'Sullivan's Crossing' star Morgan Kohan is more 'protective' of Maggie heading into Season 4
Morgan Kohan stole our hearts as Maggie Sullivan on the hit TV series Sullivan's Crossing, heading into the fourth season of the show, finding that coveted success on a series filmed and set in Canada with international acclaim. Originally from British Columbia and now based in Toronto, Kohan is one of Canada's most skilled and exciting TV leads.
While an impressive actor, dance was her initial love when Kohan was accepted into Randolph College for the Performing Arts in a musical theatre program. As for turning her passion into a career, she said it just "always felt right."
"[It's] funny, because I have not auditioned for theatre, never once after graduating," Kohan told Yahoo Canada.
ADVERTISEMENT
While film and TV have seemed to be a great fit for Kohan, she remembers the days, before she had an agent, where she would just work on a ton of student films, taking public transit to someone's house in the suburbs for an audition. Even under those circumstances, she would get "so excited" about having a single line in a student film. Though she admits she got "very lucky," it was a "ride" to get started in the business — from getting into the union, booking roles and getting casting familiar with you.
"It took a little bit, as it probably should, off the top," Kohan said. "I've been very lucky in the progression that I've had, it's felt like a nice ride."
While the actor has landed the lead role in the Nova Scotia-filmed and set Sullivan's Crossing, she actually planned to go to Los Angeles for a few months until the COVID-19 pandemic hit and her plans changed.
"I'm certainly open to it, if it makes sense, but as of now everything's online. You can do everything from home. And ... I love Toronto. I'm very happy here," Kohan said. "It does feel a bit more accessible to be wherever you want to be."
She recognizes that while there are a lot more American productions filming in the country, not every role is equally as accessible for Canadian actors.
ADVERTISEMENT
"I definitely have seen with my friends who are auditioning for some of the shows that come up here, and getting really close and then finding out that it keeps going to Americans," Kohan said. "So I definitely think it is both, there's more productions, but I wish there was a way for it to be a little bit more ... open and accessible, to see how many roles really are going to Canadians, and what that size is, and how much effort there really is in casting Canadians when it's up here."
"I know there are such incredible actors here, and yet so many of them aren't working, or are nowhere close to the kinds of roles that they should be booking. And it can be so disheartening to see that too."
While Kohan is on a hugely successful show, both in Canada and abroad, she's an actor that's still growing and expanding her skills by still going to acting classes in Toronto.
"I keep going to class as soon as I'm not working," she shared. "I love it."
"I see it like the gym. ... There's never a place to stop learning. And Sullivan's is wonderful, but ... I want to be able to expand and get better and fail miserably in class with characters I may never book."
ADVERTISEMENT
Yahoo Canada's Eh Listers is an interview series with women and non-binary Canadians in film and television, looking back on their careers with unfiltered stories about their greatest projects.
Murdoch Mysteries — 2017
Morgan Kohan in Murdoch Mysteries (CBC)
Kohan's first union job was on an episode of Season 10 of Murdoch Mysteries titled "Master Lovecraft," where Murdoch (Yannick Bisson) meets a young H.P. Lovecraft among a group of death-obsessed teens, which included Kohan's character Sarah Glass.
But a notable political event made the job particularly memorable.
"The second day I was on set was the day that Trump was elected the first time," she said. "So it was quite a vibe. I was like, I don't think this is a normal set right now."
But events outside of the show aside, Kohan recognized that it was interesting to be on the set of a show that is so established and really functioned like a machine.
ADVERTISEMENT
"It was already so smooth at that point," Kohan said. "I can only imagine what it's like now too, but I remember from wardrobe, being on set and walking around, everything's all dressed and it was so calm, too, I think because everybody just knew what they were doing."
Ransom — 2018
For some projects it's the characters and the script that really speak to an actor, but for Ransom the talent Kohan got to collaborate with was something that really impacted her.
Kohan appeared on three episodes of the show in Season 2 as Evie Beaumont, but it was the episode directed by Bruce McDonald that was most memorable.
"He was just a legend and the sweetest. Kind, calm and trusting," Kohan said. "If I'd ask a question about something he'd be like, 'Well, what do you think?' And not in a rude way, ... but more in a supportive [way]. Like, what are your thoughts behind this? How would you like to approach it?"
