Vancouver attracts many talented performers. Each one has an amazing story to tell. Anisa Harris is no exception.
We spoke with Anisa about her career, working on set in Vancouver, living in England, and Yellowjackets.
HNMAG: Where did you grow up?
Anisa Harris: I was born in Vancouver, but my parents moved back to the UK when I was a baby, so I actually grew up in London.
HNMAG: When did you become interested in performing?
Anisa Harris: I specifically remember the moment. I was in primary school, in a drama class and I actually liked it. for the first time, I’m enjoying something in school.
HNMAG: Were you around eleven years old?
Anisa Harris: I was ten.
HNMAG: Ten. Ok, that’s close. Did you audition for any theatre in the UK?
Anisa Harris: I started auditioning first for school plays. I had a lot of fun, and it was a time for me to explore this area of my life that I finally felt connected to. It was such a great experience to also start auditioning outside of school. I would perform in local plays. It was really exciting.
HNMAG: Did you enjoy attending professional theatre such as plays in the West End, as an audience member?
Anisa Harris: As an audience, yes! I remember my first show in the West End was Grease.
HNMAG: Oh, nice.
Anisa Harris: Dad dressed us as the pink ladies, and he had little pink wigs and a pink outfit.
My sister looked like my twin. She’s a little younger than me. It was just these two little girls in pink wigs in the West End. It was so fun.
HNMAG: Did you do any professional theatre when you were in London?
Anisa Harris: Nothing too big. I didn’t do the West End.
I did get into Wimbledon.
HNMAG: Oh, nice. You also studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (RADA).
Anisa Harris: Yeah, I took a course two years ago. I was actually living in Vancouver, but I decided I wanted to go back to London and train.
HNMAG: How old were you when you moved back to Vancouver?
Anisa Harris: I was pretty young. It was a couple years ago now but when I did move back, I moved in with my aunt for a bit. Eventually, I moved out and started living with my friends, and that obviously was really fun.
HNMAG: Your parents are still in London. Did you move to Vancouver because you wanted to pursue film and television?
Anisa Harris: Yes. That is what I decided to do. That was my goal and I followed through.
HNMAG: When you moved here to work in the industry, did you start from scratch?
Anisa Harris: It was from scratch. All I had was my passion and a very strong belief that it would work.
HNMAG: Ok.
Anisa Harris: I’m excited to continue on this path. It’s worked out. After a while of taking acting courses, I Eventually signed with an agent.
HNMAG: With the same agent, Esther at Characters.
Anisa Harris: Yeah, she was my first agent.
HNMAG: You said you took some courses. Where did you initially study in Vancouver?
Anisa Harris: At Railtown Studios.
Also, I did a lot of private coaching because I work best one on one.
HNMAG: Great.
Anisa Harris: It’s also helpful having that focus and attention with a coach. That really helped me because I have a lot of questions.
HNMAG: When you started auditioning here, what that self-tapes, or were you here prior when they saw actors in the room?
Anisa Harris: I was here a bit when we did have in-person auditions, but I believe that was only for about a year.
HNMAG: How was that experience?
Anisa Harris: I remember loving in room auditions. I was so bummed that we had to change but now I’m grateful because it gives me the flexibility to bounce around the world.
HNMAG: Travelling is nice.
Anisa Harris: Yeah.
HNMAG: The biggest advantage of the in-person audition is the Casting Director can give you a note, and then you can incorporate that into the next take. It shows that you know how to take direction.
Anisa Harris: It’s great when you finally get into the room after doing a bunch of self-tapes. It’s refreshing and I have more of a connected experience because we have everyone in there. You can feel the passion of the project.
HNMAG: What was your first memorable role in Vancouver?
Anisa Harris: A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting. It was a fun, fantasy, family, kids movie on Netflix. It was about five years ago.
I just remember thinking that this was so different than what I expected because it’s hundreds and hundreds of people on set, and there’s equipment everywhere, up in your face, but it was fun to play. Honestly, just being around a bunch of friends and being silly and having fun. It was like a big house party out in Delta. It was a huge mansion. It was a great experience for a young teenage performer.
HNMAG: You’re most known as the teen version of Robin on Yellowjackets. What was the process to audition for that?
Anisa Harris: I was in London at that time, and I actually had a plan to stay in London. I usually don’t make plans because I know how life changes all the time.
HNMAG: Right, that’s when you book, when you’re somewhere else.
Anisa Harris: I know. I thought ok, I’m gonna stay in London. Then, I got an audition. It was a quick turnover. I got a call and they asked if I can be in Vancouver in a couple days. I had to scramble to get accommodations but it all worked out. It happened so quickly, there went my London plan.
HNMAG: Did you send in a self-tape from London?
Anisa Harris: Yeah, yes, I did.
HNMAG: Did you just do that on your own, or did you go to a coach and have that done?
Anisa Harris: I did that with my sister. My sister helps me with a lot of self-tapes. I’m very grateful for that.
HNMAG: Is your sister an actor too?
Anisa Harris: She is not a professional actor, but she is naturally talented at acting. She is a very unique and incredible musician. Her name is Aneira.
HNMAG: Yellowjackets is one of the few productions that is partially set in Canada.
Anisa Harris: Because we’re filming in the woods, it is very Canadian. It’s just great to know that we’re set in Canada. The show can take credit for being Vancouver instead of pretending to always be somewhere else.
HNMAG: The show is popular, and there’s no real reason to think that viewers have an issue with things being set in Canada. Do you think this opens up setting plots in Canada for other productions?
Anisa Harris: I think so, and I would hope so. It would be great for other shoots. It will be beneficial to show Canada as Canada. It’s beautiful and has a lot to offer.
Anisa Harris has a unique and intriguing background as a Canadian who grew up in London, England, moved to Vancouver as a young adult, and found success on a hit, high-quality TV show. Anisa has a lot to offer, and we hope to follow up with her again to find out more about her continued success.