Kat Harlton
Photos: Provided via artist / credit: Jaclyn Vogl
Poster: Copyright of CBC Gem
Actress Erika Prevost is starring in the new hit police drama series SAINT-PIERRE currently airing new episodes weekly on CBC and streaming on CBC Gem.
The drama follows Inspectors Donny Fitzpatrick (played Allan Hawco) and Geneviève Archambault (played Joséphine Jobert) as they uncover the dark underbelly of crime on a remote French archipelago – Saint-Pierre, Newfoundland. Erika’s role as rookie officer Patty Montclair-Ito plays a key part in navigating the island’s web of secrets, bringing depth and intrigue to the series.
After Royal Newfoundland Constabulary Inspector Donny “Fitz” Fitzpatrick digs too deeply into a local politician’s nefarious activity, he is exiled to work in Saint-Pierre et Miquelon (the French Territory nestled in the Atlantic Ocean just off the coast of Newfoundland). Fitz’s arrival disrupts the life of Deputy Chief Geneviève “Arch” Archambault, a Parisian transplant who is in Saint-Pierre for her own intriguing reasons.
As if by fate, these two seasoned officers — with very different policing skills and approaches — are forced together to solve unique and exciting crimes. At first at odds and suspicious of each other, Arch and Fitz soon discover that they are better together… a veritable crime-fighting force.
I had the opportunity to chat with Erika about her role, what fans can expect from the new series and more.
Kat: What drew you to the role of Patty Montclair-Ito in “Saint-Pierre”?
Erika: Patty’s sheer love for her work is what drew me to her! She’s such a passionate cop – she’s devoted to justice, proud of her abilities and is excited by challenges. No matter how dark or intense the case is, she always carries this light – a kind of joy and thrill that’s so much fun to play!
Kat: Can you tell us more about Patty’s character and how she fits into the story?
Erika: Patty’s a member of the Saint-Pierre et Miquelon police force and is sort of the one in charge of research. She’s the youngest one on the team and isn’t as experienced as her colleagues but she’s really good at her job and often finds pieces of the puzzle that help Arch and Fitz solve the case! I think she’s also a bit of the light in what could be a dark show!
Kat: What has been the most challenging aspect of playing Patty?
Erika: Patty loves being a cop more than anything and being at work, she’s like a kid in a candy shop! But she’s also a trained professional. So the biggest challenge I had this season was figuring out the balance in her excitement – like how much can I push that envelope while making sure she stays a believable police officer. It’s the first season so I feel like I was figuring out the tone, the style, and how she fits into this world.
Kat: How do you prepare for scenes that require intense emotional or physical performances?
Erika: I don’t have much of those scenes in Saint-Pierre, but generally speaking, I now prepare my state of mind more than the scene itself. What I mean by that is I will make sure I’m present, connected to my body and trusting that I’m enough and whatever comes out in this moment is enough. I’m so disciplined and doing the work beforehand is never an issue for me, but letting go of expectations under pressure is a different kind of challenge. And I learned the importance of preparing my state of mind so I can stay kind to myself and allow for whatever’s meant to happen without getting in the way.
Kat: What has been your favourite moment on set while filming “Saint-Pierre”?
Erika: Oh I have so many favourite moments, I feel like we were always dying of laughter on this set! But one of them was when Jean-Michel was singing Every Breath You Take by The Police while we were all filming a scene in the bullpen. And Allan goes “you know that song is about a stalker right?” and we’re all like “what??!” We were singing it like a romantic love song but then Jean-Michel and I started going over the lyrics and realized how creepy it actually was! There’s a video of us singing it somewhere on Instagram haha, for the rest of the day everyone kept singing it and we couldn’t get it out of our heads!
Kat: How does the dynamic between Patty and the other characters evolve throughout the series?
Erika: I think the main evolution that occurs throughout the season is the respect she gains for and from her peers! She doesn’t take Fitz too seriously when he first arrives, she’s annoyed with Renuf’s lack of initiative, she isn’t quite satisfied with Marcus not letting her go out into the field, etc. But as she proves herself episode after episode, she starts to gain more responsibilities and they all start to recognize how capable she is. And vice versa! Whether it be Fitz, Veda or Renuf, Patty has so much respect for someone who applies themselves and is good at what they do. That’s the main reason she looks up to Arch so much from beginning to end, she wants to be just like her!
Kat: What can audiences expect from Patty’s character arc as the series progresses?
Erika: Without giving away anything, the audience can expect Patty’s responsibilities to grow – whether approved or not, she will start to take initiatives and step outside the box (for better or for worse hehe).
Kat: How has your experience been working with Allan Hawco and Joséphine Jobert?
Erika: An absolute gift!! They are both incredible leaders in their own ways! Josephine has this ability to immediately make everybody feel welcomed, she has an effortless warmth to her and carries herself with so much love and grace no matter the workload. And she NEVER messes up!! Like you see the amount of dialogue Arch has in this show and she is ALWAYS on point! Just like Patty wants to be Arch, Erika wants to be Josephine when she grows up haha. And Allan is just the most present ninja wizard person I’ve ever met haha, watching him work is mind blowing – like you will see him do the scene, we hear cut and he runs away to write the next episode, watch an audition tape, or take a phone meeting, then comes back as we’re rolling for the next take. He does not stop! But I’ve never seen him complain once! You can tell he LOVES what he does and he carries a kind of gratitude and kindness that’s contagious. He’s both an extremely efficient and intelligent boss you respect, but also a silly goofy fellow actor that you can have so much fun with. I learn so much from both of them every day!
Kat: What message or themes do you hope viewers take away from “SAINT-PIERRE”?
Erika: The biggest message I hope viewers takeaway is the reward of having the courage to share yourself with someone else. That no matter your differences, when you can truly see, accept and support each other, that partnership will allow you to go further than you ever could have on your own – whether it be personal or professional.
Kat: What other projects are you working on or looking forward to in the near future?
Erika: I’m currently working on developing a show with my writing partner Graeme Campbell. We’re in the very beginning stages so there’s not much to share yet but it’s a passion project we’re slowly nurturing!
Connect with Erika on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/erika_prevost