Emilija Baranac started her successful acting career in Vancouver and she is now starring in a new Netflix and CBC Gem show, Fakes.
Narcity sat down with Baranac to hear all about her newest show, which is set in her hometown, and she had some helpful advice for all those aspiring stars out there in "Hollywood North."
"Fakes actress Emilija Baranac interview.Narcity | Youtube
It isn't her first hit production either. She's also been in the iconic To All The Boys I've Loved Before movies, playing Gen, and Riverdale.
The new series, set to air on September 1, follows best friends as they start selling fake IDs and eventually create an accidental empire.
Canadians can watch it on the CBC Gem streaming service and anyone outside the country can check it out on Netflix.
Baranac is front and centre in the new series and said she was happy to be showing off her home on-screen.
She added that she was happy to see Vancouver getting recognition as often productions are filmed there but it's usually set in other locations. Baranac is born and raised in Burnaby so she is no stranger to the excitement Vancouver offers.
"We shot one scene at Ambleside beach and it was this shot of Zoe and Rebecca on a bench...and you see the view of the Lion's Gate bridge. I remember when we were shooting that it just felt so surreal. It was so beautiful," she said.
When cast-mates from out of town come to visit, Baranac said she takes them out to some iconic Vancouver spots like Science World and Granville Island, as well as for a ride on the SeaBus.
Her acting advice
When she started school in Vancouver as a kid her first language was Serbian, so she had a tough time connecting with her classmates, Baranac said.
As a result, she got very shy so her parents decided to put her into acting classes to get her out of her shell.
"It definitely did, and then I actually took a liking for it," she said.
Being a go-to filming destination, Vancouver was the perfect spot for her to pursue acting as a career and for others in the city who want to do the same, Baranac said to "go for it."
"You just have to try. If it's something that you really want to do, work hard and things are bound to happen. There are so many opportunities here and you won't know until you try."
"You gotta put yourself out there. It's scary but it's 100% worth it," she added.
