CBC is welcoming a new quirky comedy to its roster this summer called Crawford, which comes from the creator of Trailer Park Boys, Mike Clattenburg and collaborator Mike O’Neill. Crawford will make its debut across our screens June 14th 9/930NT and features a killer cast from Jill Hennessey and John Carroll Lynch to Alice Moran.

Crawford is described as being about “the world’s most high-functioning dysfunctional family as raccoons invade their home and help breathe life and new meaning into the odd behaviours of the family.” The show encourages and embraces the weird we all try to suppress sometimes and will be a fun addition to anyone’s summer TV lineup. We chatted with one of the lead’s in the show, Alice Moran, who portrays the character Wendy. Moran possesses a raw talent that translates deliciously through rebellious, outcast Wendy.  During our conversation, Moran was candid, opening up about everything from the show, to how to make it as an actress in Canada and her thoughts on the Me Too movement.

In a sentence or two how would you describe Crawford?

Crawford is about like the worlds most living family going through some very peculiar situations. And they range in the every day peculiar like a boyfriend cheating on a girlfriend to these much stranger things. Like a son who’s not sure if he’s losing his mind or if he’s able to communicate with raccoons. So it’s pretty different and I’m kind of all about it.

What’s different about this show compared to others on TV right now?

Well I think we are in a really cool current TV world. Everything that’s ever been made is so accessible on the internet so we have to make content that’s new and different and I think Mike Clattenburg has made an amazing job of making something interesting and weird. Something that only he could make. 

What do you have in common with your character, Wendy, on the show?

My character is so perpetually angry so I hope that we don’t have that in common. (laughs) I think what we might have in common is that we love our families more than anything. Possibly to the detriment of ourselves sometimes. Where we’re just blinded by love and will do stupid things for it.

I have to ask, what’s it like working with raccoons?

Oh, I very, very rarely worked with any of the real raccoons. But I was always trying to go over and they were all so sweet and kind. And the little baby ones like break your heart because they are so cute. So adorable.

What are some of the struggles that you have faced in becoming an actress?

Oh gosh, I was definitely a late bloomer. Both look wise but also just a painfully shy kid. But I chose a career where you have to not be shy ever. So that was quite something to get over. Just figuring out how to get over being the most awkward human that’s ever lived.  It’s a lot. But I’m mostly over it.

What advice would you give to aspiring actors in Canada?

I think right now the most important thing is to know how to create content for yourself. I think if you sit around waiting for someone to write a part for you. You’re probably going to wait forever so you should know what you want to be and then work on creating that stuff yourself. Because I feel the more I create myself, the more people see what I want to do. The more I end up getting the parts that I want to.

With the #MeToo movement now, a lot of Hollywood actresses have come forward with their own accounts of experiencing assault- do you think this is as prevalent in the Canadian film and TV Industry?

One hundred percent. I don’t even think that this is just a Hollywood problem or an entertainment industry problem. I think this is just something that’s been happening for a very long time and lots of occupations being affected. And we’re now just able to find voices to talk about it. Now that social media has empowered so many people to speak up.

I know you’ve talked about your experience with assault in the past- What message do you have for women and girls who have been victims of assault themselves?

I think the ultimate advice that I could possibly give is that your experience is not the same as anyone else’s. Your path to healing is not the same as everyone else. I really wish we as a society could destigmatize people going to therapy and counselling because I think these situations are very hard to shoulder by yourself. Having professional help and being able to talk through it is something that I think would help so, so many people and not just people who have gone through this experiences. But I feel like if everyone was in therapy the world would be a way more chill place 

Why do you think fans are going to love Crawford?

I think people are going to love Crawford because it’s not like anything else on television. Truly it’s like being in Mike Clattenburg and Mike O’Neill’s brains. Or like being in one of their stories that they would tell each other. It’s different and weird and I as an actor never knew where the scripts were going, which is impressive to me because I also write so if I don’t know where something is going then you’ve done a really good job of creating something that’s not just hitting the same archetypal storylines over and over again.

*Crawford premieres on CBC June 14th, 9/930NT. Check out Alice Moran on Twitter and Instagram. 

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