As my regular readers know, I simply adore turning the spotlight on those actors who tend to remain in the supporting cast and/or the background. And in the case of Sarah Hayward, very often, that is exactly where we find her. She was brought to my attention because of my love affair with the Freeform series Siren, and upon further examination, I discovered that this woman has had quite a career. Due to my busy schedule, she has been waiting for me to post this interview for some time, but I am thrilled to highlight her on my site today!

PC: Ashley Ross

RH: Sarah, thank you for your flexibility. It’s great getting to chat with you today.

SH: Ruth, it’s my pleasure. Thank you for reaching out. I know how busy it can get for everyone.

So how did you get started in acting?

Well, I credit my mom. She did some acting herself when she was younger before she was married. She was in a traveling theater company that toured in Nova Scotia, which is where I grew up. She always encouraged me. She enrolled me in acting classes with Mrs. Stanbury’s Acting School when I was about seven. We learned to faint; that’s the only thing I remember. We had to raise our right hand to our forehead and make our right leg go limp and fall to the floor. So that was my first exposure.

Then we would go to a lot of plays. My mom became the publicist for the Neptune Theater in Halifax, so I saw a lot of plays at the Neptune. One of the shows I saw…Susan Wright, who is a well-known Canadian actress who is unfortunately no longer with us, I saw her work, and I identified with her. I just looked at her and went, “I can do that!”

But it was quite a long road for me. I always did acting, but I felt like I had to go to University and get my degree. I did theater while at University, but there wasn’t a theater program. So after I got my degree, then I went to three years of theater school in Montreal at the Dome Theater School. They share some of their teachers with the National Theater School, which is like a professional theater school like Studio 58.

I did a lot of theater in Montreal before we left that area. We had our own theater company called the Full House Theater Company. We did political cabaret. It was at a time when Saturday Night Live was kind of on the down. It wasn’t as good as it has been lately. So we did political satire with music. I did that for a little while, and then I moved out here to Vancouver.

At first, I did quite a bit of theater out here. I worked at the Playhouse and the Tamahnous Theatre. The Haunted House Hamlet was the first theater show I did here. It was at Heritage Hall, and you could follow all the characters around the building. So each character had to be alive for the whole show and had to sing sonnets and have extra dialogue. It was a fantastic introduction to the whole theater scene in Vancouver.

And that led me to the writing of my own show called Stripes, the Mystery Circus. It’s about a woman auditioning for a circus. So I had the two-headed lady, the escape artist, the bearded lady, jugglers…and they’re all like a twist because it was all based on my life, except for one interview. The juggler is juggling the demands of caregiving, and that was based on me with my mom in the last years of her life where I did a lot of caregiving. And I wrote a piece called “The Halloween Party At the Old Folk’s Home.” It was a very touching piece about dressing her as a bride, going to the party, and all the life that existed within that place. All the beauty and life that you don’t always see, but when you’re in there with your loved one and you’re a part of it, you see the character and the beauty and you’re so grateful to have that time with your loved one. So I mined my life like an archaeology dig for material for that show. And I wrote songs with my singing teacher, Marguerite Witvoet, so it was a musical. I love to sing. I toured that show across Canada on The Fringe circuit and to the New York Fringe, which was a highlight.

Strypes at Cherry Lane Theater

I got to perform at the Cherry Lane Theater Annex for the New York Fringe Festival. And that was a big thrill. I was carrying all my props and costumes with me. I had a backpack and two huge suitcases that I carried through the subways of New York to get to the theater. That was the hardest part. {laughs} I was a pack animal. Then I sold the show to a few professional theaters. I think the last time I did it was on Mayne Island; my brother lives on Mayne Island, one of the Gulf Islands. They have a beautiful little theater called the Ag Hall, the Agricultural Hall. It’s a beautiful old wooden theater, and I did it there.

Then I stopped touring because I really wanted to be home to do film and TV. It’s hard to make a living in the theater for sure, but it has a different reward…a personal satisfaction of picking your own words and putting what you think is beautiful into the world, so I really enjoyed that. A lot of my show is about the healing power of sound because when my mom was sick, she was kind of unconscious and I sang to her. I put my head right on her shoulder and sang, and she woke up from an unconscious state and she lived for another year. That’s how I became convinced of the healing power of music. I got to be with her and hold her and sing to her when she died. Like singing her into the next realm.