ADVERTISEMENT
"And I remember the one episode we did, there was one big scene and he very casually was like, 'Well I'm going to be really cheering for you when you win your first Oscar.' And I'll never forget him saying that to me."
Batwoman — 2021
Jumping forward in her career, stepping onto the Batwoman set for an episode was a real immersion into how a "big show" operated for Kohan, and taking on a character that doesn't necessarily feel the most comfortable.
"I remember hearing about Javicia [Leslie's] schedule and what she'd be doing, rehearsals, stunt rehearsals, costumes, ... I don't know how she was able to to do that," Kohan said.
"It was very cool to to be a part of, but so foreign for me too. I remember I had a friend, RJ Hatanaka, who was on When Hope Calls with me. He was also filming Nancy Drew ... at the same time in Vancouver. I remember meeting up with him and being like, 'I don't know what I'm doing. I think I'm really bad. ... I don't think I can make it feel good.' But it's just the world of what that show is, you just have to lean into what that world is. But that world does not feel good naturally in my body. Once you decide that you've just got to go with it, then it's fine. But at first it was very much like, I don't know what I'm doing here."
When Hope Calls — 2019 to 2025
Like many Canadian actors, Kohan has been a fixture in Hallmark projects. She was given the opportunity to lead in the show When Hope Calls, a spinoff of When Calls the Heart, playing Lillian Walsh. But the spinoff wasn't a sure thing, meaning that Kohan had a lengthy waiting game to play to see what her future could hold.
ADVERTISEMENT
"It was from a guest star to number one on a show. It was crazy," she said. "I'm very, very grateful for that show."
While Kohan highlighted how much fun it was to step onto the set created for When Hope Calls, and getting to wear the period costumes, she also understood the expectation of being on a Hallmark project.
"I think I did very much approach it in being aware of the channel that it's on and what people want from it," she said. "But also I do always try and keep things to what I would like to do with the role too, and try and keep it as grounded and as real for me as I possibly can. I think I was very lucky [they allowed] me to do that too."
Sullivan's Crossing — 2023 to 2025
Kohan's most notable lead role yet has been in Sullivan's Crossing, playing Maggie Sullivan, the doctor who goes back to her hometown in Nova Scotia, reconnecting with her father.
ADVERTISEMENT
When the show was first announced, there was a big emphasis on the fact that the cast includes One Tree Hill, Freaky Friday and A Cinderella Story star Chad Michael Murray, and Gilmore Girls alum Scott Patterson, even though Kohan is ultimately the star of Sullivan's Crossing.
"It was very exciting," she said. "I think there was almost pressure in both ways, it almost took the pressure off, because all of the focus was on those two, because everybody knew them and were excited about them. But then also, there is the self-pressure, really, of ... wanting to hold my own."
"Chad, especially, has always been so in my corner, and so supportive. And if ever people were kind of focusing on him when it came to decisions or talks or anything, he'd be like, well this is Morgan's show, or this is our show. ... He really is so wonderful at keeping me a part of it too, because it is a balance. I mean, I feel like I've definitely found my footing more so now after a couple seasons, but that first one, ... you definitely question yourself too. I have feelings about this, I feel like this is the right decision, ... but people don't know me, and maybe aren't going to listen in the same kind of way. When to speak up and when not to, it's an interesting thing."
Sullivan's Crossing fans know Season 3 ended with a massive cliffhanger, as we discover that Maggie has been married this whole time to Liam, who she initially described as a "fling" from a Europe trip. And now he's unexpectedly at the Crossing.
"I think I started laughing," Kohan said about the season's final moment. "I did know that Liam would eventually show up at the beginning, we didn't quite know when, how soon in he'd show up."
ADVERTISEMENT
"It's the 'Hey Red.' That's so familiar and intimate in a way too. It says so much."
Playing Maggie for three seasons now, soon to be four, Kohan has become more "protective" of her character.
"I've gotten more protective over her, because I feel like I know her so much more now," Kohan said.
"I learn so much every season. ... The confidence builds as you go and it is an interesting thing too, to have been given a note, and maybe first off you're like, I don't agree with that, but I'll take it, I'll do it, and then maybe they use that. And after I'll be like, I was right. That doesn't work, and I should have listened to my gut. And then other times it does work out. So it is an interesting balance of trying to listen, but listen properly. ... I think people also now will trust me a little bit more, because it has been a minute now."
