From Arctic Whispers to Hollywood Thunder: The Anna Lambe Phenomenon

North of North: Anna Lambe’s Landmark Leading Role

Homecoming: The Significance of Filming in Iqaluit

When Anna Lambe stepped off the plane in Iqaluit in 2023, she wasn’t just returning home—she was making television history. As the star of Netflix’s groundbreaking comedy series North of North, Lambe found herself at the center of an unprecedented production: the first major television series ever filmed in the Arctic. For the 24-year-old actress who had left her hometown to pursue education and acting opportunities in southern Canada, this homecoming represented far more than just another role.

“The idea of shooting the series in my hometown with Stacey, Alethea, and Miranda was a dream,” Lambe revealed in a 2025 interview. This wasn’t the typical Hollywood “dream job” hyperbole—this was the genuine thrill of watching your childhood community transform into a television set while you lead a production that would introduce your culture to the world.

The significance of filming in Iqaluit extended far beyond personal nostalgia. As the capital and most populous city of Nunavut, Iqaluit represents the heart of Canada’s Arctic territory, a region that has been historically underrepresented or misrepresented in mainstream media. The decision to film on location rather than recreate Arctic settings in a southern studio marked a pivotal shift in how Indigenous stories are told—prioritizing authenticity over convenience, community involvement over efficiency.

The Logistical Miracle of Arctic Production

Anyone who’s ever tried to ship a package to Nunavut knows the territory’s infamous logistical challenges. Now imagine transporting an entire television production to the northernmost city in Canada, where no roads connect to other communities and the bay freezes for much of the year. This wasn’t just ambitious—it was borderline foolhardy by conventional production standards.

“In a place like Iqaluit,” production designer Rob Berry noted, “once the bay freezes, getting stuff in becomes a lot more difficult.” This understatement masks the extraordinary planning required to execute a production of this scale in the Arctic. From equipment transport to crew accommodations, every aspect of filming demanded innovative solutions to challenges rarely encountered in traditional production hubs.

The unprecedented nature of this undertaking was made possible only through an equally unprecedented collaboration between Netflix, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), and the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN). Executive producer Miranda de Pencier explained that “the combination of all these distribution partners enabled us to shoot in the Arctic”—a testament to how institutional support can overcome seemingly insurmountable logistical barriers when there’s genuine commitment to authentic storytelling.

For Lambe, why returning to Iqaluit to film North of North was meaningful transcended professional opportunity. It represented a chance to rewrite the rules of who gets to tell Arctic stories and how they’re told. “With this show being so huge, you would see the crew everywhere and they became a new part of the community,” she observed. “It was crazy to see the local crew and the people I grew up with come together to bring Ice Cove to life.”

The Community Connection: When Extras Are Family

The typical Hollywood production parachutes into a location, films with imported talent, and departs—leaving little lasting impact beyond some tourism buzz and local catering receipts. North of North deliberately inverted this model, integrating the Iqaluit community into every aspect of production.

“The sense of community reflected in ‘North of North’—or at least what I believe comes through—was shaped by real community involvement, with people genuinely stepping up to assist us,” Lambe explained to Decider. She emphasized that without the contributions of Iqaluit’s residents, completing the show would have been an immense challenge, particularly given the difficulties of filming in Nunavut.

This integration created a uniquely meta viewing experience for local audiences, who could see their neighbors, friends, and family members appearing as extras throughout the series. For Lambe, this added an additional layer of vulnerability to her performance as Siaja. “There’s always a bit of worry about how people will perceive me,” she admitted, acknowledging the inherent awkwardness of portraying embarrassing moments when your actual community is watching both on and off camera. “However, once I arrived in Iqaluit and began filming, it felt completely alright.”

The production’s impact extended beyond temporary employment opportunities to include lasting infrastructure development. The producers secured funding to build the first studio in Nunavut specifically in preparation for this show—a facility that will remain as a resource for future Arctic productions. As Lambe described it in an ELLE Canada interview, “It’s literally a dream project” precisely because of these community-centered approaches that prioritized long-term benefits over short-term expediency.

For Lambe, who had begun her acting journey as a teenager in The Grizzlies (also filmed in Iqaluit), North of North represented a “full-circle moment” that transformed her hometown into the backdrop for her first leading role. The production didn’t just capture the Arctic landscape—it captured the spirit of a community rarely seen on global screens, creating a landmark series that proves authentic Indigenous storytelling can thrive when given proper resources and respect.

