THE ACTOR'S STUDIO OF ORANGE COUNTY

Jahnisa Roberson

"Rooted in warmth and the fire people learn not to underestimate."

Born and raised in Santa Ana, California, Jahnisa grew up between two very different worlds — her father’s roots in Compton and her mother’s life in Orange County. Deeply influenced by her grandmothers — one a painter and former model, the other a woman of faith who worked for the City of Orange County and poured deeply into her community. She spent much of her childhood drawing, painting, dancing, and putting on living room shows with her sisters inspired by movie musicals and iconic performers. Equal parts girly and tough, she grew up loving both Barbie dolls and Hot Wheels.

After experiencing family loss at a young age, Jahnisa turned to painting and art as her first form of healing. Over time, creativity became her escape, her confidence, and eventually her voice. As she grew older, she began to understand that her neurodivergence shaped the way she learned, navigated life, and connected with people. Faith and the strong women in her life taught her not to shrink the parts of herself that stood out.

In high school, Jahnisa signed up for nearly every creative outlet she could find, treating it like her own personal performing arts school. She moved between drama rehearsals, dance, sports, music, and weight training with curiosity and instinct, eager to experience as much as possible.
Productions like “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” deepened her love for live performance after earning recognition through CETA and the Orange County Mayor’s Office. During her senioryear, her band teacher overheard her playing drums with friends and encouraged her to join Jazz Band, where she became the first female drum set player at her school. Having grown up
listening to her uncle and family members play music around the house, Jahnisa quickly picked up rhythms by ear and discovered how naturally she connected to movement, music, and performance. She also became known for bringing together students from different backgrounds
and social groups, creating spaces where people could show up fully as themselves. One of her greatest influences was her former teacher, Ms. Guzman, whose patience and belief in her later inspired Jahnisa’s passion for working with children.

After years of training at The Actor’s Studio of Orange County, Jahnisa continues to grow through grounded character work, student films, and festival projects, including “My Mom’s Mercedes” at the Newport Beach Film Festival and the award-winning short film “Reparation” by
Courtney Miller. Alongside acting, she works with children at a faith-based preschool — a role that continues to deepen the warmth, intuition, humor, leadership, and emotional honesty she brings to her work.

Jahnisa strives to bring to life women who are feminine, fiery, emotionally honest, and impossible to place in just one box — characters who prove that kindness and strength can exist powerfully in the same person.