Latest news with #Kim'sConvenience
The Province
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Province
Film and TV industry summit celebrating, supporting diversity returns to Vancouver this week
East by Northwest (EXNW) provides a platform for racialized Canadian entertainment industry creatives to access Asia-Pacific industry leaders Playwright Ins Choi seen here as Appa in a production of Kim's Convenience will be doing a special presentation at this year's East by Northwest (EXNW) industry summit on July 18-20 at the JW Marriott Parq Hotel in Vancouver. Photo by Mike Hensen / Mike Hensen/The London Free Pres Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. An entertainment industry summit that celebrates and supports diversity in Hollywood North returns to Vancouver this week. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Hosted by the Racial Equity Screen Office (RESO), The East by Northwest (EXNW) is set to take place July 18-20 at the JW Marriott Parq Hotel. The event provides a platform for racialized Canadian entertainment industry creatives to access Asia-Pacific industry leaders, generate partnerships, and reimagine how content is financed, produced and distributed globally. 'We are creating the space and the momentum for the next wave of Canadian stories to reach international screens,' said Barbara Lee, RESO founder and EXNW creator in a statement. 'EXNW is where the future of global storytelling begins.' EXNW organizers see the conference as 'a launch pad for new narratives, new business, and a more inclusive global entertainment landscape.' Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'We're proud to convene leading industry voices from the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, and South Korea at EXNW 2025,' said Hanna Cho, RESO executive director and EXNW Asia Pacific program director. 'As Canada deepens its ties across the Asia-Pacific, we see EXNW as a timely and vital space for equity-driven international collaboration to take root, right here in Vancouver.' The core of EXNW is a series of panel conversations featuring Asia-Pacific and North American executives, producers, and investors. Highlighted speakers include: Joonsuh Park of SLL Studios in South Korea; Chairman Reyes from the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP); and Pantham Thongsang, Thailand Creative Culture Agency (THACCA). Also on the schedule is a special presentation by Ins Choi, creator of the international hit comedy, Kim's Convenience. The conference will hold pitch sessions where selected creators will get to present their projects to Asia-Pacific and North American funders, broadcasters, and producers. An EXNW Ball is scheduled for July 19 at 7:30 p.m. Co-hosted by Kevin Vidal (Workin' Moms) and ball co-chair Kandyse McClure (Battlestar Galactica) the event will include entertainment by Juno-nominated Canadian singer Warren Dean Flandez. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Also on the slate for the evening is the presentation of the EXNW Global Connector Awards which celebrates industry trailblazers. Honourees include: Joonsuh Park—CEO of South Korea's SLL (formerly JTBC Studios). Under Park's leadership, SLL has produced the acclaimed Korean television series including Snowdrop, Sky Castle, Doctor Cha, and Itaewon Class. Grace Park–Actor and producer (Battlestar Galactica, Hawaii Five-0), whose career has helped challenge barriers for Asian representation in Hollywood. Ins Choi–Korean Canadian playwright and creator of Kim's Convenience, one of Canada's most successful cross-cultural storytelling exports. Choi's work has opened doors for Asian Canadian narratives on global stages. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Ella Cooper–Executive Director of Black Women Film! and an award-winning filmmaker, artist, and cultural leader. Cooper has built sustainable platforms for underrepresented voices across borders. Doreen Manuel–Director of the Bosa Centre for Film & Animation, Manuel is a trailblazer in Indigenous film training. Her creation of inclusive educational and production spaces has advanced Indigenous media both within Canada and internationally. Bob Wong–Vice President of Creative B.C. Wong leads international partnerships and funding programs that support Canadian creators and attract global production to British Columbia. The conference will close out with EXNW Grand Finale at Floata Seafood Restaurant on July 20. A day of public programming in Vancouver's Chinatown will include AI and storytelling panel and drag performances by the House of Rice in celebration of Pride Month. All July 20 events are open to the public. Tickets are available here. Read More Crime News News Local News News
Cision Canada
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Cision Canada
GAMETV/Paramount+ in Canada miniseries Hate the Player: The Ben Johnson Story taps Andrew "King Bach" Bachelor, Mark McKinney (Superstore), Karen Robinson (Schitt's Creek) and Ennis Esmer (Blindspot) to join cast
