Mia realised her love for performing at an early age. She started touring with a theatre company in Copenhagen while still at school, acting in small parts, and she got her first lead role at the age of ten, playing Gerda in the theatre production of The Snow Queen.
English was never her strong subject at school, but knowing she would need to overcome this to become a successful actor, she took the brave decision to move to England aged seventeen. "It was the first time I had been away from my family and it was a daunting experience. My parents were very supportive but also understandably apprehensive about the move; at this point they had never even visited England. Having decided London was too big a city to travel to alone at such a young age, with the help of my school guidance coach, I discovered New College Nottingham, and felt an immediate connection.
"When I first moved to Nottingham, I had to contend with the language barrier alongside the fact that I didn’t know anybody. I remember working in a cocktail bar in the evenings just to help to pay for my studies. It was a challenging time but looking back it was definitely worth it. I quickly made friends and I soon overcame my language difficulties as I progressed at college.”
Mia has fond memories of her time in these ‘ere parts. "I really enjoyed studying in Nottingham; my teachers were fantastic and I loved the course. We were introduced to so many different things and given so many fantastic opportunities. One memory that sticks out was a play I performed in about clowns. I learnt so much from it, and to this day I still consider it to be one of the biggest acting experiences of my life.
"My teachers were so encouraging; they gave us the tools to be able to put together a production by ourselves. I remember making one piece of theatre, which I’m really proud of called Just One Bar of Chocolate, which I wrote, directed and performed by myself at the College’s Clarendon Courtyard Theatre. I’d say that one of the biggest lessons I learnt at college was that you don’t have to just sit and wait for a call, you can achieve it on your own if you want it enough.”
After achieving the Higher National Diploma in Acting at NCN, Mia returned to Denmark, and after a couple of years she started to receive more acting opportunities. It was in 2007 that she landed a lead role in 2900 Happiness, a popular Danish TV show, where she spent the next three years appearing in 148 episodes.
Mia is currently starring alongside the likes of Michael Gambon, Stanley Tucci, and Christopher Eccleston in Fortitude – a psychological thriller set in a fictional Arctic settlement, which has the intriguing tagline of ‘Perched on the edge of the Arctic Circle, Fortitude is one of the safest towns on earth. There has never been a violent crime here. Until now.’ She told us about the day she auditioned for the show: “I was actually feeling really ill on the day I filmed my audition video but I was so determined to try for the show, that I filmed it on my iPhone in just two takes and sent it off to the casting agent in England. To my amazement I got the part as Ingrid, without even meeting anyone until the first read-through in London - which was really scary!”
During the filming of Fortitude, Mia spent six months living in London’s Notting Hill, flying back and forth to Iceland where much of the filming took place. “I got to meet some amazing people, and because we were all away from home together, I think that made us even closer”, she explains. “It was inspiring to be surrounded by so many talented actors and we shared some fantastic moments together, including listening to some incredible anecdotes from Michael Gambon.”
So, what’s next for Mia Jexen? "I'd love to do some more acting in England. I love the country, and the people are so polite and welcoming. But for now I'm enjoying concentrating on my other passion which is art and music. I have my own studio and I'm looking forward to spending more time there.”
Any words of advice for someone thinking of becoming an actor? “I would just say 'keep going!' No matter how long it takes and how many knock-backs you might receive, you will achieve it if you really want it enough. Getting experience as a young child and then learning the tools I needed at college gave me a good introduction to the industry. The rest is all about determination and a passion for the job."
Fortitude is currently showing on Sky Atlantic.
Fortitude website
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