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When we speak with Sophie Nélisse, she’s back in Vancouver filming the critically acclaimed final season of Showtime’s ‘Yellowjackets,’ a role that thrust the Canadian actress into the mainstream in a big way. Like most goodbyes, it’s bittersweet. She grew up alongside teen Shauna for 4 seasons – for better or worse. And while there are facets of the character she admittedly won’t miss, there are others that she’ll cherish alongside a slew of memories. No one on set is taking any of the time they have left for granted, she tells us. Instead, she’s soaking it all in while she can with her castmates, bidding a fond farewell to an incredible series.
But beyond the wilderness, Nélisse has been busy. From press tours for ‘Whistle,’ interviews about her pivotal role as Rose Landry in ‘Heated Rivalry,’ to producing her own film, ‘Girl in Pieces,’ alongside ‘Yellowjackets’ castmate Courtney Eaton, lately it’s been go-go-go. When asked about keeping sane among the whirlwind, she credits coming home to Canada — specifically, Montréal. Away from the toxicity of Hollywood culture, the entertainment machine, and the insanity that can be fandom, it’s a pocket of peace in the storm.
With ‘Heated Rivalry,’ shining a well-deserved light on Canadian film and television, Nélisse hopes that the show’s continued success will encourage artists to keep making art. If a show with a minimal budget and a smaller crew in comparison to Hollywood can defy expectations and rise to the top of the cultural zeitgeist within mere months, anything is possible.
Now, with a Canadian Screen Award for best supporting performer in a drama series and the Radius Award for emerging Canadian talent breaking into significant international success under her belt, this is merely the beginning of a new chapter. In conversation with Schön!, Sophie Nélisse discusses closing the book on teen Shauna, navigating the success of being on two popular television shows, stepping into new creative endeavours and more.
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I’d like to touch on an interview you did with the Hollywood Reporter recently. There was a bit in there that resonated with me. You were discussing how you remember seeing characters on screen who made you feel seen and less alone. Can you expand on that for us? Who were those characters? What shows do you go to for comfort?
That’s a good question. In the past few years, ‘Normal People’ was a good one. There was something that felt so real about their relationship — how complex they can be and how hard they can be, how difficult to navigate, that sometimes love isn’t enough, and how they can keep missing each other.
Growing up, ‘Gilmore Girls’ was one that felt really comforting to me because it was a sort of unusual mother-daughter relationship that I have with my mom, where she’s more so my best friend than my parent. That’s not necessarily depicted often. Sometimes it’s finding characters on screen that I feel like give me a voice. I recently watched ‘The Penguin.’ Cristin Milioti obviously takes the character to an extreme, but she is such a good example of a woman who has been oppressed, put down, and not valued enough, in a space that’s male-driven and where they should have equal rights. The way that she comes out on top and slowly plots her revenge? That was something that made me feel very empowered.
One that’s made me feel so seen, and it’s ironic because it’s an animation, is ‘Inside Out.’ The way they depict anxiety and how your brain works is so spot on. It’s so visually powerful. That made me feel so understood. I remember watching it a year or two ago. I was 24. Never in my lifetime had I felt so seen. Mental health is not a topic that’s been approached in the generations before us, so having more of a discussion around it now is amazing, and that movie is giving a voice to a lot of people.
How does it feel to know some fans feel seen and comforted by the characters you’ve portrayed? What does that mean to you?
It’s hard to grasp sometimes because I think I’m a little naïve about the role I play or the impact it can have. Obviously, I’m not chronically online. I don’t love to read reviews for my own mental health. But whenever there’s a moment I get to connect in person with a fan, and they look me in the eye and tell me how deeply my work has connected with them, I feel this overwhelming sense of love. It brings me a lot of joy, and it reminds me, especially in moments of doubt or self-reflection, or moments where I’m working a little less, that at least what I did has touched people. The work I’ve put out there matters. Sometimes it’s the pat on the back that I need to bring myself up or to keep moving.
I love that. You fell into the industry, and I’m fascinated by the idea of a non-linear path in entertainment. You didn’t go to acting school. What has been the most challenging aspect of the industry as an artist, finding your path and voice? What’s the biggest risk you’ve ever taken?
The idea of rejection. The idea that there are so many factors that go into you getting a role, and it’s really the thing of: right place, right time, right people. It’s not necessarily the audition. Truthfully, oftentimes there are a handful of actresses that are as good and as talented, so it’s a matter of casting, it’s a matter of contacts. It’s hard when you care about a project to see it go to someone else. It’s dealing with that sense of rejection.