Social media star and actor Andrew Bachelor, better known as King Bach, who has amassed an ever-growing following of more than 70 million across various social media platforms, is taking on the role of famed U.S. sprinter Carl Lewis, opposite the previously announced series star Shamier Anderson, who plays Ben Johnson. Most recently, Bachelor has also starred in Netflix comedy Coffee and Kareem, alongside Taraji P. Henson, Ed Helms and Betty Gilpin, Netflix horror The Babysitter: Killer Queen with Jenna Ortega and Netflix romcom Holidate with Emma Roberts and Kristin Chenoweth. "As someone who grew up surrounded by the sport of track and field, it's truly in my blood. My father was a sprinter in Jamaica, and he passed down to me not just his speed, but his passion and deep understanding of the sport. I had the honor of running track for Florida State University, where we won nationals three years in a row. Carl Lewis was a hero of mine – not just because of his dominance, but because he excelled in multiple events, just like I did," said Andrew Bachelor. "The rivalry between Ben Johnson and Carl Lewis is one of the most iconic in sports history. To be a part of bringing that story to life is an incredible honour and a full-circle moment for me." Mark McKinney, performer, writer and producer of some of the most groundbreaking television made in North America, including Kids in the Hall, will recur in the role of lawyer Walter F. Essanpee in Hate the Player: The Ben Johnson Story. Meanwhile, SAG and Canadian Screen Award winner Karen Robinson (Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent, Schitt's Creek) is playing Ben's beloved mom, Gloria, with three-time Canadian Screen Award Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Ennis Esmer (New Metric Media's Children Ruin Everything, The Madness) portraying Ben's doctor Jamie Astaphan. Kristian Bruun (The Recruit, Orphan Black) joins the cast as Ben's coach Charlie Francis and Malaika Hennie Hamadi (New Metric Media's Bria Mack Gets A Life) as intern Khara. Rounding out the supporting cast is a cavalcade of Canadian comedy talent including Ryan Belleville (Workin' Moms), Darryl Hinds (Second City), Lisa Horner (Kim's Convenience), Emma Hunter (Mr. D, Letterkenny), Suresh John (Mr. D, Last Frontier), Jonathan Langdon (M. Knight Shyamalan's Trap), Gita Miller (Workin' Moms), Andrew Phung (Kim's Convenience, Run the Burbs) and Dewshane Williams (Hello Tomorrow). The miniseries has also lined up several fun cameos, including appearances by WWE star Chelsea Green and Canadian NASCAR driver Amber Balcaen. Hate the Player: The Ben Johnson Story is Canadian sprinter Johnson's definitely-not-biased account of the doping controversy that rocked the 1988 Olympics when he tested positive for banned steroid use, going from hero to zero in 9.79 seconds in what some called "The Dirtiest Race in History". The series takes a revealing and satirical look at the events surrounding the legendary race and the scandal behind the scandal. New Metric Media identified and put the project together, entering development on the series with Paramount+ in Canada in 2023. The series is created by BAFTA-winning and Emmy-nominated writer Anthony Q. Farrell (The Office, Shelved, Run the Burbs), who serves as showrunner and Executive Producer. New Metric Media CEO Mark Montefiore (Letterkenny, Shoresy, Children Ruin Everything) and director R.T. Thorne will also executive produce, alongside Anderson and Stephan James for Bay Mills Studio. Lana Maclin and Max Wolfond serve as Producer and Supervising Producer, respectively, for New Metric. Thorne (The Porter) and Cory Bowles (Trailer Park Boys) are set to direct. Set to debut on GameTV and Paramount+ in Canada simultaneously in early 2026, Hate the Player: The Ben Johnson Story is being produced with participation from Ben Johnson and is inspired by extensive research conducted by Canadian author and journalist, Mary Ormsby. New Metric Media is distributing the miniseries internationally. ABOUT NEW METRIC MEDIA Based in Toronto, New Metric Media is an award-winning independent entertainment studio specializing in building comedy brands across TV production, live entertainment, distribution, merchandising and licensing. Recipient of Playback's 2022 Production Company of the Year award and the Banff World Media Festival's 2018 Innovative Producer Award, the company's slate of programming includes the hit Crave/Hulu original comedy Letterkenny, the Crave/Hulu Letterkenny spinoff series Shoresy, the CTV/CW/Roku half-hour comedy Children Ruin Everything and half-hour Crave comedy series Bria Mack Gets a Life. New Metric's Letterkenny, Bria Mack Gets A Life and Children Ruin Everything have each been named Best Comedy Series by the Canadian Screen Awards in recent years. New Metric Media is recognized as a leader in 360-degree brand marketing and its success with Letterkenny and Shoresy off-screen extensions, including beer, collectible merchandise, the sold-out Letterkenny Live stage show and the Shoresy Fall Classic hockey event, set to land in five NHL arenas later this year. ABOUT BAY MILLS STUDIOS Bay Mills is a cutting-edge production company founded by actors, producers, and brothers, Shamier Anderson and Golden Globe Nominee Stephan James. Bay Mills is focused on showcasing an eclectic and inclusive lineup of diverse stories from feature films, scripted and unscripted TV, short-form, digital media, and a panoply of other platform-agnostic content. Shamier and Stephan combine their creative expertise and ability to engage global audiences to create groundbreaking content that pushes the boundaries, all while being rooted in entertainment. ABOUT GAMETV GameTV is a Canadian channel specializing in game-related programming such as game shows, competition-based shows, reality series and movies. The channel is available in over 6+ million homes in digital basic on IPTV, cable and satellite systems throughout the territory. GameTV is a subsidiary of Anthem Sports & Entertainment Corp., a leading global sports media company. Follow GameTV on @GameTVCanada on X and Instagram @gametvnetwork. ABOUT ANTHEM SPORTS &ENTERTAINMENT INC. Anthem Sports & Entertainment Inc. is a global multi-platform media company that owns and operates sports and entertainment brands that super-serve passionate communities. Anthem's Entertainment Group includes AXS TV, the ultimate destination for music; HDNET MOVIES and Hollywood Suite, which each boast expansive film libraries packed with iconic classics and modern favorites; and GameTV, featuring popular game shows and competition-based series. Anthem's Sports Group owns iconic wrestling promotion TNA Wrestling; the all-female