Siaja’s Story: Bold Narrative Choices and Character Development

In an entertainment landscape cluttered with sanitized female protagonists who somehow maintain perfect hair while saving the world, Anna Lambe’s portrayal of Siaja in North of North delivers something far more revolutionary: a gloriously imperfect Inuk woman who isn’t afraid to face-plant spectacularly in front of her entire community. This isn’t just refreshing—it’s radical, particularly for Indigenous female characters who have historically been flattened into either stoic wisdom-keepers or tragic victims.

“When we see Siaja in the beginning of the season… 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,” Lambe explained to Netflix. This willingness to embrace messiness—from ill-timed dumpster fires to catastrophic seal hunting expeditions with her clueless husband—creates a character whose comedy springs from authentic human foibles rather than contrived sitcom scenarios.

Lambe approached this complex character with both enthusiasm and trepidation. “From the moment that I read the audition sides I was so deeply invested,” she revealed. “I loved that she was well-intentioned but so incredibly messy and complicated and had all of these dynamics around her… a complicated relationship with her mother, an unsatisfying marriage, but a dream and an ambition that she wanted something else for herself.” This nuanced characterization allowed Lambe to explore what she described as “a second coming of age”—the story of a young woman deciding “she wants a life that she wants to live… she wants to put herself first for the first time in her life.”

The audition process itself became a nail-biting saga worthy of its own drama series. “I lived in constant anxiety for four months trying to get through this audition process,” Lambe confessed with characteristic candor. “They had cast such a wide net for this role, and as an actor, when you see multiple calls for something, you’re like, ‘Oh, they didn’t like anybody in the first call, so they’re moving on and trying again.’ And every, like, five days, I would see [them] post the casting call, and I was so devastated.”

Bold Narrative Swings: The Father-Daughter Kiss Heard ‘Round the Arctic

If North of North had simply delivered a charming fish-out-of-water comedy about small-town Arctic life, it would have been groundbreaking enough. But the series’ creators, Stacey Aglok MacDonald and Alethea Arnaquq-Baril, weren’t content with merely breaking new ground—they wanted to shatter expectations entirely with narrative choices that would make even seasoned television viewers gasp.

Chief among these bold swings was the jaw-dropping plot twist where Siaja accidentally makes out with Alistair (played by Jay Ryan), the town’s charming newcomer who is later revealed to be her long-lost biological father. This wasn’t just pushing boundaries—it was obliterating them with gleeful abandon.

Lambe’s reaction to this twist during her screen test mirrored what would become the audience’s collective shock: “I fell to the ground and exclaimed, ‘No way! You wrote that? That’s so audacious. It’s so risky. It’s so outrageous. I love this role. How can I make it happen?'” she recalled with excitement. “I was completely breathless.”

This willingness to embrace uncomfortable narrative territory speaks to the confidence of the show’s creators and Lambe’s commitment to authentic storytelling that doesn’t shy away from the messy realities of human experience. As one of her current projects gaining international attention, North of North demonstrates how Indigenous-led productions can push creative boundaries in ways that more conventional network shows often avoid.

Bridging Cultural Specificity with Universal Themes

How Anna Lambe brings depth to her character Siaja in North of North is perhaps most evident in her ability to balance cultural specificity with universal emotional resonance. While the series is firmly rooted in Inuit experience and Arctic settings, Siaja’s journey resonates across cultural boundaries through its exploration of universal themes: workplace frustrations, family tensions, romantic missteps, and the universal desire for self-reinvention.

“While these stories are all fictional, a lot of them come from grains of truth in our lives,” said creator Aglok MacDonald. “It feels like we’re opening up our diary to the world.” This authenticity gives Lambe rich emotional material to work with, allowing her to craft a performance that feels both culturally specific and broadly relatable.

Lambe found particular inspiration in an unlikely source: “Bridget Jones was a massive reference of mine for Siaja,” she revealed. “I love her impulsivity and awkwardness.” This creative choice to blend influences from global pop culture with authentic Inuit experiences creates a character who defies stereotypes while remaining grounded in cultural truth.

