Rising Star Kiawenti:io Tarbell Talks about Her Experience on "Anne with an E"

By Mahlon Smoke

There are many talented youth in Akwesasne, some of which are lucky enough to showcase those talents in movies or on tv. One lucky young girl is Kiawenti:io Tarbell who has finished filming on the Netflix show "Anne with an E" and wrapped up filming a new film "Beans", which is already in post-production status. Now back in Akwesasne, she's excited to get back to school and meet up with her friends, while still keeping in contact with the friends she made while on set for "Anne with an E".

Over the weekend we had the chance to talk to Kiawenti:io Tarbell about her acting experiences and any upcoming projects she has.

IT - Tell us about your character Ka'kwet in Anne with an E.

KT - "She is a Mi'kmaq girl who is strong, and brave, and feisty and an amazing role model for her two younger siblings."

IT - Ka'kwet is from the Mi'kmaq tribe, did you have any prior knowledge about them going into the show or did you learn on the set?

KT - "Well, I didn't know much about them when I got on the show, but I had to learn a lot of Mi'kmaq language and some of the words were easier for me to say because they were a little bit similar to Mohawk. It was on the set that I learned a lot about their tribe and their history. My dialogue coach helped me a lot with the language and her culture."

IT - In the show there is an episode where your character has to go to a Residential School. How tough was it to deal with such a harsh topic?

KT - "It was a little tough, but I knew that was going to be a plotline and that is where they wanted to go. I was mindful of what I would be doing when they picked me to tell that part of history."

IT - How do you prepare to act out something like that?

KT - "On the day of the shooting of those scenes, my mom and I did the opening at the very beginning, then when we were done for the day, we did the closing so no one would go home feeling bad or down. We even offered to smudge for anyone who was having a difficult time, just so they wouldn't have to carry that with them. Especially with the extras, they were just kids and I'm not sure how they processed that."

Tarbell spoke about the difficulty of having to act out something like the Residential schools, while it is just acting, knowing that it happened is still difficult to act through.

IT - What was your favorite scene, with your character or without?

KT - "My absolute favourite scene was when we ran down the hill and looked into the water. It was the very first scene we shot with our characters, Amybeth and I. My other favourite scene, in general, is the scene where Anne is sitting at dinner with her new family and notices how they all eat so similarly. It's really a nice scene."

IT - Are you and Amybeth McNulty still friends?

KT - "Yes! We email each other like all the time!"

IT - With Anne with an E and Beans wrapped up, what's next in your acting career?

KT - "It's so hard to say, I would love to keep acting but right now it's just so far away in the future that I'm not sure."

IT - What do you think is the hardest thing about acting so far?

KT - "I guess it's separating yourself from the character. It's hard because you have to remind yourself 'It's not real' but you have to act like it is so I can be scared or really sad, so it seems realistic."

IT - Which actor would you like to work with some day?

KT - "Jim Carrey, though I think that would be difficult cause I would be laughing too much for each take."

IT - And just for fun, what would you say to other aspiring actors/singers/dancers or other talented youths who may be afraid to take that first step?

KT - "I would say to just try it. You never know what might happen if you don't try. I didn't know I would get this role until I auditioned for it. So that's all you can do, go for it."

Tarbell will also be appearing in the independent film "Beans" a film about the Oka crisis told through the perspective of a 12-year-old girl named Beans. Coming out next year but you can now watch "Anne with an E" on Netflix or catch it on the Canadian Broadcasting Station every Sunday.