But in moments like that, I try to remind myself that I really do believe, in my core — and it doesn’t make it easier in the moment — that everything happens for a reason. If it’s not this one, it wasn’t meant to be. I really try to live by that. I’m not saying by any means that I have that way of thinking mastered, but it’s a rule that I try to live by.
As for the biggest challenge or risk, I guess you could say quitting gymnastics to pursue acting, because that was the most pivotal point in my career. I would also say giving a chance to new directors — the directors who have never really directed anything before. I do love working on indie films. It’s the background I’ve come from. It’s giving the opportunity to newcomers, and that can be a risk in itself. I’ve had great projects. There are other projects that I would take off my resume, but at the same time, I chose to take on that role for a specific reason, then, and I can’t say I regret that.
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You’ve said you’re constantly learning from your peers. What’s a lesson you’ve learned? And who has been that rock for you?
Different people give me different things. An example I often give is Sophie Thatcher. She’s beautiful to watch. She’s so comfortable in her body and the way she moves in space. I get quite stuck when I’m standing; I don’t know what to do with my arms and stuff like that. It’s been fun to watch her. It’s been fun to watch Liv because they are the comedic relief of the show. It’s fun to see how they tap into humour. I’ve never really done comedy, and they often pull faces or make a bold choice, which to me would seem very scary to do in the moment. It feels so big and unhabitual to what I’m used to in acting.
I’ve learned a lot from Courtney (Eaton), who I would say is the closest to how I tend to act. Sometimes I just watch her, and I’m in awe. She just has this stillness that’s so powerful, the way she’s so present in the moment. I honestly feel like I’m learning from everyone, but Courtney is my rock for so many different reasons. We’ve been through so many seasons together in life. We’ve really been there for each other in our worst and best times, and she knows me better than anyone else. She’s the one I gravitate to on set and in real life.
Ssince we’re touching a bit on ‘Yellowjackets’ here, what has been the general vibe on set, knowing this is the last season? How’re you feeling about it?
It’s very bizarre. I remember we were like, “Wow, this is the last time it will be our first day.” It’s weird. There’s this sense of not taking this season for granted. We’re making the most of it and enjoying every moment. This is not going to come as a surprise, and it’s not a spoiler, but we do get rescued this season. We get help. I’m very excited to see them (‘The Yellowjackets’) in these new surroundings and how they’ll adapt. It’s certainly very weird having scenes that aren’t in the wilderness anymore. That’s literally all we’ve ever known. It’s the only sets we’ve known, the only costumes, too. It’s going to feel very out of character to be back in reality.
How do you go about shedding one character and moving to the next? What are you tapping into when you take on a character like Shauna versus Rose versus Ellie, who are all so vastly different?
I’m not very method by any means. I think my only way to relate to a character is by finding pieces of myself within them. So, it’s not so much that I shed a character and I become a new one; it’s more so, what pieces of them do I identify with? And if there are none — because sometimes there can be none — what similar emotion have I gone through? At the end of the day, I realized emotions are universal. Pain is pain, and fear is fear. Then there are different facets to that pain, and there are different places where it stems from, different ways of dealing with that pain or that anger, that sadness in your body.
At the end of the day, I find a situation where I’ve been in pain, and then I find a situation where my character has been in pain and try to see how I can blend those. With each character, I find ways to identify with them.
You’ve lived inside Shauna’s skin for so long. What’s one thing you’re going to miss about her versus one thing you won’t?
Another good question. I won’t miss all the anger she has built up. I think that’s something that weighs heavily on her and me because I have to play that constantly. We’ve seen her grow, but she’s so resentful and still has a lot of that pent-up anger. That’s something I don’t like to live by. I’m not someone who’s very resentful or holds a lot of resentment or anger towards anyone. And so, I’m excited to be liberated from that.
Something I’ll miss is her sense of self-worth. I think, at the end of the day, she has this confidence that she’s found. I don’t think she really knows quite how to handle it or how to utilize it most healthily. But I do think she has found herself out there and knows her worth. That’s something I’m still in the process of figuring out in my own life. I will miss being able to grow alongside her.
