Canadian actress Kate Ross Leckie chatted about starring in the award-winning series “Chateau Laurier,” and being a part of the digital age.
She was born and raised in Toronto. She began her professional career, at a young age, performing in a number of movies-of-the-week. She is a graduate of George Brown Theatre School in Toronto. She plays the role of Hattie in “Chateau Laurier.” The show is available on Apple TV, Amazon Prime, and Google Play.
‘Chateau Laurier’
Most recently, “Chateau Laurier” won six Indie Series Awards, which included wins for “Best International Series,” “Best Ensemble,” “Best Directing,” “Best Costume Design,” “Best Production Design,” and “Best Original Score.”
The character Hattie is new to the society and world of Ottawa. A country mouse in the city, Hattie must step up to the challenge of an elite lifestyle without ever forgetting where she came from.
“Working on ‘Chateau Laurier’ Season 2 was an absolute pleasure,” she exclaimed. “I often compare it to summer camp. We went to the historic hotel in Ottawa, the cast and crew stayed there, we filmed most of it there… how often do we get that opportunity as artists to totally immerse ourselves in a project at the actual location! With all its haunted and hallowed halls and nooks, it was a real actor’s dream.”
“Though the hours were long and arduous, the entire cast and crew fully showed up to play,” she said. “The energy amongst the group was inspiring and if you caught yourself having a low vibe moment someone was sure to pick you up with a joke or a bit. I think that playfulness comes through on the screen and is what makes the show such a pleasure to watch.”
Playing Hattie
She is drawn to playing Hattie due to her “strong will.” “Hattie was raised in a world where she has no business having the kind of gusto that she does, but she can’t help herself, when she sees wrongdoing she won’t turn a blind eye,” she said.
“Early in the season she feels incredibly betrayed by her husband, played by Luke Humphrey, and rather than giving in to the social constructs of the time and staying quiet, she stands up for herself and demands better. I love that about her and I think it’s something we have in common….not the husband part….my husband is always pretty lovely,” she elaborated.
Success
On her definition of success, she said, “Success, to me, comes in many forms. I feel this show has been a big success! We’ve won countless awards and accolades across North America including a Canadian Screen Award for writing, which I just feel was so well deserved.”
“When I get to be a part of a show, like Chateau, where a group sets out to create something specific through lots of hard work, effort and generosity , that feels like success,” she said.
“Then, on a personal note, I feel incredibly successful in my life, with a family I adore, friends who mean the world to me, and a husband I can’t get enough of. My relationships are very important to me. I put a lot of effort into them and they feel like my greatest success,” she added.
The digital age
On being an actress in the digital age, she said, “It is equal parts hopeful and scary. There is more content than ever, which means there is more opportunity than ever. I love the voice and platform that’s been created for smaller production companies and artists that have been working their butts off for years and couldn’t get a foot in the door.”
“They’re finally getting a voice because the need for content is so much greater. However the other side of it is that due to the vast amount of content, it is sometimes harder to get a show or project into the minds and onto the screen’s of the public. How can you stand apart? ” she said.
“Luckily for Chateau we have superstar director James Stewart who works tirelessly to get us on social media and in festivals across the world. Thanks to him we have more buzz for Season 2 than ever before,” she added.
Advice for young and aspiring actors
For young and aspiring actors, she said, “Always keep some interests and hobbies fed in other aspects of your life. I believe experience in other worlds you can totally immerse yourself in is what makes a human being unique and their character dynamic and interesting.”
“Personally, I spend a lot of time cooking, and being out in nature. Also, curiosity is such an important quality, stay curious, ask questions,” she said.
Working with Luke Humphrey
“Working with Luke Humphrey, who played my husband Vivian, was a dream,” she said. “He’s a terrific actor, and we had a similar vision of how Hattie and Vivian’s relationship arc was going to go.”
“We were both enthusiastic about talking out our script work together and rehearsing scenes to create a relationship on screen that had the layers we were trying to attain. Both Luke and I are classically trained so I think the theatre-geeks in us came out a bit. It is always a more enriching acting experience when you and your scene partner’s work styles align,” she elaborated.
Working with director James Stewart
“I also just love working with our director James Stewart,” he said. “He is extremely detail oriented while still giving his actors a ton of space to try different approaches to scenes. The vibe on set was that he trusted us implicitly and was always excited to see how far we’d take a scene and what little gems we would find along the way.”
Closing thoughts on ‘Chateau Laurier’
“I hope the audience enjoys Season 2 of ‘Chateau Laurier’,” she concluded. “It ticks all the boxes. You get romance, humor, shady dealings and a lot of heart. Everyone, tell your friends about our show so we can continue the journey and to see where the lives of these characters go.”
To learn more about Kate Ross Leckie, follow her on Instagram.
