Congratulations on your role in Nellie Bly! Can you tell us a little bit about the part? Also, how did you prepare for this and other auditions and for being on set? In Nellie Bly I played Nurse Grupe, a sadistic nurse in a women’s lunatic asylum in the 1800s. Grupe is part of a group of three nurses that carry out the orders of the head of the hospital, Matron Grady. Grupe is the meanest of the lot and does everything that her boss tells her to do, no matter how depraved. I initially auditioned for Matron Grady, which I prepped for days, and I was called back for Grupe with only a day’s notice. I felt underprepared for the callback because I had less time, but when I walked in the room the director Karen Moncrieff was so fantastic and just let me play. As a theatre performer, I’ve often felt restricted by the camera and having to stand on a tape line on the floor and only one actor to read with. Much of the time I feel like I’m in a straitjacket at film auditions. Karen Moncrieff was the first director who said “don’t worry about where the camera is or the reader or the tape line – you just do your thing and we will follow you”. This totally released me and I think I did the most fun audition of my life. I left the room not even caring if I got the part or not because I felt like I was given permission to be free and do what I wanted. It was very empowering. I took that spirit of freedom to the set and just stayed open to my fellow actors, the creativity of the director and stayed true to my instincts.

Thanks for representing ACTRA members and adding your insight at our recent casting panel. You’ve had many years of on set experiences. Can you tell us how you prepare for auditions and for being on set? Acting is my job, not my hobby. Auditioning is a significant part of that job. An audition is also an opportunity to perform in front of an audience that is interested and invested! I approach auditions as seriously as any working day on set, and there’s no difference in the kind of preparation I do. My rule of thumb is “If I’m not ready to shoot, I’m not ready to audition.” I do what it takes to clear enough time to prepare, because there’s work to be done. I usually need 8 to 10 hours to prepare an audition, often more, depending on the size of the role. Sometimes that means cancelling family plans or social engagements and often giving up show tickets. Auditions don’t happen often in Winnipeg, so when they do, I make them a priority. Of course, preparation means a lot more than just memorizing lines. There’s a performance to prepare for and I don’t have 3 weeks to rehearse. I need to be efficient, without taking shortcuts. I do all the work that needs to be done: I break down the scene, I do research, I do character work, I learn an accent, if needed. I explore the scene in as many ways as possible. Then, I leave all that homework at home and do what I can to be relaxed and confident in the room. I show up on time (which means early) and I do my best to present a performance that is Active, Truthful and Connected. What has been your favourite or most memorable role thus far?…

Congratulations on your role in Into Invisible Light! Can you tell us about that experience and character? Being on the set of “Into Invisible Light” was the most eye-opening experience. This was the most recent movie I took part in and I felt it was the production that allowed me to find new levels of confidence through my acting. I played the role of Monica Astrov: a passionately artistic teenager and very gifted dancer. She is completely invested in establishing a career in dance and although she has an innocent persona about her, she would stop at nothing to achieve these goals. From my first audition till I heard “that’s a wrap on Monica”, I was wholeheartedly invested in this production. My character was easy to love and hopefully whoever watches it will find Monica as relatable as I did! When did you become an ACTRA member, and what was your first union gig? I became an ACTRA member as an Apprentice after my first role in 2015 as a member of the Sentinals Dance Crew in the movie “Bravetown” featuring Josh Duhamel, Laura Dern and Lucas Till. Once I got a role in Season 1 of “Channel Zero” TV series and a radio commercial, I then became eligible to become a full ACTRA member at the end of 2016. How has being a member of ACTRA benefited you? Being a member of ACTRA has benefited me in many ways. Once you’ve become a member, you begin to receive information on all upcoming roles and training workshops that are offered through ACTRA. It has given me the opportunity to audition for roles and to connect with major casting directors in Winnipeg who have been so helpful in making my audition a comfortable one. I found that once the casting directors…

Congratulations on your recent role in Gone! Can you tell us about that experience and role? Thank you! It was one of the greatest experiences I’ve had on set. The cast and crew were so kind. It was my second time working with director Jeff Beesley, who is such an awesome hard working guy. And I got to drive around in a police car and carry a shotgun, so that was pretty cool too! When did you become an ACTRA member, and what was your first union gig? I believe it was about 10 years ago now. I just became a full member a few months ago. My first gig was a Speeding commercial. I was the bad driver! That was a lot of fun 😉 How has being a member of ACTRA benefited you? It has benefited me by being able to learn more about the industry. There are a lot of workshops and training opportunities that I did not even know about before. It’s really great to have a union that protects and supports its actors. What has been your favourite or most memorable role thus far? That’s a tough question! I would probably have to say Frank James on The Pinkertons. It was such a cool show and getting to play an iconic character was pretty unreal. How do you stay sharp? Do you have any training suggestions? I do my best to take as many workshops as I can. I’ve worked with most of the coaches and instructors in Winnipeg and I advise any actors starting out to take as much training as possible. Like an athlete, you have to keep working out. I always go for coaching before auditions. I also teach acting classes for youth at Expressions Film Studio and I really find teaching…