One of the things I learned in my research for the show is that the human heart is five thousand times stronger magnetically than the brain and a hundred times stronger electrically. So I think when you really get in touch with your own heart, you’re more able to connect with an audience or with other people.

So you made a transition into film and TV from theater. Was that a difficult or easy transition?

Well, it is such a different style, right? In theater arts, your style is much larger and more projecting. For film and TV, you really have to contain your enthusiasm so that it’s more on a conversational level. You’re not trying to reach the back of the room. So it seemed like a natural thing that I’m always thinking about because I’m a pretty enthusiastic person. But when I do classes on camera and I can see myself on camera for an audition, I always tape myself and look at it. You can direct yourself through the process and you can see what you’re doing to see if that’s too much or not enough. Or maybe it doesn’t look right or your eyebrows are crooked. {laughs}

What was your first TV/movie role?

I remember I did one in Montreal called Mount Royal. I remember I had this scarf over my head and I played an abused wife. There was no abuse shown, but I played a person who was a victim of something. I don’t think I’ve played many of those kinds of roles, but that was very early on when I was in my twenties. I did a few things in Montreal before I left. In fact, I remember I played a teacher–a sort of saucy teacher.

As soon as I got out here…I have done lots of roles here in Vancouver. I remember that one of the funniest things was when I was on The Commish and I played a cherry pie waitress. I had a bunch of friends invite me over to watch it on TV. They baked me a cake with gumdrops, and we waited and waited and waited, and I started to panic. And my part had been cut! All that remained at the end was my name! They had too much plot thickener, and the cherry pie waitress wasn’t needed.

Oh, I’ve heard so many of those stories. I think that happens to everyone in the business at some point. 

Oh, it’s so embarrassing when that happens after you’ve told all your friends to watch you. Now, I remember in The Pledge dancing with Jack Nicholson at his retirement party. He’s amazing. Any time there was any tension on the set, he would diffuse it with a joke. And he would take care of everybody in the room. That’s what I remember. We were filming at the Waldorf Hotel in Vancouver, and it was a big party scene so there were lots of people there.

It is always so nice to hear that these big-name actors are actually nice people. I mean, I know there are plenty who aren’t, but it makes a nice change to hear about those who are. 

That is true. I was on set with Robert Redford, and everybody admired him so much. He was directing, and it was like this love flowed down from above. Everybody loved working there and admired him and respected him so much.

And the same with Steven Spielberg. I played a maid in the royal palace in the BFG. Spielberg was so funny. He would address this whole room of people and say, “You know, I always liked cartoons, and I’m gonna direct this like a cartoon. You’re gonna take a few steps forward and then back away like a cartoon!” And it was just great! Again, he was very personable, just a person doing his job in the best way possible.

Siren

I really love hearing these stories. We always hear how all the actors in Hollywood are mean and egotistical. And sometimes all because of one story that is blown up out of proportion. It’s so nice to realize that most of these people are pretty decent people. So, Sarah, while I may not have seen you in everything, I’m very familiar with some of the shows you’ve been on, even though they are not leading roles. I always feel that the people in the background are important too, even though more attention is paid to the leads. 

Well, let me tell you about my experience on Siren. That show was really one of the nicest sets I’ve ever been on. I play the housekeeper of Sarah Jane Redmond’s character. I’ve always admired Sarah, so it was really nice to get to work with her. For the first time in my life, I had the biggest dressing room! I had like a producer/director dressing room. I had the sofa and the fireplace and the shower. It was just amazing! Each of the three days I worked on that first season, I got that kind of dressing room. That was a pretty big thrill. The directors were all very considerate of me and positive about my work. They would come up and shake my hand and say, “Thank you for working with us.” One of the producers, Emily Whitesell, she also came up to me and made a point of saying that they thought they would see me back on set again. She was very welcoming.

Oh, my daughter and I loved the first season of Siren! It quickly became one of our favorites. I have several friends in the show. Curtis Lum, Tammy Gillis, as well as a couple others. Rena Owen and Hannah Levien are amazing as well. And the story of the show is just something so different and refreshing. It is beautifully shot, and the special effects are amazing. I’m so glad that the show got renewed. Are we going to see you in season two?