The series also subverts expectations about what “empowerment” looks like for Indigenous female characters. While Siaja certainly wants what any suddenly single mom might want—”something that is ‘just hers’ so she can build an identity for herself outside of ‘wife and mother'”—her journey isn’t limited to personal fulfillment. As noted by the Inuit Art Foundation, “Siaja’s empowerment also lies in her serving her people—an ethos that will especially resonate with Inuit.”

This dimension of community service provided an immediate connection point for Lambe, whose own record of advocacy work in her community informed her approach to the character. The series portrays Siaja’s aspirations to work at the community center not as a consolation prize or stepping stone, but as a meaningful ambition tied to her desire to address real issues affecting her community—”accessibility, housing, climate change, a void of cultural programming throughout the year.”

Through this multidimensional characterization, North of North and Lambe’s performance challenge the individualistic narratives that dominate Western storytelling, offering instead a vision of personal growth that remains connected to community wellbeing—a perspective that reflects Inuit worldviews while resonating with universal human experiences.

Cultural Authenticity: Costume Design and Inuit Representation

When most outsiders imagine Arctic clothing, they conjure images of primitive sealskin parkas and igloos—frozen-in-time stereotypes that bear little resemblance to the vibrant reality of contemporary Inuit culture. North of North shatters these dated perceptions through meticulous attention to costume design, creating a visual feast that celebrates both traditional craftsmanship and modern Inuit fashion sensibilities.

“Our aim was to culturally resonate while ensuring the designs are beautiful and contemporary,” explained Debra Hanson, the lead costume designer for the series. “We wanted to bring the characters to life.” This dual commitment to cultural authenticity and aesthetic appeal created a visual language that educates viewers while avoiding the anthropological gaze that has plagued many Indigenous representations.

Anna Lambe’s character Siaja sports a stunning array of outerwear throughout the series—traditional Inuit garments such as amautis and qulittaqs, reimagined with contemporary flair. The vibrant and striking collection of parkas worn by the cast, often accented with various furs, pays homage to the traditional attire that has been essential for warmth in the Inuit community while showcasing the artistic innovation that characterizes modern Inuit design.

As Keenan ‘Nooks’ Lindell, an Inuk artist who served as assistant costume designer, observed: “Our communities are distinctive as many people still craft their own clothing, including parkas, mittens, hats, and sealskin boots (kamiks). Every community is lively and expressive through its clothing.” This celebration of regional diversity within Inuit fashion challenges the homogenized portrayal of Indigenous peoples that has dominated mainstream media.

The Politics of Production: Who Makes the Clothes Matters

The importance of authentic Inuit fashion and culture in North of North extends beyond what appears on screen to encompass who creates these visual elements. The production team made the revolutionary decision to prioritize Inuit designers and artisans, investing significant resources in authentic accessories rather than settling for mass-produced approximations.

“From the beginning, she and Lindell knew earrings would be an opportunity to show off the skills of Inuit artists, many of whom use natural materials,” noted a Netflix feature on the series. This commitment extended to the production’s budget priorities: they “devoted a good portion of their budget to earrings, since authentic Inuit earrings are not cheap.” This investment in authentic accessories reflects an understanding that cultural representation isn’t just about broad strokes but about getting the details right.

Lindell articulated this value system perfectly: “Ivory is our gold. Bone and antler, that’s our platinum and silver. Instead of diamonds, we have beads.” This reframing challenges Western hierarchies of value, celebrating Indigenous materials and craftsmanship on their own terms rather than through colonial metrics of worth.

The series’ commitment to authentic representation extended to the creation of Ice Cove itself—a fictional amalgamation of many Arctic towns designed to capture the distinct flavors of Inuit life throughout the region. As series creators Stacey Aglok MacDonald and Alethea Arnaquq-Baril explained, “We set our show in the fictional community of Ice Cove, because Nunavut is diverse, and Inuit communities differ greatly.” This approach allowed them to showcase the breadth of Inuit experiences while avoiding the pitfall of presenting any single community as representative of all Inuit people.

Beyond Aesthetics: Cultural Values in Visual Storytelling

The costume and production design of North of North does more than just look good—it embodies Inuit values and worldviews in visual form. As Anna Lambe has articulated in her advocacy work with the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN), “Inuit worldviews see the interconnectedness of everything—the land, the animals, our kin, ourselves, and how we treat the land, the animals, our kin, and ourselves.”

