Morena Baccarin made her debut as Mickey Fox on Fire Country in season 2, giving fans of Edgewater’s fire department a taste of what they could expect if the franchise expanded to include a cop drama. But the actress wasn’t immediately a shoe-in to lead Sheriff Country. This wasn’t because her performance didn’t light up the screen; it did. The issue had to do with where the show was initially supposed to film. Baccarin opened up about her near-miss with the role in an interview with Variety.
A West Coast Vs. East Coast Problem
Fire Country is set in California, but the CBS original—a part of the network’s Fall Comfort TV line-up—actually films in Vancouver, Canada. The location was also intended to be home to Sheriff Country, which would have made crossovers between the shows easier. After all, they’re set in the same town and Mickey (Baccarin) is Sharon Leone’s (Diane Farr) sister. However, being on the West Coast wasn’t feasible for Baccarin, as she resides in New York with her husband, actor Ben McKenzie, and their three children.
The actress told Variety that filming in Vancouver was a deal-breaker for her. She informed the show’s producers that she could only sign on to the series if they could relocate production to the East Coast. It was a gamble. Baccarin acknowledged, “I 100% thought the job was going away once I said that,” but her family comes first. Broadcast TV series, which typically film 20-22 episodes a season, are grueling and hard not only on the stars but also on their relationships. Being on the opposite side of the continent wouldn’t have been good for her marriage or her kids.
Obviously, Baccarin’s gamble paid off. She shared, “I think that was a big moment for me to realize that I am valuable enough for them to make that concession. It also sets up a really nice work relationship, not just that they want me, but that we are partners in this.”
However, the move to Toronto did complicate the logistics around crossovers for the franchise. Especially in the wake of the Leones suffering the loss of Sharon’s husband, Vince.
Sharon Leone Will Be In Sheriff Country More Than Fire Country Fans May Expect
Vancouver and Toronto are approximately 2,700 miles apart, which is certainly a significant obstacle for the franchise, but they’re making it work. Max Thieriot made an appearance as Bode Leone in Sheriff Country‘s pilot episode, and Diane Farr has appeared as well. In fact, in an interview for Matt’s Inside Line, Farr revealed there’s more to come, and it won’t be long before fans of the Baccarin-led drama see her again.
We’re basically shooting in L.A. and New York, and yet you would be surprised how much Sharon shows up on Sheriff Country. I’ve done two so far, and I have two coming up in the next two weeks, so that’s four already. They are not afraid to fly me!
Farr was in episode 2, “Fire Wall,” which was directed by Fire Country‘s Kevin Alejandro (who also directed episode 3, “The Sixth Man). Her presence on the cop drama does provide a satisfying continuity between both shows, given the gravity of Sharon’s loss. Hopefully, more stars will be able to make the leap for Sheriff Country’s freshman run, truly making Edgewater feel like the small town that ties the series together.
