Gillian Jacobs has made a name for herself as the funny girl, playing Britta Perry in the NBC sitcom Community and Mickey Dobbs in the Netflix romantic comedy Love. But before these roles, she got her start in dramatic projects, and now she’s returning to her roots in the new Netflix series Transatlantic. “For somebody who’s only seen me on Community, I am sure they would think Transatlantic is a big departure. But for me, I don’t see it that way,” Jacobs, 40, tells GRAZIA Gazette: Hamptons. “You always want to do something different than what you’ve done before, so I felt like this was a nice blend for me. As an actor, it was nice to return to something I started out doing.”

In Transatlantic, a series created by Unorthodox‘s Anna Winger that was inspired by true events, Jacobs plays Mary Jayne Gold, an American heiress who helps European Jews and other intellectuals escape Nazi-occupied France during World War II. Gold and Varian Fry (played by Cory Michael Smith) were both involved with the Emergency Rescue Committee (ERC), a private American relief group formed in 1940 to rescue artists and writers who wereh being persecuted by the Nazis. Through ERC’s efforts, the lives of artists such as Marc Chagall and Max Ernst were spared.

Jacobs had some help getting into character thanks to Gold’s memoir and the fact that they filmed on location in Marseille, France. “We were shooting in what used to be this hotel where Mary Jayne interviewed many refugees. That was a rare gift because sometimes [acting] requires a tremendous amount of imagination and actively ignoring everything around you,” Jacobs explains. “There are still these existing buildings around the city, and it was amazing to know you are in the same space as she was. You feel something.”

Jacobs may have had some help embracing her surroundings, but it’s not always easy portraying a real person. “There’s some pressure when you’re playing someone who is widely known, but I did as much research as I could and I had to accept that we were making a slightly fictionalized version of the story,” the star shares. “You want to honor them, but then to free yourself as an actor, you have to let that go and just focus on what you’re doing. I gave myself permission to craft Mary Jayne for the show, but you also want to be respectful to someone who did such an incredible thing.”

When the show premiered on April 7, Jacobs immediately received accolades and praise — especially from her mother, who couldn’t stop binging episodes. “People I really respect are reaching out to me and telling me how much they love the show, which is really reaffirming,” Jacobs says. “That’s an amazing thing about being on Netflix, knowing it reaches a global audience. It’s nice to be seen by people around the world.”

One reason she thinks the show’s been such a success is that it’s so different from others she’s seen. “It feels new and singular, and it’s not too often you can say that as an actor,” Jacobs notes. “This story was also completely unknown to me, and I’m so inspired by these incredible people. There are many more stories to be told.”

The Juilliard-trained star considers herself “really lucky” to have worked with legends in the industry including Philip Seymour Hoffman, Michael Shannon, Sam Rockwell and John Malkovich, among others. Next, she hopes to cross paths with film luminaries Wes Anderson or Ridley Scott. “I would love to intern on a Ridley set and see the way he shoots because I think he’s such an incredible director. I could go on and on!” she exclaims.

Meanwhile, Jacobs has honed skills beyond acting. “I’m learning how to be a documentarian,” she reveals. “I like learning about something entirely new. I have this new skill set of putting together a compelling documentary, which includes doing interviews, sourcing archival footage, learning to shoot. I would love to continue to do that.”

Jacobs says she’s also gotten into science and mathematics over the last few years. “I have been able to interview astronauts, which is really cool. I did a whole documentary about a high school robotics competition, and it was fascinating.”

The actress is “in awe” she’s been in so many hit projects throughout her career. She hopes five years from now she’ll still be acting and, perhaps, producing and directing as well. “I’m living moment to moment right now. I have a career that’s pretty remarkable. I’m a lucky person.”

Transatlantic is now streaming on Netflix.

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