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HGTV is back with yet another home renovation show called The Great Giveback. Actress Melissa McCarthy and her cousin sister Jenna Perusich will feature in the show as renovation experts. The Great Giveback With Melissa McCarthy and Jenna Perusich will air on Monday, June 13, at 9/8c.
The new six-episode series will showcase the two "design-obsessed" women offering surprise transformations and makeovers to deserving families who have gone out of their way to help others.
Who is Jenna Perusich? Melissa McCarthy’s cousin will offer expert advice on The Great Giveback
Jenna Perusich is an actress known for her appearances in Superintelligence, Thunder Force and Cafe Americano. She is a cousin to actresses Melissa McCarthy and Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg.
Perusich graduated from Columbia College Chicago with a theater major and moved to Los Angeles about nine years ago because she wanted to pursue a career in acting. She also studied at Groundlings Theatre & School to further develop her skills.
She is a huge I Love Lucy fan because “she [the protagonist] took risks, was an artist, fought for what and who she believed in while staying true to herself." She has been a collector for a long time. Perusich spoke about her I Love Lucy collection to HGTV:
“Vintage dolls, lamps, throw blankets, jars, salt and pepper shakers — I’ve got them all! I started collecting when I was in fifth grade and it continued through high school — whenever it was my birthday or Christmas, people would gift me things related to the show. My favorites are a little lamp shaped like a TV that says "I Love Lucy" and a cookie jar of Lucy, Ricky, Ethel, and Fred riding in a vintage convertible.”
As a music lover, Perusich loves '80s Rock and Doo Wop. Her all-time favorite songs are Be My Baby by the Ronettes and the '80s hit Alone by Heart.
On the other hand, Perusich's favorite movie is Dirty Dancing because it never ceases to entertain her with its music, drama and dancing.
Perusich views her parents, who have been married for 37 years, as her role models. She has learned a lot from them about art, design, fashion and music. She comes from a big family, but did not grow up together with her cousin Melissa. In fact, the two bonded as adults when she moved to LA. Speaking about her connection with Melissa, she told HGTV:
“There are 18 years between Melissa and me, so we really didn’t grow up together. We became close after I moved to Los Angeles, where Melissa has become my mentor, offering up amazing career advice and guidance.”
Perusich is in a relationship with a television marketing executive named Andrew. She met her partner during the pandemic on a dating app, and they had an 'old-fashioned courtship' because they could not meet for a while and had to FaceTime instead.
Jenna Perusich's inspiration behind The Great Giveback
Property Brothers Drew and Jonathan inspired Jenna Perusich to plan The Great Giveback with Melissa. Their first HGTV cameo was in 2020 where Melissa was asked to nominate a loved one for a home makeover on Celebrity IOU. They decided to renovate Perusich's parents' home. Speaking about the Property Brothers, she said:
“Drew and Jonathan come from the same wheelhouse. If they’re going to do something, they’re going to do it well and with their entire hearts. Yet they still don’t take themselves too seriously, they know how to have fun.”
The sisters hope to have the same chemistry as the twin brothers on their show. Tune in on Monday, June 13, to watch the new home renovation series, The Great Giveback, on HGTV. Viewers can also watch the show on Discovery+.
