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 Jennifer Podemski, Nathaniel Arcand, Adam Beach and Michelle Latimer of Moose TV. (Supplied photo) |
Jennifer Podemski loves being part of Moose TV and has the sore feet to prove it.
"It's a very spicy role and spicy comes with painful shoes," Podemski said. "I'm glad I'm more of a tomboy in real life.
"My character has the fake nails, the push-up bra, fake boobs, everything. It's definitely not me. Mini-skirts? Come on!"
Podemski stars opposite Adam Beach in Moose TV, a half-hour comedy that makes its debut on Showcase tonight. A pilot episode of Moose TV originally was created for CBC, but most of the roles (save Beach's) have been re-cast for the eight-episode Showcase run.
Moose TV is set in an isolated town in northern Quebec. Beach plays George, an ambitious young man who is trying to turn a formerly abandoned local television station into a going concern.
Podemski, an award-winning Native Canadian/Jewish actress who was raised in Toronto, plays the extroverted Alice. In tonight's episode, Alice hitchhikes north to hook up with her serious-minded younger sister, who happens to be the station manager at Moose TV.
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When George and Alice get a look at each other, it's clear they have a somewhat sordid history.
"It was great working with Adam especially, because we started off together in the acting world," said Podemski, who has been featured in the films Dance Me Outside and Fugitive Pieces, and on the small screen in shows such as The Rez, The Robber Bride and Degrassi: The Next Generation. "It's great to still have a friendship with him, and to be able to work with him at this great time in his career (Beach appeared in Clint Eastwood's Flags of Our Fathers and will join the cast of Law & Order: SVU next season)."
In recent years Podemski has been extremely busy with her many endeavours behind the camera. As she spoke with Sun Media she was in Saskatoon producing a TV show called Rabbit Fall (APTN).
So, does Podemski consider herself more of an on-screen person or an off-screen person these days?
"I've stopped defining myself by what I do, because I finally in my life have reached a balance that I'm absolutely comfortable with," Podemski said.
"The very fact that I'm here producing a TV series that is representative of what I love to do behind the scenes, plus a series that I star in is going to be on TV (tonight), that is, to me, priceless. I could never have imagined I would be in this position. At 34 I can say, thank you, it has all worked out."
In other words, the sore feet were worth it.
"Moose TV is a theatre of the absurd, very physical comedy, and my character has the big boobs and the high heels and is always in everyone's face," Podemski said. "I'm playing someone who is totally not like me.
"Of course my essence is there, in that I would like to consider myself a relatively funny person. (Alice) is less funny and more funny to watch. But the clownishness, we're the same. That's the same."