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Gabrielle Miller
Actor, Comedian, City and Country Girl, Frequent Blusher
By Katherine Dorrell
Gabrielle Miller, costar in two hit Canadian TV shows ("Corner Gas" and "Robson Arms"), may look like a glamour girl, but the bashful vegetarian (whose middle name is Sunshine) prefers kicking back with family and friends to basking in the limelight. And when asked who she most admires, Miller doesn't hesitate to say it's her mom. What's not to love about her?
Q: Why do you think "Corner Gas" has struck a chord with canadians?
We (the cast) have a great chemistry, and it was that way from the beginning. At the first read-through when we were all in character, we clicked naturally - it felt like the voice of Dog River. It's magical how everything just fell into place.
Q: What do you share with the characters you play - Lacey on "Corner Gas" and Bobbi on " Robson Arms"?
While I am portraying characters and expressing a life that is quite outside of my own, I feel a friendship - a connection - with Lacey and Bobbi, particularly Lacey. I moved around a lot with my family as a kid so I know what it;s like to be Lacey - to be lonely, the new kid in town. What I admire about Lacey is that whatever happens, she is always picking herself up and starting again.
Q: "Robson Arms" is set in west-end Vancouver, "Corner Gas" in small -town Saskatchewan. At heart, would you say you're a city gal or a country gal?
I'm split. I love big cities - Vancouver, Toronto, New York and Los Angeles - and feed off the energy. But I also crave solitude and nature and need it to be part of my life. I spend half the year in Regina when I am doing "Corner Gas". I have a little house there now that I love to come home to and garden and have a barbecue. In Vancouver, where I was born and work on "Robson Arms, " I live in a loft in Gas Town, where there is a great buzz. It's tricky to go between two places - I go through a funny transition period each time, but once I settle in I'm very content.
Q: "Corner Gas" looks like such a fun gig, yet you've said comedy is hard work. What's the toughest part of working on the show?
Comedy is like a dance. It's about timing, flow, feeling and doing what's right in the moment, such as taking that little pause before you deliver the next line to make it just right. It's hard work, but with "Corner Gas" we have great chemistry, so now ti has become easy and fun.
Q: What do you think are the best TV shows on the air right now?
Right now I am hooked on watching old episodes of "Arrested Development" on DVD, but a lot what I watch isn't comedy. I like "Medium", "Six Feet Under", and "Brothers and Sisters". My guilty pleasure is "Dancing with the Stars." I love how contestants are willing to put themselves out there.
Q: Do you think more opportunities are opening up for actresses in Canada, especially for mature woman?
The Canadian TV and film industry is constantly growing, and we have an incredible talent pool. It makes me frustrated to think that once a woman is a certain age - when you have more depth and beauty - you wouldn't have a many acting options. It's bull.
Q: How do you handle being a household name and being recognized on the street by your fans?
It's been positive but challenging because I'm a private, shy person. I blush so easily. I remember living in an apartment years ago and dreading going to the laundry room because I might run into people and have to make small chat. The good thing about being well known is that it has taken me out of my comfort zone. I am challenged most by things that make me uncomfortable.
Q: What have you learned form travelling around Canada?
I really love this country and having the opportunity to travel and see it. We have the most incredible landscape, each place is different, but the common thread is the generosity and kindness in people. I am in love with Cape Breton and dream that one day I'll have a little house in Nova Scotia.