Interview with Actor Catherine Lough Haggquist
Interview with Actor Catherine Lough Haggquist
1. With over 150 film and TV acting credits including “The Commish”, “The X-Files”, “Dark Angel”, “The Unprofessionals”, “Rockpoint PD”, “Supernatural”, “Stargate: SG1”, “Fringe, “Once Upon a Time”, “Bates Motel”, “Van Helsing”, “Zoo”, “Godzilla”, “The Good Doctor”, “Life Sentence”, “Superman and Lois”, “Another Life”, “Elysium”, “Fifty Shades Freed”, “Puppet Killer” and many more. Do you have any tips for new actors/actresses?
My main tip for new actors is to remember that everyone they encounter as they seek to advance their creative journey is on one of their own. Kindness and a collaborative spirit will take you farther and faster that talent alone. Be the person they want to spend 12 hours on set with... the one who adds relaxed preparation to the equation and who seeks to be a solution and not a problem.
I approach the work as another of my favourite Maya Angelou quotes puts it to “Be the rainbow to someone else’s cloud”. Actors lead the energy on set and I always want mine to be a source of ease and positivity when the producers, directors, and crew see me coming! And I have had it confirmed to me that that approach has translated into many return visits and extra episodes.
2. What was it like working on the set of “Continuum”?
Working on the set of “Continuum” was great!
“Nora” was tough and smart and not to be trifled with. I was so excited about the audition for that role that when I got the callback, I raced through the scene at top speed, so much so that the director, who was also one of the producers, Pat Williams, literally burst out laughing and said words to the effect of, “Good. Now that we have the caffeinated version out of the way, let’s try that again... a little slower.”
I laughed too and was able to relax and do what I had prepared. I was so grateful for the time in the room but was sure I had blown my chance and yet what I had actually experienced was the first demonstration of what life would be like on the set for me. Kind and fun.
3. Can you tell us about your time on “The Good Doctor”?
“The Good Doctor” was also a great experience.
It was very cool to be a part of a show that champions creating spaces for the honest acknowledgment of the gifts given to and challenges faced by those with neurodiversity. And, even as we move towards more inclusive language, it properly frames differences within our total community as opposed to reasons to ostracize people from it. Also, watching the specificity and clarity of Freddie Highmore’s acting process was really something to behold.
4. How was your experience on “Superman & Lois”?
“Superman & Lois” was a fun show to work on because who DOESN’T want to take their place in the Superman canon?!? And it was my second encounter with the “Man of Steel” as earlier in my career I worked on “Smallville”. But this time, I actually saw Superman In. The. Suit. Ok, it was Bizarro Superman but still...there is something about a superhero suit that just makes you connect to being a kid who believed!
5. Is preparing for a television show or movie different or the same? Please explain.
The preparation processes for a movie and a TV show are both similar however they are often operating with very different timeframes in which to work... both from a storytelling and production point of view.
With a TV show, you generally have 7-10 days to film your episode and so you tend to be moving at a faster pace of filming than a movie which usually has 2-3 times that or more for roughly double the produced minutes of product. This means your filming day tends to move faster on a TV show. Also, as scripts are written and approved, in some cases down to each word, there is often little opportunity to move beyond the scenes as delivered. So your preparation needs to be thorough and ready to go pretty much on arrival at work. Also, since a TV show will use different directors to guide each episode, the responsibility for your character’s through-line rests more fully on your shoulders to ensure consistency in the portrayal.
On the other hand, film has more time, one director, and often the flexibility to explore more options in the storytelling as you work. As such, while you still want to arrive prepared to work there is definitely more of an opportunity to do more exploration and expansion of the elements provided on the page. There is just more time.
6. Do you have a favourite role so far and why?
Petra Bellweather, without “a doubt, has been my favourite role so far. Getting to spend 3 seasons on “Motherland: Fort Salem” collaborating on bringing her to life was the most interesting and exciting experience. The complexity with which she was written... her daughter, her job, her rivals, her allies, her responsibilities, her mother, her husbands, her ambitions, and her fears. I will truly miss her.
7. You are a fan of the television series “Black-ish". Just for fun ... If you can only pick one ... tell us your favourite episode from the show and why?
My favourite episodes of “Black-ish” are the ones where Beau’s family comes to visit. While the show generally speaks to expanding the way African American culture is portrayed and perceived by the broader community, Beau’s experience of being bi-racial and navigating those challenges and conversations resonates with me as many of those stories echo my own experiences. And watching and relating to those episodes also deepens my understanding of who is represented on screen and how.
8. Do you have any fun behind-the-scenes moments from your time on “Motherland: Fort Salem”?
(Available now on Freeform in the United States and ABC Spark in Canada)
So much of the fun on “Motherland: Fort Salem” was generated by how much goofiness exists in the cast! And the leaders of this pack were Demetria and Lyne who would brighten the mood of any shooting day with their jokes and silliness. They were both a testament to working quickly, professionally, and efficiently yet not being at odds with having a lot of joy and laughter along the way!
9. Can you tell us about BizBooks.net and TheDramaClass.com?
My husband and I opened Biz Books in 1996 as a brick-and-mortar store with a mission to put resources in peoples’ hands so they could follow their creative ambitions in film, television, and theatre. It evolved from the physical storefront into BizBooks.net and our current “Online and On Location” format in 2010. We now ship all over the world and regularly do pop-up stores at events around Vancouver. We are planning our third pop-up for 2022 in August at Railtown Actors Studio who are great for us to partner with as they train some of the industry’s boldest new talents.
We took over TheDramaClass.com in 2020 and are developing it into an online education space providing classes, workshops, and coaching for actors, writers, teachers, and other creatives. It is our plan to “fill in the gaps” with innovative programming designed to assist with specific skill and career development. Examples of the types of topics our online workshops cover are: writing your first MOW, preparing your taxes as an actor, media relations and preparing for interviews, maximizing your costume choices for visual storytelling in auditions, navigating script and story structure for both writers and actors, auditioning for voice-overs, and enhancing your social media presence.
10. Where can we see you next?
I am excited to report I am currently working on a feature film but unfortunately, I am not at liberty to divulge any details quite yet. That said, I can’t wait to share more about it as it has been a great job to follow up “Motherland: Fort Salem” with... a completely different character and world, but another fun creative group of folks to collaborate with!
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