Lisa Jakub

{{short description|Canadian writer, yoga teacher, and former actress}}

{{Infobox person

| image =

| image_size =

| name = Lisa Jakub

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1978|12|27}}

| birth_place = Toronto, Ontario, Canada

| other_names =

| alma_mater = University of Virginia

| occupation = {{hlist|Actor|writer|yoga teacher}}

| years_active = 1985–2001 (actress)
2013–present (writer)

| website = {{url|hellolisajakub.com}}

| spouse = {{marriage|Jeremy Jones|2005}}

}}

Lisa Jakub ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|dʒ|eɪ|k|ə|b}}) (born December 27, 1978) is a Canadian writer, yoga teacher, and former actress.{{cite web|url=https://www.eonline.com/news/999635/mrs-doubtfire-child-star-lisa-jakub-turns-40-see-the-cast-then-and-now|title=Mrs. Doubtfire's Lisa Jakub Turns 40: See Cast Then and Now|date=December 27, 2018|website=E! Online|accessdate=May 8, 2019}} She is best known for her roles as Lydia Hillard in the comedy-drama film Mrs. Doubtfire (1993) and as Alicia Casse in Independence Day (1996).{{Cite web|url=https://www.express.co.uk/entertainment/films/939474/Mrs-Doubtfire-Lydia-child-star-Lisa-Jakub-actress-then-now-what-happened|title=Mrs Doubtfire child star Lisa Jakub looks like THIS now: What happened to Lydia?|last=Kitchener|first=Shaun|date=April 6, 2018|website=Express.co.uk|language=en|access-date=May 8, 2019}}

Childhood and education

Jakub was born on December 27, 1978, in Toronto, Ontario. She is of Slovak (father) and Welsh and Scottish (mother) descent. She attended multiple schools in her early life, including Hillfield Strathallan College.{{cite web|author=Lisa |url=http://lisajakub.wordpress.com/2013/08/01/what-are-you/ |title=What are you? | Lisa Jakub |publisher=Lisajakub.wordpress.com |date= |accessdate=2014-08-19}}

Jakub graduated from the University of Virginia with a degree in sociology in 2010.{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004356/bio|title=Lisa Jakub|website=IMDb|access-date=2018-07-26}}

Acting

Jakub's first role was as Katis' Granddaughter in the 1985 film Eleni. She appeared in comedy-drama film Mrs. Doubtfire (1993) alongside Mara Wilson, Sally Field, Matthew Lawrence, and Robin Williams.{{Cite web|url=https://www.today.com/popculture/mrs-doubtfire-star-lisa-jakub-reveals-robin-williams-impact-her-t138790|title=What happened the 1st time 'Mrs. Doubtfire' star saw Robin Williams in character|website=TODAY.com|language=en|access-date=2019-05-08}}{{Citation|last=TODAY|title='Mrs. Doubtfire' Actress Lisa Jakub Reveals Robin Williams' Impact On Her Life Now {{!}} TODAY|date=2018-10-05|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jS9_8KK7owk|access-date=2019-05-08}} When Jakub received the part of Lydia in Mrs. Doubtfire, her high school expelled her for accruing too many absences. Robin Williams wrote a letter to Jakub's high school, pleading with them to re-admit Jakub but this was unsuccessful.{{cite web|url=http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/robin-williams-mrs-doubtfire-daughter-lisa-jakub-shares-moving-story-2014138|title=Robin Williams' Mrs. Doubtfire Costar Pens Moving Blog Post in His Honor|date=14 August 2014 |publisher=|accessdate=21 June 2017}}

She played Sandra in Matinee (1993), appeared in A Pig's Tale (1994) and Independence Day (1996), The Beautician and the Beast (1997), and played the "inspiration" for Princess Leia in the short film George Lucas in Love (1999). She starred in Picture Perfect (1995), and portrayed a bordello worker in the American Old West in Painted Angels (1997).

Personal life

Jakub retired from acting in 2001 at the age of 22,{{cite web|url=http://communitytable.com/51353/michelechollow/former-child-star-trades-fame-for-happinessand-a-new-best-friend/|title=Former Child Star Trades Fame for Happiness—and a New Best Friend|publisher=|accessdate=21 June 2017}} and soon moved to Virginia. In 2005, she married Jeremy Jones, a longtime friend and former theatre manager.{{cite web|url= https://www.huffpost.com/entry/lisa-jakub-mrs-doubtfire_n_3368025|title=Lisa Jakub's Post-'Mrs. Doubtfire' Life: Former Child Star Blogs To Inform Us Of Her Whereabouts |website=Huffpost |date=2013-05-31 |accessdate=2019-11-16}}{{Cite web|url=http://ca.omg.yahoo.com/blogs/north-stars/mrs-doubtfire-star-lisa-jakub-reveals-why-she-152956455.html|title='Mrs. Doubtfire' star Lisa Jakub reveals why she left acting|first=Soraya|last=Jacobs|website=ca.omg.yahoo.com|language=en-CA|access-date=2019-05-08}} Jakub stated she has no plans to return to acting.{{cite web|url=http://lisajakub.wordpress.com/2014/04/23/things-change-and-nothing-changes-mrs-doubtfire-2-debrief/|title=Things change and nothing changes: Mrs. Doubtfire 2 debrief|first=Lisa|last=Jakub|date=2014-04-23|publisher=Lisajakub.wordpress.com|accessdate=2014-08-19}}

Jakub later became a writer, authoring two non-fiction books: the autobiography You Look Like That Girl (2015) and Not Just Me (2017). She also contributes to online blogs.{{Cite web|url=https://www.reallisajakub.com/about/|title=About|website=Lisa Jakub|language=en-US|access-date=2018-07-26}}

