Episodes
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Perrie Voss (co-creator of Avocado Toast the series, @perrievoss) chats with the wonderful ANNIE BRIGGS (she/her). Annie is an actor and writer and also our story editor for Avocado Toast the series and has been a part of our team from the start!
Fans will largely know Annie as Lola Perry from the hit web series "Carmilla" as well as "Murdoch Mysteries" and "Transplant". Annie is a graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in NYC and of the CFC Actor's Conservatory. Annie also co-wrote the hit series "CLAIREvoyant" alongside Natasha Negovanlis. Annie also wrote and directed and starred in her short film "LUVVIE".
Perrie and Annie chat about what Annie has been up to during quarantine and the answer may surprise you (hint: she might be learning how to make Cream Puffs - which is very fitting, we think!). Annie also talks about diving into the book The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron over the last year and how amazing that has been.
They chat about working together on Avocado Toast and how both Elle and Molly's storylines were mutually touching for her and they talk about how necessary the discussion around bi-erasure is as well as being able to talk about the pain around parental divorce(s). Perrie and Annie also talk about bumping into each other at ClexaCon in London 2018.
Annie talks about the drive to create work even though we can constantly find ways of talking ourselves out of it. We also touch on some of her favourite films and filmmakers (Jim Jarmusch and Céline Sciamma).
You can find out more about Annie's work on her on Instagram @anniemorganb and Twitter @anniembriggs and IMDB and watch her short film "RUTH" as a part of the CFC "close-ups".
Thank you so much to Ontario Creates for their support of this project and to Russell Louder for the use of their song "Cost of Living". You can find more of Russell's work on Spotify. -
Today Avocado Toast the series co-creator, Perrie Voss (she/her) chats with on-set sound mixer and composer, James M Findlay (he/him). We were lucky enough to have James on Season 1 of Avocado Toast the series as both our on set sound and post-production mixer! James is one of the kindest hearted, hardest workers, and busiest blokes we know! James chats with Perrie about what he’s been doing during the pandemic (keeping busy!) and what some of his favourite moments were from Avocado Toast. James is basically a contortionist, from curling up into a room the size of a phone booth, to the backseat of a car, and “straddling” our cinematographer in the back of a van, James was always up for finding the best way to get the best sound. James also did our post-production sound mix and Perrie and James talk about working closely together on the minutia of post-sound being such a pivotal part of our show. Follow James on instagram @jamesmfindlay and his website www.jamesmfindlay.com
Thank you so much to our partners @ontariocreates for their generous support of this project! and to Russell Louder for the use of their song "Cost of Living" you can find more of their music on Spotify -
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Avocado Toast the series co-creator Heidi Lynch (she/her) chats with actor, director, writer Leighton Alexander Williams (he/him). Leighton plays Dave aka the “resident fuck boi” on Avocado Toast the series. The two chat about diversifying career paths while pursuing acting and how an audition "shouldn't have to feel like Christmas" when you have other things on the go that keep you feeling inspired. Leighton also talks about how being an acting coach creates a beautiful reciprocation of respect for both the mentor and mentee. Leighton talks about his mentor Philip Aikin and winning Premier's Award for Excellence in the Arts - Emerging Artist of the Year which is an award that's given by the Ontario Arts Council. The two also chat about Leighton's short film "Residue" which is on CBC's Canada's Reflections program, which he also stars in. Leighton is also is one of the founders of the production company Big Dreamers Brotherhood Production Company - which is comprised of seven Black male actors all in their 20s to 30s - which maintain the motto that they “can look at each other as competition or we can look at each other as family and build. Iron sharpens Iron".
