TPS182: An Interview With Keilani Rose (aka Miigwan)
Episode Details
Transcript
The gang at The Produce Stand are joined by Keilani Rose, who plays Miigwan on Shoresy.
Speaker 1
00:00
Everyone out here. Before we begin tonight's special episode. I would like to give a quick shout-out to our sponsor diabolical coffee. It's devilishly, good coffee, and diabolically awesome swag. There's a rose for all tastes. You can order whole bean course and standard grind espresso. There's even a K-Cup option for single cup Brewers. And right now, you can use a promo code produce, stand for 20% off, anything in the store. That's 20% off all coffee and merch. Thank you diabolical coffee and Eric for your support. Now, here's our chat with kailani rose. While we A gathering virtually. Today, we acknowledge that each of us is on the traditional territory of many nations across Turtle Island. We record in Toronto, the traditional territory of the Mississauga's of the credit, the initial Beck, the Chippewa The, Who dentinal Shoni and the wind at people's today. It is home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit and métis people's. We offer this acknowledgement as a stepping stone toward honoring, the original occupants, a testimony to the oppression faced by indigenous. — peoples and our commitment to creating dialogues aimed at addressing such systemic Injustice, that fresh produce stand there. That's a beauty. What do you listen to my favorite murder podcast, guess the produce stand f****** sexy? It's thirsty, Thursday. And that means we are once again, hang out, the produce and podcast, covering everything in that universe. Now I know what you're thinking there are many other Letterkenny podcasts out there but this one finally got its first female cast member interview. I am out your host and joining me in the room as the lovely 10 you and online. We have squirrely met. Victor is gallivanting across Europe by train, so he can't join us. But he is in his Bliss and joining us this week. She's an award-winning filmmaker actor. DJ classically and culturally trained dancer. She won the 2021 Award for best choreography at the Cannes World film festival for the film within the silence. You may have seen her and shows like flimsy or the film, the color rose, but we all know and love her as me. Guan on Shore. Z, please join me in making some noise for a kailani rose. Great. Welcome to the produce stand kailani. Thinks, you know what? Hit her that though? Even know what to say? I am happy to be here. Thank you for having me. Mahalo, thank you so much for joining us tonight at today. I mean, I said it in your intro, but thank you for being the brave, first, female cast member we have had on the show. We have interviewed most of the slots from Shore Z. We have interviewed a lot of the male staff male cast members on Letterkenny, but the, the ladies have eluded us. I think they think we're, you know, I don't know creepy or something. So even though my wife here is try. And to tell him, it's okay. But here you are. Thank you so much for joining us. Let us start with where you join us from. All right. Yeah so here we go. A little duck health for you. My traditional language from here in pletely Two Rivers territory. So at all kailani Rosa hütte knee, Illuminati Brown until @cn show Captain own Forrester. Brown inlay ETSU Cho granny. See more inlay clinically native snake a had a natto in a it Hoda uni in Cocina. See so My name is Kalani. I am the daughter of Nani Brown. I am the great-granddaughter of Captain, no enforcer Brown, and the great-granddaughter of the legendary granny Seymour. I am coming to you live, from klayton, a territory, the people were the two rivers flow together. Also known as Prince George in central, interior, BC and ice. And I was born and raised here and I have just come home. So it's really good to be joining you from my traditional homelands today, amazing. So your up and Prince. George BC, what's it up? Like there right now? Gorgeous somebody a little buggy. You get excited right now but you know the snow is melted. The river is high and the sun is out, so cannot complain. It feels great. And thank you for that intro of your from yourself that made. That made me like shutter. Le that was sounded so amazing and just, I love that you did that. So, thank you. Thank sharing that with us. It's really exciting to share with you because I am just learning it myself. Elf and I feel like being able to continue carrying revitalization with our language is so meaningful to me. So yeah, thank you for sure. I was amazing. So you say you're from there originally so you were born and raised in Prince George. Yes, I was, but I have seen you, you're also, you also have a home in Hawaii, or is that what's your connection there, to those islands? So, Mom's family is also from there? There's quite a few intersections with our indigenous Roots. So we have a great. Grandpa of mine who came here and is renowned for his navigational skills. But enough Polynesian following the stars, but yeah, fell in love with that lately woman. So there're indigenous Roots intertwined and the family from the islands of Hawaii. Originally, comes from Maui, which I have yet to visit. Oh, but my family right now lives on the big island Kona side, which has a special place in my heart for sure. It's a role. In those places we have always wanted to visit. And one day, I will get out there for sure. So let us talk about mean, your, your, your IMDb and actually your background is interesting because like I said, you're an artist. You're an actor. You're a dancer. What comes first? What did you what? Your first love Whoo, my first love and forever love will be dance and movement. I learned that growing up in the household from my mother who learned it from her father traditional hula. And that was the thing that I mean she has photos of me standing up like I am learning how to stand, and I am like, I can fit underneath the chair, and I am dressed up in My Lai, and she was, you know, sharing her hula, and I am like That was the beginnings, like still getting my legs but already moving. So I think that's a language that I know and that I love because it's so Universal. Hmm. How far did you take that? Did you go onto to like, study it post-secondary? I am yes. So, I will be real with you. My first Dream, and the path that I thought I would be on right now, was to danced with Beyonce. Nice. At least you're dreaming big right there. Guys, my birthday. August. So if anybody wants to give me Beyoncé tickets and Vancouver, not all right, our listeners are on it already. Yeah post-secondary. Yeah I moved. I had a scholarship for a four-year ride up at UMBC. We don't really at the time. We didn't have much of an arts program and that's where all my love's are. So, I registered because my mom was super stoked and I dropped out before I even finished. Master and I ended up going down to Vancouver to pursue dance to so-called Vancouver to the musqueam Squamish and Layla tooth Tara traditional territories and kind of followed a path of Classical Ballet and then that ended up turning into more commercial and urban or not. I am not saying Urban anymore but like more commercialized Styles because I landed a Disney cruise ship contract. Nice, very cool. Kind of my first like dance break and a really enjoyable. All of time of life. And yeah, a lot of, a lot of my family still in the dance world. I love the intersectionality, whenever there's an opportunity to bring dance and weave it into my creative projects that I do and I will just do a little detour story for you guys, if you want. Yeah, we love those. We love stories. Awesome. I was just participating in a collaborative Arts Festival up here in clearly Territory called Community moves, put together by a good friend of mine shall be, who shall be Richardson, who has method dance company. And it's a contemporary company. And this Festival was so cool because they basically just it was its first annual, and I am really excited for it to come back, but they brought together all the intersections of artists you could imagine it was just like this creative pot of like hey what