as a finalist at the International Modeling and Talent Association competition in New York City in 1990, winning two of three talent categories and solidifying her position as a talented young actress.
Jennifer moved to the Los Angeles area in 1991, where she began working as a model and appearing in small television roles. She continued to study theater stagecraft and production, and by 1992, she had become a recurring lead for the Cedar Street Theatre, working alongside actor Jerry Lyden and producer Nancy Nicholson.
Between 1994 and 1998, Jennifer performed roles in northern California, Arizona, and Texas before settling with her family in England in 1998. During this period, she also began to write, including a play that was accepted for production at a well-established Cambridge venue.
Starting in 2004, Jennifer began to focus more on film work, appearing in projects such as Interference, Are You Ready for Love, and the European version of the Tules Luper Suitcases project part 3. In 2006, she produced and directed her first film, "By Blood and By Water," which premiered at the Cannes Festival Pavilion and was later shown at the Salento Fear Fest in Italy.
Jennifer's film received critical acclaim, with Ms. Belander being interviewed about her experiences making the film in the UK Weekly edition of Stars and Stripes. In 2008, she returned to big city theater with a leading role in Frank Bramwell's play "Shooting Clouds" at one of London's main fringe venues.
Her performance in the play received widespread critical acclaim, with The Stage calling her performance "compelling," The British Theatre Guide noting her authenticity and "explosive performance," and long-time transatlantic theater critic Blanche Marvin naming Jennifer "the standout performer" of the play, calling her "stellar as Mary, the frustrated 'happy homemaker' whose family is crumbling around her."
