Acting alumna Jensen Austria Olaya ’12 voices Jade’s mother, Gram Gram, and friend Lucy in the new animated TV series Jade Armor. The series, which was released in parts of Europe this past October, had its official U.K. release on January 9, 2023.
The series follows Lan Jun, a martial-arts loving girl who becomes an unexpected hero when she dons a mysterious jade bracelet that obliges her to learn the ancient secrets of her family. On her journey, she uncovers surprising things, including a cohort of super villains, while also juggling the typical challenges of teenage life. Jade Armor is produced by France’s TeamTo Studios, one of the foremost kids’ entertainment production companies in Europe. WarnerMedia Kids & Family acquired broadcast rights to Jade Armor, which will be released in parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa on HBO Max and Cartoon Network. Its release comes as part of Cartoon Network’s commitment to broadcasting more animated series targeted toward its female viewers.
The show also boasts an all-female creative team: produced by Corinne Kouper and co-created by series director Chloe Miller, the team is rounded out by head writer M.J. Offen, story editor Ghislaine Pujol, and co-developer Mary Bredin.
Jensen Austria Olaya is a NYC-based Asian American actor, singer, and voice actor. In addition to her MFA from Columbia, she holds a BA in Theater from San Diego State University, and she was a Diversity Fellow for Upright Citizens Brigade. Olaya has an extensive background in theatre, music, and improvisation, and she specializes in comedic character voices. She has given her voice to Penguin Random House, Learning Ally, Scholastic, Girl Tales Podcast, McDonald’s, PG&E, SAI Global, Funimation, Gravel Institute, and Cartoon Network. Olaya, as a member of the Asian American community, is proud to help redefine representation for audiences of the stage and screen, as well as those for audiobooks, e-learning tools, video games, and other animated resources. She is a passionate storyteller and loves stepping into roles that allow her to tell new, necessary, and diverse stories.