This holistic perspective infuses every visual element of the series, from the integration of traditional materials in contemporary designs to the portrayal of hunting practices as expressions of cultural continuity rather than primitive survival techniques. When Siaja falls into the Arctic Ocean while seal hunting in the series’ opening, the scene subverts expectations by treating this mishap as a comedic moment rather than a life-threatening crisis—acknowledging both the real dangers of Arctic life and the competence with which Inuit navigate them.

The series also challenges colonial narratives about fur and hunting through its unapologetic celebration of traditional practices. As Lambe herself asserted in a 2025 interview with The Narwhal, people who call hunting and wearing furs “savage” are wrong. “I feel like a lot of people would benefit from understanding where their food comes from a little bit better, and understanding where our food comes from and how things have been done for time immemorial,” she said. “But that also requires a lot of empathy and open-heartedness and open minds.”

By showcasing these practices as integral aspects of contemporary Inuit identity rather than relics of the past, North of North challenges the temporal displacement that has characterized much representation of Indigenous peoples. As Arnaquq-Baril emphasized, “First and foremost, [we wanted to show] that we still exist. So much media, even from the earliest days of cinema and before that in ethnography and academia, has painted us as people of the past.”

Through its meticulous attention to cultural authenticity in costume design, setting, and narrative choices, North of North presents a vision of Inuit life that is simultaneously traditional and contemporary, specific and universal—a landmark achievement in Indigenous representation that sets a new standard for culturally informed production practices.

Future Horizons: What’s Next for Anna Lambe

From Arctic to Hollywood: The Pitt Partnership That Changed Everything

Just when the entertainment industry thought they had Anna Lambe figured out—the critically acclaimed Inuk actress with an impressive resume of Canadian productions—she casually dropped the equivalent of a career nuclear bomb. On March 28, 2025, Paramount Pictures announced that Lambe would be joining Brad Pitt and J.K. Simmons in David Ayer’s action-adventure film “The Heart of the Beast.” This wasn’t just another role—this was the Hollywood A-list, the stratosphere that few Indigenous actors have ever reached.

The announcement sent shockwaves through the industry, transforming Lambe from respected Canadian talent to international rising star overnight. While details of her role remain under wraps, the mere fact of her casting alongside one of cinema’s most enduring icons signals a seismic shift in her career trajectory. This isn’t the token Indigenous character relegated to dispensing wisdom or representing victimhood—this is a substantive role in a major studio production with Oscar-winning talent.

What makes this career leap particularly remarkable is its timing. The announcement came just days before the Netflix premiere of “North of North,” creating a perfect storm of publicity that positioned Lambe as the industry’s next breakout talent. This wasn’t accidental timing but the result of strategic career management that capitalized on her growing industry buzz following her acclaimed performance in HBO’s “True Detective: Night Country.”

The Pitt project represents more than just a prestigious credit—it’s a potential gateway to the kind of global fame and recognition that has historically been denied to Indigenous performers. As the Hollywood Reporter noted, the film is being produced by an impressive coalition of industry heavyweights, including Damien Chazelle and Olivia Hamilton under their Wild Chickens Productions label, in partnership with Paramount through their first-look agreement, with additional producers including Temple Hill, Ayer for Crave Films, and Pitt for Plan B.

The HBO Effect: How “True Detective” Changed the Game

Anna Lambe’s growing influence in the entertainment industry became undeniable following her role as Kayla Malee in “True Detective: Night Country.” While she had already established herself as a talent to watch through her Canadian Screen Award nominations for “The Grizzlies” and “Trickster,” the HBO series represented an entirely different level of industry visibility and critical acclaim.

The casting process itself revealed Lambe’s characteristic humility and authenticity. After a grueling travel day preparing for a different audition in Germany, she connected with filmmaker Issa López over Zoom for a chemistry read. The result? “I cried after,” Lambe confessed. “Then I messaged my manager and was like, ‘I’m so sorry—I messed it up.'” Within 36 hours, she received the news that would catapult her onto the international stage: she had landed the role alongside two-time Academy Award winner Jodie Foster.

This self-deprecating account of what would become a career-defining moment speaks volumes about Lambe’s approach to her craft—focused on the work rather than the accolades, genuinely surprised by her own success rather than entitled to it. This refreshing attitude has endeared her to collaborators and industry insiders, creating a reputation for professionalism and authenticity that complements her undeniable on-screen talent.

