Clarendonian makes Tyler Perry drama series debut

Tomorrow night at 9 p.m., Tyler Perry fans in Jamaica will be gearing up to watch his riveting drama, If Loving You Is Wrong. The show ended on a climax that had everyone holding their breaths - just who is the father of Alex's baby.

There is, however, another reason for Jamaicans to tune in this season, as Clarendon-born Judi Blair, will be making her debut on the show.

The Gleaner reached out to the actress, who confirmed that she shot scenes for seven episodes.

"I am playing the character called Faun. She is the daughter of the successful business owner, played by William Stanford Davis. Faun is a young college student who has taken a liking to Joey, played by Matt Cook, and finds herself at odds with her father as she decides to go against his wishes of dating a troubled young man," said Blair of her role.

Blair, who hails from Hayes and migrated at age 10, auditioned for the role 11 months prior, and the call from casting director Rhavynn Drummer saw her going into the studio to audition for him once more.

"I then met with the producers, and it was a match made in Heaven. The role was mine. I started working the next day," she said.

Breaking into mainstream is no easy task, but the secret for Blair is keeping focused, as for her, "there are no blueprints".

"I have to remind myself that I need to stay focused on the talents and do the work to ensure that I'm prepared and able to endure and maintain good success. You have to create a plan and work it despite what others are doing," are the sage words coming from her.

Her plan must be working, as she is presently playing the lead in an original Indie film directed by Harold Jackson III called Last Night.

The film is now making its way through the Indie Film Festival circuit.

Blair's other acting credits include Mike XXL, alongside Channing Tatum and Jada Pinkett Smith.

She has enjoyed speaking roles on series such as BET's The Game, CW's Vampire Diaries and MTV's Single Ladies.

Blair said her love for acting and entertainment developed as a young girl watching her sister compete in the Miss Jamaica pageant that fuelled her desire to become a model, and at age 14 she started doing just that. She was even featured in The Caribbean Magazine as a rising Jamaican model. It was shortly after she turned her attention to acting, getting the lessons she needed to develop her craft.

Looking ahead, Blair says she is prayerful as she asks God to continue to lead her.

"I now reside in Los Angeles, California, and signed with a commercial agent and a theatrical agent. I am doing my due diligence: in class when I am not on set, actively auditioning and simply doing the work to remain prepared for what God has in store."