do you do? What do we want to do? And how do we put it all together? So we had contemporary dancers, we had poets, we had Actors we had visual artists painters, graphic designers, and everybody just kind of collaborated between these 12 different pieces, and we have this Community Showcase that was just the best Creative Energy. So nice, the piece that I shared with the three dancers, the harp player and the visual artist is called River work. And the theme of it that we co-created was just what it means to embrace the teachings of the water. And River where we live here, as a collective responsibility towards embracing truth, and healing and how we're working together to really move forward as a community. So it gives me chills thinking about these opportunities that, come together, where I can really offer those gifts of dance and storytelling, and now, representation for my culture. And so, yeah, I guess it's my first love. Dance is my first love. And it's still it's carrying through with me and so many in so many ways and kind of we're going to go on the whole of the tangent, but I am just going to pause right there? I am still sort of the kickstarter for all the other appease. This is certainly passionate though you can see yeah sure this River work is this available somewhere online that we can now watch it or direct people to go see it? Oh I don't know if there is recording released yet but Well if there is share it with us, and we will definitely amplify it through our channels because that'd be great. Yeah, yeah for sure I will get that to you and you know what you just sparked me another I was going to ask you a question. Yeah it's gone. It's okay look, if it comes back an old problem, just interrupt whatever we're saying and because we're here for you so let us talk about I mean the dancing obviously, you're very passionate about that. And so this, I mean this is a big deal. You win the best Ography at the Cannes Film Festival. So this is for dancing that you did for a movie is that what happened there? Yes. It's a short film. That my friend, Jade Taylor, wrote and directed it. I am so happy. And just so happy to talk about this one representation for the disabled Community, we had a beautiful story that she wrote about domestic abuse and sort of the gift of imagination and creativity. Beauty in terms of healing as well. So we follow this young seven-year-old girl who is deaf and sort of. We witness the domestic violence that's happening in her home and her fairytale world. She goes into and kind of, it's like a fairy godmother to roll the pixie. She takes her into her fairytale realm where she escapes from that violence and At the very end, you kind of see how her mother takes charge of kind of ending that cycle and it was just a beautiful depiction of resilience. And the wonderful thing about that experience itself was exploring accessibility on set because the casting was very authentic to the role. So we had this young girl who was hearing impaired and so it was a really wonderful opportunity for our whole entire crew and cast to learn the basics of American Sign Language and practice that and it was so cool too, because we really had to get creative with our queuing because there was no way to say action. You know it was like very Visual and it just was such an eye-opening experience in itself. And then to be able to weave together choreography, that also showed sort of that relationship from between arts and expression from this little girl's perspective. Yeah, it was a special one for sure. Well it's amazing. You I am sorry and I love that like I imagine that was experiencing putting yourself in the shoes of anyone or that eye-opening experiences when you were embedded in them. You know we take a lot of things for granted, and I am sure like you said, you could Say action. Like a simple gesture like that is a whole different world to someone with a disability. So yeah that's pretty wild to think through. But I love you guys, embrace the authenticity around that and kept it real. Hmm. Were you able to go to Cannes for the festival unfortunately not year? That's too bad. One day. Yeah, one day but I still a great relationship so that's exactly. Exactly. Yeah. So according to your, IMDb your first acting role or credit anyway is the color rose also in 2020. So can you tell us a little bit about that one? Absolutely, a great group of humans, a really wonderful time because we filmed it up here in the north if you want to call it that or over on the west coast. Yeah. Just a story exploring sort of teenage friendships belonging There was a lot, a lot of going on with that piece but what I can say is the seven of us, sort of the main gang, the Gaggle, a long-standing relationship from that film. And it's on, I think it's on all platforms right now. It actually changed its name once it got picked up by Distributors. So now I think it's known as the Sinners but originally I believed that the Creator was hoping for it to be called the color rose or it would that's its original Okay, so maybe that's why I couldn't find it. So the Sinners, I will have to check that one out for sure. This is what I mean. So how did you get into acting? And I mean, how did this come about? So this is a really interesting question because what it makes me think of that's good me such as look like, okay, I don't know either you're going somewhere, so I am gonna attention. Yeah, it makes me think about what acting is and when I break that down for myself, what I come to is storytelling It's exploration of humanity, what our relationships mean and who we are as humans. I think about when that first entered into a value system, or a communication system, and how that is embedded in my life, and I really think on sort of spiritual and cultural level, it's in my blood, my Esther's from keightley and also my kanaka maoli. Ancestors from Hawaii. We had no written languages, right? Pre-contact. And so everything history, Traditions language. All of our knowledge was passed down through storytelling through dance, through chant. And so there is definitely a really deep connection to storytelling in sort of innate way of being, that is, That's really special to me and that I feel really honored to be doing as a career as a passion as this contemporary form in honor of my ancestors and everyone who came before me. So I think in a really like deeply spiritual sense, it's always a part of me and a part of who I come from. And then, if I am talking about a more sort of technical physical breakdown of life and kailani and what, The pathway was with that, it definitely came into my lap. Like it was a more of the thing that found me right wasn't ever searching for it and to be real with you guys, I never knew that I could play in this world when I was growing up, there was not a whole lot of representation. If any that I saw of people who look like me of indigenous women of mixed race, women playing any roles at all, I think It really limited my awareness of how to be included in that space. So it just wasn't on my radar and I really was pursuing the dance, the dance pathway and it was only because I went in search of an agent for dance, the acting fell into my lap because the person that I submitted to was, like, sure, I will take you on the roster, your dope, but you're going to go take acting class, right? I am sorry. Okay fun. So I mean with everything you talked about there and your connection with this space when you finally got that first opportunity, did you, did you find it a very natural transition for yourself, or were there some real challenges in, putting yourself another camera and taking on these roles in these personalities? How did you shift into that? Hmm, excellent question. I think that I am really grateful. I am really grateful to have acted in my life because of how healing it is personally and intergenerationally. I know that a lot of my childhood conditioning, not to get into a hole deep dark pathway, but there was a lot of abuse in my family and a lot of conditioning towards being silent, and that was the best way to stay safe. So, I don't think I had a lot of comfort with