For me, Hallmark’s first original series, Cedar Cove, will always hold a special place within my heart. Because of that show, I was introduced to such incredible industry professionals, and that is exactly where I first discovered Elyse Levesque. Although she has portrayed almost every kind of character imaginable across varied genres, I cannot help but think of her as MaryEllen Sherman, Grace’s daughter. Earlier this year, I had the honor of interviewing Elyse, and I am thrilled to share our conversation with my readers today!
Photo Credit: Devon Weigel
RH: Elyse, I cannot tell you how much I’ve been looking forward to chatting with you! I only started following your career as a result of Cedar Cove. And then from there, I’ve been trying to follow your career the best I can.
EL: Thank you so much, Ruth. I am happy to chat with you too.
You know, I got so excited when your character came back for season three of Cedar Cove. You were there the first season. You left for New York at the beginning of the second, and then you were back for the third. But I also wasn’t sure about the guy who was going to be playing your boyfriend in season three since they had to replace the original guy.
Yes, John Bowman!
Teryl Rothery, Elyse Levesque, Giles Panton Credit: Copyright 2015 Crown Media United States, LLC/Photographer: Eike Schroter
But that actors is now one of my best friends!
Really? How neat!
Yes, Giles Panton has always spoken so highly of you.
Ah, how sweet. Yeah, Giles and I actually knew each other years before, but that show was the first time we actually worked together. He was one of the first people I met when I moved to Vancouver back in 2006. A few months after moving to Vancouver, because he was the roommate of a girl that I was really good friends with, we would all hang out all of the time. So he was part of the initial group of friends that I had in Vancouver. And it was surreal that all those years later we ended up working together on Cedar Cove.
So how did you get started in acting?
Photo by Darryl Humphrey
I actually started acting professionally when I was eleven. In the city I’m from in Canada–Regina–there used to be a film community there, and I know that a lot of actors came out of that. This was about ten years ago, but now that has all changed since they took the tax incentives away. And that, unfortunately, was the end of that acting community. But I was very lucky.
When I was about eleven years old…I think I had done some kind of drama class in my hometown…my grade six teacher noticed that for every assignment I was given, I turned it into a play or a presentation of some kind. It was always different characters with me directing the other kids in the group. So she came to one day and was like, “I really think you should go to this casting call that they’re doing this weekend for this TV series that they’re about to shoot here in Regina.” And I think that even later that day, they made some kind of announcement that a local TV show was looking for like forty kids. I almost didn’t go actually. I got kind of scared, but my mom was like, “Oh come on, let’s go. What do you have to lose?” So I went.
My very first audition was with this casting director who is now like a very big casting director in Canada–Jackie Lind. During the first audition, all she did was have us talking about “if I could go on a date with anyonen anywhere, where would it be and who would I go with?” I said, “Well, I would go to McDonald’s with Leonardo Dicaprio.” {laughs} She thought that was a good enough answer to give me a callback. So I did a callback where I did an actual read. And then they gave me a call where they said, “We would like for Elyse to participate in this two-week workshop we’re doing for the kids to groom them to play the main parts.” This was a series where every episode was like a fifteen-minute vignette written by kids that they turned into screenplays. They needed a repertory company of children to pull from and cast in the various roles each week. It would be a different role each time. Sometimes, you would be in the background. Sometimes you had maybe one line. And then maybe one time, you’d be the lead. So I agreed to go and be a part of it.
Photo by Thomas Beaudoin
I went that first week and a lot of the kids knew the guy teaching the workshop because he was a teacher at a high school there and he taught the improv class. They were all so good, and I was just like this green little thing who had no clue what she was doing because it was all improv games. I was atrocious. I remember they called me after the first week, and they were like, “She is great, and we love her, but she’s not going to go on to the second week. We’re just going to keep her for the background.” I went to my room and I cried my eyes out. Then I guess I came out an hour later and said, “If I’m going to be in the background, I’m going to be the best gosh darn background performer that they’ve ever seen!” And then I ended up booking a part in the very first episode. Funny enough, they asked me to come in and read for this part. I did, and they were like, “Do you want to play this part?” And I was like, “Okay.”
I remember the very first day, my mom picked me up and I was like, “Mom, I’m gonna do this for the rest of my life.” It was so cool being among adults and being spoken to like an adult at such a young age and to be on set “playing” all day long. And they feed you free food! And I was like, “This is awesome!”