You’ve been in two incredible shows, one obviously being ‘Yellowjackets’ and the second, now, ‘Heated Rivalry,’ both with very passionate fan bases. Can you talk a little about being on the other side of the coin and watching these things blow up in the way they have? How do you kind of navigate that as a person and as an artist?
Not being chronically online helps. Coming from Montreal, I’ve been able to see how much they’ve blown up and the repercussions that they’ve had, but I’m also able to watch from the sidelines as a bystander and not really be affected by it. There’s not really that big of a fandom culture in Montreal — anywhere in Canada, really, to be honest — which is why I want to keep living where I live. It gives me a break from the star system that can be so unhealthy and far removed from reality.
It’s fun to be able to watch it and be so happy for its success and to see how well it’s doing and how well it’s been resonating with people. But at the same time, I’m kind of sheltered from it by being back home. Having some sense of normalcy in my life comes from my surroundings, the people that I hang out with, my friends, my family, some of whom are completely unrelated to anything that has to do with the industry. They’re the ones I would say keep me sane and well-rounded.
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With ‘Heated Rivalry,’ one of my favourite things about the show is that while it centres on queer love, it also highlights other types of love: familial love and platonic love. Rose really goes out of her way to show how much she cares and solidifies herself as a safe space for Shane. Can you give us a hint as to Rose’s mindset going into that conversation at the restaurant?
You said it so well. The only thing she wants out of that conversation is for him to feel like he has a safe space. I think she’s someone who is just so caring. She’s had the opportunity in her life to be exactly who she is. She’s a famous actress, she’s successful, and that comes from people loving her the way she is, and she reaps the benefits of that. I think she’s — and this is maybe just the backstory that I’ve created for her — had that luck in her life to be completely herself. And that’s something so precious and so special.
She just wanted to make sure that he had that person who saw him for who he was and had this unconditional love for him. That’s not forcing him to come out or forcing anything on him. It’s being that comforting presence and saying, “Hey, I’m here no matter what. You can talk about it to me whenever you’re ready. And if it’s not now, that’s okay. But I’m just putting that out there for you to know.” Just to make him feel seen and validated. The scene is somewhat slow and tranquil and silent because sometimes support is eye contact, and it’s through a comforting smile, and it’s through a knowing look. That’s what we were trying to convey.
I read that you and Hudson (Williams) tended to go off script, which takes a certain level of trust. What did building that trust look like for you, and how much creative license did Jacob (Tierney) give you?
That’s what’s so special about Hudson. I don’t think we had to create anything. The trust was there immediately. I remember after our very first day, I was like, “I’ve never felt so comfortable and at ease and on the same page as anyone before.” There’s just something about him. He’s so comforting, and he’s so welcoming, and he’s so caring as well. We soon realized we had the exact same sense of humour, which is why we went off script in rehearsals because, from the few scenes we had together, we trusted that our chemistry was there. That’s what was going to speak first in the scene.
We didn’t want to ruin the moment by rehearsing it too much, which is why we were just fucking around. The cameras weren’t moving. There’s nothing really to rehearse, so we were like, “Let’s keep the emotion for the actual take.” We felt like we could do that because, as you said, Jacob gave us so much creative liberty. Not only did he give us the perfect mix of letting us interpret the scene, but he also had specific guidelines and notes. I’m someone who loves to be directed. I love a note.
I knew I had that freedom without any judgment on his side. I knew I would also be well taken care of when there were tweaks that needed to be made or when there were corrections or notes when it came to building that scene and bringing it to where it needed to be. I knew that I was in such good hands, and it would all be a very collaborative process. He came in with notes when needed, and it was all very fun.
As a fellow Canadian, to see the show take off has been incredible. It’s put a lot of eyes on Canadian media in a way I haven’t seen before. I don’t think we’ve really had anything this globally popular. As a Canadian actress, how does it feel to see our television and film ascending to the global stage? What do you hope that means for the future of Canadian entertainment?
I feel very proud. Canada is where a lot of my work is. I think we have amazing talent, amazing artists, that deserve to be seen and that deserve to be heard. It’s easy to celebrate them when they’re at a point or level like Denis Villeneuve, but they all started somewhere. And that’s by working with Canadian crews and other Canadian artisans. It’s important that we celebrate the early process as well as the actual success. This is just proof that a show that had basically no budget, a small crew compared to most shows — I mean, compared to ‘Yellowjackets,’ which has a crew three times the size — can make something so impactful that it reaches such a wide audience.