The “True Detective” role led to industry recognition beyond critical acclaim. In 2024, Lambe received a Red Nation Film Award of Excellence nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama, Comedy, Limited Series—her third major award nomination in a career that began just seven years earlier. More significantly, the role brought her to the 2024 Emmy Awards, an experience she described with characteristic wonder: “You never really expect to end up there, especially when you’re a small-town girlie. Seeing Meryl Streep was shocking.”

What distinguishes Lambe’s career trajectory from many rising stars is her deliberate cultivation of diverse projects across multiple platforms and genres. Rather than being pigeonholed into a single type of role or production, she has strategically built a portfolio that spans drama, comedy, supernatural thriller, and now action-adventure, demonstrating remarkable versatility while maintaining a consistent commitment to authentic representation.

Her work across CBC, HBO, Netflix, Amazon Prime (in “Three Pines”), and now Paramount creates a multi-platform presence that maximizes her visibility while allowing her to reach different audience demographics. This approach reflects a sophisticated understanding of the contemporary entertainment landscape, where streaming platforms have disrupted traditional career paths and created new opportunities for actors willing to work across different formats and production models.

Lambe articulated this strategy with characteristic directness in a 2024 interview: “I want to work—I’m very eager to work. I love storytelling. I want to get my face out there as much as possible and be like, ‘I’m here, I want to work and I will put my heart and soul into everything I do.'” This hunger for meaningful work, combined with thoughtful project selection, has created a career momentum that shows no signs of slowing.

As her star continues to rise, Lambe remains refreshingly grounded, balancing her growing fame with continued education and community connections. This balanced approach suggests a sustainability that will serve her well as she navigates the increased attention and opportunities that come with international recognition. Unlike many overnight sensations who burn bright and fade quickly, Lambe’s trajectory suggests a career built for longevity—a steady ascent rather than a meteoric rise and fall.

“Bringing It Back to Nunavut”: Long-Term Vision for Northern Development

While many actors view their hometown as something to escape, Anna Lambe has consistently framed her career as a vehicle for giving back to Nunavut. This isn’t the typical celebrity lip service to “never forgetting where you came from”—it’s a concrete commitment to leveraging her platform for tangible community benefit. As her star rises, her focus remains firmly fixed on how her success can translate into opportunities for her homeland.

“Even though we’re a part of Canada, which is a first world country, we’re often put on the back burner and you see in a lot of communities, people live in third world conditions,” Lambe observed in a Fireside Chats interview. This clear-eyed assessment of northern realities informs her approach to both her education and her entertainment career—viewing both as potential tools for addressing systemic inequities rather than purely personal advancement.

Her decision to study International Development and Globalization at the University of Ottawa reflects this community-centered vision. While the program has led many graduates to positions with international organizations like the United Nations, Lambe has been explicit about her intentions: “I’ve already had job opportunities with the government of Nunavut and there’s Inuit organizations that I would rather work with above all else.” This preference for local impact over global prestige demonstrates a commitment to community that remains unchanged despite her growing fame.

How Anna Lambe plans to contribute to Nunavut’s cultural and economic future extends beyond her own career to include infrastructure development and capacity building. The studio facility created for “North of North” represents just one example of how her projects have generated lasting benefits for Nunavut, creating resources that will remain available for future productions and local creative initiatives.

Authentic Representation as Economic Development

For Lambe, authentic Inuit representation isn’t just a matter of cultural pride—it’s an economic development strategy with tangible benefits for northern communities. By insisting on location shooting, local hiring, and authentic production practices, projects like “North of North” generate immediate economic activity while building capacity for future creative industries in the region.

“Indigenous voices continue to be underrepresented in the media, and misinformation and stereotyping continues to persist despite much pushback and action from Indigenous people to have accurate and meaningful representation,” Lambe noted in a 2025 interview. “Indigenous stories continue to be exploited by non-Indigenous creators, creating shows, films, novels, and more that depict Indigenous people in harmful ways.”

Her solution to this problem is straightforward: “Pushing Indigenous voices forward is an important way to combat that, giving the agency and sovereignty of stories to Indigenous peoples and allowing us to represent ourselves in accurate and meaningful ways. Who better to tell our stories than us?” This philosophy transforms representation from a symbolic concern into a practical strategy for economic self-determination, creating jobs and opportunities in regions traditionally excluded from media production.