Murdoch Mysteries is one of those shows that my entire household loves to watch together. In addition to the astounding stories and dynamic cast that are staples of this popular show, I find myself constantly searching through the guest star list in case I find some hidden gems. And it was this show that introduced me to the radiant Joanna Haughton. A while back, I reached out to her for an interview, and am honored to finally be able to share this intriguing actress with all of my readers today!
Photo by Scott Cooper © Azimuth Arts Photography
RH: You are from Poland originally. How did you end up coming to Toronto?
JH: That’s actually an interesting story. It was before the wall fell when Poland was still under the thumb of Russian communism. The government wasn’t allowing young professionals like my parents out of the country. So my Father had to escape across the border into Germany. He was there a year before he got a visa to come to Canada. Then after another year and establishing himself as a permanent resident, he asked for his family over. Due to PR and relations, at that point, the government couldn’t deny that, so we boarded a ship.
That’s right, I said ship. We got onto the last voyage of the ship Batory and made the several-week voyage across the ocean, down the St. Lawrence River and disembarked in Montreal. I don’t have a lot of memories of the trip, just a few flashes here and there. But we landed in Montreal and met my father, then drove to Toronto where he was settled. And that’s how I ended up here.
Toronto is home. As much as I love to travel to other places, this city is so diverse and wonderful that it really is home.
Photo by Denise Grant Photography
Why did you decide to pursue a career in acting?
Because I wanted to be Luke Skywalker. Seriously. I wanted to be Luke Skywalker and once I realized that that wasn’t a real job, I thought the next best thing was to pretend to be Luke Skywalker. I just love the exploration of the human mind. I think if I hadn’t gone into acting, I would’ve gone into studying the human mind – as a psychologist of some sort.
What do you consider your first professional job in the industry? What are your memories of that job?
Oh dear, I honestly don’t know. There were so many. But I guess when I was a teen and in an outdoor play for a pioneer type museum. That was probably what I consider my first since it was the first time an outside organization hired me for my acting.
You had a guest spot on The Strain. Please tell us about your role and experience on that show.
The Strain
Oh fantastic, long, hard, and fantastic again! I’ve done a lot of Kung Fu training, which has gotten me roles based on stunts and fighting, and even just being around stunts and fighting, since the more experienced people you have in that situation, the better. So my spot on The Strain was right in my wheelhouse as I was working with a lot of stunt actors. The main actors are fantastic, of course, and very generous – which is really true of the whole set. TJ Scott directed the episode I was in and he’s just lovely – professional and kind and very capable.
I played a mom trying to get out of post-apocalyptic New York with her family. We’re held up by marauders, and rescued by the main characters. The shooting was fun, but hard, as it was sixteen-hour days in a light drizzle. Which may not sound too bad, but when you’re not wearing too many layers and you’re drizzled on for sixteen hours, it gets a little wet and cold. Again, the crew on that set is amazing – they had crew members attached to the actors working outside and the second the director yelled “cut”, they would come out, throw a thick coat over you and hold an umbrella over you. So they took really good care of us and definitely did their best to look after your well being. Nothing they can do about the weather, of course, but it was really nice to be so thought of.
You also had the opportunity to appear in Murdoch Mysteries. We’re you a fan of the show before you were on it? Please tell us about your role, the episode, and what your memories of the shoot are.
Murdoch Mysteries was the legitimizing mark in my career for my Mama! She is such a fan of the show, that nothing else in my career mattered. It was actually really funny how when I booked that, I was suddenly legitimized. Of course, this is after plays, movies, series, etc etc. She loves the show that much.
The shoot went really quickly and really easily. I play a psychiatric nurse that accompanies a traumatized suspect in her police interview. It was a bit of a tricky shoot as there were so many camera movements, that we had to time our entrances and exits and shuffle quietly in these massive skirts. But again, really fun. And of course, putting on corsets and period costumes was an absolute blast – would love to do it again.
Photo by Denise Grant Photography
Any other upcoming works you can mention?
I actually have a web series coming out. A hard science fiction series that stars many talented actors like Tahmoh Penikett and Michelle Morgan. We shot it a year ago and since then the producers have been shopping it around and it’ll be out soon – can’t say more than that at the moment.
In addition to acting, you have done some producing, writing, and directing. Is this something you would like to do again? How were these works of yours received?
Oh definitely! I’m currently working on a screenplay, and directing is something I really want to delve into more. I love storytelling more than acting in and of itself, which is something I’ve discovered more and more. So the ability to tell stories is really driving me in different creative avenues. So far the reception to my writing has been really positive. The feedback has been that it’s honest, real, and that the women are refreshing. Which well, is no surprise, since most writers for film/TV are men, and when a woman writes women as she experiences them, it’s different. I just write women the way I experience them.
As a woman in the industry, what positive changes have you noticed in the business regarding women?
Um, that’s a hard one. It’s a slow industry to change. There is still a lot of focus on youth and beauty, and women are aged out after thirty. But I do see women speaking out more, and supporting each other much more fiercely. I think we’re really starting to recognize the force we are when we collaborate and support each other rather than try to play somebody else’s zero-sum game. And that’s really wonderful to see.
If you could shadow any person in the industry for one day, whom would you choose and why?
If you had asked me that at any other time, I might have said something different, but today? Ellen Pompeo from Grey’s Anatomy. I admire a woman who has made a career of acting. She is immensely successful – has been the lead in a show for fourteen years; not many others can say that. But more than that, she has taken control of her career, created her own production company, and directed several episodes of Grey’s. I admire business sense and acumen in this field, and seeing her work, asking her questions and learning from that would be great.
What is your favorite kind of weather? Why?
Hot and sunny. Because there is so much joy in it, and a universe of possibility when you’re sitting looking out at the sea.
One of the things I most appreciate about the exquisite Joanna is the fact that she is a multi-faceted artist. While she is a crackerjack actress, upon further investigation, her other gifts including fashion, photography, writing and more will become readily apparent. Joanna is one of those remarkable people whose enthusiasm and vitality ensures that she is not merely content to sit idly by and let things happen to her; she goes out and MAKES her dreams come true. With resolute determination at her core, Joanna is willing to invest the requisite time and labor within this demanding profession, and I have no doubt that she will eventually meet and/or exceed her own expectations. If you are not familiar with the incredible Joanna, I invite you to visit all of her links below and consider following her where applicable. Additionally, if you have not had a chance to watch her in some of her more well-known works, I would suggest that you do so as soon as possible. I greatly anticipate her future endeavors, and something tells me that prodigious things are about to occur for this brilliant young lady!
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