I hope that people will start taking Canadian art more seriously and that it will inspire other Canadian creators to keep going and to keep putting their work out there.
You’ve stepped into a producing role with Courtney for a film adaptation of the book ‘Girl in Pieces.’ What’s it been like to step into this new endeavour? What was it about the story that resonated with you so much that you wanted to see it adapted?
It’s been exciting. It’s been fun to have a little side quest where there’s no pressure. I mean, [laughs] I put pressure on myself, but I’m doing it for fun. No one knows me in that sphere or knows me as a producer. I feel like I have more freedom, and it’s not all eyes on me. It’s also been amazing to be in a place where I’m learning and out of my comfort zone. I feel like a fish out of water. It’s all very new to me, but so exciting.
To see things firsthand and be able to be in on the decision-making and bring my own vision to life feels very empowering. This story means so much to me because, to circle back to what we were saying at the beginning of the interview, I want to do work that resonates with people. That’s always what I go to look for in characters, or characters that make me feel seen and understood.
And again, similarly to ‘Inside Out,’ there’s this inner monologue that Charlie has that is just so powerful. And it’s exactly, word for word, what would sometimes go on in my brain. How she copes with her emotions is so similar to the way that I’ve dealt with a lot of my issues. think it’s a character that a lot of young girls are going to feel connected to. At the same time, we want it to be very bright and helpful and hopeful, to show girls that there is a way out and there is light at the end of the tunnel.
I was scrolling through your Instagram during research, and I noticed that you have an eye for photography. I love the behind-the-scenes candids and the more structured shots. They’re gorgeous. I dabble a little myself, so I selfishly have to ask: do you find yourself going for film or digital? Does photography kind of satiate another creative itch?
Both, honestly. I’ve been trying recently to get more into film. I have my little point-and-shoot, but I bought a beginner Canon AE. I learned how to get my own settings and to understand light metering and your shutter speed. I appreciate the compliment, but sometimes I feel like I’m an imposter because I’m like, “Most of these photos are nice because the camera does all the work for me.”
I mean, I like to use digital to be able to learn from my mistakes. I can kind of just pick it up and shoot and mess around with my settings and see what works best, and then apply them to my film camera. But I’ve been using them hand in hand to complement each other. As for the itch, I like having personal endeavours where I don’t feel any sort of pressure except for the pressure I put on myself. No one’s expecting me to be a good photographer. I find it fun. I like seeing my improvement from the photos I was taking years ago, but there’s no time frame for me to better myself. It’s another creative outlet for me to have fun with without feeling the need to be the best at it.
I pick it up when I have time. I also just love photography in general because I’m someone who’s very nostalgic, and I love to go back and look. I’m always scrolling through my phone and looking back at old photos when I’m on a plane. I love having a photo album. There’s just something about photography, especially film photography, that feels more like a moment in time. It’s left untouched, unedited. No one can modify it. It’s just that click, and it kind of lives now as is. And my camera roll on my phone — those will last forever. I cherish them. I love how spontaneous they are. I mean, I capture more candid moments. Maybe that’s why I love photography. I like people as they are. I’m not really trying to shoot in a studio. I don’t do portraits or anything like that. It’s just on the fly: what I see, what I love, what I want to remember.
Incredible!
Ironically, I’m on my walk right now to come drop off some film. I’m literally standing in front of the shop ready to drop off my roll to be developed. This is really ironic. [laughs] I literally have nothing on me aside from the roll from my last camera as we speak.
Before I let you go, I’d like to ask: as we look into the future, what is something you want to manifest for yourself this year or beyond?
Being more comfortable with the unknown. I’m someone who loves to live by an agenda. I love knowing. I love having plans. I also love being spontaneous, but I would say I’m quite regimented. And the unknown scares me. Whether that’s where I’m going to live in a few months, who I’m going to meet—there’s something really thrilling about not knowing. But it’s also something that makes me anxious. I’m learning to grow more at peace with that. I’m hoping to learn how to embrace it instead of trying to fight it and plan around it because, ultimately, it never goes according to plan.