Follow Leighton and his work on Instagram at @livingwithlaw and check out the BDB production company website at www.bdbproductionsinc.com
Thank you so much to Ontario Creates for their support of this podcast and to Russell Louder for the use of their song "Cost of Living". -
Today Avocado Toast the series co-creator, Perrie Voss (she/her) chats with actor and producer, Wayne Burns (he/him). Wayne plays the incredible Katharine Hepburn in the series during the infamous "Diner Dream" in season 1 episode 4. The two have a really interesting conversation around Wayne accepting the role and his concerns about appropriating drag culture as a non-drag performer. He remembers his first interaction with drag in the film starring Patrick Swayze To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar and his first time seeing Allysin Chains perform at The Gladstone Hotel. Wayne also starred in Slo Pitch and he joyfully compares Avocado Toast and Slo Pitch, with Avocado Toast being the beginners entrance into understanding queerness and Slo Pitch dropping us right in the middle of the culture! Wayne has produced several projects recently including "Body So Fluorescent" (Best Emerging Artist, InsideOut Festival), "A Revolution of Love" (created with participation of the City of Toronto), and the upcoming Grandma was a Cowgirl with Vivien Endicott-Douglas.
Follow Wayne on instagram @wayne.burns and his website www.wayneburns.ca
Thank you so much to Ontario Creates for their support of this podcast! -
Heidi Lynch chats with actor and musician Elena Juatco (she/her). You may recognize Elena from Schitt's Creek, Hudson and Rex and playing Cale Jann. Heidi and Elena talk about where they met, and how different she is from her character on Jann. They also talk about Elena's love of music and how she took cues from the universe to help her see how making music and acting can happen hand in hand. Elena also talks about asking production for what you need as a performer to create your best work, and that it's not about being a diva! And the two also chat about Elena's project, SExT: Sex Education by Theatre which is an initiative in schools which is about youth educating other youth about sex ed. Instead of a teacher coming in and teaching kids about their bodies - kids come in as a role model!
You can find out more about Elena on Instagram @elenajuatco and on Twitter @ElenaJuatco and you can hear her sing on Spotify and her SExT project http://www.sexeducationbytheatre.com/ and on instagram @SExTEdShow
Thank you so much to Ontario Creates for their support of this project! @ontariocreates -
Today Avocado Toast co-creator Perrie Voss chats with Kiki Divic (she/her), production designer extraordinaire! Kiki was our production designer on Avocado Toast the series and the magic that she produced in every single location is mind boggling. Kiki started out in the advertising agency world as a graphic and web designer. Kiki chats about her departure from an unsatisfying position in the commercial ad-world to enter the film industry as a production designer. Kiki also designed our Avocado Toast logo and revamped our website, and Perrie and Kiki talk about the process and how they arrived at the final product. The two chat about the nuance of creating a world on screen and how that can inform the emotion of a scene just through the details. Basically Kiki is incredible. We're obsessed with her and you're about to be too.
Check out more of Kiki's work at her website www.kdivic.com and on Instagram @kikzilla and literally EVERY MOMENT AND VISUAL DETAIL of watching Avocado Toast the series!!
Thank you so much to Ontario Creates for their support of this podcast! -
Heidi Lynch chats with actor and writer Nelu Handa (she/her). Nelu plays the wry and very pregnant bar owner 'Rosie' on Avocado Toast the series, and is also well known for her roles on hit shows such as Workin Moms, Baroness Von Sketch Show, Decoys , Jann and Star Trek: Discovery.
Heidi and Nelu chat about working as a writer and actor in comedy and her experience with creating her own sketch comedy show. Back when acting work wasn't giving her the space she needed Nelu created it herself! Mirchi Comedy was born to give voice to women of colour because... women are funny! Nelu also speaks about her decision in 2020 to rename it (formerly Yas Kween) you can read her instagram post about that decision here.
We also get to hear about Nelu's experience as a writer on the new CBC show "Sort Of" which explores gender fluidity and authenticity which is set to air this year (2021).
Check out more on Nelu Handa on her website (currently under getting a makeover) www.neluhanda.com and on Instagram @neluhanda and Twitter @NeluHanda and check out Mirchi Comedy @mirchicomedyto for upcoming shows and announcements. -
Perrie Voss chats with editor Anna Catley (she/her). Anna is a film editor and total film buff! Both Anna and Perrie worked side by side (or literally back to back, one foot away from each other!!) as the co-editors of Avocado Toast the series Season 1!
Anna started out thinking that she would go into film in a much different way. But once she discovered that editing was actually a career she launched ahead going from editing assistant, to editor!
Anna has worked on projects such as New Eden , Hazy Little Thing and the upcoming The Surrealtor . As an editor she has worked on a multitude of music videos for artists such as Gord Downie "Traffic is Magic", and Monowhales for their upcoming album and many more!