my voice. Ace and entering into the world of acting really guided me towards a confidence with my voice and towards a courage with embracing my voice that I am so grateful for it's amazing though. I think there was definitely like some trauma to break through but it felt so liberating. Yeah, I mean you have definitely found your voice and let us what we won't get too far away from acting, but we do, I just want to really quickly touch upon Your production to. I mean, when we talk about the birth of two rivers and a rose filmworks Incorporated, what's what is that? Hmm. This is a culmination of the namesake of my place. The mission that I am on as an artist and what it feels like to rise. I love that. So two rivers, as you know, is the place that I was born in. It's my people. What guides me in life you know, these teachings of convergence these teachings of unity of the strength and coming together and also the intersections as an artist. I find so much resonance like in that as part of my identity. The rhythm of it is also a cool story. I was nerding out during the pandemic on masterclass. I am a Big fan of Spike Lee, and I was gonna be going hard with all of his stories and I started learning about the namesake of his production company, which is 40 acres and a mule, right? And I am not sure if you're familiar with it but for any of the listeners who are not familiar with it, 40 acres and a mule was, what was promised in the South to the slaves, right in reparations, when they were liberated which was never delivered. And I was listening to Spike Lee talk about the Earth of his Productions and the voice that he was trying to amplify for representation of indigenous, art of black Stories, the representation of black stories in Hollywood and mainstream media, and just that Reclamation of space. And I really resonated with that. And, so I also loved how the minute you hear, it, kind of like rolls off the tongue and you're just like, what's the story with that? That's a very specific image. There's got to be a story. Yeah, go Um, I think just in, in the name of that Reclamation and Resurgence from an indigenous perspective, there's that element to it as well. And then, lastly, the rose part. That's the to, that's me. Yeah. And I will tell you one more story. That's okay. I feel like I am just gonna know that's what we're. That's why we're here. Originally okay, roses originally my middle name. Okay, come on Elisabeth Rose and then I had another last name which was my father's last name but I legally changed it. When I was getting rid of some of that energy and cleansing that space for myself, I wasn't too sure. What the with the new last name was going to be within the family. We were all talking about kind of doing that change together, and I was really impatient. I am just going to say patience is not a straight line. So in the midst of These discussions and trying to come to an idea together. I was like, you know what you guys when it comes, it comes. But for the meantime, I am just going to keep my middle name and my sister was like, that's really cool. I was like what do you mean? She's like well came on Heroes. She's like it's the past tense of rise rights didn't even done. I don't even think about that. Wow you're right yeah I just felt like some energy and like a perv that I really wanted to embody moving forward. So Is that cool piece to it. And also one other one, other piece of the story, which really brought me to tears this past year in my reconnection journey to indigenous community. Of course, you guys have gotten to know me a little bit sort of my first language. My first love everything that I resonate with is music and dance. And when I was coming home to Mike lately Community, I was asking my cousin's. You know, how do I learn our traditional songs and dances? And the answer for our communities is it all comes from the matriarchal Clan. So I have to know my clan to be able to know my songs and dances. And that's a still, a big question mark for my family. There's a lot of Disconnect there within records and within, you know, the whole mess of bureaucracy and colonization, but I found out just this year, that it traces back to a great ancestor. Who was born in lock, oh, Glands, which translates to the place of the Wild Roses. And when I found that out, I literally sat in my living room, for a minute. Had some tears to myself because I can't explain to you guys how much it means as someone who as an indigenous person who grew up, disconnected from Community coming home and finding belonging and finding family. And so to feel like it was finding me before I found it, it just was like a really, really powerful moment. It all came together. It made sense. All one said, it's amazing. Yeah. Wow. So last couple of years have been rough on everybody but and I really don't want to dwell on this, but let me just need to touch on it a bit and spend as much time as you want or comfortable with, but we need to talk about your harrowing ordeal from last year. I mean, first of all, how are you doing? Thank you for asking that. I appreciate the gentle question. I feel hmm. I feel so grateful to be here. I feel really grateful to be having this conversation with you, but with you three right now and it definitely feels like the days are precious. Feels like a really meaningful Fresh Start rebirth in a way especially because I am able to come home to where I was born and really reset. And really Look intentionally at all the firsts that I am having in this bonus round and how I want to redo them for a little kehlani. You know, the things that might have gone sideways or the things that you, you know, you would want to have for your little person in a good way that maybe weren't so good the first time. So I am feeling really, really grateful that I can have that awareness coming into this new chapter. I feel physically. Great. Great, like think like, yeah, thank you for the question. I think that part was a little bit. I think maybe made it even trickier just because my body was so much ahead of my brain and my heart and like, mentally and spiritually. It took a while to catch up to where I was at physically and I guess that's a blessing. Yeah, well, I mean, especially with dance being such a big part of your life. I mean, was there at any point the time when you thought, oh my God, I that won't be a part of it. Like, I don't want to Again, I don't want to dwell too much on the negative, but I am just trying to see where you are at now, like, where you went came from and where you're at now, right? I mean, till on Eros, you Rose from this and I love the way you call it your bonus round the year. Yeah, that's amazing. That's cute. I like it. Thank you. Yeah, I mean there are some discouraging moments in the hospital for sure and there was one moment the night that it happened that I really had. I was fighting so hard, and I was conscious It's on the table, in the in trauma Bay and the, ER, the whole time, and I was feeling every single sensation. The whole time that they, there is 10, doctors, emergency workers and nurses, 10 of them in the room, saving me that night and, wow, I can't say thank you enough to those people, but there is definitely one moment where I was like, I don't know if I could do this, like, I just remember feeling that pain and Being like I am fighting so hard, I am fighting and fighting. And then there was one moment where I asked them, I was like, how long is it going to feel like this? Because of what they were trying to do to save my long, and they told me it would be in there for a few days and I just remember being like, yeah so yeah there are some moments where I really like really had to dig into that fight. And physically coming out of it. I think when I couldn't lift my arm or have strength on that, right side of my body that was caused a little bit, a depression for a little while. So I think just working through gentleness with myself in those moments and relearning how to take it slow. Yeah. How are you guys? So are you at 100% now would you say 80% 90%? What would you think? Well, I have this cool little doohickey thing. I should show it to