So that’s how it started, and I was on that show for four years. Sometimes, I would get the odd little job on a different kids show. And when I graduated from high school, I was a bit afraid to fully commit to it right away. So I took a couple of years and traveled abroad modeling all over Europe and Asia. So then I came back to the University and took a part-time job before I fully decided to commit and move to Vancouver. And that was May or June 2006. And I haven’t looked back since.
I noticed you were on Stargate. You’ve done a lot with that franchise. And even now, I cannot get over how many fans that show has. Even all these years after it ended. The Stargate community is incredible.
Oh yeah.
SGU Stargate
I think your biggest role was with SGU Stargate University.
Yes, that was the third installment of that series, and I was one of the main cast members of that. Unfortunately, that show was only on two seasons. But it was such a great show, and I am super proud of it. I think it was such a departure from what the fan base was used to. And of course, once it ended, the tune changed and everyone was like, “Wait, we love this show! Oh my goodness, don’t cancel it!” But due to the lack of support from the fans during the time that the show was airing…that is what resulted in its demise. But yeah, it was a pretty special thing to be a part of. In fact, earlier this year, the members of the show were all texting each other one night and saying, “We should all meet up and have a reunion!” We were all such a family on that show. It was really, really special.
That’s what I’ve heard from so many people who were part of the franchise. I’ve heard lots of wonderful things about it from many of the actors I’ve interviewed. In fact, I know there are still all these fan conventions, and the actors still get recognized for that show.
SGU Stargate cast
It’s multi-generational now. Parents who used to watch it have introduced it to their children. And these kids sit around with their parents and watch the show. It’s so amazing to be a part of a show that has that kind of timeless quality to it. It’s almost like Star Trek. The show is never not interesting because it’s always in the future, and it so delves into our imagination of the possibilities of the universe. I think that kind of concept is what always holds our intrigue and our curiosity. And it’s so cool because the genre can constantly be updated to where we are today.
And wow, I hadn’t even realized that you had a significant. recurring role on The Originals. I know that show went on for quite a while.
Pictured (L-R): Joseph Morgan as Klaus and Elyse Levesque as Genevieve – Photo: Skip Bolen/The CW — 2014 The CW Network, LLC. All rights reserved.
It did. Like a good five seasons. And obviously, it was a spinoff of The Vampire Diaries. And then there was a spinoff of The Originals where the vampires are teenagers in high school called Legacies. That has been such a lucrative franchise. It was so awesome, and I had so much fun on it. I think that was the first time I played a baddie, you know? I mean, I had played a mean girl before, but I’d never played the villain. And it was such a fantastically-written villain because she wasn’t just black or white. She had this real beautiful vulnerability and conscience. Sure, she was doing horrible things, but that was a really spectacular, fun experience that was kind of unexpected. When I first joined, I just thought I was a guest star. I thought I was just gonna do one episode. And then they were like, “No, there’s more here and there,” and that led to them turning me into the big baddie by the end of the season. Gosh, I loved working on that show! So much fun!
Pictured: Elyse Levesque as Genevieve — Photo: Bob Mahoney/The CW -2014 The CW Network, LLC. All rights reserved.
That’s so cool! And I’ve heard similar stories many times how someone just comes on the show as a guest star, and the powers that be decide they really like the character, and they decide to make them a recurring character. It’s so exciting when those kinds of things happen!
Exactly right. I often hear crazy things from actors where they only had like two lines in something, and then all of a sudden, a week or two later, they get a phone call saying, “Actually, we’ve decided that your character’s going to be the new ‘blah blah blah’ for this other character, and we’ve written an entire character arc for you.” You just never know sometimes, and it pays to say “yes” and take the opportunity. I think that originally, my character was supposed to be killed off after a couple of episodes–episode fourteen that season was my big episode–but the network really liked the chemistry that the lead guy, Joseph Morgan, and I had. So they were like, “Don’t kill her yet!” And it was such a nice, long run.
