Kat Harlton
Photos: Provided via artist / credit: Megan Vincent
Poster: Copyright of Fox Corporation / Sony Pictures Television
Actress Conni Miu is currently starring in the new highly anticipated and powerful medical drama series Doc airing now on FOX (USA) and Global TV/AppleTV+ (Canada).
The show tells the story of Dr. Amy Larsen (played by Molly Parker) who loses her memory during a car accident and must return to being an intern, while somehow rebuilding her life from the pieces that remain. Amy Larsen, the chief of internal medicine at Minneapolis’s Westside Hospital, suffers a brain injury that causes her to lose her memory of the last eight years. She struggles to continue practicing medicine and build a new life after the events she can’t remember, which include a divorce from her husband and a tragedy that made her push others away.
Conni stars alongside her as Nurse Liz Kwon. Conni’s character is a relatively new nurse to Westside Hospital’s IMO unit. Liz is eager to do well, but she’s still gaining experience and can be easily overwhelmed by the job. She’s naïve, sweet and kind, and often able to find joy in the toughest moments.
In addition to Doc, Conni also stars in the new feature film Lucky Star, following a Chinese Canadian dad raising his family in suburban Calgary who gets drawn into gambling as he attempts to recover money he lost after being scammed. The film will be released this Spring 2025.
I had the opportunity to chat with Conni about her role on the new medical drama, what fans can expect and more.
Kat: Nurse Liz Kwon is a relatively new character in the hospital’s IMO unit. What attracted you to this role and how did you prepare for it?
Conni: I’ve always had a desire to do a medical drama, so I was thrilled to land this part! One of my favourite aspects of the process is the prep because it’s such a great excuse to learn more. In school, I always found biology to be a really interesting subject, so spending time in the researching phase for this was really enjoyable! Also, we had a fantastic on-set medical consultant, Josh, who was brilliant at answering all of our questions, from the specifics of the medical case, to how a patient might feel and how to use the medical equipment!
Kat: How did you approach playing a character who is eager but still gaining experience in such a high-pressure environment?
Conni: Truthfully, this was an aspect of the role that came super naturally to me! I honestly can get quite nervous on set, especially at the beginning of the shoot. I always want to do well, and I never want to let anyone down, so sometimes I can get in my head! As with a lot of shows, there’s such a large cast and crew, and everyone wants to do their best, which can inherently make the set a high pressure environment. So in a lot of ways, I could easily relate to how Liz might be feeling.
Kat: What was it like working alongside Molly Parker and the rest of the cast of Doc?
Conni: This cast comes with a lot of knowledge and experience, I really enjoyed their leadership! In a scene I had with Molly, while filming, she fought to make sure that the scene made sense, for her but also for me. I appreciated that she also took care of me in those moments. Same with Scott Wolf! In some of our scenes, he was there if I ever needed any guidance. And lastly, I have to mention Jon Ecker. Jon’s the best and was one of my favourites to do scenes with. Off screen, he’s such a nonchalant guy, I find him to be so funny.
Kat: The show tackles complex themes of memory loss and rebuilding one’s life. How did you connect with these themes personally or professionally?
Conni: I think what comes up for me most is the deep fear of any of my loved ones suffering with memory loss, or myself suffering with it for that matter. As we all get older, day by day, it becomes a condition that is a lot more terrifying. I’ve also had a relative pass from Alzheimer’s, because the disease lead them to putting themselves into a very dangerous situation. So, I can definitely connect with the fear. Also, it’s just incredibly heartbreaking for the individual suffering, and those around them. Memories are so precious!
Kat: Can you share a memorable or challenging moment from filming Doc that stands out to you?
Conni: A highlight of the entire season for me was shooting our season finale with the very talented director, Michael Goi. I had the pleasure of not only acting in that episode, but also having the special opportunity to shadow him as a director. For those two weeks, if I wasn’t acting, I was coming to set on my off days, or coming early and staying late, to watch from over his shoulder as he worked his magic. Michael is enthralling to watch when he’s in his directing element. He was also incredibly generous with his knowledge, offering me up tips and tricks, or sharing stories to answer any question that I asked. It opened my mind up even more to what happens behind the scenes, and I am so grateful for that experience!
Kat: Nurse Liz is described as naïve, sweet, and kind. How did you bring these qualities to life on screen?
Conni: Well, hopefully, there’s a little bit of that sweetness and kindness that lives in me, that comes out when I play her! I think with any role, you hope there is a little bit of overlap with you and the character. So, if all goes well, hopefully there’s a little bit of me that shines through in those moments where I think Liz is very nice and bubbly! But at the end of the day, it was all in the way that Barbie Kligman wrote the character to be. She made a very clear roadmap for me to follow. Based on Liz’s actions and how she responded to situations, it was easy to determine that Liz must be a fairly kind and sweet person!
Kat: How do you hope audiences will relate to and resonate with Nurse Liz’s journey and experiences?
Conni: I’d love it if the audience found her enjoyable to watch! I found her enjoyable to play. Liz has these moments of levity that I always found amusing. I hope it inspires a reaction of “Oh, Liz! That is so Liz!”
Kat: Switching gears to your new film Lucky Star, can you tell us about your character and what drew you to this project?
Conni: What excited me the most about this script was the dynamic between a father and daughter. In Lucky Star, I play Grace, who is the daughter of a reformed gambler named Lucky. Grace is a university student with dreams of her own, but has to navigate the ups and downs of her relationship with her father when he slips into his old habits. Through these challenges, there is still such a love and strong bond there. And that love for a father was something I felt I could really relate to.
Kat: Lucky Star deals with themes of family and the consequences of gambling. How did you prepare for your role, and what message do you hope the film conveys?
Conni: I think what made this filming experience such a fulfilling one for me was the way scenes felt when they were shot. Our director, Gillian McKercher, created such a great environment on set that I could just trust and throw my prep work away. From there, I only had to focus on listening and being present in the moment. As for the message, I found myself walking away after the first watch, asking “can someone truly change?” I’d love to see if an audience feels that same way, and asks that same question.
Kat: What’s next?
Conni: Currently on the docket, I am finishing up a short film that I produced, and acted in as well. The production side of filmmaking is a whole new world for me! We plan to submit our film to festivals and release it this year, so I’m really looking forward to learning all that I can about how to release and market a film!
Connect With Conni On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/connimiu