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photography. Oceane Auclair
fashion. Kimberly Genest
talent. Sophie Nélisse
hair + make up. Shannie Jung
nails. Mat Makes
assistants. Raphaele Sohier + Eustache
studio. Mercredi Studio
editor. Kelsey Barnes
interview. Dana Reboe
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When we speak with Sophie Nélisse, she’s back in Vancouver filming the critically acclaimed final season of Showtime’s ‘Yellowjackets,’ a role that thrust the Canadian actress into the mainstream in a big way. Like most goodbyes, it’s bittersweet. She grew up alongside teen Shauna for 4 seasons – for better or worse. And while there are facets of the character she admittedly won’t miss, there are others that she’ll cherish alongside a slew of memories. No one on set is taking any of the time they have left for granted, she tells us. Instead, she’s soaking it all in while she can with her castmates, bidding a fond farewell to an incredible series.
But beyond the wilderness, Nélisse has been busy. From press tours for ‘Whistle,’ interviews about her pivotal role as Rose Landry in ‘Heated Rivalry,’ to producing her own film, ‘Girl in Pieces,’ alongside ‘Yellowjackets’ castmate Courtney Eaton, lately it’s been go-go-go. When asked about keeping sane among the whirlwind, she credits coming home to Canada — specifically, Montréal. Away from the toxicity of Hollywood culture, the entertainment machine, and the insanity that can be fandom, it’s a pocket of peace in the storm.
With ‘Heated Rivalry,’ shining a well-deserved light on Canadian film and television, Nélisse hopes that the show’s continued success will encourage artists to keep making art. If a show with a minimal budget and a smaller crew in comparison to Hollywood can defy expectations and rise to the top of the cultural zeitgeist within mere months, anything is possible.
Now, with a Canadian Screen Award for best supporting performer in a drama series and the Radius Award for emerging Canadian talent breaking into significant international success under her belt, this is merely the beginning of a new chapter. In conversation with Schön!, Sophie Nélisse discusses closing the book on teen Shauna, navigating the success of being on two popular television shows, stepping into new creative endeavours and more.
full look. Vintage
opposite
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I’d like to touch on an interview you did with the Hollywood Reporter recently. There was a bit in there that resonated with me. You were discussing how you remember seeing characters on screen who made you feel seen and less alone. Can you expand on that for us? Who were those characters? What shows do you go to for comfort?
That’s a good question. In the past few years, ‘Normal People’ was a good one. There was something that felt so real about their relationship — how complex they can be and how hard they can be, how difficult to navigate, that sometimes love isn’t enough, and how they can keep missing each other.
Growing up, ‘Gilmore Girls’ was one that felt really comforting to me because it was a sort of unusual mother-daughter relationship that I have with my mom, where she’s more so my best friend than my parent. That’s not necessarily depicted often. Sometimes it’s finding characters on screen that I feel like give me a voice. I recently watched ‘The Penguin.’ Cristin Milioti obviously takes the character to an extreme, but she is such a good example of a woman who has been oppressed, put down, and not valued enough, in a space that’s male-driven and where they should have equal rights. The way that she comes out on top and slowly plots her revenge? That was something that made me feel very empowered.
One that’s made me feel so seen, and it’s ironic because it’s an animation, is ‘Inside Out.’ The way they depict anxiety and how your brain works is so spot on. It’s so visually powerful. That made me feel so understood. I remember watching it a year or two ago. I was 24. Never in my lifetime had I felt so seen. Mental health is not a topic that’s been approached in the generations before us, so having more of a discussion around it now is amazing, and that movie is giving a voice to a lot of people.
How does it feel to know some fans feel seen and comforted by the characters you’ve portrayed? What does that mean to you?
It’s hard to grasp sometimes because I think I’m a little naïve about the role I play or the impact it can have. Obviously, I’m not chronically online. I don’t love to read reviews for my own mental health. But whenever there’s a moment I get to connect in person with a fan, and they look me in the eye and tell me how deeply my work has connected with them, I feel this overwhelming sense of love. It brings me a lot of joy, and it reminds me, especially in moments of doubt or self-reflection, or moments where I’m working a little less, that at least what I did has touched people. The work I’ve put out there matters. Sometimes it’s the pat on the back that I need to bring myself up or to keep moving.
I love that. You fell into the industry, and I’m fascinated by the idea of a non-linear path in entertainment. You didn’t go to acting school. What has been the most challenging aspect of the industry as an artist, finding your path and voice? What’s the biggest risk you’ve ever taken?
The idea of rejection. The idea that there are so many factors that go into you getting a role, and it’s really the thing of: right place, right time, right people. It’s not necessarily the audition. Truthfully, oftentimes there are a handful of actresses that are as good and as talented, so it’s a matter of casting, it’s a matter of contacts. It’s hard when you care about a project to see it go to someone else. It’s dealing with that sense of rejection.