Cedar Cove
Now, Cedar Cove was where I first saw you. And a lot of Hallmark fans also saw you in that. In fact, in that first season, I absolutely adored your character and Teryl’s {Rothery} character and that storyline because I feel like I could so identify with it. I was divorced, and I have a daughter. And even watching the second season, I remember watching your character going off to college and I kept thinking, “You know, in a few years, that’s going to be my daughter.” I identified with your character so much and the relationship between you and your mother. There was a really neat dynamic between you and Teryl.
Elyse Levesque, Teryl Rothery Credit: Copyright 2015 Crown Media United States, LLC/Photographer: Eike Schroter
It was pretty great. It reminds me a lot of me and my mom. My mother is one of the few people I can tell everything to. And Teryl and I–oh man! We had so many laughs! She’s just the loveliest person, and we had such great chemistry. And it’s funny because at first, we thought this was such bizarre casting because we look nothing alike. But then our chemistry and our personalities really jived. That first season was really quite special. I’m not exactly sure why it seemed so special, but I do know this was the first scripted series Hallmark had done, so we really didn’t know that this was going to be this flagship show for them that would do so well. And there’s something really special and beautiful about that. The second and third year, you have expectations and a different kind of pressure to maintain the interest. So there is something really beautiful about being in this oblivious bubble and just doing the work and having a really fun time. And not really concerning yourself with, “How is this gonna go?” And having those expectations to meet again and again.
Cedar Cove
Now, funny enough, I got onboard that show because of Stargate. Carl Binder, who was one of the producers and writers on Stargate, was involved in the first season of Cedar Cove. And he was like, “You know, I think you should get this girl.” And thankfully, they agreed. And it came at a time when I really needed it. I hadn’t worked much in a while, and it changed my spirit and renewed my vigor. I had a fantastic time with that cast and just being back in Vancouver. That first season, from my experience, was magical.
For me, Cedar Cove was the show that got me hooked on Hallmark. Before that…when I was growing up, my dad was the one who watched Hallmark movies. I saw a few of them, but I didn’t care much about them. And if my dad was watching, I figured it was a channel for old people. But Cedar Cove changed my perspective and gave me a different view of the network. And then I started connecting with the actors. I still have really good friends that I met online during that show. I follow the careers of almost everyone who was a part of that show. ‘Cause when that show ended, I told all of the people involved that I could that I would continue to support them in their careers. And I have. And what you mentioned about Stargate getting canceled after two seasons, the story was similar with Cedar Cove. It was canceled after three seasons, and to this day, people ask, “Why did Cedar Cove get canceled? We love this show!” Everyone wanted to suddenly get on board after the show was gone. And they still talk about wanting a reunion movie.
Yes, that is so true.
Elyse Levesque, Giles Panton
But at least your character got a happy ending.
I think so, yeah, all things considered. A few bumps along the way with Mr. John Bowman, but in the end, things were looking pretty good for her.
As a result of Cedar Cove, I really started following your career. I saw you in Don’t Shoot the Messenger, as a matter of fact.
Really?
Yes, and I had to wait to watch that show in the U.S.! It took a while to get here, but it finally did.
We got lucky that WGN got that show. And I think it did really well for them.
Shoot the Messenger
When I watched you in that, I was literally blown away! Except for Cedar Cove, I hadn’t seen you in a whole lot of things. And in this show, I was like, “Oh my goodness, that girl CAN act!” You created such an amazing character.
Thank you. I actually did that on the heels of the final season of Cedar Cove. That role was one of the most high-pressure ones I’ve ever done. It was my first time being the lead of a show. And then the character was heavily nuanced, and I didn’t want to mess up that character. It was such a cool journey and very unique. It was a very unique experience. We block shot it, meaning, we didn’t just shoot the first episode, then the second, then the third and so on. We were shooting all eight episodes at the same time. In hindsight, I can say I do think that can work, but as I look back on what we did and the way it was shot…you know, we were shooting stuff from episodes that weren’t fully written yet. So we didn’t know all the information that you need to know.
Shoot the Messenger
There’s something really great about being able to go chronologically because you grow with the character as she is going along. But if you’re jumping to something that is eight episodes away when your character hasn’t gone through any of the situations you’re talking about…if you haven’t lived it through the experience of acting, it really is harder. It was challenging, and I guess this is something they do a lot in the UK where they just block shoot six episodes. That’s tough, man. I mean you do learn so much as you go through the journey of the character. I know that films and shows are often like that where you shoot certain chunks of it out of order…like shooting the last scene on the first day. So it is kind of the nature of what we do. But to have eight hours of content and not just to be focusing on one hour at a time was very challenging.