MMA organization Invicta Fighting Championships; Fight Network, the world's premier combat sports channel; and the North American sports hub Game+. For more information, visit ABOUT PARAMOUNT+ Paramount+ is a global digital subscription video streaming service from Paramount that features a mountain of premium entertainment for audiences of all ages. Internationally, the streaming service features an expansive library of original series, hit shows and popular movies across every genre from world-renowned brands and production studios, including SHOWTIME®, BET, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures and the Smithsonian Channel™, in addition to a robust offering of premier local content. The service is currently live in Australia, Austria, Canada, the Caribbean, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latin America, Switzerland, the U.K. and the U.S.
Yahoo
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
4 Canadian actresses talk about the challenges of navigating film, TV careers across the border and abroad
While Canada is largely associated with things like hockey, maple syrup, cold weather and being generally pleasant people, there's no denying the mark that Canadians have made in entertainment. With Canadian filmmaker Denis Villeneuve directing the next James Bond film, to Canada being the home for some of the most popular shows right now, like Ginny & Georgia on Netflix and We Were Liars on Prime Video, Canada's mark on entertainment isn't just Hollywood North, it's international success. In the lead up to Canada Day, there's no better time to celebrate the contributions of Canadians in film and TV. While also shining a light on what can be improved to continue to foster and support our homegrown talents. As part of our series, this is a special edition of Yahoo News Canada presents My Canada, a series spotlighting Canadians — born-and-raised to brand new — sharing their views on the Canadian dream, national identity, and the triumphs and tribulations that come with life inside and outside these borders. For more than 25 years, the award-winning actor Amanda Brugel has been an absolute powerhouse. She's worked on beloved projects, including comedies like Kim's Convenience and Workin' Moms, and dramas like Dark Matter, The Handmaid's Tale and Brandon Cronenberg's film Infinity Pool. She was also a judge on Canada's Drag Race. Brugel identified that the international success that the Canadian series Kim's Convenience achieved felt particularly special. "It felt like a first," Brugel said. "It's not like it was in hindsight that we realized, 'Oh, this is sort of a first and we are relatable globally,' we really were cognizant of that, and it was exciting, and there was a lot of pride in it." "When you have a group, a company, your cast and crew, a part of something that you know is bigger than you, it really lifts it. I really think that it built everyone. It made everyone bring their A-game. Because not only were we doing this for our own individual careers or only individual successes, we realized that we had a story to tell that was impacting people on a global level, which was really exciting and very rare, particularly for a Canadian television show. And so it was thrilling. I still call it summer camp. It's still one of my favourite jobs that I've ever done." Looking back at her career, Brugel has always been an actor who jumps between different genres. While showing her impressive range as an actor, it was also a strategic move to navigate Canada's entertainment industry, pushing against being typecast. "It started as a very specific strategy between myself and my agent, in which we were really trying to not have me typecast as a Black, biracial woman in Canada. There were only so many roles available," she said. "And very quickly I realized I was only being offered just the the most stereotypical roles that you can imagine in the '90s and then early 2000s, and so we just decided if I tried to ... seek out different genres, people wouldn't really be able to pin me down." In terms of where the industry stand now in term of Canadian actors being able to book great jobs, while staying in the country, Brugel highlighted that it's better than it was 10 years ago, but there's still work to do, particularly as more American productions film in the country. "The way the system still works in Canada is, yes U.S. productions do come up and take advantage of our our fantastic tax credits and our amazing and talented crews. However, still to be an actor and to be a working actor, a lot of the roles are still already cast before productions come to Canada," she said. "And so that part is difficult. If you're starting out in this career as an actor, there are so many roles and so many ... U.S. projects and our fantastic projects that you can be a part of, but if you're a little more of a veteran and you'd like ... meatier roles, it's really difficult to get them." "I say that as recognizing that I'm very much an anomaly. I don't know why. I don't know how I've been lucky enough to sort of get some of the larger roles, but I will say it's I do think it's, a lot of the times, because I have gone back and forth from the States so much. I do keep a relationship with casting in the States as well." One of Cindy Busby's most notable roles is playing Ashley Stanton on the Canadian hit Heartland. And while Busby has filmed many projects in Canada, including Hallmark productions, she highlighted how special it is to tell a story filmed and set in Canada. "So many American productions come to Canada, which we're all so grateful for, because it gives incredible jobs, but to be able to tell Canadian stories and show the most beautiful parts of Canada is truly magnificent," Busby said. "It's a beautiful show that really shows off Canada, which I'm super proud of. We actually use Canadian money in the show, that's really cool!" Laura Vandervoort started her acting career in Canada at the age of 12, and has gone on to work on some of the most beloved shows, including Smallville and The Handmaid's Tale, both filmed in Canada. But interestingly, a lot of roles she landed that were filmed in Canada happened once she moved to the U.S. 