The actor is also particularly supportive of Maggie's arc where she gets to a place of understand that she doesn't have to give up her career to stay at the Crossing. The reality is, having Maggie leave her career behind to live with Cal isn't that romantic.
"I think that's where she needs to end up," Kohan said. "I feel the same way when I see those storylines, I'm like, it's cute, but also, no they love their job, they love what they're doing. Sure, that's beautiful and romantic and picturesque and whatever, but like, you're leaving a part of yourself, and that very much is a part of her. So I'm very happy this is where she's headed now."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Washington Post
3 hours ago
- Washington Post
Trump's tariffs are promoting free trade — in Canada
TORONTO — In 2024, the grand prize at the Canadian Whisky Awards went to Paradigm Spirits. Its entrant, made with Canadian corn, aged for 19 years in American oak barrels and blended with a splash of Spanish sherry, beat some 200 competitors to be crowned Whisky of the Year. A judge called it 'remarkable.'
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
MAGA-affiliated musician's concert draws condemnation from City of Montreal, but goes ahead as planned
A performance at a Montreal church by Sean Feucht, a controversial Christian rock musician and rising star in the MAGA movement, went ahead as planned on Friday, despite attempts by the City of Montreal to shut it down. Earlier in the day, Catherine Cadotte, a spokesperson for the Montreal mayor's office, told CBC News that the show "goes against the values of inclusion, solidarity and respect" and that the venue, located in the Plateau-Mont-Royal borough, would be advised that the concert cannot take place. "Freedom of expression is one of our fundamental values, but hateful and discriminatory speech is not accepted in Montreal and, as in other Canadian cities, the show will not be tolerated," she wrote in French. Feucht, an American, who is also a missionary and author, has expressed anti-diversity, anti-2SLGBTQ+ and anti-women's rights views on his platforms. In recent days, Feucht has dealt with several cancellations on his Canadian tour, including in Quebec City. Following the cancellation in Quebec City, Feucht announced that he had found an alternate venue — Église MR in Montreal's Plateau-Mont-Royal borough. When asked specifically why the city would try to cancel the show, Cadotte specified that the church does not have the permits to use its venue for a show. Meanwhile, in a post on X, Feucht wrote the church wasn't backing down, and told his followers it was time to "take a stand for the gospel in Canada." It wasn't clear, however, if he was referring to the city's plans to stop his performance. Just ahead of the 7 p.m. start time, Feucht, who was preparing to enter the church, didn't appear troubled by the city's requirements for a permit. "This is not a performance, it's a church service," he said. "I don't think you need a permit to worship inside a church." Feucht, however, took to the stage inside the church and began singing, accompanied by several musicians, as worshippers swayed along to the music. Meanwhile, a crowd gathered outside in protest, banging spoons on pots and pans, amid a heavy police presence in the area. When Feucht announced his Canadian tour, he stated in a promotional video that he had made it his mission to save Canada and that through him, hundreds of believers would be freed, healed and delivered. Since Wednesday, the singer has had his permits to perform revoked in other Canadian cities including Halifax, Charlottetown, Moncton, Gatineau and Vaughan, Ont.
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Acting royalty Helen Mirren at 80 - 'Don't ever tell me to grow old gracefully!'