you guys, it looks like a milkshake cup, okay? And it's okay. So that I can measure my lung capacity and my all right. Yes. The bullet went straight through my right long. So it's fully collapsed and filled with blood but the human body is incredible and I believe aside from a little bit of scar tissue that were coming back on track with that guy and it looks like my lung capacity is Maybe Right now, I should go on a hike and test it out, you know. Take your time, he only to push it straight away. Stay in low altitude. Yeah. Well altitudes, yeah. No doubt is one thing that I ended up doing, right, right. As soon as I was cleared of a really good friend of mine, invited me into the Andes in Ecuador, which as, you know, is the highest altitude world. And I went there to see a medicine spiritual community, and I was a little nervous because I was like what's going to happen in this altitude but it was a really nice kind of breakthrough moment where I was like, okay. If I can handle this I think I am over the hump and now it's just pushing for as honestly as you tell this my heart is racing like this is I am sorry you had to go through that, so I will move. But I am so amazed at how you persevered and come out the other side. I can tell you, I mean, obviously is our first one-on-one with you around this, but when your event happened everyone surrounding The Letterkenny in the shores a universe. We all Stood Still. Like it was, it was caught us all off guard. And obviously we only knew you through your role and then anything that we have expanded say, no, look at how amazing she is here. Let us see what else is out there. But it stopped us all in our tracks, and we're all following your journey, and we're so just amazed ear out the other side and is doing as well as you are. So very great. Thank you so much for sharing, but love for story with us, you're just so, you're so inspirational. You're so well-spoken. Spoken. And so you're so moving just to hear your story and to hear about your life, you are just your incredible, just incredible. I want to give you guys some love and just to shout out because I am really appreciative of how sensitive you are the way you invite a safe conversation about trauma. I think that being trauma-informed is so important and just thank For handling that. So gently, I am grateful to share a little bit with you on that and also I got to give some love to all the shore, Z community, that gave me love during that time because I did feel it. So, thank you guys. I think, I think I said at one point they're making me cry. Like, Shores, eat during the national anthem. I just felt the love. So yeah, perfect. Well, I hope you did because it was, it was felt all around here, too. So, let us get to happier stuff now, shall we? We let us talk about Shore Z. This is the paid ad review. This is a paid content. People are here to listen to this short as he and we have taken half of the time getting here but it was all worth the journey. How this is, you know, your first acting job was in 2020. How do you get into Shore Z bro? Okay, so I think it was what it was definitely summer time I am going to say June before we started filming season. One which we did in November that year Juna get this email casting call as per usual. And I read the sides, I am like f*** is an aqueduct and the material is just so fun, like Jared's writing. Come on. So, I mean, I just, I just sent in a tape and I had so much fun taping it. Yeah, and then I went outside to play in the sun with my friends, and I kind of just, you know, you let it go. You try to forget about it because he get your hopes up. It's never a good thing. But, um, I mean, yeah, I just felt really natural like yeah, I don't want to say that I am a hard ass because I am really not in real life. But for some reason, it was just, it was just a really enjoyable. To get to know, through the audition process. And yeah, I got a call pretty soon after that from Kara show that Kara. Shut up being like we want you on the team. We loved your audition, and I was like, so be like, seriously, I am in. Yeah. Did you have any inkling? I mean about Letterkenny before. I mean Letterkenny had a lot of accolades for the representation of the of indigenous. ER thanks to community. Oh horn and guys, like Bradley Trudeau and Dylan cook who we have interviewed with them. And they have said, they have all said the same thing. They have treated it properly, and they love the way it was done. Did you know, about any of that before shows? It came along, was it anywhere on your radar? It was on my radar because I had friends within community that were super connected and dialed in with it and just talking about how legendary it is. So that was pretty wild. I also have like a couple really like Stand Out memories of, you know, post club nights going home at like 3 AM and that's what you. Yeah, you have done. So, you know, I love it. When things come full circle, aye. Yeah, I don't know what more I can tell you. It just was one of those really organic things that I am really grateful for and it's been such a learning process. Being able to be beside Jared, get to know deal working with all the guys. Guys and a team like a crew behind the scenes that's been together for so long. That's just this well-oiled machine. It's really nice to be introduced to the rhythm of that world in that way. So what was your first encounter with them? Was it like I meet and greet with Jared, or did you get thrown right in on set? Like what was your first encounter when round the Showbiz Beyond Carrick saying, hey, do you want to come out? So okay, there's a couple little intersections here which were really cool. Like which one comes first. So I guess it would be I was in LA for a dance contract and one of my buddies was asking me what's coming up next for you, and I was like, I just got on this cool new show. It's a spin-off of Letterkenny. It's called schwarzy. It's going to be hilarious, and he's like what? No way. Sure. Z. My friends just books Tango. Net Harlan. Nice. He's like I should connect you guys so Harlan and I got connected via a mutual friend. Over Instagram before we got out to Sudbury. And so we were dming, and we were like hey like nice to meet you and had a little kind of get to know each other moment. So that was really it was really comforting because to be able to go there and then know a buddy when you're going into it was. Yeah. Sweet. And he really is my guy. I love Harlan happy birthday Harlan. It was. Well that's right as birthdays long ago. Yeah, we spent a couple of fun nights with her letting that station. 84 last night. We met I think we missed you by a night. Yeah, we're up there. When we arrived the night before, the wrap party in Sudbury, we were up there for a few days. Yeah, yeah. Awesome. I heard about your visit. Yeah. We totally ship and ships in the night. Yeah, we just were so upset because we're again, we hadn't had any female cast members on, so we were hoping to run into you and to Blair, and, and taste tasya. But unfortunately, it wasn't meant to be. But thankfully at to Jared and care for making the Connection. We really appreciate it and I will say honored to be the first of ladies and then hopefully more to come for you guys. Larry blares door. Yeah, players joining us on Monday. So we did we set that as like, a podcast goal this year, like we need to celebrate the amazing women of these shows. We have to get them on this year. So girl. Yeah, we're over the top now it's just so does such a great job like just how they, how they set women and Just it's I am speechless. I do speak your so well-spoken, and I am so nervous. They do a great job. I think that was one of the things that Drew me even more. So in connection with the character and the trio was just feeling like what a cool way. I mean, there's so many layers that Jared infiltrated with this kind of representation across the board and one of the things that stood out to me was like, you know, he kind of flips the stereotypes on its head and it's a strong group of women leaving the gang. Yeah, it really brings me back to matriarchal roots in my community you know