But in moments like that, I try to remind myself that I really do believe, in my core — and it doesn’t make it easier in the moment — that everything happens for a reason. If it’s not this one, it wasn’t meant to be. I really try to live by that. I’m not saying by any means that I have that way of thinking mastered, but it’s a rule that I try to live by.
As for the biggest challenge or risk, I guess you could say quitting gymnastics to pursue acting, because that was the most pivotal point in my career. I would also say giving a chance to new directors — the directors who have never really directed anything before. I do love working on indie films. It’s the background I’ve come from. It’s giving the opportunity to newcomers, and that can be a risk in itself. I’ve had great projects. There are other projects that I would take off my resume, but at the same time, I chose to take on that role for a specific reason, then, and I can’t say I regret that.
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You’ve said you’re constantly learning from your peers. What’s a lesson you’ve learned? And who has been that rock for you?
Different people give me different things. An example I often give is Sophie Thatcher. She’s beautiful to watch. She’s so comfortable in her body and the way she moves in space. I get quite stuck when I’m standing; I don’t know what to do with my arms and stuff like that. It’s been fun to watch her. It’s been fun to watch Liv because they are the comedic relief of the show. It’s fun to see how they tap into humour. I’ve never really done comedy, and they often pull faces or make a bold choice, which to me would seem very scary to do in the moment. It feels so big and unhabitual to what I’m used to in acting.
I’ve learned a lot from Courtney (Eaton), who I would say is the closest to how I tend to act. Sometimes I just watch her, and I’m in awe. She just has this stillness that’s so powerful, the way she’s so present in the moment. I honestly feel like I’m learning from everyone, but Courtney is my rock for so many different reasons. We’ve been through so many seasons together in life. We’ve really been there for each other in our worst and best times, and she knows me better than anyone else. She’s the one I gravitate to on set and in real life.
Ssince we’re touching a bit on ‘Yellowjackets’ here, what has been the general vibe on set, knowing this is the last season? How’re you feeling about it?
It’s very bizarre. I remember we were like, “Wow, this is the last time it will be our first day.” It’s weird. There’s this sense of not taking this season for granted. We’re making the most of it and enjoying every moment. This is not going to come as a surprise, and it’s not a spoiler, but we do get rescued this season. We get help. I’m very excited to see them (‘The Yellowjackets’) in these new surroundings and how they’ll adapt. It’s certainly very weird having scenes that aren’t in the wilderness anymore. That’s literally all we’ve ever known. It’s the only sets we’ve known, the only costumes, too. It’s going to feel very out of character to be back in reality.
How do you go about shedding one character and moving to the next? What are you tapping into when you take on a character like Shauna versus Rose versus Ellie, who are all so vastly different?
I’m not very method by any means. I think my only way to relate to a character is by finding pieces of myself within them. So, it’s not so much that I shed a character and I become a new one; it’s more so, what pieces of them do I identify with? And if there are none — because sometimes there can be none — what similar emotion have I gone through? At the end of the day, I realized emotions are universal. Pain is pain, and fear is fear. Then there are different facets to that pain, and there are different places where it stems from, different ways of dealing with that pain or that anger, that sadness in your body.
At the end of the day, I find a situation where I’ve been in pain, and then I find a situation where my character has been in pain and try to see how I can blend those. With each character, I find ways to identify with them.
You’ve lived inside Shauna’s skin for so long. What’s one thing you’re going to miss about her versus one thing you won’t?
Another good question. I won’t miss all the anger she has built up. I think that’s something that weighs heavily on her and me because I have to play that constantly. We’ve seen her grow, but she’s so resentful and still has a lot of that pent-up anger. That’s something I don’t like to live by. I’m not someone who’s very resentful or holds a lot of resentment or anger towards anyone. And so, I’m excited to be liberated from that.
Something I’ll miss is her sense of self-worth. I think, at the end of the day, she has this confidence that she’s found. I don’t think she really knows quite how to handle it or how to utilize it most healthily. But I do think she has found herself out there and knows her worth. That’s something I’m still in the process of figuring out in my own life. I will miss being able to grow alongside her.
