Actors needed to build an all Indigenous cast for CBC’s The Trickster

By Kelly Anne Smith

NIPISSING FIRST NATION— Northern Casting wants you to submit a head shot (selfies are accepted) for you to be considered for the CBC series, The Trickster, being filmed in Nipissing First Nation and the North Bay area.

Miranda McColeman is the assistant to the casting director Ashley St. Jean at Northern Casting who has worked on Carter, Cardinal and Letterkenny.

A member of Nipissing First Nation, McColeman represented Northern Casting at the 31st Annual Traditional Nipissing First Nation Pow Wow.

“We try to involve ourselves with the communities we are working with.”

McColeman says Northern casting is looking for background actors.

“We are looking for multiple speaking roles, all Indigenous People, all from Northern Ontario,” explains McColeman. “We are filming in North Bay where 300 Indigenous actors are needed of all ages – male and female – for the run of the show. They are all paid opportunities.”

McColeman calls the project exciting with the Indigenous female director Michelle Latimer. The story is based on Indigenous author Eden Robinson’s trilogy, Son of a Trickster, about an Indigenous teen who struggles in a dysfunctional family. With an Indigenous perspective, issues of identity, personal agency, cultural heritage, and family legacy are woven into a supernatural thriller.

The Trickster needs as many Indigenous actors as we can, says McColeman.

“We will want the culture to show through. And we really want local people. We want to see our own people on the screen working,” notes McColeman. “If you are a part-time worker, you can come be with us for a day and take a shift. It’s really fun and it’s a huge breakthrough into the film industry. Let’s get the community together and make this series.”

Production started the first week in British Columbia as the story is based in Kitimat, a district municipality in the North Coast Region. Shooting started September 9th on Sweetgrass Miikaan in Garden Village and continues until December 11 in various locations.

Northern Casting posts new casting calls for actors on their Facebook page almost daily. For those interested in being considered for a background actor, send an e-mail to: NorthernCasting.BG@gmail.com.