'I did find though, the minute I moved to L.A., all of my jobs were in Canada. So it was almost like Canada was like, 'Oh, she left. We want her more.' And I think that's kind of how it was back then, but that's definitely changed,' she said. But even in auditioning, the actor's Canadian-ness was evident, including when she went in for her Smallville audition. "I got on a plane and I screen tested, with three other girls. And it was an awkward situation, because they had all of us in one room and no one was talking," Vandervoort recalled. "And me, as a Canadian, I'm like, 'Hi. How are you guys? Nice to meet you!' ... We did the screen test, and then the producer came back out and said everyone could go home, but me. And I thought I was in trouble, but it turns out I got the job." Anna Lambe is one of the most exciting Canadian talents to watching, starring in the APTN, CBC and Netflix series North of North, one of the best shows of the year, and she's work alongside Brad Pitt in the upcoming film Heart of the Beast. Lambe, who has also worked on films like The Grizzlies, and shows like Three Pines, has been an advocate for telling robust Indigenous stories, and stories set in the North, with authenticity. "I think at the core of the [North of North], what was most important for us was the authenticity of it, and the experience of living in the North, and the complexities of our communities and our family dynamics," Lambe said. "And something that's very real is how our community really struggles with the trauma from colonialism and how we navigate that." "But for the most part, we do it through humour. ... From really dry humour to really silly like fart joke humour, the coping exists within all of that. And those moments where you do just break open, those are real too. And I think defining the show as one thing or the other, as just a comedy or just a drama, doesn't do it the service of, it's just a human experience, and just a human story. So it was nice to feel like we weren't needing to exist in one or the other, and that we can have both at different moments, and they both serve the story equally importantly."
Boston Globe
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Readers share amusement park memories
edsox15 posted on I was taking a class at my gym and the instructor was talking about their upcoming family trip that will include his kids' first visit to Story Land. Everyone — and ages in the class ranged from 70ish down to early 20s — had memories of going to Story Land and we were all so happy to hear it's still around and thriving. My favorite, though, is still the water park in Saco, Maine. Growing up we always did a week camping . . . and would do a day at Splashtown. One of these summers I'm going to take a day off and make the trip — be fun to try it as an adult. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up CadiaC Advertisement posted on Another vote for Story Land. We went 25 years ago and loved it. Went last year with grandchildren and it's even better. Particularly good for the young child . . . lots of sweet kiddie rides. Fantastic water park. And there is a 'scary roller coaster' (Roar-O-Saurus) — so scary that once was enough for me! Mark123 posted on This article reminds me of the ones we lost: Whalom Park, in Lunenburg; Paragon Park, on Nantasket Beach; Pleasure Island, in Wakefield; the coasters at Revere Beach and Salisbury Beach; and [Acushnet Park] in New Bedford. Advertisement Stretch_1977 posted on Lake Compounce 'has kept pace with the times, recently re-tracking the Wildcat (built in 1927) and Boulder Dash (2000) to give the wooden coasters faster, smoother rides.' Whaaa? The old school clickety-clacky, shaky, bumpy, tooth-rattling ride is what makes ancient wooden coasters great. Modern steel coasters do all kinds of crazy twists and turns, but they feel way too safe. Nothing imparts sheer terror like that sense that the car is going airborne and the whole ramshackle, bone-jarring assembly is about to fly apart. GeoLove posted on Still on the Ball These [older] women [soccer players] have given this old athlete who wakes up stiff and in pain the encouragement to keep going on with a smile on my face ( Swan Man posted on 'Now 84, she has retired from competitive soccer . . . ' Gotta love it! Evenspar posted on Self-Acceptance Hahaha! I had no idea that I was embodying ajumma style until I saw an episode of Kim's Convenience where the young daughter donned white arm-covers and a visor and declared, 'Ajumma style!' ( Advertisement paulinlim posted on This line spoke to me: 'Becoming an ajumma is about taking power back.' It's a concept women of a certain age from all backgrounds can relate to, and should take to heart. HazelTulip posted on The menopause part of life is so freeing. No more trying to appeal to male gaze. No more young children to cater to. No more appeasing husband. No more following our parents' old-fashioned rules. No more caring what neighbors think. It's absolute freedom. I see no negatives! We put ourselves first for the first time in our lives. TeaCuppa posted on Game Day Decisions Dude, your Connections stabbed me in the heart ( Eddie Finocchiaro Marshfield I also fell in love with the Celtics on a black and white TV. I'm a little younger than the writer, so my affair started in the mid-60s. Watching a game that appeared to be played in a snowstorm — the reception was not the same as today's cable. I started going to games in the '70s and held season tickets for the