After our chat with Niall Matter, Sara Canning graciously took the time to sit in the hot seat for an interview. In our chat, Sara talks about her start in the industry, why Atlanta is now her home away from home, and what makes her new character on Primeval: New World tick.
GateWorld: I know you had been doing stage work since you were eleven, but in terms of television and movie projects, you’re a bit more of a newcomer to those mediums than others in the cast. Can you talk to us about the path here and how you got your start in the industry?
Sara Canning: Yeah! I moved to Vancouver from Alberta, where I had grown up doing plays and stage work. I came here to go to film school. I went to Vancouver Film School, which coincidentally is the same school Niall went to. I graduated from there and within about three or four months started working.
It was sort of a fast-track into the industry. I started doing some MOWs (Movies of the Week) and television guest spots. And then, after doing a number of independent films, I booked a regular role on the CW series The Vampire Diaries. So I moved to Atlanta, Georgia and I was down there for two years. It’s been great. I’ve played a pretty large variety of roles so far. Everything I’ve done has been very different from the roles I’ve gotten previously. So it’s been a pretty awesome journey thus far.
GW: Do you have a preference between stage or screen work?
SC: They’re both just very different mediums. I love both. There are just different energies involved. I love the intimacy that movie and television work affords. And at the same time I love the process that comes with rehearsing a play, which there isn’t necessarily time for in the world of television or movies unless you’re doing a very large film. I love both. I don’t know that I could ever choose one over the other.
GW: Is part of the love of stage work maybe a bit of the instant gratification? Having the audience right there in front of you and seeing their reactions to what you put out there in real time?
SC: Yeah! And I trained as a stage actor first. Even when I was working on The Vampire Diaries in Atlanta, I trained with a stage company there. I guess you could say that I try to keep one foot in both worlds at all times. I just really think it helps to round someone out as a performer.
GW: As you mentioned, you played Jenna Sommers on The Vampire Diaries for two years. What was it like to leave Vancouver for a place that is so different, both culturally and meteorologically? [laughs]
SC: It was so very different. I showed up with a few suitcases and nowhere to live. I had moved away from home when I was nineteen to go to school…but this was moving to a different country. Thank goodness I had a GPS, because for the longest time I had no idea where I was going.
I love Atlanta. I fell in love with it. It was really difficult to get used to the heat and humidity, especially having come from the Western coast of Canada. But I love it. I’ve actually returned to Atlanta six times since I moved back to Canada in 2011. It’s definitely a second home for me.
GW: With Primeval not being your first genre series, have you already gotten acclimated to the convention circuits? I know The Vampire Diaries already have their own themed and licensed conventions.
SC: Yeah! I did San Diego Comic-Con, and I’ve been a guest at DragonCon. I did one in Germany which was amazing. And I’ve done the Vancouver Fan Expo. So I’m definitely getting a feel for conventions. They are very fun! The energy is unbelievable, because there are so many people. And so many different shows and guests represented. I mean, when I did DragonCon it was spread out over four hotels. That’s huge!
GW: What about fan reaction? Especially starting out at them, was it eye-opening in terms of the feedback you’d receive?
SC: Yes! It’s amazing how loyal genre fans can be. Definitely with The Vampire Diaries, and already with Primeval, I’m getting a sense of how loyal they are.
With Primeval, there’s a built-in fan base of people who will give it a shot because they loved the original UK series. Others will watch it because they are big Stargate fans and Sanctuary fans and they are willing to give it a chance because of who is on-board with roles both in front of and behind the camera. There’s a pedigree there. And there are some that will watch it because they love the genre and have a craving to see something they’ve never seen before. So there are a lot of people that are already interested in the show. It’s really quite extraordinary. And it’s part of the reason we do what we do.
Also…I’m not the type that gets recognized on the street at all. So convention events are fun…for the fact that it is eye-opening to be in a building with hundreds and hundreds of people who are well-versed on everything you’ve ever done. [Laughs]
GW: Were you familiar with the original UK Primeval prior to going on auditions for this series?
SC: I hadn’t watched it, actually. I’m very behind on my television intake in general. I have a small handful of shows that I try to follow, but otherwise I tend to watch things as auditions are creeping up. I’m just so busy. I’m not the type that sits on their couch and watches television very often for my own purposes. I’m generally doing it to get a feel for something or for research. That said, I did go on a Primeval crash course after landing this role.
GW: What did you think of the original?
SC: I think, even though we are a whole new show with whole new characters and a spin-off, it’s neat to see some of the parallels between the shows. How some of the characters, while different, are still similar in some ways. The team aspect on both shows is huge. I think that dynamic, which the Stargate franchise embodied so well, is mirrored very effectively both in the original Primeval and our show.
The tone of New World is a little bit different than the UK version. So that will be interesting to see how that plays out over the course of the season. But I know the creators weren’t looking to make it a complete cut from what has come previously. So it will be neat to see where some things cross over.
GW: Over the years, many British properties have been adapted for North American audiences with varying degrees of success. For every one that succeeds — like The Office or Being Human — you also get a slew of failures, like Coupling and The IT Crowd. How confident are you that fans of the original UK version will be able to latch onto and enjoy this new interpretation?
SC: Very. I think the fact that Tim Haines [original series co-creator] is on set with us today is testament to that. The creators are always sort of weighing in on what is going on. We haven’t thrown what came before to the wind. I don’t think you’ll find with what we are doing here that fans of the original that are protective of it will find much fault with. Of course, with new characters there are going to be different dynamics in play. But I think fans of the original will feel right at home with Primeval: New World. I hope so, at least.
GW: You play a character named Dylan Weir, a predator control specialist and an expert in animal behavior. Tell us about her.
