Jann Arden | Silver Magazine

Longevity

Living in a bubble: Deborah Grover

Deborah Grover, who plays “TV Jann’s” mother Nora in the show, has learned to pace herself in a challenging acting career. All this while playing her own family roles as wife and mother. Grover can relate to the character of Nora, who is based on Jann Arden’s real mother, the late Joan Richards. Like Richards, Grover also made career sacrifices to look after her children when they were growing up. In season 3 of JANN, Nora experiences early-stage dementia. “Playing her is an unbelievable experience,” says Grover. “This is a wonderful challenge from an actress’s point of view. Nora’s experience has an impact on the entire family. Everybody is learning. There is fear of the unknown, but it is not all dark. There is crazy laughter. It is a tricky dance. We try to find the truth and the humor.” Grover is also inspired by working with Jann Arden. “She

David Holt November 19, 2021

Longevity

Who is the real Jann Arden?

Singer-songwriter, musician, writer, environmentalist, social activist, nature lover, citizen of the world. That’s “real Jann.” Then there’s “TV JANN.” Can one woman really play all these roles? Well, yes. One reason we admire entertainers is that they get to play roles. They put on masks and explore different sides of themselves. Canadian icon Jann Arden has been writing and performing songs for decades. Now she is the co-developer and star of her own CTV series, JANN, loosely based on her own life. “TV Jann,” as she calls this alter ego, is a pampered disorganized diva. Real Jann lives in the country, but within Calgary city limits. COVID has isolated her from people, but she still writes songs, makes her TV show, and tries to get along with animals. She is passionate about the health of people and the planet. In some ways “TV Jann” is not at all like the

David Holt November 4, 2021