length of Larry's career. Too many games and memories to recount here, but my blood runs green, and always will! Advertisement Steve6! posted on [Ross's] not once seeing the Celtics at TD Garden seems harsh. For all the nostalgia the original Garden brings, it's the team and the fans that make an atmosphere vibrant. I would watch the Celtics anywhere. Dp515 posted on People who never experienced it could never understand the experience of walking those ancient labyrinthine tunnels to arrive at the concourses and then past tall, velvet, theater-like curtains (yes) to enter an arena thick with ethereal cigarette/cigar smog (the people sitting across the court were only rumors to my child eyes). Today's experience is certainly more comfortable. That's all I'll say. shmessy5 posted on My first memories of the Celtics were listening to Johnny Most in the early '60s on my transistor radio under the covers because it was past my bedtime. Johnny was my old Boston Garden: I am still a fan, of course, but it was never the same after Johnny stopped screaming at the refs. 99999999-9 posted on CONTACT US: Write to magazine@ or The Boston Globe Magazine/Comments, 1 Exchange Place, Suite 201, Boston, MA 02109‑2132. Comments are subject to editing.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Handmaid's Tale' star Amanda Brugel looks back at her career: 'I'm appreciative for the hell that I went through'
Award-winning Canadian actor Amanda Brugel has starred in beloved projects, including comedies like Kim's Convenience and Workin' Moms, dramas including Dark Matter, The Handmaid's Tale and Brandon Cronenberg's film Infinity Pool. She was also a judge on Canada's Drag Race. Brugel spoke to Yahoo Canada about her career. Growing up in Canada with a passion for performance and developing into the brilliant actor she is today. I am eternally grateful for what that show did for my career, uh, at 40 years old, in which a business has told me from the beginning that I will expire by then and have to go and like take a teaching job or do something else. But I am thrilled to be able to venture off into other things. What kind of got you started with like that bug of acting? I think, um, from when I was reading, kind of like in high school, you had one of those moments. I was like, oh yeah, this is like where I'm, this is where I'm meant to be. This feels comfortable. Well, I mean, I was a dancer at first. It was a a ballerina and then just loving performing in general. And um, and then I really wanted to be an actor when I was younger and tried to type out a little uh letters to agents and my parents just wouldn't let me. And I tried to mail them, and I found them actually hidden a couple of years after my parents told me they sent them. Um, I found them hidden behind a bookshelf. And so it was something that I sort of just had to let go when I was younger. But then in high school, I was in drama, I had completely forgotten about, um, wanting to be an actor, but I was doing a drama credit, and my drama teacher, Ms. Jenkins, just sort of pulled me aside and said, I think you like this. And I think you're probably really good at it. And so had me audition for a school play, and the moment I stood on that stage facing outward, it was like empty auditorium, but the moment I stood on that stage, it's very cliche, but I just felt whole and like I belonged and like I It's just such a magical feeling to be bitten by the bug, but it's like, it's, it's accurate. It truly happened. But as a parent yourself now, do you think that that moment of like, you having that drive and that desire, but also kind of wanting the best for your kid and in some ways, wanting to protect them from something that, you know, is known as like a very difficult, hard, challenging. industry to get into. I love that my parents did that because child actors, I know several of them, and I just don't know if it would have been great for a, a black biracial kid growing up in the 80s to be thrust into on sets. And so I'm, I'm really thankful for them that they did that. And I have the same impulse to answer your question for my children, but The one thing my parents did do that when I got into it, when I decided to go into acting for university, and even when I quit acting, I'm jumping forward, but when I quit in my early 30s and then decided to go back into it, my parents encouraged me, and they said, this is your dream, it's not the most stable. It's Chaotic. It's probably gonna break your heart, but it's your dream, so go for it. So I had a bit of both with I want to protect my kids, but I also want to do the same thing my parents did for me, which was to sort of push me towards my dream. So was Vendetta your first like job, your first your credit to get into? I think it was. Yeah, it was. I was still in university. And, uh, I was just, uh, just really excited to be able to, uh, start being on film sets. I went to theater school, I went to York, but just theater, um, film sets are an entirely different beast, and so it was very exciting, and I believe Christopher Walken was in it, if I can remember correctly, and uh we had a scene and he was very nice, and the scene was cut, and I was Wasn't even devastated. I was just so happy to have had the the chance, and then, yeah, and then it started. Amazing. Um, so when you, you know, finally get your first project and you're going into auditioning, I think, you know, after that you had like a pretty impressive like episodes here and there and films here and there and doing all this stuff. Um, what do you remember of just, you know, really having to kind of ground it out in a sense and just be like, hey, we're going from job to job and auditioning and being on that kind of hamster wheel of like having to go and do things and audition and kind of hope you get the next job. Awful. It's hard. It is devastating