turning to those matriarchs as decision makers and it's kind of like a cool contemporary under the radar representation of what that light of look what that looks like and what that feels like. So, yeah, I feel you on that. It's like really nice to see some strong female characters. Yeah. Me gwaan. Z1. I mean I did a little research and those are two. Ojibwe name's Mei, Guan, meaning, feather and xiguan meaning spring? Is there anything behind that? In terms of the characters that might, I mean, I kind of see cuz migue her character's little softer because, you know, she's got that relationship with saying, when Nets and ziggs always one, you know, yelling at Shores, Ian and insulting him, so I can see the feather part there for you, but I don't see the In part there for her. Yeah, I love that. You look that up and get for doing your homework. I try also was like getting familiar with Ojibwe and wanting to get familiar with all the clues that I could gather for my character and who she is and what you know what she's all about. And yeah, I am stoked that me going means feather. I really feel connected to that. Like my spirit feels like a little peacock feather. Look. And it's also really, really cool to see how you know, from season one to season to sort of like the yin and yang of Meegan zieg and how, you know, you get a little, I am not going to give any spoilers away, I promise. But how, you know, they just kind of get a little deeper into their, into their relationship, being sides of legs ego. It and sure, as you always go in on each other and meek still kind of staying true to that. And how would I describe it? I would just say like a little bit more composed behavior and like choice of language did you know Blair before or was she is somebody you met on set. We met in Vancouver before we went to set because she had just moved to Vancouver. Okay so that was a cute moment because we were supposed to have an introductory meeting on Zoom with Jared and Jacob the director, and we didn't tell them. We just kind of Then that we were going to do it together because you get the time. She didn't quite have the internet set up in her place yet. And so, so yeah. We also kind of like got sneaky, I invited her over to my place, and then we had basically it was like a zoom set up like this where it was them to on a window. And then my window, and they're like, oh, we should wait for Blair, and then we just did this cute thing where she like popped up. That's great. So what was the I mean? You already heard you guys as a trio. What was the dynamic like of the three of? Of you and that especially the show progressed and now we're into season two, I know you can't tell us anything about season 2 but like how is that a relationship of the trio we have evolved and yeah, what's talk about that? It's funny because I am trying to check myself as I go to make sure that you are where we could try to trip you up, but we don't want to do that but yeah I got it. I got a story for you about the tree and then I got a story for you that I didn't get to about the first meet and greet their Jared at his house but the trio Dynamics. I mean, it just kind of fascinates me how point they were with casting. The three of us. We had a funny moment during season one where the three of us had a night off, and we were in a taxi either coming to a show or coming from a dinner or something like that. But we were in this taxi and the taxi driver was kind of giving us the runaround. And just At that moment, the way each of us handle the situation was hilarious because Blair got heated pretty quick right? Right? So you're already in character kind of mediate and like, get think she was trying to, she was really trying to get a handle on the situation. Get ahead of it. And I was just there kind of like quietly ready to mediate if necessary, but it was just funny because we came out of it and be looked at each other, and we were like that just happened. Yeah, that just happened now. So I mean, I would say, what would I say about this Trio? I think our characters really complement each other. In terms of like the show The story, the underdog fight and how we kind of manage These Guys, these s**** now. I don't know your ages and I know better than to ask but I do know that tasya is probably the more experienced in terms of. She's had a lot more acting roles especially she's on a big show The 100, right? So is she the one that you kind of both look to for, you know, experience for advice and stuff like that? There's a lot of that sharing going on. For sure. Yeah, really grateful for that component to be there in the dynamic, it's great. It's great too because the team does move so fast to have that sort of experience with tasks and her just, you know, finding those really nice teaching moments. Yeah. Yeah. Probably very calming to have her, they're going, don't worry, you know. This is normal or whatever. We're going to get through this and that kind of thing, right? Yeah. Yeah, or like reminding you to think of something that you maybe wouldn't have paid attention to or just, you know, it's just like I said, a lot of absorption, a lot of absorption working with all these Pros, right? Yeah. So I want too first. I want you to tell us your Jared Story. You said yeah. First meet and greet. I don't want to let you off the hook on that one. And then I have got a question after on the other side. Yeah, you have to hook that sounded interesting. Cheers. So we get to Sudbury and they schedule a rehearsal. This is like the introduction of season 1, so this Is the first time we're all getting together in the same room and when I say all of us it was Jared Jacob. The director task Blair me Harlan. And of course Ryan McDonald right. Michael never misses the mark Michael, and we were just running a couple seems to kind of get our chemistry on and just feel each other out and just get in an into a good flow. And yeah it was just such a nice grounding way to begin the process because Jared has that nice place on the lake out there when we're shooting. So we ended up just sitting in his living room. Looking out at the lake running, our first kind of group scenes and one that also stands out is when we're it must be like there's so many favorites I have from season 1 but the one where Michaels and Shores you're going at each other. He's talking to me, I am not talking to you like that. That vacuum Port. Yeah. I mean the chemistry. An off. The bat was pretty great. So, so that was kind of the first taste. We all had of each other in the same room in person. It was a great way to kick it off. For sure, it's a that's amazing. Now, you talked about the trio, I am very curious about this one. Flipping the whole script on this when you clearly Camembert artistic background. Now you're thrown into this world with a group of these jocks, these hockey players like we went to base camp, they have a whole trailer just as a gym so these guys can You know, you know, do their thing. Like what was like had you been around this, this kind of environment with these kind of guys before and what did you think of it? And how did that work? Never you know what looks like? Er. Alone feels like he'd be a lot to take in at first. Yeah. Not true, so tricks, I feel like we truly probably went from that read through at Jared's house into a night where he basically had a barbecue and all the boys got locked in ran into the lake, went skinny dipping at like 12:00 AM and Terry was just on a level. I will tell you but um yeah, no, the boys life's and that whole world. It's funny too because if we go back to the yin and yang where shared with me a little bit, I don't know. You guys will get into it with her as well but like there's a Lot of, she grew up with Brothers. They went, they hockey was a big part of their life and for me, I grew up with sisters. I grew up in ballet class and I will admit that. I feel like I maybe tried to fit in more drink interviews for Susan, one being like, Oh yeah, I have been to a couple hockey games and this kind of thing, but like, ultimately, it was a shock to the system and I had to do a lot of homework because it was just not