Canada has many talented actors, writers, directors, and other content creators. To help our industry grow, we would like to introduce you to some of those talented folks that have managed to capture that magic on screen.
During the Vancouver International Film Festival in October, we met with Olga Petsa. She was was one of the young stars in the movie I Used To Be Funny.
HNMAG: How long have you lived in Vancouver?
Olga Petsa: Seven years.
HNMAG: You don’t have a strong accent.
Olga Petsa: I was nearly ten when I moved here, since I was so young, it was easy to imitate and hope it sounds right.
HNMAG: In the movie I Used To Be Funny you can’t tell that you weren’t born in Toronto. Why did you moved to Vancouver?
Olga Petsa: We had family in other places in Canada but we decided that Vancouver would be better. My brother could play soccer at an academy here. It was closest to the weather in Cypress. It was a good place that could open a lot of doors.
HNMAG: Did you speak English before you moved?
Olga Petsa: A tiny bit, I took some lesson but it was just the basics. I learned a lot more in school here.
HNMAG: What part of town did you settle in?
Olga Petsa: East Van.
HNMAG: When did you start acting?
Olga Petsa: About six months after I moved here, I came across Premiere Program that had three levels and if you passed the first two, you got to go to Florida.
HNMAG: Cool, you went to Florida. What part?
Olga Petsa: Orlando. We stayed at a hotel that felt like Disney World.
HNMAG: That started your acting career.
Olga Petsa: I got an agent after that but it didn’t amount to much. Three years later I built up a reel and sent it to my current agent. Now it’s great.
HNMAG: Was that before the pandemic?
Olga Petsa: It was in 2019. I was still young so I got some in person auditions but not that much. It worked out well for me because when the industry came back, I benefited from doing self-tapes since I was still less experienced and confident in the room.
HNMAG: How did you get cast for a big role in a feature film shot in Toronto?
Olga Petsa: My agent sent me the audition. I did the self-tape over zoom with my acting coach, Jill Teed. It was very soon that I got the call back and then it was an immediate click with Rachel (Lead Rachel Sennott) and Ally (Director Ally Pankiw). We did three scenes and we got to play around. Then ten days later I went to Toronto for the first time with my Dad. It was crazy.
HNMAG: Did you enjoy it?
Olga Petsa: I did. I hope to go there to study or live later on. It was really nice.
HNMAG: How long was the shoot?
Olga Petsa: It was scheduled for 18 but we tacked one more.
HNMAG: Did you have time away from set?
Olga Petsa: I did. We lived really close to Queen Street and really near a park. My uncle lives there and got to visit with him.
HNMAG: Did you go to Austin when it was selected for South By SouthWest?
Olga Petsa: We did, my Mom and I went, for the first time. It was also the first time we saw the complete film at a screening.
HNMAG: Was it what you expected?
Olga Petsa: I had some idea of what it would be like. Seeing myself on the big screen was different. We were in Austin for four to five days.
HNMAG: Your character in the film is from a wealthy family. Your father is police officer, is it the Mom that had all the money?
Olga Petsa: I had a secret business on the side, it was all me (lol). Maybe it was passed down. We don’t really talk about it.
HNMAG: Rachel Sennott is a stand-up comedian, did she help write some of her set?
Olga Petsa: Ally had a pre-written script but they workshopped a lot of it at comedy clubs. It’s a bit of both what is from the original script and what Rachel made work on stage.
HNMAG: Where will people be able to see I Used to Be Funny?
Olga Petsa: It will be distributed in the US through Utopia and Levels this coming year and has Magnolia outside of domestic.
HNMAG: This film is very much a Canadian story.
Olga Petsa: It’s from Ally’s perspective. She did well putting in what ever needed to be there in terms of Canada.
HNMAG: Anything else our readers should know?
Olga Petsa: It’s a good film. People should watch it.
HNMAG: What was Jason Jones like to work with?
Olga Petsa: He was always joking around on set. There’s a line when we were all having lunch. He ad libs before cut and they kept it. He’s just a goofy man.
Olga Petsa is a very talented actor and we are fortunate to experience her performances from such a young age. One of the benefits of attending a large International Film Festival, is the exposure to movies before they get a wide release. It seems like you are sharing in a delightful secret. The downside for independent film, is that wide release rarely manifests. Especially for movies set in Canada. Let’s hope that trend ends, starting with I Used To Be Funny.