Dame Helen Mirren is as fearless, feisty and adventurous as ever. And as she celebrates her 80th birthday today, 26 July, she can certainly rest in the knowledge that she remains one of Britain's most ageless actors - one who has always pushed tirelessly against the idea of how long a woman can remain 'relevant' - particularly on-screen. The national treasure, who has played a whole host of iconic roles, from Detective Jane Tennison in the television series Prime Suspect to her Oscar-winning turn as Queen Elizabeth II in 2006 film The Queen reveals the secrets to her 40-year relationship with husband director Taylor Hackford. She also reveals she never plans a thing when it comes to the future - and why, as she prepares to celebrate her milestone birthday, the last thing she wants to hear is that she looks 'good for her age' or worse, that she's 'ageing gracefully'... How is your approach to ageing gracefully helping you with turning 80? I am not ageing gracefully at all! I hate that term - it sounds like you have to be elegant and accepting, and, no, I am not. I am ageing with fun, with commitment but not gracefully. Who cares about graceful? We just do grow older, there's no way you can escape that. You have to grow up with your own body, your own face and the way it changes. It's not always easy but it is inevitable. You have to learn to accept it. How do you feel when someone says you look good for your age? Insulted (laughs). You look good for your age is patronising. I hate that kind of comment. Be prepared, if you use that phrase, to be dissed in a major way! You've often credited the 1950s Canadian Air Force program for keeping you looking so fit and healthy... That's true. I have to admit, I don't do it so much now, and I should get back into it. It is a great way to get fit. You just do what they tell you to do. You start very low and you think, 'Oh, this is just much too easy.' And if it is, then you start making it more difficult for yourself. Then you go, 'Oh my God, no, this is really difficult.' It can be quite challenging, but it works. It's great.' What are your top tips to keep looking and feeling good? It's as important to make the inside of you, as healthy as the outside of you. I always go everywhere with my vitamins. That is probably the most important thing in my beauty bag, actually. What you eat, what you drink, what you don't smoke, really makes a massive difference to your skin, especially as you progress through life. It's incredibly important to feed the inside of your skin, as much as the outside of your skin.' How has your relationship with beauty and image changed over the years? The majority of us are not beautiful. There are beautiful people who walk on this planet, and we can all see them and appreciate them, but the majority of us are not beautiful like that. But, we can put on style, we can put on swagger, we can put on confidence, we can put on wit and charm, and lots of other things that are just as attractive as sheer beauty. So, I think in a way, that word - beauty - it alienates people. It did for me, for many years, I have to say. Is there anything you've learned about beauty that you wish you'd known when you were younger? Yes, to let go of the concept of beauty. Think of confidence. Think swagger. Enjoy beauty where you see it, absolutely, but let go of it for yourself. Don't let it influence your thinking in any way. I remember being in my thirties and being told, if I used this cream, I could look like I was a teenager again, with absolutely no marks of any living whatsoever. That annoyed me. Luckily, we have gone way beyond that. Where does your own confidence and swagger come from? It took a while and I'm still working on it. I was very, very insecure as a young person. My body was the wrong shape. I was very insecure around people. The most important thing is to remember that probably everybody feels the same.' You play many strong, ferocious characters on-screen. Are you anything like them in real-life? I wouldn't say I'm ferocious. I'm a total wimp. I'm not a confrontational person at all. I can be argumentative sometimes - more so when I was younger. I would defend positions that I thought were correct. I have always been a feminist, and argumentative but, I don't think I am ferocious. Maybe people would have a different idea of me, I don't know. How do you look back on your career up to now? Yes, well, you know, I think I was brave. I have to say, as a young actress, I think I was courageous. I was. And keen to break down attitudes that I thought were old-fashioned, or retrograde, or just wrong, you know. So, I relished having roles. That is the great thing about drama, is that it can do that, without being lecturing because it is entertaining at the same time. It can really change people's attitudes about things.' Have you always been at ease with being in the spotlight? No, not at all. A lot of actors become actors because they are shy, in a way. They find being themselves quite difficult, so it is much easier to become someone else. I think that was the case with me, to a certain extent, certainly when I started.' Your next film is The Thursday Murder Club. What can you tell us about that? It's based on the extremely successful Thursday books. It's with a some beloved fellow British actors and it's a very British subject. I'm really excited about it. Do you still feel British - though you're a big Hollywood star, live in America and have an American husband? I do. I'm very proud to be British and it's funny because even in America I seem to be surrounded by Brits. It's full of them! The world has become so much smaller. You and your husband have been together for 40 years and married for more almost 30. What's your secret? I think it helps that we're both in the same business. We understand what we each go through and the demands on your time. But the main thing is trust. As long as you trust and respect each other, and are not jealous of each other, then it works. We came into the relationship already very grown-up, so all of that crap was out of the way. And it's not such a bad thing to be separated for two or three weeks from time to time. That's fine, as long as you trust each other and really look forward to seeing each other again. Finally, what are your plans for this next chapter of your life? I have no idea. You know, when I was 20, I didn't know what my twenties would be like. I didn't know what my thirties would be like... I still have no idea and that's the adventure. Life is an adventure. I don't plan anything. I don't expect anything. I will just allow life to come and hit me, the way it always has. READ MORE: Dermalogica's four-piece anti-ageing skincare bundle is now £31 for a limited time
