Anna Lambe is the lead in CBC’s North of North. She is the modern version of an Inuk woman, breaking the moulds and stereotypes of how most see Northern culture. She is excited to add her voice to how the North is portrayed while also showcasing the warmth, brightness, and laughter that Inuk people are known for.

“Typically, stories about the North are dark, cold and centred around something dramatic, traumatic, or a mix of the two,” Lambe said. “I’m excited about throwing something new into the representation of the Northern stories.”

She sees a parallel between her role in the show and a book she read for inspiration, What I Remember, What I Know: The Life of a High Arctic Exile by Larry Audlaluk and wants to change the Eurocentric view of people who look different and have different backgrounds, cultures, or ethnicities.

“They see us as a historical people, not connected to the modern world,” she said. “I’m trying to change that.”

Lambe never saw herself as a performer until her high school drama teacher encouraged her to try an acting workshop. She enjoyed the experience so much that she later auditioned for a film called The Grizzlies, which was being filmed in her hometown of Iqaluit.

During her time on set, she loved the traditional dancing, and performing came pretty naturally to her. She also caught the storytelling bug and enjoyed the behind-the-scenes work, which she would like to do more of in the future.

“Seeing people enjoying Grizzlies, how it impacted people, made me see the power of storytelling and how it can spark conversation and create change,” Lambe said.

Lambe was studying International Development at the time and was more focused on paying rent than becoming an artist. She soon realized there were unlimited stories and opportunities to share about the North and the Inuit people. So she chose the uncertainty, the possibility of rejection and the instability of the film and TV industry.

She has faced many roadblocks over the years, including not seeing enough representation in Iqaluit, not having much to look up to as far as actors who’ve worked consistently from the capital of Nunavut, no acting role models, and having to move south to pursue her craft.

The cost of living in Iqaluit has also made it difficult. From the lack of housing to the cost of food and flights back and forth, she’s hoping to see more opportunities and accessibility for Northern actors.

Currently, she lives in southern Canada, working where the sets and locations take her, she has to be closer to Ottawa and Toronto to help get connected to the Canadian stories being told here in our country and beyond.

Lambe still feels pressured to move to Hollywood to “make it big.” She knows the marker for success in television and film is moving to L.A. and trying to find her place among American stories.

However, she is confident in her decision to work in Canadian arts. She sees Canada becoming a hotspot for many future projects, especially those showcasing Indigenous stories, traditions and cultures.

“I am very happy here in Canada, working in Indigenous film and television,” Lambe said. “And if this is the rest of my career, I will still be incredibly proud.”

Lambe feels optimistic about the new industry trend with the empowerment of diverse storytellers leading the change. She hopes it translates into more Indigenous creatives getting a chance to tell their stories.

“We want to write our own narratives so others can relate to us,” Lambe said. “We want a say in how people receive our stories.”

Lambe wants to see more Indigenous artists take control of their stories and art. She believes that seeing the value in their work, experiences, and themselves helps create a scene and promotes more art in general.

“In the past, people have valued our art once it’s out of our hands,” Lambe said. We’re protecting our artists now. We see their value as artists and people.”

Currently, she’s finding success doing both. She’s worked on HBO’s True Detective: Night Country with director Issa Lopez and legend Jodie Foster. In her time on this project, she learned a lot from the cast, crew and producers who helped her shape her vision for the kinds of stories she wants to tell and how to tell them. She sees many similarities between her time at HBO and CBC’s production of North of North, with the added advantage of telling Canadian stories working with the iconic broadcaster.

The future looks bright for Lambe as she looks forward to a second season of the CBC show North of North and other television and film opportunities. She’s hoping to see more shows and movies celebrating Inuit culture and the oral history of storytelling. She wants the world to know about the modern Inuit cultures that have found ways to entertain each other for thousands of years. This culture of sharing creativity is alive and well in the North.

“Joy and laughter are universal,” Lambe said. “The North has a huge artistic history in many different art forms. It’s very natural to us.”

She hopes the stories she tells will find common ground with all people and a deeper connection to life experiences everyone goes through and struggles with, no matter where they live.

Lambe seems to be navigating both worlds in the short time she’s made art for the big screen. She is already seeing beyond just acting, wanting to produce, direct, write and tell stories that are important to her.

You can get a real taste of life in Canada’s North by watching Anna in North of North airing on CBC, APTN, and Netflix.