Anna and Perrie talk about their love of tarot cards and reading tarot as an aid in their editing process with Mystic Mondays Tarot . Anna talks about her love of Jaws as "the perfect movie", her childhood fear of Jumanji (the original film), and her incredible collaboration with editor/director Kat Webber and editor Leah Lalich in their new venture COVEN which was created to work with and uplift female filmmaking voices. www.covenco.tv and on instagram @covenco.tv
You can find out more about Anna's work on her on Instagram @annacatley and Twitter @annacatley as well as her website www.annacatley.com -
Heidi Lynch chats with actor, writer and producer Gwenlyn Cumyn (she/her). You'll recognize Gwen most recently on the OUTtv/ KindaTV series. Slo Pitch, as well as Barbelle on KindaTV and fans will also know her from the web series All for One. Gwen and Heidi chat about wearing multiple hats on your own projects and balancing producing and acting. The two also discuss what it's like to identify as bisexual and chat about some unexpected bi-icons including Xena Warrior Princess, Sandra Bernhard from Roseanne, and Transparent. Gwen also talks about the newsletter Bi-Monthly by Jen Winston.
You can find out more about Gwen's work on Instagram @gwenlyn.cumyn and Twitter @gwenlyn.cumyn -
Perrie Voss chats with actor and filmmaker, Knox (she/her). Also known as Karen Knox in her acting life. You will recognize her from Barbelle, Slo Pitch, and Cons & Pros and most recently starred in the Syfy Network film, Letters to Satan Claus (which also stars our own Avocado Toast the series co-creator and star, Perrie Voss) and premiered this past December 2020.
Knox has been creating tv and film content for the past 3 years as a writer, producer, director, actor and all around bad-ass. The two discuss constantly having film projects on the go, as well as Knox's upcoming projects that are bubbling for 2021 with her co-creator Gwenlyn Cumyn (stay tuned for her interview with Heidi next week!). Perrie and Knox chat about how they met doing a play together called The Skriker and how both came to film after being brought up in the theatre and how to learn to "love what loves you back".
You can find out more about Knox's work (and her excellent autofiction) on her website www.karen-knox.com and on Instagram @knox.x.x.x and Twitter @knox.x.x.x -
Heidi Lynch chats with actor, drag artist and producer Champagna (they/them/he/him and she/her in drag). Champagna and Heidi talk about the experience of being on the Avocado Toast the series set (Champagna joined us as our behind the scenes on set for season 1). Hailing originally from Alberta, Champagna’s background is as a trained actor and now is touted as successful drag queen in Canada. Most recently found a way to merge their acting ability with their drag performance and you can catch them on stage (virtually during our time of pandemic) as the drag queen “Champagna” but also on screen on CBC Gem’s “Queens”. Champagna also has been working with Border2Border Entertainment founder, Charlie David on a web series called “Womb Envy”, on which Champagna is a writer and performer. Champagna talks about what they continue to work on as a performer and artist and how they’re finding a way to keep the art of drag going in the pandemic - especially with the closure of two predominant queer spaces for drag artists in Toronto, “The Beaver” and “The Gladstone”, which is under renovation.You can find out more about Champagna’s work on Instagram @champagna_papi
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Perrie Voss chats with film director and photographer, Leah Vlemmiks. Leah chats about her experience on our Avocado Toast the series season 1 set as our 2nd Assistant Director, and how her ability to mulit-task under pressure while staying calm made her such an incredible asset on our set. Leah comes from an Advertising background and has transitioned into film over the past year. Leah also talks about directing a music video for the musician Witch Prophet on their recent music video 'Tesfay', which Leah directed this past summer. Witch Prophet was subsequently a part of the Polaris Finalist screening on CBC. Leah touches on what aspects of storytelling on film speaks to her and one of her favourite directors, Chloé Zhao, who most recently directed Nomadland starring Frances McDormand. Leah and Perrie also discuss their mutual experience of having their parents divorce while they were adults (which led to Elle's parental divorce storyline in Avocado Toast season 1), and the unexpected and profound effect it can have on your life, even as an adult.