my world and I will say that it was the best way to get Used to it because the boys are like, are like the brothers I never had right? And there is that similarity that parallel? I would say, I think it's really nice because it's a line that it's one of those one-liners from the show that really hits with me every time kids and sports stay off the streets right and for me that was dance class. So I can really relate to sort of that safe space for kids to go or that thing that brings communities together. In an art sense. In the dance sense and I need that outlet, right? Some yeah, yeah, so lots of a big learning curve, but it's been really great. I feel much more at home season 2 with the guys, and me. If it means anything, I had been in the same boat as you like these guys here and I show they know I am all go sports. Like it means nothing to me. So yay me on Skate. It's gonna be a joke. It's not gonna be very pretty the real kicker. Yeah. All right we're approaching the hour but I have got a bunch of listener questions, so I am going to try to get through these as quick as possible if that's okay. But first I have a comment from one of our listeners and one of our friends, one of the nicest people you will ever meet, she is a sweetheart and a true talent and that's from our buddy Billy but tree he saw that you were coming on, and he had to let us know how nice, how good you were. And of course, we know we knew that but and I believe maybe Matt might have a few too yeah. So I reached out to a few people you might know I got I did get a couple of responses so your boy Max bouffard wanted to say, what's up, peace, love and blessings from him. Sending all the love, Ryan McDonald. I reached out to him and I asked him seem to have anything you want to say and it is responsive very soon. He's like, she's an absolute gem. What else do you want me to add? So that's from Ryan McDonald, and I am not going to say who this is, because if he's as confident as he is, I think you're going to know exactly. All I was told, was to tell you Hakuna Matata, Who am I talking about there? I am going to say Harlan, yes, yes, I see what you mean. We got the sense hanging out with Harlan that he preferred hanging out with the ladies than the jocks as well. So I think he was more comfortable in your group than he was with, with the hockey players. I mean, heartlands, one of us. Let us just, yeah, he's a musician. He loves his guitar. So, yeah, for sure we have here. Message from Cinders, 23 on Twitter, please, someone somehow let her know. There are many, many praying for her, and her recovery. If it isn't mentioned. I just wanted to know there were positive healing. Loving Vibes, energy surrounding her. We love her and that's again from our friends Cinders 23 on Twitter question from our buddy. Dennis, souter in the UK do you stay on set when they're shooting the hockey scenes and if so who's the best slide on the ice? I mean you don't have to answer that if you go full of it because I actually Probably annoy the s*** out of them. When I do hang around, okay, because I want to see, I want to see them on their, I stand on their game. So yeah, I do if I am allowed, and they're so great about having me there, sneaking around shadowing. Jacob, the best slide on the ice part. I actually be honest, it's okay. I am gonna go with a most entertaining, sweat, on the ice. I am gonna go with 69, right? They're kosher Z, this video will be delisted like because when there, Between take some of the sometimes they're just laying on the ice. Yeah, here's like doing these little push offs from the side boards with his skates on his back. It was pretty cute. Dennis also asked a few if you skate or play yourself. Now, you're not into hockey, but can you skate much appreciation for hockey, much appreciation or scares would not dishonor the ice in that way. I love how you spun that you have had this question before, haven't you? So you have kind of already answered this but Mike from New Jersey said that tasya revealed on Terry Ryan's podcast that she had to learn everything about hockey when she got the role. Was it the same for you? And it sounds like it was pretty much the same for you. Absolutely. Yeah. Steep learning curve. Was it a lot of memorization or did you actually take the time to understand what the words meant? I think I am still trying to understand what other words. This is going to be like a long-term Journey. So, yeah, it's kind of ad hoc learn as you go thing, right. Differences between shooting in Sudbury and 21 verses 23. So yeah. I mean first year you guys were in total lockdown this past year was a little more open, right? So I mean those are some differences there. But what else would you say? I mean the weather. Hmm. We were there in the winter for season one and for season two was more on the cusp of spring. I think when we got there is still some snow. But it was all melting. So for me, when I travel for work or any reason, really, I am really it's important to me to be in connection with the land. So I was, I was really grateful to be there during spring because I actually got to do a bit more exploring went on a couple hikes went to the lake, gave an offering. That's a great, great area for all that too, right? Yeah. So that was, that was a nice changeup kailani and Blair. Do a great job of pulling off the, you know, noise sister roll with subtle Huff's. And I Roseanne Glances did that come naturally? Or was it something you guys had to kind of work on Pretty Natural? Yeah, these questions are all from our buddy. Adrian, who's from Maine? So he and he's, he himself is a hiker. So, he will appreciate that. You like, you're hiking next question. Here from Tobias and Missouri. How did she get into a weird ass about the acting? But he asks about your dream role. What would be your dream role? Whoo. A dream role. I think right now it would be something they are. There's a couple. It would be really doped to be able to infiltrate superhero World. Hmm nice man for it. Yeah you really dope to do that. Western sound really fun to me, just because of the idea of being able to go be in relationship with some horses and pretend that I am in an another timeline, right? But also just kind of any role that would let me, let me have an excuse to play with dancing or music. You know, I wrote a script about a DJ, I wanted to write it with script about a ballerina. And what did they mention your DJ? You're a DJ too? So we haven't even talked about that, is there? Do you fight with Trevor risk over who gets to do the, the, the what is it? Wrap party? You know what? Trevor was so sweet last wrap party because you let me jump. Decks for a minute, but yeah, no, yeah, no. I think it's all good. We talked about teaching another day but I ate yeah. Dream roles, I think. Just any sort of any, I mean. Yeah, I just went in so many different directions that for you. I think that matters to me is just having diversity in what I get to play with because it kind of feels free flowing. In a sense of not getting like pigeon-holed or Typecast. It or anything like that. Like having a nice balance in the world and the humans and the humanity that I get to explore. Well, like I said, we have interviewed Bradley Trudeau Dylan cook. We have interviewed Harlan now and a lot of the indigenous actors on the show and there is for sure a lot more opportunity there with shows, like reservation dogs with shows like Shores in Letterkenny and so many others. So there's a lot more opportunity there which is great. But wouldn't you say that maybe eventually the Sign that we have gone past? This is when you can get roles where the byline is indigenous, you know, it's just Mary, you know, sent writer percent, you know, just sort of getting to that place where it's not such a fight for representation or voices and where you can like I come across it in the DJ world to a lot of hype on. Oh, she's a girl DJ, or she's a Female DJ and it's like, you know you want the industry to get to a place where that's more natural, you know? So, I think with acting the same thing, just being a girl or a person. Yeah. Just, you know, I think that will feel