Where do stars of teen dramas go after they graduate? To Edgewater, CA, apparently.
After Amanda Arcuri kickstarted her acting career as the blue-haired and bubbly Lola Pacini on Degrassi: The Next Generation and Degrassi: Next Class (followed by stints on Party of Five and Watson), the actor is ready to take on a darker, grittier role in the new CBS drama Sheriff Country. Fittingly, it’s also filmed in her native Toronto.
The Fire Country spin-off follows no-nonsense Edgewater County sheriff Mickey Fox (Morena Baccarin) — Cal Fire Division chief Sharon Leone’s step-sister — as she juggles small-town crime investigations while navigating her own family issues. Arcuri plays Mickey’s troubled daughter Skye, a recovering addict whose life becomes even more chaotic when she discovers her boyfriend dead with a knife in his back. Or at least, that’s the narrative she tells her mother.
“It’s a procedural, but it’s so much more than that,” Arcuri tells the Television Academy. “Family is the core of the show. It’s about our dynamics, and what goes on in the lives of these people who protect the town.”
Ahead of Sheriff Country’s second episode, the actress spoke to the Television Academy about that shocking premiere ending, learning from her on-screen mother, and the challenges of playing a character who’s grappling with addiction.
Television Academy: How much knowledge did you have of Fire Country before you booked this role?
Amanda Arcuri: I watched some episodes just before my initial audition. I also auditioned for Fire Country a couple of times. One time it was for [the character of] Gabriela; I don’t think Gabriela suited me as well as [Skye] does. I think Stephanie Arcilla [who plays Gabriela] is fabulous, so good choices all around.
What was the audition process like?
Everything happened really quick. I remember looking back at my self-tape — I pulled up a picture of Morena — and I was like, “Yeah, I think I booked this.”
Morena Baccarin as Edgewater County sheriff Mickey Fox / Photo credit: CBS
Skye and Mickey seem to have a very layered relationship, and you and Baccarin have great on-screen chemistry together as mother and daughter. How was your experience filming together?
Unbelievable. She is so talented. I remember doing the last scene of [the first episode], where I had just come home crying because I found my boyfriend [dead]. We were rehearsing that scene with the director, and she could already see how emotional I was getting. She was like, “Just hold it. Until we’re on your coverage, just hold everything.” I let it all go for my take, and she grabbed me by the shoulder [and said], “That was amazing.” I was like, “Oh, validation! From my on-screen mother!”
Your Degrassi character, Lola, had a couple of serious storylines, but she was also a very sunshine-y character in general. Skye is sort of the opposite, and her backstory is a lot darker. What’s it like going from playing a “sunshine” type of character to this?
It feels good. I enjoy characters like [Skye] more — I think there are so many layers, and [so much] depth that you can find in misfit, angsty teens like Skye. It gives you a chance to play with things underneath. Sometimes, I feel like I connect more to characters like these.
When we meet Skye, she’s newly sober, but still struggling to stay clean. That’s a really delicate thing, portraying addiction and recovery. How did you approach her character in that regard?
With so much sensitivity. I think that seeing it from an empathetic, sympathetic lens — that’s what will get you to the place that you need to be [in order to be] authentic. You never know who is struggling with addiction; truly, it could be anyone. You may hear of somebody being an addict — and your mind goes to something specific — and it’s not that, you know? It can be very nuanced, very under the radar.
Photo credit: CBS
What’s your take on Skye’s relationship with her boyfriend, Brandon (John Daniel)? Because her mom is like, “This is a really bad idea. This is trouble.” But it also does seem like there was a genuineness there, before his death.
There is a genuineness, but there’s also a need for connection. [Skye] doesn’t always make the best choices, and she gets in her own way. She’s trying to dig herself out, but this is her world. Stepping out of your comfort zone is very scary, and I think she’s just learning. Maybe Brandon wasn’t the best choice, but they did have a really beautiful relationship. He wasn’t the best person ever, but everybody has faults. There was something very sweet with them.
Can viewers expect to see Skye throughout the whole season?
Oh, yeah. We’re still filming, which is interesting, because I haven’t done a show that releases while you’re still filming that season. The writers are really amazing, they talk to us and ask [us] what we want. There’s more to come.
