This week I had the opportunity to speak with Sam Krochmal, a Canadian actor, filmmaker, and screenwriter, about his work in the upcoming television series, YAGA. In the series, Sam Krochmal plays Billy, an earnest, “in-over-his-head”, rookie cop who is helping investigate a small town mystery. Based on the hit play by showrunner Kat Sandler, YAGA is a feminist reimagining of the classic myth of Baba Yaga. The show follows a private investigator who heads to the small coastal town of Whitlock, to investigate the mysterious disappearance of an heir to a local fishery. We soon learn more about this labyrinthine world full of mystifying characters and ancient magic.
Featuring Canadian icons like Carrie Ann-Moss (The Matrix), Noah Reid (Schitt’s Creek), and Hudson Williams (Heated Rivalry) to name a few, and already buzzy as hell, YAGA is sure to be a group chat worthy spooky season watch.
Sam has appeared in a range of work in film and television projects such as The Vince Staples Show, Upload, and Voicemails for Isabelle. In addition to YAGA, he will soon appear in another upcoming horror film, The Young People by Osgood Perkins.
When I sat down with Sam, we talked about his character and what drew him to the script, being a scene partner with a helicopter, the awe of working with major Canadian icons, his favourite spooky season rec, and so much more!
Let’s get into our chat!
Well, congrats, on YAGA coming out this week!
Sam: Thank you.
How are you feeling about everything?
Sam: Crazy, I feel like we've been in anticipation mode for so many months that it's almost surreal to feel like we're finally here. I'm just excited for everyone to see it. We've been waiting for so long it feels like.
That's exciting. I'm very excited to watch! One of my first questions for you is, what was it about this script and the character of Billy that drew you to this project?
Sam: Yeah, I was immediately super stoked when I found out that it was based on Kat [Sandler]’s play and an adaptation into television. I think that's a really exciting and daunting adaptation, going from a really intimate three-hander play to this kind of extrapolated expansive world of television. It's daunting and it easily could have gone off the rails and I think Kat and company did a really tremendous job. And beyond that, you know, the character I play, Billy, I joke that when I got the breakdown, my first thought was like, “Oh, I'm just playing myself.” [laughs]
I love it! [laughs]
Sam: As actors, I think it doesn't happen all the time, but when you get a breakdown that feels like it's really living inside of you as a person, that's a real luxury. And the result is, it doesn't feel like I'm doing a lot of work on set. So it was kind of a very affirming full circle moment to be like, “Who else are they gonna hire for this?” [laughs]
And then to get the call and to talk to Kat later on and have her say, “You know, as soon as we saw your tape, we knew that was Billy.” So I was like, “Okay, I'm not delulu”, you know? It's like, I felt there's an alignment and you know, it worked out this time.
Yeah, that's incredible to feel that internally and then to hear that from the person creating the space, it's like, “Okay, you're in alignment” right? Which is awesome. Asking a little bit more about your character, what do you want people to know about [Billy]?
Sam: So Billy, he's a small town rookie cop working with the main team to kind of crack the case of this mysterious disappearance. I joke that before this he was probably on parking ticket duty and I think right from the get-go, he's super in over his head. Which I think provides maybe an accidental source of levity and comedy in what is a pretty dark and spooky story. So yeah, I think he takes his job really seriously. He's really trying his best. He's often failing to rise to the occasion, but he has a couple of moments where he comes through when it matters most. So that's good.
How did you, in your character work, approach that balance of that levity while being surrounded by that very serious subject matter, as you mentioned?
Sam: Yeah, I think that I've kind of built my career on being the funny guy. I think that work comes really naturally to me, which is awesome. I think in this business, at least getting started, you kind of have to find a schtick. You gotta find something that you're really good at. And that was kind of my way in the door. For this job, what was challenging at times, but ultimately rewarding, was trying to strike the balance of not being too like, yuk yuk joke guy. Kat and Rachel [Talalay] and David [Frazee], I think it was really important to them to not have Billy kind of become this broad comedic device. And have the comedy and the levity come from the stakes of the situation and more Billy desperately caring and less phoning it in.
So I think the note that I got [laughs] from the directors [Rachel and David] and from Kat throughout the production, the most often was like, "Sam, we love what you're doing. Just do less. Do less." And I was always like, "I feel like I'm not doing anything." And they're like, [whispers] "That's perfect." [gives two thumbs up]
Of course you watch it and you're like, "Oh okay, that makes sense." But, it's a reminder that the camera don't lie. And you could be thinking a thought and your face does nothing and we see it. So yeah that was a fun and rewarding challenge for sure.
Yeah that's awesome, well thank you. Okay another question I had, so in this film you're working with multiple Canadian icons of television, film –
Sam: Truly, yeah. [nods]
– I feel like I can't not talk about that. But yeah I was wondering what was it like working with this cast and what was something, maybe a piece of advice or something that you learned from working with these icons in this space?
Sam: Yeah, I mean talk about Canadian all-stars like truly so many moments where I was like "I gotta go to the bathroom and pinch myself a little bit". Yeah, just such a professional and seasoned and most importantly giving group of actors, you know. When you have scene partners that are that engaged, that prepared, there was no ego on set and it just creates such a really positive work environment where everyone kind of feels safe to get messy and play and find magic moments that aren't necessarily on the page.
