When Abria Jackson walked into a London theater this summer to see Night of Violence—the opening film of the UK’s FrightFest—she wasn’t alone. Sitting next to her was her mother, beaming with pride. “It was very emotional,” Jackson recalled. “My father passed away a couple of years ago, and he was so supportive of my dream. Knowing that my mom was in the audience reminded me that you have people who love you, who will support you. I felt like my dad was also there, watching me from heaven.”
The Philadelphia-born actress, who has also appeared in Law & Order: Organized Crime, is building a career defined by both grit and grace. Inspired by Viola Davis and Halle Berry, Jackson embodies the same duality her icons perfected—soulful vulnerability balanced with raw strength. “To me, acting is not just for entertainment. I do believe acting is spiritual as well,” she said. “It was an outlet for me to escape reality as a child. Now, being an actor, I keep that inner child alive—it helps me heal and connect with roles deeply.”
Her dream roles—Catwoman, a Black rock star, and Tanya from Mortal Kombat—reveal this commitment to inner healing. “All three roles link directly to my childhood,” Jackson explained. “They would heal the inner child in me. Acting was never just about glitter and rainbows—it was a spiritual way of surviving and expressing myself.”
Yet Jackson’s story is more than cinematic success. Alongside her acting career, she co-leads a mentorship group for teen girls and is pursuing a master’s degree in Clinical and Counseling Psychology. “Even in high school, people would just come up to me and tell me their life stories,” she reflected. “I felt like it was a gift God placed in me. So why not perfect that gift, get licensed, and help people in ways that are both spiritual and informed?”
Faith is not only a guiding theme in her life—it is inscribed in her very name. “My mom bought a name meaning when I was young, and it said Aabria means faith,” she told me. “Now I see it coming to life. There are times when I want to give up, when no auditions come in, when money’s tight. But faith keeps me going.”
Looking forward, Jackson envisions a legacy rooted in both art and service. “Of course, I want to do roles that make people cry and laugh,” she admitted. “But deeper than that, I want to be remembered as someone who served people. I want them to say, ‘She helped me through this. She gave me advice. She carried me through.’ Because what profits a person to gain the world and lose their soul?”
Her next project, Losing My Pride, a television series slated for 2026, will see her in a very different role—that of a mother. But for Jackson, the medium is secondary to the mission: to act with authenticity, live in faith, and serve through storytelling.
As she put it simply: “When I die, I want people to look at my life and really see that God had his hand over me.”
Renaldo McKenzie, Editor-in-Chief
Watch the premier on Friday 10.3.2025 via The Neoliberal Round YouTube Channel