nice as well, but I end, and I do recognize, you know, the importance of representation in that same breath. So, more balanced for sure. Joy from Colorado wants to know what you're ordering. Pepe's panini would be. Don't leave Colorado. I am so mad and sad that I didn't get to go to puppy, Panini. Oh, during the day you did for a panini, I was there at night when it was a club. But okay, okay. Gotta get back there during the day. In order a panini, I would go with something with pesto. I think nice. And I think she may be, don't remember, I think she met Joey from Colorado, wasn't he? There the night before us, it steadies rain in. So yeah, he's one of the people from our party who met you guys before you left you at Peddlers. Yep, I remember meeting them. So I was Joey. He also wanted to know. Is there an actress or actor that you really want to work with in the future? Yes, many. Whose I am never prepared for these questions. It's like whenever anybody asks me what my favorite movie is? I should know my answer. There's no such thing as. I mean, if you ask me, I love movies. I don't have a favorite. I spread it out into genres. I am like I could tell you liked my favorites with in comedy within a bit to hone in on one. No, not a thing. There's too much to love. Who would you want to dance with? Oh yeah, I mean, I kind of gave myself away with Beyonce on that one. Yeah, yeah, I mean a director that I admire that I have always wanted to work with his Ava Duvernay, okay? As an actor I would say there's so many strong indigenous women that I really look up. Up to right now Jessica, Matt and is one of them Grace Dove is from my community, and we have worked on a few independent things before and to have an opportunity to work with her. Again would be so nice. Yeah, I could go down this road a lot, but I am gonna leave it there. Okay. Jeff from Maine. This question here, you may have to fill us in on what this means. How did aloha entertainment? Come about, what is Aloha entertainment? That was kind of okay. Hey Jeff, what's up? I am sorry. I just collect my thoughts there for a minute because that's been a minute. Since I have Revisited that Aloha World, Aloha entertainment was going to be sort of re installment of a family dance, dance group, okay. When I was growing up, my mom and my sisters and I would share a traditional Hawaiian dancing for special occasions up here. And we called ourselves the Hawaiian sisters. And then we take a pause when I left town because I was down south and everybody else was still up and clearly territory. So we weren't living together or dancing together at the time and then when we reconnected as grown-ups, we were trying to see if that was going to kind of evolve with us. And I will say that sharing traditional music and dance for our family will always be really special, but I think that it's getting into a timeline Where we are just kind of sharing that more intimately in a more grounded and traditional way where it's not so much for performance value and it's not so much commercialized. So I think just the relationship there is changing and it's on pause. It's great. Yeah, there's always time you know what would you call this? Is your bonus round, right? I mean, it's just I am right our friend gourd from Toronto. Here he asked you Already answered this question but I just wanted to shut him out that if you were aware of lyric, any, prior to shore Z, which you kind of were then, what do we have here? Who's this? This is Cassie. What is one of our listeners, who's proud indigenous woman from Ontario? She wants to know, I mean, you have already talked a little bit of it but this, but, you know, your experience on, with the indigenous representation on Shore. Z, can you speak to maybe some of the indigenous brands that are used in to the importance of authenticity in the show? Absolutely. We have a wonderful crew. That does an amazing job of making sure we can take every opportunity to have that representation, gingers the head of our wardrobe department. And so she's always finding the most wonderful pieces from the most wonderful, local artists or indigenous artists from around and very inclusive. If we have things that we want to bring from our own closets, or connections that we want to make their. So off the top of my head, I could name a few Indigenous owned Brands and give them some love. So, if every, if anyone's interested out there, we have got some Monday. May jewelry action. She does incredible beaded, earrings section. 35 is my guy Justin, a clothing line that was actually just in the Met Museum. And did you do? I am trying to, I am going through mix wardrobe in my head. What else do we have? What else do we have? Passage beating. We have my gosh I mean to like look this up right now real quick, while we're here. Well. Yeah, what are you looking at it up, if our other co-host Victor were here, he would ask you about the turtle and want to know what the significance is of the turtle. So do you have any made? Sure to add that to the roster of questions? Oh my gosh. Absolutely. So that was a beaded ring. That's kind of big signature ring. Okay. And I was so stoked when Ginger showed me that piece because It's I am sure all of you who watch the show of have seen it make an appearance, but it's this, it's like this beautiful large beaded ring, that's got a turtle on it and the significance of the turtle and Indigenous culture is its huge. It is a representation of Turtle Island, which I am not sure if you folks are anyone out there it's heard that's kind of the original name of this continent. Yeah. And it relates to a story, a creation story of this of Earth and how it came to be here. So it's got, you can look it up Turtle Island, the creation story, I believe it's an honest job. A story of how Sky woman falls from the sky and it's at a time when the earth is just water, and so they are falling. And then I think there's like, four. I am going to hopefully I am going to get the story, right, but there's four animals, there's a muskrat, a turtle. Well, there's two more that are like water animals, and she gets saved by sitting on Turtles back and the way that she's able to kind of bring more life. Is if anyone is able to swim down to the bottom of the water and come up with some Earth because she's Sky woman, she's a woman, she can make life. So she could breathe life into the Earth and create Earth. So they each try to go swimming down as deep as they can. Nobody can go that deep. They keep coming up empty-handed and then muskrat who's not? A very strong swimmer. Like, I am going to try and everybody's like, oh, but you're not a very good swimmer, are you sure? And he's like, no, I want to try, I want to do my part. So he goes down, and he's gone for a really long time. And he comes floating back up to the surface. So he's like sacrificed himself but in his little paw he's got some Earth. And so Sky woman takes the Earth, and she puts it on, Turtles back, and breathe life into it. And then Turtles Back becomes the Earth that were on right now because she's Sky woman. She honors muskrat. For his sacrifice and breathe life back into him as well. So it's just this, really beautiful creation, story that comes from indigenous, roots and shows to me, just kind of like sacrifice reciprocity respect and like symbolizes our creation together. So, as amazing story, thank you for sharing that. The one thing that blows my mind and so Turtle Island, is it also represent of like North America does kind of look like a turtle, is that's not an accident, right? Part of it, right? Am I right away? Because if you look at it from like above, it looks like a turtle and you can see his little tail, but I am like smacks. Yeah. Max is like yeah. That's the part I am getting it which is mind-blowing to me like way before Google Earth, right? Yeah. A couple of years. Yeah. How did someone like that? That's the mind-blowing part about how does someone still already put that together in these stories and creation that you can see today? It's amazing. It's so cool. I Sadly. That is my question as well. Yeah. How did you do that? You're mine their device. Exact, It's