Yes, you will see my character return. Sylvia the housekeeper will be a part of season two of Siren. In fact, if you were watching season one, as I know you were, you might remember my character even had a boyfriend. I can’t say whether he returns or not. You’ll have to watch and find out. But that was a very intense scene when they were all hunting the mermaids, and the sheriff comes by. I come out of a restaurant with my boyfriend; we just had dinner. And the sheriff yells, “Sylvia, go back in!” It’s a really quick scene, but we got to go from super happy to super scared in a matter of seconds. I was glad I got out of the kitchen for that scene because I was in two other scenes where I was in the kitchen. This gave my character a real life. And hopefully, audiences will remember when they see Sylvia again.

And speaking of the beauty of this show, I love the otherworldliness of the mermaid. Even her breathing…it is so intriguing when someone’s breath is different like that.

My daughter and I love that! I have told her that if a guy ever tries to approach us in the wrong way, that’s the way we need to respond! Breathe like the mermaid!

Oh, yes, breathe ferociously! Honestly, it was like they invented a new creature. It is so amazing. I hope everyone will tune in January 24th for season two!

PC: Ashely Ross

Absolutely! And it was a treat to get to see you briefly in Christmas Joy this season. That was such a fun Hallmark Christmas movie, and I’m so glad you were in it!

Thank you, Ruth, I believe the film was well-received. I do love being a part of Hallmark movies. When I read the script, I thought it was really one of my favorites. It’s got such a strong female cast. And again, it is directed by a wonderful female director, Monika Mitchell. You know Gabrielle {Rose} because you interviewed her. She had a central role.

And Beverley Elliott, who was Granny from Once Upon A Time, was there too. She’s a really good friend of mine. We met years and years ago on the set of Call Of the Wild. We were playing sisters. That’s a Ricky Schroeder film. We were sisters of the judge. At the beginning of the movie, they show the judge and his daughters and a bunch of kids around the dining room table. We had hoop skirts on, and we had to get dressed and drive in our cars with our hoop skirts across town to the next set. We became fast friends after that. In fact, I was there for the birth of her daughter. And Beverley and I both go to Unity Church. She sings there a lot.

In fact, a little while ago, we were out for a walk together, and she reminded me that we should make it a point to read poetry every day for ten minutes. That gets you in touch with your spirit first thing in the morning. And I remember an interview with Mandy Patinkin where he talked about that. He said that he always carried an inspiring quote or song lyrics or something to focus his mind on something really beautiful. And I just loved that. I was looking up, and all of a sudden something popped into my head. A quote from Joseph Conrad about the artist:

“But the artist appeals to that part of our being which is not dependent on wisdom; to that in us which is a gift and not an acquisition— and, therefore, more permanently enduring. He speaks to our capacity for delight and wonder, to the sense of mystery surrounding our lives; to our sense of pity, and beauty, and pain; to the latent feeling of fellowship with all creation— and to the subtle but invincible conviction of solidarity that knits together the loneliness of innumerable hearts, to the solidarity in dreams, in joy, in sorrow, in aspirations, in illusions, in hope, in fear, which binds men to each other, which binds together all humanity— the dead to the living and the living to the unborn.”

I love that! Beverly and I like to remind each other of things that inspire us.

That’s amazing, Sarah! And of course, Hallmark fans love Once Upon A Time even though the series is ended. It was fun to see both Beverley and you in Christmas Joy. 

I actually got to be on two episodes of Once Upon A Time. There was a dance with Guinevere and Lancelot, and I was standing on the cart throwing rose petals into the air, announcing Guinevere’s birthday. The other time I got to be in the show, I was a villager when Robert Carlyle’s character, a knight in shining armor, drives up on a horse. He’s a white knight with his white horse, and I come running out and thanking him for slaying the ogre.

But I must say that it’s always fun to work on Hallmark. I think I have done three Hallmark movies.

That’s right! You were in A Country Wedding, which is an extremely popular movie among the fans, even now. 

That’s good to know, Ruth. That was a fun one to be a part of. And they had such a great director for that, Anne Wheeler. She was very good to work with and knew exactly what she wanted from everyone attached to the film. I played the bridal shop owner. My character is confused by the fact that he brought his old bride to the shop to pick out a dress for his new bride.

Another Hallmark film I did was Mr. Miracle. I played the librarian. I was glad I finally got to play a librarian because my day job for all these years which I do very part-time is at the public library–the Vancouver Public Library. I work usually evenings and weekends, so I’m free for my auditions. And they’re very flexible when I get work. It’s a really great environment. There’s twenty-six libraries in Vancouver, and I probably work at about four or five of them. Each of them has its own character. One of them is kind of like going to the Wild West in a way. It’s at the poorest postal code in Canada. Work is the entry point back into society for a lot of people…people who are just coming out of jail or off the streets. So libraries are pretty good places to start. You really get a sense of providing an opportunity for people there.