and heartbreaking and uh confidence shattering, uh, but if you have a certain temperament, and I truly do think that this business, to be an artist is very specific, like ever all are all artists are different, but to be able to be successful. In business as an artist, you have to be two very different personalities. And so luckily for me, I, um, and the type of type of person that when presented a challenge, I don't crumble. I, I, uh, rally against it, and that's, um, that's not always good, that's stubbornness, that's a slight amount of arrogance which is necessary, that is, um, uh, but it is in me. And so even though it was really difficult. Sometimes doing, uh, working 3 jobs. I worked as a, uh, perfume salesperson at Holtz, and I sold dog and cat perfume, if you don't mind. And I worked at a as a hostess at a restaurant at Yin Eglington, and then I would do temp temp work like sometimes for offices. And so you're doing that and then you get a call for an audition and you have to memorize, and then This is now before I started before emails were really a thing, so they would, you would either get a project faxed or they would leave the audition sides out of business, so you would have to go and find them next time. It was just, it's, uh, mayhem and very difficult, but it really built up a resilience that I really appreciate. I love the idea that it took me so long to sort of build a career, because that type of resilience is what's kept me going into my 40s, uh, I've seen people have the reverse where they had very big large success at the very beginning, and without that resilience, as soon as they sort of started to hit a wall, it almost broke them. And so I'm appreciative for the hell that I went through. I have to ask about Kim's convenience specifically because I think what's interesting about that show, obviously incredibly beloved, the writing was so great and so many people loved it. But I think it was also one of those shows that um really presented to like an American audience, like, here's a Canadian show and everyone can love it. It doesn't necessarily have to be. There's been like, I think a few shows before that have like maybe then that, but I think that really, because when it came out and because our streaming is, and because we're kind of the global scope of of being able to consume stuff is. That was one of those shows where it was like, oh, everyone around the world can kind of love this story and love these characters in a way that I don't think was really felt that much in Canada. What was it like to be on a show like that and just to see the kind of response that people had? Uh, it exactly how you said, it felt like a first, and I, uh, it was, um, It's not like it was in hindsight that we realized, oh, this is sort of a first and we are uh relatable, uh, globally, we really were cognizant of that, um, and it was exciting and and there was a lot of uh pride in it and when you have um Uh, a group, a company, your cast and crew, a part of something that you know is bigger than you, uh, it, it really lifts it. I, I really think that, um, it built everyone, it made everyone bring their A game because Not only were we doing this for our own individual careers or only individual successes, we realized that we had a story to tell that was, um, impacting people on a global level, which was really exciting and very rare, particularly for a Canadian television show. And so it was, um, it was thrilling. It's still my, I still call it summer camp. It's still one of my favorite jobs that I've ever done. Um, in terms of like the comedy there, I think for your acting career, you've done so many different things, and I think in a show that has so much comedy and a show that's like really dark, you have such a beautiful way to handle both. Um, what really appeals to you about being able to do one or the other? Do you like being able to kind of bounce back between the two genres? I love being, I have to jump back and forth between the two genres, uh. Originally, initially, it started as a, uh, a very specific strategy strategy between myself and my agent, in which we were really trying to not have me typecast as a black biracial woman in Canada, there were only so many roles available. And very quickly I realized I was only being offered just the, the most stereotypical roles that you can imagine in the 90s and then early 2000s. And so we just decided if I tried to show and then seek different genres, people wouldn't really be able to pin me down. And so by doing that, I fell in love with all of the genres, but to answer your question, I, it's it's split equal between um like horror, scared, like horror dark horrors dark stuff, um, and comedy, and the thing about those two genres, even though they're very different, they're very similar. Um, it's very easy to transition from, uh, being scared to, uh, it being funny or vice versa. And so I like, I like infusing comedy to everything that I do, but I, I love to run and be scared. Drama is the trickiest for me, I will say. And even though a lot of people seem to think that it's something that I favor or I do, because those are particularly the projects that I'm known for, it's the most difficult for me. What do you think makes it so difficult for you? You know, it's, I think my personality is, uh, it's not really muted. I'm quite emphatic. I'm a little like silly and loose, and for drama, technically you have to sort of be still, um, a little more stoic. You you can be uh you can be crazy, but just, uh, technically for me there's not as much room to improvise and play and um. And have a lot of fun and take a lot of really crazy swings, uh, and so that's why I feel, I feel a little more constricted with drama and that I have to behave, and I don't like that. um. Kim's convenience obviously came to an ending that not a lot of people were