You’ve been in two incredible shows, one obviously being ‘Yellowjackets’ and the second, now, ‘Heated Rivalry,’ both with very passionate fan bases. Can you talk a little about being on the other side of the coin and watching these things blow up in the way they have? How do you kind of navigate that as a person and as an artist?
Not being chronically online helps. Coming from Montreal, I’ve been able to see how much they’ve blown up and the repercussions that they’ve had, but I’m also able to watch from the sidelines as a bystander and not really be affected by it. There’s not really that big of a fandom culture in Montreal — anywhere in Canada, really, to be honest — which is why I want to keep living where I live. It gives me a break from the star system that can be so unhealthy and far removed from reality.
It’s fun to be able to watch it and be so happy for its success and to see how well it’s doing and how well it’s been resonating with people. But at the same time, I’m kind of sheltered from it by being back home. Having some sense of normalcy in my life comes from my surroundings, the people that I hang out with, my friends, my family, some of whom are completely unrelated to anything that has to do with the industry. They’re the ones I would say keep me sane and well-rounded.
full look. Vintage
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With ‘Heated Rivalry,’ one of my favourite things about the show is that while it centres on queer love, it also highlights other types of love: familial love and platonic love. Rose really goes out of her way to show how much she cares and solidifies herself as a safe space for Shane. Can you give us a hint as to Rose’s mindset going into that conversation at the restaurant?
You said it so well. The only thing she wants out of that conversation is for him to feel like he has a safe space. I think she’s someone who is just so caring. She’s had the opportunity in her life to be exactly who she is. She’s a famous actress, she’s successful, and that comes from people loving her the way she is, and she reaps the benefits of that. I think she’s — and this is maybe just the backstory that I’ve created for her — had that luck in her life to be completely herself. And that’s something so precious and so special.
She just wanted to make sure that he had that person who saw him for who he was and had this unconditional love for him. That’s not forcing him to come out or forcing anything on him. It’s being that comforting presence and saying, “Hey, I’m here no matter what. You can talk about it to me whenever you’re ready. And if it’s not now, that’s okay. But I’m just putting that out there for you to know.” Just to make him feel seen and validated. The scene is somewhat slow and tranquil and silent because sometimes support is eye contact, and it’s through a comforting smile, and it’s through a knowing look. That’s what we were trying to convey.
I read that you and Hudson (Williams) tended to go off script, which takes a certain level of trust. What did building that trust look like for you, and how much creative license did Jacob (Tierney) give you?
That’s what’s so special about Hudson. I don’t think we had to create anything. The trust was there immediately. I remember after our very first day, I was like, “I’ve never felt so comfortable and at ease and on the same page as anyone before.” There’s just something about him. He’s so comforting, and he’s so welcoming, and he’s so caring as well. We soon realized we had the exact same sense of humour, which is why we went off script in rehearsals because, from the few scenes we had together, we trusted that our chemistry was there. That’s what was going to speak first in the scene.
We didn’t want to ruin the moment by rehearsing it too much, which is why we were just fucking around. The cameras weren’t moving. There’s nothing really to rehearse, so we were like, “Let’s keep the emotion for the actual take.” We felt like we could do that because, as you said, Jacob gave us so much creative liberty. Not only did he give us the perfect mix of letting us interpret the scene, but he also had specific guidelines and notes. I’m someone who loves to be directed. I love a note.
I knew I had that freedom without any judgment on his side. I knew I would also be well taken care of when there were tweaks that needed to be made or when there were corrections or notes when it came to building that scene and bringing it to where it needed to be. I knew that I was in such good hands, and it would all be a very collaborative process. He came in with notes when needed, and it was all very fun.
As a fellow Canadian, to see the show take off has been incredible. It’s put a lot of eyes on Canadian media in a way I haven’t seen before. I don’t think we’ve really had anything this globally popular. As a Canadian actress, how does it feel to see our television and film ascending to the global stage? What do you hope that means for the future of Canadian entertainment?
I feel very proud. Canada is where a lot of my work is. I think we have amazing talent, amazing artists, that deserve to be seen and that deserve to be heard. It’s easy to celebrate them when they’re at a point or level like Denis Villeneuve, but they all started somewhere. And that’s by working with Canadian crews and other Canadian artisans. It’s important that we celebrate the early process as well as the actual success. This is just proof that a show that had basically no budget, a small crew compared to most shows — I mean, compared to ‘Yellowjackets,’ which has a crew three times the size — can make something so impactful that it reaches such a wide audience.