I had not realized that!
Photo Devon Weigel
Yeah, it was a good challenge. I think sometimes I had to work fourteen-hour days, and then I would go home and learn six pages or something like that that there was no script for! It meant getting up early, but I love being challenged like that and not having too much time to think too much. There is something to be said for not having too much time to overanalyze and instead to go with your first instinct.
I believe the first person to mention that series to me was Lucas Bryant when I interviewed him.
Oh, you did? He’s such a lovely guy.
Now you also had a recurring role on Orphan Black, right?
With Tatiana Maslany
Vanity Fair Oscar Party 2018
Yes, I was a part of the final season of that show. And that was pretty incredible. Because I mean, first, I’m like a huge fan of the show. And the lead of the show, Tatiana Maslany, is like my oldest friend. We grew up together in Regina. When the first season came out, I watched it and was so blown away by the level of work. For anyone who hasn’t watched it, you just have to watch it for her performance if nothing else. It’s insane. She’s literally playing every part, and in that first season, she was playing something like six to ten different characters. And every season, they would constantly add new clones. And they all have different accents and personalities, and she pulled it off. They all felt like different people. And I was such a fan of the show from seeing it and supporting her. I met a bunch of the cast through her as well.
And then I got an audition for the last season. I never thought they’d choose me. Originally, the part was written for a man, but they decided to consider a woman in the part. So I was one of the ladies that got to audition, and I was lucky enough to get it. And it was so cool. They didn’t change anything about the character except that it was now being played by a woman. They kept everything. They even kept the name the same. And for me, being a part of that show and playing this character was one of the most freeing experiences for me. I wasn’t put into any kind of box. I got to be grungy and dirty and bizarre and gender-fluid. It was so much fun. I was so nervous that first day, especially because it was such a big show and I wanted to do right by my friend. It was so strange to be on set and for her to be this other character talking to me, and I was this other character. I think we both were so weirded out a little bit at first. But I feel so grateful that I was able to come on board for the last leg of that journey. It was just so cool to be a part of that world.
Orphan Black
That is one I have not had the opportunity to see as of yet, but it’s on my watch list. One day soon, I’m sure I’ll give it a go. I have always heard such great things about that show.
Yeah, it’s a great show. I was such a fan of the show, and I knew all the characters. I knew what was going on. But it was surreal to walk onto that set.
Now, I did see on an episode of The Good Doctor. That show is one of my current favorites. And when I saw your name pop up, I was so excited!
Yes, my character was pregnant and had a different hair color. That was last September that I was seen on that show as a guest star. It’s always so strange when you’re a guest star on something that’s already been going for a year or two. It can be a weird feeling because you can feel like the outsider. But that was not my experience at all on that set. It was one of the nicest casts I’ve ever worked with. They went above and beyond to make me and the guy playing my husband {Marc Valera} feel welcomed and supported. I even went and did an escape room with Fiona {Gubelmann}. They were such a lovely cast to work with.
Photo Devon Weigel
I absolutely adore Fiona. I found her through Hallmark, but now she’s on The Good Doctor too, and I just love watching her. So do you have other things coming up that you can mention?
Yes, there is a movie I shot back in Kentucky last year. I don’t know what the plan is for that one. I thought it was gonna come out this year, but I think it may be 2020 before it comes out. It was this really wicked independent film where I got to work opposite Malcolm McDowell. He is a legend, and just so cheeky and fun and amazing to work with. That was a pretty crazy experience. Sometimes I’d be looking around on set and think, “Wow, this is pretty cool. I’m working with Malcolm McDowell, Ron Perlman, Bruce McGill…” These are actors that I’ve grown up with and admired, and now I was working with them. It was such a cool experience filming. We were all stuck in this hotel in the middle of nowhere in Kentucky. So we were kind of forced to bond, which was really special. And we didn’t have all the distractions of shooting in a big city. So it was pretty wicked. It’s called The Big Ugly, and I play one of the supporting characters. Again, I’m not sure when it will be coming out, but I will definitely try to let everyone know once I do.
