AVERY KONRAD

By Alex A. Kecskes

On the series FROM, complex characters, and dancing roles

Hailing from British Columbia, Avery Konrad studied at Vancouver Film School and landed her first role as Gina Sarland in R.L Stein's The Haunting Hour series. Konrad later co-starred in Paramount+ Honor Society, about a high school senior who stops at nothing to get into Harvard. Konrad also played Chance Sinclair in Amazon's horror-thriller Broil. And she portrayed Roan Harper, Juliette Lewis’ sister in the acclaimed Facebook Watch series, Sacred Lies: The Singing Bones Additional credits include recurring roles in ABC's The Good Doctor, Netflix's Van Helsing, and CBC's Unspeakable

Currently, Konrad stars in Epix's contemporary sci-fi horror/drama, FROM. The series unravels the mystery of a nightmarish town in middle America that traps all those who enter. As the unwilling residents fight to keep a sense of normalcy and search for a way out, they must also survive the threats of the surrounding forest—including the terrifying creatures that come out when the sun goes down. As Sara Myers, Konrad is a wild card among the town's residents: some think her mind was simply fractured by the residents of the town; others wonder if, in her madness, she is closer to the secrets of the town than anyone else.

Besides her work in film and television, Konrad is an accomplished dancer. She has worked on several music videos and performances with her dance career. When her childhood friends opened Legacy Dance Productions in her hometown, she began teaching dance to children, which has grown into a huge passion for her to this day.

Thank you for taking the time for this interview. FROM is a real nail bitter about survival. What drew you to the role of Sara Myers?

The overall storyline and her character were very interesting because she has so many layers. She's such a wild card in the town. Also, the team behind the series was a huge draw. And to bring her character to life was a dream come true.

What did you draw from to play such a mysterious character in a nightmarish town?

I had lots of help from my acting coach, Deb Podowski, who coached me for all episodes. When I’m in the depths of playing Sara, it’s hard to see the things that are popping up on the page, things you don’t see when you’re glancing over it. So to have Deb point those things out was really helpful in keeping Sara’s humanity alive, which I felt was really important.

What did you find most challenging about being in this series and playing Sara?

I think all of the content she deals with— the darkness—can kind of bleed into your life a little bit. But having practiced with season one and coming into season two,

I kind of knew what I was getting into. So that was very helpful but to keep that alive, the consequences of maintaining that can be challenging. But it's all worth it because I get to do what I love.

Do you have a favorite scene or scenes?

There’s one scene with Chloe (Van Landschoot), who plays Kristi in the clinic, which was a lot of fun to shoot. I love the scenes in season one with Harold (Perrineau). Those were awesome. Also the scene in season one, episode five, where Sarah kills Nathan (Paul Zinno). It was difficult but rewarding.

Yeah, the neck-stabbing scene. Are you sometimes put off by all the blood and gore?

When I’m there, no; but seeing it on screen, it’s different. But because I was there in the scene, I kind of know where everything was coming from.

You’re an accomplished dancer. If you were offered a role in Footloose or Black Swan, which would you take?

Oh, that’s really difficult. There’s a lot of darkness in Black Swan. If I was coming off of FROM, I’d probably go for Footloose because it’s more lighthearted. But both would be incredible projects to be part of.

You've played a variety of roles in TV and film. What have you learned about this business that surprised you?

That's a really good question. I think finding people who you can trust is really important. But sometimes, unfortunately, the cliches are true. And thankfully, falling into FROM, the creators, producers, and cast are all caring people. And to be able to create this series with them has been very rewarding. I'm grateful to be part of it.

Any advice for young actors eager to make it in this business?

Taking classes. And if it's something you really want to do, don't give up, keep going. No matter how hard it gets, you have to be your own cheerleader and believe in yourself more than anything.

What were you like in high school? The girl most likely to….?

Be the class clown, always trying to make people laugh. I was always goofing around making people feel better.