Welcome to Ice Cove, Nunavut, the charming Arctic setting where the new comedy series North of North unfolds amid stunning landscapes and within a tight-knit community. Netflix’s first Canadian original series follows Siaja (Anna Lambe), a young Inuk woman who wants to build a new future for herself after a spontaneous — and extremely public — exit from her marriage. But it won’t be easy in a place like this, where everybody knows your business.
For co-creators and executive producers Stacey Aglok-MacDonald and Alethea Arnaquq-Baril, who are both Inuit, and executive producer Miranda de Pencier, bringing this story to a global audience inspired a search for a cast of familiar faces and newcomers alike, including combing the geographic terrain where the series is set and filmed.
“We had to scan the Arctic far and wide,” said Aglok-MacDonald (Qanurli, The Grizzlies), about the process of finding the right actors to play the multigenerational trio at the heart of the series. “I never in my wildest dreams imagined that our core family — Neevee, Siaja, and Bun — would be Inuit from Iqaluit [Nunavut’s capital city, where North of North was filmed]. It’s beyond special.”
“This cast has been a gift,” said Arnaquq-Baril (Angry Inuk,The Grizzlies). “They’re beautiful, generous, and so smart. They work so hard and open up their hearts and souls, sometimes with difficult material. This is a warm, aspirational, and lighthearted show, but there are definitely some moments where shit gets real — and they handle it with such grace. I feel so lucky.”
Below, meet the unforgettable ensemble who make up the world of North of North.
Anna Lambe as Siaja in North of North.
Siaja is a 26-year-old Inuit mother who wants more for herself, her daughter, and the small Arctic community they call home. She’s a chronic do-gooder who had to grow up way too fast and is always trying to make the world a better place. She continues to grapple with her messy childhood and overly secretive mother — all while trying to start fresh and prove her worth at her workplace and in her community.
In building the character, Lambe drew from her own experiences growing up in Iqaluit. “I saw a story that I was familiar with from so many people that I grew up with,” she told Netflix. “When we see Siaja in the beginning of the season, she’s quite frantic and insecure. We see her make some large and life-changing decisions that cause her to fall flat on her face in front of her entire community and force her to reevaluate her life and try to make it better. Throughout the season, we see her growth as she begins to validate and understand her own feelings. She finds support within her community that she was often isolated from or that she felt she couldn’t reach out to.”
True Detective: Night Country, Trickster
Maika Harper as Neevee in North of North.
People in Ice Cove either say that Neevee is pure chaos … or a legend. Neevee thinks these two things can be true at once. That’s what makes her so cool — not that she gives a damn what people think. But underneath her tough exterior is a woman with a massive heart who loves her daughter, Siaja.
Neevee’s struggle to let down her guard and embrace honesty drew Harper to the role. “She doesn’t let too many people in,” Harper told Netflix. “She has gone through so much in her life and she finally comes to terms with herself. It’s beautiful to see her blossom as a character.”
Law and Order Toronto: Criminal Intent, Burden of Truth
Jay Ryan as Alistair in North of North.
Alistair is a charismatic and ruggedly handsome environmental consultant who lives out of his suitcase until he starts to feel the pull of something that feels like home. Alistair knows how to kick it with the Inuit. He first came to the North as a summer student and hasn’t looked back.
“Alistair’s internal struggle is that he's never really understood why Neevee broke up with him in the first place,” Ryan told Netflix. “She was his first young love and the reason why he was pushed out of Ice Cove when he was a young man. He’s looking for a lot of answers when he returns.”
It Chapter Two, Mary Kills People
Braeden Clarke as Kuuk in North of North.
Kuuk is an Inuk and Cree city boy with strong family ties to Ice Cove. After a failed relationship and being down on his luck in a southern city, he takes a short-term contract with Alistair and runs away to the North. For Kuuk, everything is new and exciting. His genuine enthusiasm for the community (including spending time with elders and kids) is very attractive to Siaja.
“Kuuk goes up north to find his roots,” Clarke told Netflix. “He’s a bit of a fish out of water, so he starts confused, and he may end up more confused by the end, but he’s finding his way back.” As to the on-screen “sparks” between Kuuk and Siaja, Clarke said, “There’s some friction there. It’s a big old emotional stew, with attraction driving a lot of the tension between Kuuk and Siaja. He recognizes that she’s a genuine, down-to-earth individual, and he’s craving that connection. Maybe he sees himself in her.”
Little Bird, Outlander
Mary Lynn Rajskub as Helen in North of North.
