Netflix has seen strong success with its cozy new sitcomNorth of North, which has been surprising audiences and climbing the charts since its release on April 10. It takes place in thesmall Arctic town of Ice Cove, where Siaja (Anna Lambe) lives with her husband Ting and daughter Bun. When Ting’s casual misogyny and refusal to entertain Siaja’s dreams become too much to bear, she divorces him and moves in with her mother Neevee, getting a job for the first time since giving birth.
North of Northseason 1juggles Siaja’s adjustments to working life, which finds her vying for a research lab to be built in Ice Cove, and the changes in her relationship with her mother thanks to their new living situation. Not only that, but it has its fair share of romance too: Ting wants to win his wife back, while newcomer Kuuk gets her heartbeat hammering again. To top it all off, the father she never met also shows up in town – meaningSiaja has a lot on her plate for the first 8 episodes.
ScreenRantinterviewed Lambe about the complicated relationship between Siaja and Neeve, and how theNorth of Northseason 1 finaleupends everything viewers knew about them. The actor also revealed her first reaction to the script as a whole, and to the accidental parent-child bonding moment in the first episode, as well as her hopes for a season 2 renewal.
North Of North Season 1 Finale Flipped The Siaja-Neevee Dynamic On Its Head
“She Really Gets Clarity On Why Her Mom Is The Way She Is”
One of the most important dynamics inNorth of Northis the mother-daughter relationship between Siaja and Neevee, especially as Siaja leans on her mother in the wake of her divorce. “When we have complicated relationships with our parents,there can be a lot of resentment that exists from the conflict and everything that happens throughout the years,” Lambe explained. While the women get along for the most part, there is a simmering resentment due to Neevee’s alcoholism when her child was growing up, forcing the young girl to have to parent the adult instead of the other way around.
Those tensions come to a head thanks to the reappearance of Siaja’s father, Alistair, who was cut out of her life without knowing she existed. While the protagonist is happy to see them rekindle their romance, Neevee’s secrets cause her to push him away once more – serving as the final straw for Siaja. As Lambe pointed out, “You see your parents' pain and you’re able to grasp it, but you don’t quite understand it. You can sympathize, but empathy is the hardest thing to give that loved one.” That is, until Neevee reveals that her first-born daughter was stolen from her.
It’s this resentment of, “Why won’t you just heal? Why won’t you just do what’s best for all of us?”
Lambe broke down the shift her character experiences beautifully. For more of season 1, “Siaja’s upset with her mom because she never really got to be a child, and she had to grow up early to take care of her. Now her mom has become cold again, and it’s this resentment of, ‘Why won’t you just heal? Why won’t you just do what’s best for all of us?’” While it may be frustrating to watch, “that’s something that I think is so real for a lot of people.”
But by the end of season 1, “she really gets that clarity on why her mom is the way she is. Why she’s so protective, but in a cold way; why she brings you close and then pushes you away.” The hug between them is the start of closing the gap between them, but Lambe warns that they haven’t healed their broken bond quite yet. “Siaja has a little bit more grace and forgiveness for her mother, but she still definitely loves her at an arm’s length.”
Siaja Is Not Getting Over That Traumatic Episode 1 Kiss Anytime Soon
But As An Actor, Anna Lambe Was Totally Onboard
In the meantime, the growing dynamic between Siaja and her father Alistair has been beautiful to witness, but it’s hard to ignore the final moments of the first episode when Siaja drunkenly kissed him before learning who he was. When asked about her take on Siaja processing that so easily, Lambe has a humorous response: “I mean, how could you forget? How could anyone forget? I’m sure she wishes she could forget.”
As a performer, however, Lambe was thrilled to take her character on that wild and crazy journey. “The first time I heard about that moment, I literally dropped to the ground and was like, ‘What?! That’s so gross. It’s so risky. I love it! I’m so invested in this project.’” It was certainly a watercooler moment for the first episode, and it created a particularly unique jumping off point for Siaja to reach out to her long-lost father. “I think you go big or go home,” Lambe concluded. “And what better way to hook an audience’s attention?”
North Of North Season 2 Possibilities: How It Started Vs. How It’s Going
“I Haven’t Heard Anything, But There’s Always Hope”
The majority ofNorth of North’s narrative is much more than ironic gags, however. “When I first read the script, I think the first thing that stood out to me was how much I related to the situations that Siaja was in,” Lambe admitted, pointing to the character’s inner struggles even amidst the cozy and comforting tone.“I just felt that the world the writers had created was something that reflected so much of what I grew up with.”
Siaja’s personal obstacles aside, the community of Ice Cove is made up of Indigenous Inuk characters, and the Netflix show has received high praise for authentic representation – including an exploration of the darker parts of Canada’s history that another comedy might wish to shy away from. For this reason, Lambe shared that her immediate feeling while reading the script was, “Okay, now I want it. Now I need it, and I want to be a part of this project in whatever way possible.”
Audiences have been responding positively as well, withNorth of Northenjoying a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes (in addition to an 80% Popcornmeter score). Has that translated to a season 2 yet? “I haven’t heard anything, but there’s always hope,” Lambe said optimistically. “You have your hopes and dreams, and what you want and daydream about for what comes next for these characters.”
She revealed that even she felt like a fan while filming season 1, hanging on every word of Siaja’s fate.“But now I need to know what happens next, and I want my character to be happy.I want these characters to be happy, so what does that look like?”She also expressed her gratitude for the audience reception, who will hopefully hear good news soon.“I’m so happy that people have really resonated with the first season and have fallen in love with all of these characters. So did we in playing them, and who knows what happens next?”
All episodes ofNorth of Northseason 1 are now streaming on Netflix.