gotta be. It has to be in its absolutely checks and I love it. Cassie's gonna love that. You told that story. As she's just one last question from Cassie, what message or advice you have to give to Young indigenous individuals who want to get into acting. Hmm, your voices are so valued, and valuable there is space for them. And I think that Courage to show up in these spaces is so needed and so appreciated, great, great advice, Casey from Virginia. What has been the toughest life lesson you learned so far? And who is the person whose presence has been the most transformative in your life and why? So it's a big question, feel free to dance or what the hard ones for the end. Yeah. Sorry about that. But I am going to try to give these a very clear forms because I know you were on the or on the 11th hour but like I love these questions. Can you say the first one again? The first time the toughest life lesson, you have learned so far A Life Lesson, hmm, everything is perfect, literally. Everything is exactly how it's meant to be even the shittiest Parts. Like, I think that was the lesson that I embraced after last summer and after the incident, you know, I wouldn't be on the path that I am on right now. If I had gone through that hardest moment, and I am really grateful to be on the path that I am now because I am at home, reconnecting with family, I never knew before learning stories. That Always wanted to learn. So I think, yeah. Everything is perfect, very good. The second part of that, I am actually going to combine with Aaron from Chicago, because she's a teacher and her question is the same. What is the best advice you have received on set? But more importantly, what Educators inspired you the most the best advice I have received onset brief, brief it. Kind of lets you slow down. It kind of lets you be in being your body. And be in your truth. It can be such a hectic chaotic space to be in and you don't want to be the one holding up the show. So sometimes it feels like I gotta go or I got to make this tight or short and that just makes you get so small. But really what it's about is that breath and the exploration and that life. So I think breathe was the really stand out one and then educated Parts, your teacher educator well, teacher that inspired you the most Right now, it is cake. Ooh, he cannot go only, she, they are a traditional chant. Connect, Kamali voice from Hawaii. And recently, I have been studying oral tradition, and oral histories in relation to contemporary forms of Storytelling. And they, they speak to Storytelling and expression through the Arts as communion with humanity and the natural world. And I think that, that, that, that lesson, really, really resonates with me. It sends out with me and I carry that with me a lot when I am thinking about the work that I do. Amazing. All right, final question. And this one, I asked everyone who comes on, because our friend awesome. She is the moderator over at the, on the Letterkenny in Shores ear edits, and She wants, she asks, everyone we interview if they would do an AMA on Reddit, ask me anything. Are you aware? What those are? I am known. Basically, he make yourself available for, I think it's an hour, an hour and people ask you questions and you answer them on Reddit, like, you just have to promote. So, it's an excellent cool. So I will connect you with awesome with your, with your details, and then she will reach out because she's had all the like us. She's had a bunch of cast members on, but I am sure she'd love. To have you on as well. I would love that. Okay, great. And my only final question is, do you have anything you want to promote or shed light on that we can, you know, amplify here for you? I do right off the cuff. Thank you for that question. And this platform, they lie to Two Rivers Water, is the translation of that phrase lately is the two rivers and water is to, in our language. I started a campaign in support of reclamation, of our drinking water on the reservation. Out here. Not only as obviously a huge basic human, right? But also as a form of cultural Reclamation, I am just in the baby steps of bringing that campaign to the world because the first step for us was to get community approval permission and now that I have that I am just getting ready to share the story with the world. So I will share some links with you on that later on. Please do not write. That will be a project. That's really close to me. Tag us on anything and will happily share it around. And I will also because for the indigenous listeners and the non-indigenous who are familiar with the three sisters corn, beans and squash would be remiss if I did not give some Shadow and some love to my, to my two siblings who are my, we are the corn beans and squash for each other. So, if you are interested to hear like I just have to tell you like their part of me there. A reason why I do what I do. They teach me so much kealoha is A musician. I am killough had not seen a or I think it's just Kalo Haddad. CA her debut album is coming out this year, and my other sibling, Tiara is an incredible visual artist, and so I just, you know, I got to give them some love. I saw a couple of killers videos on your production company's website, which look great. The music is amazing. So definitely we will share that out. Matthew have any final questions? Yeah, I just, I mean I asked everyone this And phrase it slightly different. But I mean, us doing we. Do we believe the Letterkenny ensures you so much more than just, you know, your standard show that would the impact and the spread that they're having from a whole different walks of life around the world. Like we have listeners as far as Australia, like, people love these shows from your perspective. What is it meant to be a part of this to be a part of shorts? I really couldn't have said it better than you. Just said it like it's incredible to see the reach and the response from audiences, that this show gets, like, going through the DMS on some days and seeing how people are impacted, and just hearing like the inspiration or the hope that it gives them on a bad day, those stories, and those messages I am so grateful for, and I am I can't, I can't be surprised because it comes from the heart. And because being there feels like such a truth like truthful. Expiration of like a fight for the underdog and I know so many people can relate to that fight as the underdog. You know, I definitely didn't grow up in a lot of privilege. So for myself and knowing what, I want to bring home to community and how I want to help uplift and just seeing the ways that we can do that through ART through our stories, I think. I think it couldn't be a better introduction. Section 2, this world into this work well and I know Al's going to wrap us up here, so I just want to say and then 10 you go, thank you so much. You were absolutely beautiful human and I so appreciate you bringing your authenticity today. This, this was just an amazing hour and I wish we could chat with you all day, because you're a fascinating individual. Thank you for coming out. Thank you for having me. Yes, great to share this time in these stories with you must each. Oh, thank you so much for sharing your Stories, your life, your experiences with us as just been so wonderful to listen to you and to hear you speak about everything. So inspiring. So moving. It's just, it's been so lovely to speak with you. Thank you so much for sharing this time with us. I echo. My co-hosts. Gratitude. Thank you so much. I reached out to you earlier and asked you if there was a song you'd like us to play a us out with and I love Your pick. I love this pic. I can't wait to play this. So here we go. We are going to play us out here with come and get your love by Redbone. And that's all we have for this episode. Don't forget. You can use a promo code produced a for 20% off, purchase a diabolical cafe.com. If you like sports podcast radios, on iTunes Spotify or become Patron. You can also follow us on most social media Outlets, add produce a pod, thank you for joining us on behalf of kailani Tanya, Matt and myself. Thank you for listening, have a great week.
