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Blossom's Sidekick
Background:
American film and television actress and accomplished singer of
Dutch lineage Jenna Von Oy is most famous for her roles as the
motor-mouthed sidekick Six in the NBC sitcom “Blossom”
(1991-1995), from which she was handed two Young Artist Awards, and
the kinky chum Stevie van Lowe in the hit UPN series “The
Parkers” (1999-2004). She also received a Young Artist
nomination for her regular turn in her series debut, “ Lenny”
(CBS, 1990). Jenna has guested in various TV series, more recently
“Cold Case” (2005), and acted in TV films like She Cried
No (1996) and Dying to Belong (1997). In addition, she has done
several voice work, including as the fast talking teenage Stacey in
the animated movie The Goofy Movie (1995). Jenna made her film debut
with Oliver Stone's Born on the Fourth of July (1989).
Jenna was ranked No. 94 on VH1's “100 Greatest Kid Stars”
in 2005. She dated fellow Connecticut actor Will Friedle for six
months in the early 1990s. When she is not acting, singing and
writing songs, Jenna enjoys painting, cooking, traveling and
photography. Her photos has appeared in several publications. She is
also known as a fluent French speaker.
Connecticut Native
Childhood and Family:
Jennifer Jean Von Oy was born on May 2, 1977, in Stamford,
Connecticut. She grew up in a very supportive and close knit family,
which she mentioned has had a significant part for her prosperous
personal and professional switch from child star to adult. When she
was young, she legally changed her first name to Jenna. Her paternal
grandparents were from Germany which explains where the future
actress' last name comes from. Jenna attended the esteemed University
of Southern California in Los Angeles, California for two years.
The Parkers
Career:
Jenna von Oy had her first taste of acting at age 5, when she
landed the role of the littlest orphan Molly in a regional production
of the musical “Annie.” She went on to appear in a string
of commercials, most notably in a Jell-O Pudding Pop commercial with
Bill Cosby. After the early break, she embarked on her small screen
career, making guest appearances in such series as CBS's “Kate
& Allie” (1987) and “Monsters” (1989), as well
as acting in the CBS miniseries “At Mother's Request”
(1987), playing a young child of a family entangled in homicidal
schemes. The energetic girl moved on to features in 1989 when she
landed a part in the Oliver Stone-directed biography film Born on the
Fourth of July. There she played the young Susanne Kovic, sister of
Vietnam veteran Ron Kovic (played by Tom Cruise).
By year 1990, Jenna had debuted as a series regular on the CBS
sitcom “Lenny,” portraying the oldest daughter Kelly
Callahan. The role brought her a Young Artist nomination in the
category of Best Young Actress Starring in a New Television Series.
However, it was her scene-stealing role in the NBC comedy series
“Blossom” (1991-1995) that established Jenna as a
talented and exceptionally professional performer. As Six LeMeure,
the talkative and neurotic best friend of the titular character, she
won two Young Artist for Best Young Actress Co-starring in a
Television Series (1993) and Best Youth Comedienne (1994), an a
nomination in 1992 for Best Young Actress Co-starring in a Television
Series. In addition to her TV role, Jenna also provided the voice of
Stacey on the animated film The Goofy Movie (1995).
After the demise of “Blossom,” Jenna starred as Phoebe
Huck in a 1995 failed series called “Family Values,”
produced by Drew S. Levin, and made the college-set NBC TV-movie
dramas She Cried No (1996), opposite Candace Cameron Bure and
Mark-Paul Gosselaar, and Dying to Belong (1997), with Hillary Swank
and Sarah Chalke. She remained active in the small screen with guest
stints in various sitcoms like “Martin” and “Unhappily
Ever After” (both 1997). Her episodic turn as Theresa, a young
woman who throws her newborn baby in the trash, in the CBS drama
“Chicago Hope” (1997), displayed her endowment. The
actress returned to voice-over in 1999 with a gig for the ABC
Saturday morning animated offering “Disney's Pepper Ann,”
as Trinket St. Blaire.
1999 also marked a banner year for Jenna, who began a long-running
tenure with the well-liked UPN comedy series “The Parkers.”
Her character, the off-beat college student Stevie Van Lowe, was
originally planned to appear in three episodes of the series' first
season, but it was so popular that the producers soon progressed it
to a series regular in early 2000. The show aired a final episode on
May 10, 2004. Meanwhile, she also voiced the character Jen for the
Canadian cartoon series “What's with Andy?” (2001-2002)
and was featured in the drama film Final Breakdown (2002).
The award-winning performer portrayed the tightly hurt daughter in
the ABC comedy pilot “Marsha Potter Gets a Life” (2005),
starring Brenda Blethyn. The same year, she also appeared as Kitty in
an episode of the superb CBS crime/drama series “Cold Case”
and had a guest voice role in “Family Gay.” In 2006, she
voiced Gracie for the direct-to-video comedy/film Dr. Dolittle 3, a
third installment to the 1998 highly successful Dr. Dolittle,
starring Eddie Murphy.
Although she loves working in TV and film productions, Jenna has
attempted to extend her career into country music by recording a demo
CD in June 2000. She has also written all of the songs on the 2000
special “Where Are They Now” for VH1.
Awards:
Young Artist: Best Youth Comedienne, “Blossom,”
1994
Young Artist: Best Young Actress Co-starring in a Television
Series, “Blossom,” 1993
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