Jakub is a qualified Kripalu yoga teacher.{{Cite news|url=https://kripalu.org/presenters-programs/presenters/lisa-jakub|title=Lisa Jakub|work=Kripalu|access-date=2018-07-26|language=en}} She has openly discussed her battles with anxiety, depression and panic attacks, from which she has suffered since her teenage years, and credits her yoga practice for helping her to overcome them.{{Cite web|url=https://www.reallisajakub.com/not-just-me/|title=The Anxiety Book: Not Just Me|website=Lisa Jakub|access-date=2018-07-26}} In 2021, Lisa launched a new website, BlueMala, which she described as the resource that she wished she had when she was in her darkest moments. The website contains her articles on mental wellness along with her yoga and meditation videos.{{Cite web|title=Our Story|url=https://bluemala.com/story|access-date=2021-10-04|website=Blue Mala|language=en-US}}

Writings

You Look Like That Girl: A Child Actor Stops Pretending and Finally Grows Up (2015)
Not Just Me: Anxiety, Depression, and Learning to Embrace Your Weird (2017)
(Don't) Call Me Crazy (contributing writer) (Algonquin, 2018)

Filmography

=Film=

class="wikitable sortable"
Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" \| Notes
1985 \|Eleni \|Katis' Granddaughter \|
1991 \|Rambling Rose \|Doll \|
1993 \|Matinee \|Sandra \|
1993 \|Mrs. Doubtfire \|Lydia "Lydie" Hillard \|
1994 \|{{sortname\|A\|Pig's Tale\|nolink=1}} \|Tiffany \|Video
1996 \|Independence Day \|Alicia Casse \|
1997 \|{{sortname\|The\|Beautician and the Beast}} \|Katrina Pochenko \|
1998 \|Painted Angels \|Georgie \|
1999 \|{{sortname\|A\|Walk on the Moon}} \|Myra Naidell \|
1999 \|George Lucas in Love \|Marion \|Short film
2000 \|Double Frame \|Tara \|

class="wikitable sortable"

Year

! Title

! Role

! class="unsortable" | Notes

1985

|Eleni

|Katis' Granddaughter

1991

|Rambling Rose

|Doll

1993

|Matinee

|Sandra

1993

|Mrs. Doubtfire

|Lydia "Lydie" Hillard

1994

|{{sortname|A|Pig's Tale|nolink=1}}

|Tiffany

|Video

1996

|Independence Day

|Alicia Casse

1997

|{{sortname|The|Beautician and the Beast}}

|Katrina Pochenko

1998

|Painted Angels

|Georgie

1999

|{{sortname|A|Walk on the Moon}}

|Myra Naidell

1999

|George Lucas in Love

|Marion

|Short film

2000

|Double Frame

|Tara

=Television=

class="wikitable sortable"
Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" \| Notes
1986 \|{{sortname\|The\|Right of the People\|The Right of the People}} \|Katie \|TV film
1986 \|Kay O'Brien \|Allison Villaneuva \|Episode: "Taking the Heat"
1986 \|Christmas Eve \|Little Girl \|TV film
1987 \|Friday the 13th: The Series \|Kristen \|Episode: "A Cup of Time"
1988 \|Once Upon a Giant \|Little Red Riding Hood \|TV film
1988 \|Alfred Hitchcock Presents \|Missy \|Episode: "Kandinsky's Vault"
1988 \|Emergency Room \|Angie Sertoli \|Episode: "All Hallows Eve"
1989 \|{{sortname\|The\|Twilight Zone\|The Twilight Zone (1985 TV series)}} \|Lisa Cranston \|Episode: "Street of Shadows"
1989 \|Friday the 13th: The Series \|Janine Carlson \|Episode: "The Playhouse"
1989 \|Glory! Glory! \| \|TV film
1989 \|{{sortname\|The\|Phone Call\|nolink=1}} \|Holly Henderson \|TV film
1990 \|War of the Worlds \|Julie \|Episode: "The Pied Piper"
1990 \|Night Court \|Barbie \|Episode: "My Three Dads"
1991 \|{{sortname\|The\|Rape of Doctor Willis\|nolink=1}} \|Carrie Willis \|TV film
1991 \|{{sortname\|The\|Story Lady\|nolink=1}} \|Alexandra Pollard \|TV film
1993 \|Bride of Violence 2 \|Anna \|TV film
1994 \|{{sortname\|A\|Child's Cry for Help}} \|Amanda Spencer \|TV film
1994 \|Due South \|Christina Nichols \|Episodes: "Chicago Holiday: Parts 1 & 2"
1995 \|Fight for Justice: The Nancy Conn Story \|Leisa Conn \|TV film
1995 \|Picture Perfect \|J.J. Thomas \|TV film
1996 \|Bermuda Triangle \|Annie \|TV film
1996 \|Reckoning \|Shelley Maitland \|TV film
1997 \|Newton: A Tale of Two Isaacs \|Clara Storey \|TV film
1997 \|On the Edge of Innocence \|Ally Winthrop \|TV film
1998 \|Dream House \|Jenny Thornton \|TV film
1999 \|Mentors \|Joan of Arc \|Episode: "Raising the Siege"
1999 \|Jack & Jill \|Meg \|Episode: "Pseudos, Sex and Sidebars"
2000 \|{{sortname\|The\|Royal Diaries: Isabel - Jewel of Castilla\|nolink=1}} \|Isabel \|TV film

class="wikitable sortable"

Year

! Title

! Role

! class="unsortable" | Notes

1986

|{{sortname|The|Right of the People|The Right of the People}}

|Katie

|TV film

1986

|Kay O'Brien

|Allison Villaneuva