JOLENE POLIARCO MAFNAS
I am a Chamoru and Filipino American actor based in Washington DC and Savannah, Georgia. I was born on the island of Guåhan, colonized as Guam, and moved to the mainland when I was five. Growing up almost 8,000 miles away from my grandparents, cousins, aunts, and uncles was immensely difficult for my family but I found solace in dancing, singing, and role-playing any and every story I watched or read as a child.
In college, I found my love for acting. During my time there, I was cast in the lead role of Asuncion in Asuncion for my college’s main stage production and it was one of the best experiences of my life.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, I grappled with a lot of questions around what I wanted to do in life and what filled me with purpose. After returning to acting in a COVID world, I realized my purpose in life is to act, inspiring me to pursue it professionally.
Although I found acting at 18, I grew up as a performer having been trained in classical ballet and modern for 13 years which has given me long-lasting movement skills that I seamlessly blend into my acting today. As any Filipino knows, karaoke defined my childhood which motivated me to join my high school choir that competed at state and international levels, providing me with foundational singing skills that I continue to improve upon.
To be as versatile of a performer as possible, I decided to make the ultimate commitment to hone my craft by pursuing a Master in Fine Arts at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). In June 2023, SCAD was ranked the 19th best drama school in the world by The Hollywood Reporter on a list of 25. I hope my journey as an actor crosses with your creative journey to tell stories.