Helen first came to the Arctic 23 years ago, and she’s still thriving in the North. Helen enjoys her position of power as senior administrative officer of the community center and loves living in this community she now calls home. She can be kind and helpful at times which makes her flavor of problematic a little bit more complicated.
Rajskub told Netflix it was Helen’s “double edge” and countless comedic moments “that come from saying cringey things to Anna’s character” that drew her to the role: “[Helen and Siaja] have a push-pull relationship where they need each other but also repel each other. They become an unlikely duo by the end, but you never know from episode to episode which place they’re going to be in.”
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, 24
Nutaaq Doreen Simmonds as Elisapee (left) and Zorga Qaunaq as Millie (right) in North of North.
Millie is quirky and cheeky with an IDGAF attitude. She and Siaja are learning to work together, but at the end of the day, the community center is a paycheck for Millie, not a passion project.
One of the cast’s first-timers, Qaunaq relished the opportunity to put personal touches on their character, who’s known around Ice Cove for her unique style: “She’s very colorful and unapologetically herself,” Qaunaq said. “I suggested purple hair and it worked. I also worked with the makeup artist every day to match the look with the outfit, and I worked really hard to get Millie’s nails to be different in every episode.”
This is Qaunaq’s onscreen debut.
Bailey Poching as Colin (left) and Zorga Qaunaq as Millie (right) in North of North.
Colin is a young Māori man who traveled to the Arctic for love. He is the communications coordinator (and radio DJ) at the community center. Everyone (even Elisapee) loves Colin: he’s sweet, supportive, and easy to talk to. That’s why he’s in tune with all the hot goss and tea-spilling.
Like his character, Poching hails from New Zealand. He told Netflix: “As an Indigenous actor, I was really fortunate to find an Indigenous-led project like this, created by Indigenous women, a show about community that is entrenched in culture and identity. Colin has found a family, and I think that also ties in with him being a queer man and having a queer relationship. Siaja represents the loved ones that Colin has around him, and Millie absolutely represents that as well.”
Honey Kaha, 7 Days
Nutaaq Doreen Simmonds as Elisapee in North of North.
Elisapee is the community center receptionist, and a rude Elder with “amen, Jesus” values. She’s a residential school survivor who conflates hardcore Christianity with traditional Inuit culture. Fluent in Inuktut and a queen of lateral violence, Elisapee is more interested in sewing and gossip than she is in answering the phone.
“Elisapee is complicated,” Simmonds said “She has a scene in the church that brings out her humanness, how she cared to tell Neevee that she may lose her daughter if she kept secrets from her. And those can be damaging. I was glad to see that part — not just the humor, and not just her judgmental ways — but her heart.”
True Detective: Night Country
Keira Belle Cooper as Bun in North of North.
Bun is Ting and Siaja’s 7-year-old daughter. She’s an adorable little weirdo with a creative mind and killer fashion.
“Keira was such a find,” said de Pencier. “When her tape arrived it was so immediate. She was a fireball right off the screen and shot straight into our hearts and gave us belly laughs. She’s a hilarious kid and totally fearless. She feels like an experienced, adult actress who’s been doing this for 30 years, and it’s her first TV series. I’m in awe of her.”
This is Cooper’s onscreen debut.
Kelly William as Ting and Anna Lambe as Siaja in North of North.
King Ting is not only a pilot, but a good hunter as well. Hunting is vital to survival in the Arctic, so Ting is seen as someone who contributes to the health and well-being of the entire community. Too bad it’s mostly a performance. Those closest to him know the truth: He’s a total narcissist with a bit of a mean streak. Ting wants Siaja back, and is going to fight for her.
Said de Pencier, “The role of Ting was a challenge because he needs to be someone we don’t always love, but still be lovable. Kelly is charming and warm, and he’s worked so hard and brought a lot to his role.”
Jurassic World: Dominion, Portraits from a Fire
Dan Jeannotte as Olivier, Anna Lambe as Siaja in North of North
Siaja meets Quebecois photographer Olivier in Episode 6, just when she’s ready to put herself out there and get to know someone new. He is quite fond of his dogs.
“Working with Anna and Dan [Jeannotte], who plays Olivier, was so fun,” said director Zoe Leigh Hopkins. “I was very happy that the actors were so game and so generous with their spirits.”
The Bold Type, Reign, Star Trek: Brave New Worlds
Nuliajuk is the mythical sea goddess who Siaja meets in the first episode, after she falls off her husband’s boat. Seeing the fabled guardian of marine animals helps give Siaja the wake-up call she needs to change her life.
True Detective: Night Country, Bootlegger
North of North is now streaming.
