Jessica Matten facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jessica Matten
Matten at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival
Born	(1985-11-30) 30 November 1985 (age 39) Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Alma mater	University of Alberta (BS Human Ecology)
Occupation	Actress producer
Years active	2010–present
Height	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)

Jessica Matten, born on November 30, 1985, is a Canadian actress, model, and film producer. She is known for her roles in TV shows like Dark Winds and Tribal.

Early Life and Background

Jessica Matten was born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Her family background is quite diverse. Her father has British-Chinese roots. Her mother, Therese Ducharme, is Métis and Saulteaux–Cree. She is also an activist and performer.

Jessica is a descendant of Cuthbert Grant. He was an important Métis leader known for the Battle of Seven Oaks in Canadian history. From a young age, Jessica helped her mother with Mystique Models. This was a modeling agency for First Nations people across Canada.

Education and Training

Matten studied at the University of Alberta. She earned a bachelor's degree in human ecology with a minor in marketing. She also trained in acting at Shoreline Studios Vancouver Acting School. For modeling, she studied at Central Saint Martins and London College of Fashion.

Acting Career

Before becoming an actress, Jessica Matten worked as a model. She appeared on fashion runways and in TV commercials. Some of these commercials were for brands like Nature Valley and Nintendo Wii. She also worked in marketing in London for her father. She even had an internship at Elle magazine.

Television Roles

Jessica has starred in several TV series. These include the Discovery Canada and Netflix show Frontier, alongside Jason Momoa. She also appeared in the CW Network and CBC drama Burden of Truth.

In 2020, Matten began starring in Tribal on the APTN Network. In this show, she plays the chief of an Indigenous police force in Alberta. She was also an associate producer for the series.

Since 2022, Matten has been a co-star in the crime drama Dark Winds. She plays Bernadette Manuelito, a sergeant in a police department on a Navajo reservation.

Film Appearances

Matten has also worked in films. She starred in the short film A Red Girl’s Reasoning. This film won an award at the Imagine NATIVE Film Festival. In 2020, she appeared in the horror movie The Empty Man.

In 2024, she starred in the film Rez Ball. This movie is about a Native American high school basketball team. The team from Chuska Valley, New Mexico, competes for a state championship.

Voice Acting

Jessica Matten will voice the character Katara in the upcoming movie The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender. This film is set to be released on October 9, 2026. The casting director for the new Avatar movie, Jenny Jue, explained that they wanted to match voice actors' backgrounds with the characters they play.

Production Work

Beyond acting, Matten is the president of 7 Forward Entertainment. This is a production company owned by Indigenous people. It is based on the West Coast of Canada.

Other Activities

Jessica Matten has spent over 25 years helping Native communities. She works to support young people facing difficult challenges and to promote healthy living.

She also helped start Counting Coup Indigenous Film Academy (CCIFA). This academy helps new and aspiring First Nations, Métis, and Inuit artists. They can learn about filmmaking and gain experience. The academy also offers training for stunt combat.

Matten is also known for her work as a community organizer. She runs the viral campaign #N8Vgirls. This campaign raises awareness about the same issues as #mmiw (Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women). It is a Canadian campaign to honor the lives of Indigenous women who have been devalued.

Personal Life

Jessica Matten lives in her hometown, Edmonton. She keeps her personal life private. However, she has shared on social media that she was dating Brendt Thomas Diabo. He is a Mohawk actor, artist, and rock musician. Both of them performed in the Netflix series Frontier.

Film and TV Roles