In a captivating Festival of Books panel, Cari Champion sits down with trailblazing actress, broadcaster, and model Jayne Kennedy to discuss her long-awaited memoir, Plain Jayne. Champion introduces Kennedy as “royalty,” setting the tone for an interview that explores the icon’s monumental ascendance through the 1960s, 70s, and 80s.
Kennedy shares that her memoir took two decades to complete. What began in 2000 as a deeply personal way to process life’s ups and downs evolved into a guidebook for younger generations. She reflects on her early years as a tomboy in Ohio, her unyielding confidence, and her daring move to Hollywood at age 19. Embracing a “yes, I can do that” attitude, Kennedy quickly secured career-defining roles. Within her first weeks in Los Angeles, she landed a spot on Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In and was handpicked by Bob Hope for a USO Christmas tour in Vietnam.
The conversation highlights Kennedy’s historic “firsts” and the unique challenges she faced as a Black woman in Hollywood during the Civil Rights era. She recalls pivotal moments, such as meeting Shirley Chisholm and Muhammad Ali, and the realities of an entertainment industry that was initially resistant to Black success. She also discusses her NAACP Image Award-winning role in Body and Soul, which she co-produced, emphasizing the necessity for Black talent to self-fund, distribute, and market their own films at the time.