Treasure Hounds

Is there anything else coming up that you would like to mention?

The biggest part I had recently was on a kid’s movie called Treasure Hounds. It actually aired on HBO. It’s written for five-year-old boys. It’s very much like the Three Stooges with all its slapstick humor. I play the German villainess. I have two sons. One is like six feet tall, Gunther, and he’s got a bad German accent like me. And then there’s an American stepbrother. We’re like the Three Stooges characters. There’s a lot of kids in the movie and a dog and a cat. It was really fun to do. I was on there for about fourteen days filming. What makes this fun is the parents can watch it with their kids. In fact, I’m a star to my hairdresser’s six-year-old son.

A Series Of Unfortunate Events

Also, A Series of Unfortunate Events is streaming right now Netflix, and I am in two episodes in season two. In fact, the photographer who did my headshots, Ashley Ross, is a photographer and an actress I met on that set. She played a singing volunteer in “The Hostile Hospital” episode with me. In fact, when I got to audition for this role, my callback was one hour of singing for the director and producer. For the audition, we had to write our own melody to go with the lyrics. So I played my ukelele. I wrote a tune the night before and went in. It was so much fun because I rarely get to sing in TV, and this was fantastic! I sang like thirteen verses of this silly song. And in season three, both Ashley and I make a brief appearance in the big courtroom scene!

A Series of Unfortunate Events

My daughter and I love that show! We’re still on season two, so we’ll have to get caught up and watch out for you both. Now, was there anything else you wanted to be sure to mention?

I think I will have an announcement coming up soon of a role I can’t talk about yet, so be on the lookout.

But I wanted to make sure I talk about is one of the greatest things these days that gives me joy–playing tennis. I play with a recreational league; it’s not a fancy tennis club. We’re on a local community court. We play Tuesdays and Fridays, and we occasionally have tennis tournaments. It’s very exciting for me because I find that tennis is like performing. You have to absolutely be in the moment. You have to trust yourself that you will know what to do when the ball arrives and then you hit it. You have to really trust yourself and know that you can take in what’s coming and return it. You’re giving and receiving, and there’s a little element of competition, but it’s friendly competition. We’re not Wimbledon. There’s a lot of camaraderie. We have a social afterwards like going out to dinner, and I just love it! What’s nice is at this club, people are older, like 45 to 80. You get people that have different strengths. It’s very inclusive. There’s a couple of people in wheelchairs that are unbelievable.

Sarah, I just love how much you shared with me today! Thank you for taking the time.

My pleasure, Ruth. I’m happy to chat with you, and I’m very excited for everything coming up this year.

PC: Ashley Ross

Sometimes people might question why I invest significant time in featuring the supporting cast of various shows and films, but I believe Sarah is the ideal representative to clarify my reasoning. While the leads of any production are consistently the ones who are required to carry the show or film, without the supporting cast, the story would seem rather insipid. How many times do you conclude a film and rave about the sidekick or the one who injected humor and/or drama at the precise moment? All too often, viewers forget these integral performers, but their absence would be missed if they suddenly disappeared. These are the people who have some of the most entertaining tales and details that audiences may never hear anywhere else. They are quite content to be working actors, and their gratitude to casting directors, studios, networks, producers, and more is perpetual. Sarah has such a unique perspective of the world and her place within the film/TV community of Vancouver, and without my taking the time to listen to her, I can honestly say that my viewpoint and understanding would be less rich and not nearly as profound as it is now. I am exhilarated that Sarah has the opportunity to not only pursue her dreams, but to experience opportunities worthy of the time she has invested within her craft and career. 

I do hope that everyone has enjoyed each of Sarah’s Hallmark movie appearances, and I can hardly wait to see Siren season two on Freeform beginning January 24th! Furthermore, I entreat my readers to check out all of Sarah’s links below and consider following her where applicable. I am grateful to have met Sarah, albeit virtually, and it is an honor to share her overwhelming positivity, her entertaining account, and her contemplative outlook with the world today. No matter what trajectory her career may take in the days, weeks, months, and years to come, I know that I plan to support every one of her endeavors whenever I can, and I hope that a majority of my readers will follow my lead!

FOLLOW SARAH

Website

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

IMDb

Spread the love

Tweet