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Poughkeepsie Native Stars In New Short Film

Jennifer Jiles, a Croton-on-Hudson actress who grew up in Poughkeepsie, is ready for her closeup. 

Jennifer Jiles in the new short film "The Waiting Room."

Jennifer Jiles in the new short film "The Waiting Room."

Photo Credit: Contributed

Jiles' stars in the new short film, "The Waiting Room." She plays Janet who is in purgatory waiting for her husband to join her. To Janet's surprise, when her husband joins her, he shows up with his new wife. The movie was written and directed by Debra Markowitz. 

"Waiting Room is dramedy, which is new for me," Jiles said.  "It's really fun to make people cry.

Last year at the Peekskill Film Festival, Jiles screened "Mother of the Week", a short film she wrote and starred in. "Mother of the Week" is about a stressed out working mom who hires a hot nanny. The short won acclaim at festivals and is being pitched as a series.

In real life, Jiles is a mother of two kids, an 11-year-old and an 8-year-old and said her life can also mirror "Mother of the Week," as she tries to balance one kid in the school play, another playing lacrosse with a last minute audition in New York City hanging over her head.

"I never know my schedule," Jiles said. "I have a roster of friends I can text, but it's challenging."

Jiles said her kids enjoy their mom's career, and her oldest son is starting to go on auditions. 

Some of Jiles' more high-profile roles including a recurring role as a detective on the drama "100 Centre Street", an appearance in the movie "Restaurant" starring Adrien Brody and Simon Baker and a national tour of "The Odd Couple," with Tim Conway and Tom Poston. Soap opera fans will recognize her from being on "As The World Turns" and "Guiding Light." 

"Soap operas are the perfect job," Jiles said. "On some of them, the hours are 9 to 5. It's the ultimate mom job."

Jiles grew up in Poughkeepsie wanting to be a dancer, falling in love with Barbra Streisand after seeing "Funny Girl." She later was a Rockette at Radio City and turned her experiences into a one-woman show, "Kicking and Screaming."  

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