You star in the hilarious new comedy series STUMBLE.  What drew you to the role and what has the experience of playing Courteney Potter been like so far?

What historically always draws me to a role is unemployment- I’m here to dispel the myth that most actors get to sit around and read scripts and decide what they would like to do next. Most of us are working day jobs, creating our own stuff, and hustling for the next gig. 

Would you say this is your favorite character you’ve played so far?

Man that’s like picking your favorite kids! Ok, so on TV, Courteney Potter from “Stumble” I think is my favorite good guy so far. As far as bad guys, Esther from “Dead Boy Detectives” for sure.  The writing is so genius on both and allowed me to flex specific muscles.  And for theatre, I would say Billie Dawn in “Born Yesterday.” 

You also starred in TNT’s beloved series CLAWS, which revolved around a nail salon.  Would you say you’ve continued your love for nail art and getting your nails done? 

Dude absolutely and that show has now made me feel like my hands are naked nubbins when I don’t have a fresh set. 

We’ve also heard that you love lash extensions… what is it about them that you love so much, and do you find the upkeep difficult? 

I adore lash extensions- they make me feel like half of my makeup is done already when I wake up. But you do have to have a great lash tech that understands the shape of your eyes and once you find one, you must remain loyal forever. JJ Eyelashes is hands down THE best lash extensions in NYC. I don’t find the upkeep difficult at all.  You can’t squish your face while you sleep, but I adjust my pillow. 

With all the press surrounding STUMBLE, you’ve had numerous gorgeous looks.   Are you involved in the glam and styling direction or do you just leave it to the professionals?

I am involved in the direction of the lewks because I have to feel comfortable and also I know what works best on my body and lasts on my face. I definitely let the artists working on it know what I think and then they put their two cents in and we collaborate. I’m not afraid to be wrong and many times a stylist will want me to try something on that I hate but then once I try it on, it’s so cool.  Also your hair and makeup peeps have way better products and their knowledge is always expanding so it would be foolish not to listen to them. Huge shoutout to Camille Thompson and Ignacia Soto-Aguilar for putting up with me and beating my face for over a decade now. And Patrick Kyle Kelly and Michael Zambrano for being the best in the hair game and making my thimble of hair look like some flowing locks. 

What would you say are some of your favorite make-up brands or specific products that you love?

Because I’m older now I definitely need a foundation for mature skin and Armani luminous silk is my go to because it’s buildable coverage and settles less into lines and wrinkles. I also swear by the Double Extend beauty tubes mascara from L’Oréal because it is safe for extensions, comes off with just water and never smudges. Patrick Ta makes a great cream blush and both Lady Gaga and Rhianna make my favorite contour. 

What does your skincare regimen entail? 

I use a balm (Elemis rose balm is great) or oil (Monastery or One Love’s organic cleansing oil) to get my top layer of makeup off and then a cleanser after (Neutrogena gentle cleanser or Tula cleanser), then a milky toner (TIR TIR or Laneige) and a serum of some sort followed by a moisturizer. (Paula’s Choice, Joanne Vargus, Tatcha, Eminence all have great ones, it just depends what my skin needs, what I can afford, and what I have on hand) I’ve also been wearing the Tout Nuit wrinkle patches at night because I scowl in my sleep and wake up with even deeper “elevens” (wrinkles between your eyebrows) than normal. I haven’t/won’t get Botox or fillers but apparently I will sleep with tape on my face. 

When it comes to self-care, what do you do for yourself after long days on set? 

I always take a bath and if I have time I’ll do a mask of some kind- Medicube or Biossance or Eminence- I also stash an Omnilux mask in the production van so I can do that on the way home. Our makeup department head Ignacia Soto-Aguilar got me hooked on the Omnilux mask and the neck version as well. 

In an age of filters and the trend of getting cosmetic surgery, what advice do you have for someone who may be struggling with self-confidence in regard to their appearance?

I would say to please remember that every image you are seeing is photoshopped, so, that is no one’s real hair or face! I’m very curious about building our esteem based on esteemable acts rather than spending so much time wishing ourselves whatever version of “beautiful” is trendy. 

Lastly, any exciting plans for the New Year?

Our shooting schedule on “Stumble” was so crazy so I’m looking forward to having time to clean my house and read and I also think I’m gonna travel to Paris for the first time. 

You can catch STUMBLE airing on NBC on Fridays at 8:30 PM ET and Peacock the next day.  You can also keep up with her on IG by following her @thejennlyon . 

Photo credit: Tyler Patrick Kenny 
Styling: Andrew Gelwicks
Makeup: Allyson Wisel
Hair: Patrick Kyle