I hope that people will start taking Canadian art more seriously and that it will inspire other Canadian creators to keep going and to keep putting their work out there.
You’ve stepped into a producing role with Courtney for a film adaptation of the book ‘Girl in Pieces.’ What’s it been like to step into this new endeavour? What was it about the story that resonated with you so much that you wanted to see it adapted?
It’s been exciting. It’s been fun to have a little side quest where there’s no pressure. I mean, [laughs] I put pressure on myself, but I’m doing it for fun. No one knows me in that sphere or knows me as a producer. I feel like I have more freedom, and it’s not all eyes on me. It’s also been amazing to be in a place where I’m learning and out of my comfort zone. I feel like a fish out of water. It’s all very new to me, but so exciting.
To see things firsthand and be able to be in on the decision-making and bring my own vision to life feels very empowering. This story means so much to me because, to circle back to what we were saying at the beginning of the interview, I want to do work that resonates with people. That’s always what I go to look for in characters, or characters that make me feel seen and understood.
And again, similarly to ‘Inside Out,’ there’s this inner monologue that Charlie has that is just so powerful. And it’s exactly, word for word, what would sometimes go on in my brain. How she copes with her emotions is so similar to the way that I’ve dealt with a lot of my issues. think it’s a character that a lot of young girls are going to feel connected to. At the same time, we want it to be very bright and helpful and hopeful, to show girls that there is a way out and there is light at the end of the tunnel.
I was scrolling through your Instagram during research, and I noticed that you have an eye for photography. I love the behind-the-scenes candids and the more structured shots. They’re gorgeous. I dabble a little myself, so I selfishly have to ask: do you find yourself going for film or digital? Does photography kind of satiate another creative itch?
Both, honestly. I’ve been trying recently to get more into film. I have my little point-and-shoot, but I bought a beginner Canon AE. I learned how to get my own settings and to understand light metering and your shutter speed. I appreciate the compliment, but sometimes I feel like I’m an imposter because I’m like, “Most of these photos are nice because the camera does all the work for me.”
I mean, I like to use digital to be able to learn from my mistakes. I can kind of just pick it up and shoot and mess around with my settings and see what works best, and then apply them to my film camera. But I’ve been using them hand in hand to complement each other. As for the itch, I like having personal endeavours where I don’t feel any sort of pressure except for the pressure I put on myself. No one’s expecting me to be a good photographer. I find it fun. I like seeing my improvement from the photos I was taking years ago, but there’s no time frame for me to better myself. It’s another creative outlet for me to have fun with without feeling the need to be the best at it.
I pick it up when I have time. I also just love photography in general because I’m someone who’s very nostalgic, and I love to go back and look. I’m always scrolling through my phone and looking back at old photos when I’m on a plane. I love having a photo album. There’s just something about photography, especially film photography, that feels more like a moment in time. It’s left untouched, unedited. No one can modify it. It’s just that click, and it kind of lives now as is. And my camera roll on my phone — those will last forever. I cherish them. I love how spontaneous they are. I mean, I capture more candid moments. Maybe that’s why I love photography. I like people as they are. I’m not really trying to shoot in a studio. I don’t do portraits or anything like that. It’s just on the fly: what I see, what I love, what I want to remember.
Incredible!
Ironically, I’m on my walk right now to come drop off some film. I’m literally standing in front of the shop ready to drop off my roll to be developed. This is really ironic. [laughs] I literally have nothing on me aside from the roll from my last camera as we speak.
Before I let you go, I’d like to ask: as we look into the future, what is something you want to manifest for yourself this year or beyond?
Being more comfortable with the unknown. I’m someone who loves to live by an agenda. I love knowing. I love having plans. I also love being spontaneous, but I would say I’m quite regimented. And the unknown scares me. Whether that’s where I’m going to live in a few months, who I’m going to meet—there’s something really thrilling about not knowing. But it’s also something that makes me anxious. I’m learning to grow more at peace with that. I’m hoping to learn how to embrace it instead of trying to fight it and plan around it because, ultimately, it never goes according to plan.
full look. Vintage
photography. Oceane Auclair
fashion. Kimberly Genest
talent. Sophie Nélisse
hair + make up. Shannie Jung
nails. Mat Makes
assistants. Raphaele Sohier + Eustache
studio. Mercredi Studio
editor. Kelsey Barnes
interview. Dana Reboe
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