happy about the timing and a lot of people were very vocal fans, cast creators, everyone was kind of that that is not exactly how everyone I think wanted it to end. How do you feel about it now? Just as equally equally as disappointed as everyone else, you know, I, I think I would not have been as disappointed if we had been warned, if the, if the stories had been wrapped up um with the same amount of care. And um just um grace that we had been given from seasons to seasons, Paul and Gene and I had been with the those characters for decades. I went to school with Insert, and he invited me in university 20 years before to the first reading and like a coffee shop on campus to read the play. And so they had been with those stories for so long. And so it just felt like the carpet was ripped out from under everyone, and that the characters weren't honored in the way that they should have been. I have to ask about Ashgrove as well. Can you tell me just a little bit about kind of the process of being able to kind of craft that story and and kind of craft what we. Got to see. It was wild. I wish that every, uh, project that we were able to, specifically actors were able to go into it like we did with Ashgrove. Uh, Jeremy Lalonde and Jonas Chernick, which are my co-fellow writers, just had this idea. It was pre-COVID. But had this idea to uh do sort of a a film dramatic exercise in which we would improvise a movie, um, structure it out, structure all of the scenes, and be quite um uh detailed with what the story we wanted to tell, but during, um, having the ability to play and have freedom and improvise together, um. That being said, I did not know that behind my back, they uh were creating a different story, and there was a documentary being made about the fact that I thought I was on one path, making one movie, where in reality they were making a completely separate movie and I was new to all of the decisions and choices. So all of the reactions are in real time, and I had no idea how the story was going to end, and I did not know that everyone else was in on it except me. There you go. I mean, great product. I mean, I know, but we didn't, he didn't know that it was, I mean, the fact that we, I mean we were uh nominated for an ensemble award for the Canadian um uh Canadian Film Festival, and we were premiered in Glasgow and like the fact that it became this thing was extraordinary, but the um the exercise as an actor to have to truly be present all of the time is exhausting. It's, but it's so much fun and it really tells you how much um how much as an actor on film sets we sort of, um, are almost lazy, and we sort of block out a scene and know what's going on, and yes, we stretch ourselves, but not to the degree that you would if you have literally no idea what's going to happen next. So it's um it was a good exercise in reminding myself that I'm, I have to keep learning as an artist. Dark matter, um, what a Trippy, thrilling, great show and story to be on anything about that project that really kind of appealed to you and said like, yeah, I definitely want to kind of be a part of this. So, uh, Joel Edgerson and Jennifer Connelly, absolutely, just the two of those names, just to be opposite to uh Them on a screen, I thought would be thrilling and just to be completely honest, I thought if I have a couple scenes with either one of them, I would love it to have it for my reel. It's something besides Handmaids or Kims, just to update, so I just like given so much of my time to those projects, I really did it thinking it was just going to be a fun. not exercise, but just a a fun role for me to play, not realizing how much I would fall in love with Chicago with the Chicago crew are the showrunner and creator Blake Crouch and his wife, uh, Jackie Ben Zachary. They're just, they're the nicest, most collaborative people, and they're so generous and and the story is fantastic, the acting is great, it's just, it's been a, it's, it is currently in my adult life my dream job. Um, your character, I think in the first season that we saw was so interesting because I think, you know, in the frantic like, what's going on, what kind of box are we in? I think your character really had this interesting kind of like conviction about like, listen, I'm here, this is what's happening. You had some like really great lines, some really great kind of deep conversations, um in terms of getting your head around that character and where she sat in kind of this really interesting world, um, anything you thought about or anything that really kind of appealed to you about where she kind of sits in the larger arc. I, I really think someone yesterday told me she's sort of the, the moral compass or the moral barometer and that usually is, I, and I have no idea why, because I don't really think of myself as that moral of a person. But um, even though I play different genres, sort of being the moral compass, the, um, the, uh, uh, champion of ethics for, for, for things, it's quite easy to me now. Um, so I really didn't really have a lot of um deep thinking. I sort of just played, uh, I loved her. I thought she had a great sense of humor which I could like latch on to, and also I understood where her heart was. This season, holy moly. I now have to, without spoiling too much, get into the science behind it, the science behind Blake Crouch's world specifically around entanglement, and I I'm a, I'm feel like I go I'm going to university, and I have a PhD now in quantum physics, and so, um, that's been really, really exciting and I haven't been able to, being on projects, long running projects for a long time, you don't really research anymore, so I love that I'm getting to research again and really diving into, um, yeah, the quantum physics of it all. Speaking of long running projects, Handmaid's Tale, which is like 10 years of your life, I