You can follow Leah's work including her photography on her website www.leahvlemmiks.com and on Instagram @leah_vlemmiks_photo -
Heidi Lynch chats with actor and writer, Maika Harper (she/her). Maika is known largely for her role on Mohawk Girls (available on CBC Gem), Kim’s Convenience and Burden of Truth. Heidi and Maika talk about meeting in theatre school, working as an actor and writer as well as being a mother, and the challenges and rewards within that. Maika talks about her recent role on the film The Education of Fredrick Fitzell, and the crossing our fingers that Maika will be able to join us in the cast of season 2 of Avocado Toast the series.You can find out more about Maika’s work on IMDB and and follow her on Instagram @inukinthecity and Twitter @Maikaharper
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Perrie Voss chats with Alexander Nunez who plays Jordan’ on Avocado Toast the series. Alex is an actor and filmmaker who’s work includes “The Umbrella Academy", "Grand Army" and will star in the upcoming CBC series "Feudal" which just wrapped filming in the fall of 2020. Alex and Perrie chat about his audition for Avocado Toast and why our production team jumped at the opportunity to make his part bigger during filming. Alex also creates his own work and Perrie and Alex chat about his short 'Diversity Hire' and how he is now in the process of turning it into a series. The two talk about working hard and how to keep going in an industry that can be tricky at times and how you never know how one thing can lead to another. Why it's important to create your own work and believe in what you have to offer when you're hired. Alex is also one of our writers on Avocado Toast season 2!
You can follow Alex on Instagram @alexjonunez and you can see another interview Alex and Perrie did on YouTube during filming here and here! and Twitter (because he's wonderful and hilarious @alexander_jnun -
Heidi Lynch chats with actor/filmmaker, Scott Cavalheiro (he/him). Scott plays Hunter in Avocado Toast the series (available on OUTtvGo and Amazon Prime), and his list of acting credits are extensive and impressive! Most recently you can catch him on Good Witch also available on Amazon Prime, and a new Christmas classic - Christmas with a View (on Netflix) with a a multitude of other films and tv series on his roster you can check out more of Scott's work check on his IMDB page. Heidi and Scott talk about Scott's production company with his wife Claire Stollery, Stained Tie Films and one of their first films together: "Who Is Hannah" . The two chat about the crossover and comedy and drama as an actor and their mutual love of the series 'Succession'
You can find out more about Scott's work on his website www.scottcavalheiro.com and www.stainedtie.com and follow him on Instagram @scottcavalheiro and @stainedtiefilms and on Twitter @scottcavalheiro -
Perrie Voss chats with Charlie David who is one of the producers on Avocado Toast the series. Charlie is the founder of Border2Border Entertainment, which is the production company behind Avocado Toast the series as well as multiple award winning film, television and digital projects. Border2Border promotes diverse, underserved audiences made by people with lived experience – women, LGBTQ+ and people with disabilities as key participants. Charlie and Perrie chat about why he started his company and how working as an actor on Dantes Cove pushed him to want to create his own work in the LGBTQ+ space. Charlie speaks about how he chooses the projects he wants to develop and what it means to learn in real time while producing on a project. He also discusses the importance of championing diverse voices and why he cherished his experience on season 2 of Drag Heals.
You can follow Charlie David on Instagram @mrcharliedavid and @border2borderentertainment and Twitter @charliedavid -
Heidi Lynch chats with film director Sam Coyle (she/her). Sam is the director of Avocado Toast the series (available on OUTtvGo and Amazon Prime), Hazy Little Thing (available on the Superchannel) and a multitude of other films and music videos. Heidi and Sam talk about Sam's process and how she approaches her work. The two chat about some of Sam's influences this episode which include the film Biutiful written and directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu and the novel Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney. Sam also speaks about the independent filmmaking program Attagurl (formerly Attagirl).
You can find out more about Sam's work on her website www.samcoyleproductions.com and www.withwolvesmedia.com and follow them on Instagram @its_sam_coyle and @withwolvesmedia -
Perrie Voss chats with cinematographer, director and filmmaker, J Stevens (they/them). J is the co-creator of the web series Slo Pitch which is also streaming on OUTtvGo and KindaTV . You can find out more about J's work on their website www.j-stevens.com and follow them on Instagram @the_j_stevens and @j_stevensphotography.