I was constantly enamoured by the level of ease that these folks bring to their performances and I think it takes a long time to get to a place where you can bring that much ease and kind of looseness in your work. And it's really inspiring to me because I think oftentimes one of the challenges that performers that are kind of just getting started, or even me, I've been doing this 10 years and I still struggle with this, like I think you so desperately want to do a good job and get it right that you end up kind of gripping it a little bit too tight. And you know, it's like the performance was technically fine. You hit all the notes, you said all the words. But was it really authentic and messy and like alive? Probably not.
And I think that's what makes a really good performance. So I think trying to be a sponge on set and just soak it all in and yeah, really taking away that sometimes, pardon my language, fucking it up a little bit can be the best thing to do.
That's such a great reflection of that. Like that kind of letting go and giving a little bit more space sometimes brings out the best work.
Sam: Totally, yeah.
Okay, well another question, thinking about the set, the environment. Do you have a favorite memory from set or that time working on the project?
Sam: Oh man, there were so many good moments. I think just for me as an actor, it felt pretty badass to get to set the day that we shot the intro. And I was like, oh, we just have a helicopter. Cool, cool, cool, cool. Sounds good. Yeah. [laughs] That was a first for me. I've never worked with a helicopter as a scene partner before. And that was not only something that I kind of nerded out about, but also just one of those moments where you're like, “Okay, like we're doing this for real.”
And it was kind of touch and go because the weather that day was kind of terrible. It was really rainy. And so there was a lot of like, “Is the helicopter gonna work? Is the helicopter safe to land? What's happening?” Yeah, it felt like a lot going on and it was really exciting. And yeah, I was giggling to myself quite a bit that day.
Yeah, that's exciting. That's quite a moment of like, oh my gosh. Okay, yeah, "Helicopter's here. We're in it."
Sam: “Holy shit. We're doing it.”
Yeah, I love it, that's awesome. Very cool. So another question I have, at a time where Canadian media is having a major moment it seems, I was wondering what does it mean for you to be part of a project like this, or something that has this kind of buzz in this space?
Sam: Yeah, it's super special, especially in a time like this. It feels like it's more relevant than ever. I think that Canadian content is kind of finally getting its flowers for the first time in a long time. And, you know, some iconic Canadian shows, Schitt's Creek, Heated Rivalry, I think have kind of paved the way for this moment. And I am hopeful that a show like YAGA can kind of continue to bust down that door, because I think that Canada's making some really cool shit.
I think that oftentimes we get a bad rap. You know, maybe fighting some preconceived notions that Canadian television is cheap, that it's uninspired, unoriginal. And I think a show like YAGA kind of laughs in the face of all of those preconceptions.
Yeah, I think that Canadian content is excellent and I think we should be doubling down on it. And I think we owe a lot of credit to corporations like Bell Media and Crave because at the end of the day, ultimately they're giving us programming and they're putting us in front of eyeballs on the global stage. So yeah, much love to them. And I think really special and impactful that they were down for Kat's vision and also to make it kind of a fully unapologetically Canadian production, pretty special to be a part of that.
Yeah, that's awesome. Very exciting, quite a time. Oh my goodness. I know we have a couple of more minutes, but just two kind of quick questions. One is a bit of a fun one, but I know people have been calling it "YAGAween." That's kind of the vibe that's happening right now.
Sam: [laughs] Yeah.
So my question for you is, if you have one, what's your favorite piece of Halloween or spooky media and what makes it your favorite?
Sam: Ooh. I have a special spot in my heart for The Blair Witch Project. It was like one of the first ever horror movies that I watched as a teenager. And I definitely was not allowed to. My mom never would have let me watch that. I was young. I think I was like 13 or 14. And I just feel like, I mean, makes a lot of sense that I was that young that it scarred me that much, but it's one of those movies that I look back on and I'm like, I don't know if I've ever been so disturbed from a film. I'm a big fan of the horror genre. And I think any film that keeps you up for multiple days afterwards did its job correctly. And that one, that one got me good. That one spooked me hard.
It's a spooky one. Likewise! I remember being very terrified and still, I know it's not real, obviously, but you know. It's scary!
Sam: And, the performances in that film, like overlooked. They were giving, performance. It was giving, a bunch of kids in the woods. Yeah, crazy.
So good. So good. Thank you. And then yeah, this is my last question, also in honour of spooky season. I saw that one of your upcoming projects [The Young People] is also a horror piece with Osgood Perkins. So I was wondering, I know it's before that press run, but is there anything you can tease or share?
Sam: I can't say much because they would kill me. [laughs]
Sure, fair, fair. [laughs]
Sam: Such a fun experience to get to work with him. I had run into him at a film festival. I was watching a panel he was doing in Chilliwack, BC in 2024. And I just remember sitting in the front row and just being like, “Wow, this man is fascinating, and such a sharp mind.” And I just kind of left that screening being like, "Hope I get to work with him someday in my career, maybe 20 years from now!" And yeah, kind of a fun full circle moment to get the call a year later.
Yeah, I can't really speak on the film, but just know that, you know, this shit coming out of his brain is crazy, and this is no different, it's a mind-fuck. And I can't wait for people to see it.
Amazing, thank you. Well, thank you so much for meeting with me, Sam. I really appreciate it. I'm excited for YAGA and for all your upcoming work. Like, I'm sat now. I'm like, okay, very invested. So, yeah. Best of luck!
Sam: Thank you so much, I appreciate that.
Make sure to catch Sam as Billy in YAGA which is out on AMC+ and Crave on October 23rd, and Sky Atlantic on October 31st. You can keep up with Sam’s work by following him on Instagram @samkrochmal or via his website samkrochmal.com
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