(L to R) Kristian Bruun, Melanie Scrofano, Andie MacDowell, Henry Czerny, Nicky Guadagni, Adam Brody, and Elyse Levesque in the film READY OR NOT. Photo by Eric Zachanowich. © 2019 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation All Rights Reserved
Then this past October/November, I shot a film that is currently in theaters–Ready Or Not. I had originally heard of a release around Halloween, but it happened to come out a little bit earlier. And one of the cool things about this movie is that I got to work with Miss Andie MacDowell!
Oh wow! That’s cool!
Yeah, it’s so different from Cedar Cove. She and I were both laughing about that. It was hilarious! We couldn’t be on a more different type of project. But actually, it was so cool to work with her again. It was such a different environment and in a different capacity. She’s the best. I think she’s one of the kindest, most generous people I’ve met who has that level of success. And she really cares about people and being a good person herself. It’s such a simple thing, but it’s so effective. So it was really nice to get to know her a little bit better. On Cedar Cove, most of my stuff was with Teryl and Giles and Charlie {Carrick}. Andie and I never really had very many scenes together. But with this movie, we were together almost every day. We were all together, shooting just outside of Toronto. I know the movie is not for everyone. It’s a horror film, but it’s such a fun movie. But I tend to think of it more as a thriller or dark comedy. And I think people really seem to like it. All of the cast in this movie are just all so good. We all got to come into the editing suite earlier this year, and I was able to see certain parts of the movie, and all I can say is that I am just so proud of everyone. The acting in the movie is just so great.
Behind-the-scenes
Ready Or Not
As for anything else, at some point, there might be a short film coming up with my friend of mine. But that’s a short film, and sometimes, those take a while to get to the general public. But I’m sure more will be coming my way before too long.
I am in LA most of the time, but I do go back to Canada quite regularly. Pilot season happened earlier this year, and thankfully, it’s not like it used to be where you would get three auditions a day. I mean, how could anyone do a good job? But during that time, it’s lots of fun and almost like summer camp because my friends from Canada all come down to LA. I will say also that the cool thing with technology now is that if you want to be an actor, you don’t have to even live in the place where it’s happening. This beautiful thing called technology is a real game-changer. But one of the main reasons I love LA is the weather. I love the climate and that it is sunny so much of the year. It’s so much better than having to deal with the rain and the cold weather and all those gray days.
I hear you on that. Well, Elyse, thank you so much for taking the time to chat with me today. And I look forward to seeing you in your next big thing. Of course, Ready Or Not is out now, and people can see that. But it will be great to see what happens for you next.
Thank you so much, Ruth. I’m glad we finally worked this out. And thank you so much for your support!
Photo Devon Weigel
What a career Elyse has had, and I am ecstatic that she was willing to chat with me about almost every facet of it. There is no doubt that she has become a favorite within the film and TV community, and while I have not seen every one of her projects, her “team player” mentality and dauntless tenacity have served her well over the course of her career thus far. She has proceeded to hone her style as she consistently provides authentic depictions of all the roles that she has been invited to characterize. While she has only been a part of one Hallmark series as of yet, her portrayal of the savvy, confident, sweet young woman who ultimately finds lasting love in Cedar Cove is a role that will be forever embedded within my mind and heart. She remains for me one of the beloved parts of that series, and it is my sincere desire that Hallmark will bring her back for a movie or possibly even another show in the near future. However, because her compelling body of work spans multitudinous categories of genres, I am confident that everyone should be able to find a preferred role amongst her films and shows.
While I have not had the opportunity to see Ready Or Not as of yet, I must admit I’m intrigued by what I have read and seen about the movie. Moreover, the fact that she and Andie appear in it (along with some other recognizable names) certainly sets my imagination on fire. While horror films are not my typical genre, this may be a point when I make an exception once it’s released for home-viewing. Regardless, I invite anyone who is interested to check out Ready Or Not or even some of her past works (Cedar Cove is available on Hallmark Movies Now and Super Channel Heart & Home) from her solid repertoire. And while you’re in the midst of discovering the phenomenon that is Elyse Levesque, I invite you to visit her links below and consider following her where applicable. Elyse is such a vibrant, sumptuous personage who can play any role she is given, and watching her career soar to new heights electrifies me to no end. Indeed, I hope that many of my readers will join me in applauding her successes and cheering her on as she pursues every dream within her soul and mind.
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