think, around there, which is like insanely long period of time, um, and especially for a story that I think what everyone finds so interesting about the show, I think, is that every year it's almost like more relevant for better or worse, for happiness or sadness. Like I think this season, I've seen up to episode 8. Um, is like more relevant than ever. Now that we're kind of wrapping up the end of the show, I'm assuming it's kind of bittersweet in the fact of, you know, it seems as though, you know, you had a great time on the show, but also, does it feel good to be able to kind of like move on a little bit from something that you, you've been doing for so long? Yes. Uh, yes, I, I am eternally grateful for what that show did for my career, uh, at 40 years old, in which a business has told me from the beginning that I will expire by then and have to go and like take a teaching job or do something else. I'm eternally grateful with the character and what the cast, uh, my relationships on the cast have done for me personally, but I am thrilled to be able to venture off into other things. Again, again, going back to a little bit of that, the idea that you can become Complacent, and not that any one of us were, but being staying with the character for 10 years, you get very comfortable, which is beautiful because it can help with performances, but you also get comfortable in a way as an artist, you need to be challenged, you need to fail, you need to have to go and research quantum physics. You, you just need to grow, and I felt like I had Uh, grown as much as I possibly could, and I'm thrilled for it, but I'm happy to say goodbye. Um, with Handmaid's Tale, you know, like you kind of mentioned, for a lot of people that probably really kind of thrusted you into their kind of space and their orbit, you know, some people around the world maybe didn't get to watch like Seed, but they got to watch like, but Handmaid's Tale is like very accessible to them and and top of mind. Um, when you kind of are able to, to step into that, what was that transition like for you to be like, oh, like this is very much like on a global scale, lots of eyeballs, lots of initial interest to be able to be on a show that kind of has um that kind of impact on people. Uh, I mean, it's so rare if you think about all of the actors in the world, and then to be thrust into the zeitgeist is just, it's, it's, it's so rare. It's like a 1% of the 1% of like working successful actors. Um, I still don't know if I've really wrapped my brain around the impact of it. Uh, and the only time I am able to is when I go to really remote places around the world, a small towns outside of Hungary where someone, and I'm the only visible minority. Uh, like in the area, and people will run and want to hug me and talk to me about Rita. And that the, the human connection with strangers and the stories that have come out of it are the thing that I really started to realize, oh, this is, this is massive. This is different. It's one thing to be a fan of a show and like a character, but it's one thing to be able to uh connect with people on such an intimate level so quickly. That I, I don't know if I will ever have that again, and that is what I will miss. That is what I, I do still love and did love about being a part of something like that with the conversations that were inspired from our show. Before I let you go, um, When you kind of look back at your career, is there a project that stands out to you to say like, I'm really happy that I got to do this, whether it be a small role or a big role or something that kind of has stuck with you. Canada's Drag Race, uh, judge, by far, uh, till the day I die. It was, uh, I only got to do one season. And I still love it. I loved it wholeheartedly. I love drag queens. I love the art of drag. I loved my cast, the experience, it was beautiful, so that one. How did you feel I have to leave that because I think it was a pretty big deal. I was heartbroken when you left that working. It was a very big deal. It is still a big deal. To be honest with you, I haven't watched the seasons afterwards because I can't, and I'm not that kind of person. If I don't get a job or if I, if I lose out to a role, I'll still watch the movie and celebrate the actor, because I think if someone got it. Let's, that's good for them. But Drag Race, no, no, can't watch it after my season and too heartbroken still. I'll still, I'll talk to my fellow judges. I talked to them a lot, but uh I can't, I can't watch that my chair filled by another. Have you ever thought about, you know, I think obviously primarily everyone knows you as an actor, but being able to take on roles that do give you kind of more control behind the scenes of of what's happening. Yes, I really do, and people ask me that all the time and I love it, and I always think I will do that when I'm a big girl, like I'll do that when I'm an adult, realizing fully that I'm 2 years away from 50. It takes so much time and so much heart. Uh, for example, my fiance and I right now are in the process of writing, um, a, a show, a pilot, and it's, it's been going on for a year and a half, and we are nowhere near as close as, like, I mean now we have options, but it just feels like it's this long. The hard road and it's not the hard road that I'm uh I'm sort of hesitant about taking, um, it's just I don't have the time to give everything that I would like to to my own project because I'm usually working. Possibly when I'm done here, and if there's a bit of a lapse here, I would love to do a short. I would love to make my own, and I would, I would love to direct. And I've always, I've always said I don't want to, but now being on enough sets and meeting enough directors, I'm like, oh dear, I could, I think I could do that. Uh, so yes, I would love to, but the short of it is I, I need time.