SC: She’s on the predator control team that we see at the beginning of the series, and she obviously has a specific skill set that could benefit Evan Cross and his team, which is due to her skills in handling predators that are based in our own time and reality. And she has a huge fascination with the creatures that she runs into as they cross over through the anomalies. She’s a tough gal, and a good shot with a weapon.
She’s intuitive. She’s inventive. She thinks on the fly and can definitely hold her own as a teammate for Evan. Because he is all of those things, and they compliment each other well as characters. When one of the characters gets caught up in their own philosophy about how something should be done, the other is there to kind of balance that out and remind the other about the implications of what they are doing.
GW: After filming for the better part of two months, have you found her voice yet?
SC: I think so. But I’m still learning things about her as each new script hits. So I think I have a solid handle on her as a person, but she’s a deep character and learning her opinions and her though processes are fun to dig into. Where her line is in sand, and the boundaries she is and isn’t willing to cross. Luckily, our writers and our team of producers are very open to having conversations about that when there are questions.
GW: For those that have never heard of the original series … why should they watch it? What would you tell them?
SC: I think everyone at some point has had a fascination with dinosaurs. Mine stems from when I was four years old. I think the team dynamic is a huge thing. It’s something that audiences who loved Stargate and Sanctuary and similar shows will find a common thread with. And it is given equal focus to the rest of the plot, even with all the anomalies and dinosaurs and visual effects going on around them. It’s a balancing act, and I think we hit the sweet spot more often that not. It’s extremely important that the character drama balances out the “threat of the week”. And there are a ton of funny, humorous moments also. It isn’t gloom and doom all the time.
GW: It’ll be a fun ride.
SC: I think so. And I hope audiences enjoy what’s to come.
NEXT: GateWorld discusses the visual effects of New World (and Stargate) with Mark Savela!
Isn’t it already dead? Is there really a chance to continue? It was almost as good as the british one, and that cliffhanger was awesome.
Hmm sounds interesting but this sounds like the same basis for Tera Nova. I liked that show, maybe this one will do better than 1 season. How is it Syfy isnt’ getting it that bringing back Stargate Universe is the best option for them on so many levels?
Oh yeah! I used to watch a show much like this. with a portal that transported a small crew. On that team were two white guys, one black guy, and a woman. I think the show started with an S… like.. Star… no.. SLIDERS!
Has this been posted by mistake, thought this was confirmed as cancelled?
@Nekomajin and @Soupladel: Based on the information we have on hand, it isn’t quite dead yet…just life support in critical condition. The first season was a co-production of SPACE and Bell Media. Based on its Canadian ratings, SPACE (themselves a small cable network) dropped it. Any continuation of the show would be based on Bell Media finding a new partner to co-produce and co-finance it. So…as stated above…Syfy is the series’ best and likely final shot…which is why ratings are so important. If it makes enough waves…MAYBE they would look into helping it continue. If the ratings are sub-par, then… Read more »
I hope it gets at least another (half)season, because that cliffhanger was one of the annoying kind. It started a little low after the unique feeling of the british series, but it developed well, and I think, now it could stand on its on feet. (Well, I don’t mind a few cameos or crossovers here and there. :D )
I don’t understand. Which UK channel was the series shown on, and when? Sometimes I miss things but I was looking forward to seeing New World as a spin off from Primeval. Were there ANY announcements on this side of the pond?!
Umm… wasn’t this show already cancelled in Canada. When SyFy airs it, is there only going to by the one 13 episode first season, or are they taking over the reigns. I already watched New World from when it aired in Canada. I gotta say, the series did have some good moments, but the original series in the UK was far superior. Of course, they had five years to flesh out their characters and story.
It was on UKTV on Sky or cable
The first episode showed a lot of promise. The CGI was well done. I hope this one can last as we need more good sci-fi (non-vampire) shows.
With Continuum & Falling Skies back, things are looking good for genre viewers.
The series has been cancelled long ago. Even though it’s worth watching, it’s been cancelled, so no ending. If no ending, I’ve got better fish to fry.
I saw the first episode… and it’s terrible. I don’t see this lasting for very long.
Per the show’s publicist who I chatted with yesterday to get clarification, the series can and will continue if another network opts to pick it up for another year, be it Syfy or someone else. The ratings for the premiere on Syfy were respectable…so time will tell if it picks up enough ground for that to be a viable option. If you like what you see, support it by watching live.
I haven’t seen this yet…Is it good? I miss some shows now cause I pretty much turned Syfy off after Eureka got the ticket. But I love most of this cast.
I to thought this was dead… I was a big fan and was very disappointed when the cancelling morons axed this good one too…. so confusing… maybe they need to make the show terrible so they will renew it? after all,, everything bad stays and everything good is cancelled..
i wathced the first series of this and it was good altough no good as sg1 (what could be:) but i dont know really how they going to keep it alive? always new monster goming to our world or what?
This is why I hate cliffhangers! It’s stupid to wait for continuation which will never come. I’m tired of watching new series coz it may get cancelled half way with a cliffhanger, AGAIN!
There should be entertainment law to forbid tv series makers from making cliffhangers unless they’re 100% sure the series will continue.
@RDA
The UK series had some major stories unfolding around time travel and altering the timeline. There were returning monsters from the past and the future, but there were some unique creatures. (The episode with the dodos was EPIC. :D ) But the story concentrates around the well known time travel problems. The monsters were just decoration.
I am trying to like this series. So far, however, it is not nearly as good as the original UK version. Hopefully it will come together as it progresses.
Its OK the UK one was great hope it will follow.
Getting better. Still hard to like Matter’ s character and pacing needs worked on.