40 under 40 profile: Angelique Jackson

Congratulations to Angelique Jackson (ABJ ’12), on being named a 40 under 40 honoree by the UGA Alumni Association.

Angelique Jackson serves as the Senior Entertainment Writer at Variety, where she has become a leading voice in the coverage of film, television, and media. Her work at Variety reflects years of experience in the field, earning her a reputation for thorough research and compelling storytelling.

Before her current role, Angelique served as a Film and Media Reporter and an Events and Lifestyle Producer at Variety. She began her career at an internship at Hollywire.com and a role as a Reporter/Anchor at UGA Newsource laid the foundation for her dynamic career in entertainment journalism. After that, she worked for Entertainment Tonight, progressing from Assistant to Photo Editor to Producer.

A proud alumna of Grady College, Angelique earned her Bachelor of Arts in Journalism with a focus on Digital and Broadcast Journalism in 2012. During her time at UGA, she was actively involved in student organizations such as the Student Alumni Council, Gamma Sigma Sigma, and the National Society of Collegiate Scholars, and she also participated in a study abroad program at Oxford University.

See the below Q&A with Angelique Jackson:

What experience during your time at Grady College had the biggest influence on where you are today?

I’m so grateful for my experience at Grady College. I was fortunate enough to participate in the Cannes Film Festival, as well as take part in the inaugural cohort for Grady L.A. I was also a student judge for the Peabody Awards.

What was so significant about each and every one of those experiences, as well as our classwork with Newsource, is that they present the reality of being a working journalist. I’ve spent a dozen years working as an entertainment journalist in Los Angeles, and every day, I’m doing the same tasks and using the same principles I learned at Grady. That foundation gave me confidence and has directly led to my success.

The Cannes Film Festival program was the most influential experience. As I picked up my daily editions of Variety and The Hollywood Reporter before screenings, I began to see entertainment journalism as a viable career path. Now, I am honored to work for one of those publications.

What would you tell your 20-year-old self?

I would tell my 20-year-old self to enjoy the ride a bit more. I’ve traveled the world for work — from various cities in Canada to Sao Paulo, Brazil to Tokyo, Japan, and this year, returning to the Cannes Film Festival as a senior reporter for Variety — but more often than not, I’ve been so focused on delivering the best product possible, I haven’t fully allowed the majesty of it all to sink in in real-time.

Make time to ground yourself and practice gratitude for the incredible situations you find yourself in! Your life is someone else’s wildest dream — and quite frankly, your 20-year-old self’s wildest dream!

What skill(s) or advice should graduates and young alumni have for success early in their careers?

Get comfortable advocating for yourself. In the world of academia, you’re praised and promoted based on your performance. But real-world success is determined by more than your work ethic and performance. It’s important for people to know what you want to do (your goals and dreams) and for you to ask for the compensation you deserve. Don’t allow your contributions to go “unseen.” Make sure people in the company are aware of ways in which you’re helping the team, and push to be compensated fairly for doing so. It’s scary but don’t wait for a promotion that may never come. Ask for it. All anyone can say is “No.”

What accomplishment or moment in your career are you most proud of?  

Interviewing Oprah Winfrey is the absolute pinnacle of my career. I grew up watching “The Oprah Show” every day after school and I was always so taken by the natural manner with which she conducted interviews — connecting with both her subject and the audience at home.

A couple years ago, my editor called with a dream assignment — interviewing Ms. Winfrey at her home in Maui as she and Ava DuVernay discussed their groundbreaking decision to hire only women to direct their series “Queen Sugar,” kickstarting dozens of careers that stalled due to archaic biases in the entertainment business. At the end of the interview —for which I was terrified — she told me I did a good job, and I could’ve retired right then.

Last year, I interviewed Ms. Winfrey and the primary cast of “The Color Purple” at the first public screening of the film. It was an emotional conversation that felt more like a church than a post-screening Q&A, but I again got the stamp of approval from Ms. Winfrey in the form of a stunning flower arrangement (made up of flowers in various shades of purple) and a handwritten note complimenting the way I maneuvered the 10-person panel. She noticed the thing I care about most: that everyone felt seen and heard. To have your hero see you is an indescribable feeling.

What do you believe is your biggest strength and how has it helped you in your current role?

My biggest strength is my empathy and curiosity. As a journalist, I excel at conducting interviews and writing profiles because I enjoy connecting with my subjects and discussing topics that dig below the surface of why create the art they do.

That strength has also been an asset during my time as a TV producer because producing a daily show requires an incredible amount of teamwork, so having a knowledge of and a healthy respect for your colleague’s roles and their perspective helps the show come together most efficiently.

Rapid Fire Round

Favorite Podcast: Puck’s “The Powers That Be,” “Ladygang,” “Drama Queens” (the “One Tree Hill” recap podcast)

One job-related tool you can’t live without: My cell phone! It’s my lifeline… and sometimes I prefer to work from it so I can be in the back of an uber or still lying in bed in the morning).

Favorite restaurant in Athens: (Does Terrapin Brewery count? My favorite restaurants have closed, womp womp)

Favorite place you’ve traveled: London! I first visited when I was a UGA student studying in the Oxford program and it’s still my favorite city in the world. Cannes is a close second.

Item on your bucket list: Host my own talk show.

Editor: Shannon Lorusso, sel67411@uga.edu

September 6 • 10 a.m. • Peyton Anderson Forum

40 under 40 panel: Message to my younger self

Join us for a panel conversation with our Grady College 40 under 40 honorees as we discuss what they wish they had known as students about life after college. See our Events listing for more details.