Allison James can be described as cute, sweet and talented.
But after the 11-year-old local actress’ most recent role on the new television series Ghost Wars, down-right creepy can be added to the list.
Ghost Wars takes place in a small fictional town called Port Moore, Alaska that has been invaded by dangerous paranormal forces – in other words, ghosts.
Nobody who lives in the town is able to leave.
“Even if you have a boat, for some reason it turns you right back around into the town. So, it’s some sort of paranormal force going on. Something strange,” explained Allison’s mother, Kathleen.
Allison plays Isabel McGrath-Dufresne, the intuitive, wise and creative daughter of the town’s mayor, Val, and the town’s doctor, Marilyn. She can see ghosts all around her, although she has trouble convincing others of her ability. Instead, her character draws what she sees.
Nobody else can see the ghosts except for the lead character, Roman Mercer, played by Avan Jogia, best known for his role as Beck Oliver in the Nickelodeon sitcom Victorious. He is the local outcast fighting his own personal demons while trying to overcome the town’s prejudices to save them all from destruction.
Creator Simon Barry says that in addition to being a contemporary homage to classic psychological horror, Ghost Wars is also an opportunity to tell stories about human politics and how people shape their beliefs and lives based on individual perspectives and biases.
“What’s cool about Ghost Wars is the way Simon Barry, the creator, describes it is that everybody has a seat at the table here. Religion plays a part in this. Science plays a part in this,” said Kathleen.
“What they try to do is to get people thinking that everybody has a different perspective about the same thing. How do they all come together and actually have everybody be one part of the whole. Everybody is right in some way,” she continued.
This is the first major role for Allison, who has been in acting school since she was seven years old. The Grade 5 student at Kilmer elementary in Port Coquitlam is in the process of moving back to Maple Ridge with her mother, who grew up in Pitt Meadows.
“When I was four years old, I did The Littlest Angel, and I was the star,” said Allison of the production with Theatrix, a youth theatre company in Coquitlam.
“We thought it would be good for confidence just to participate in the group activity,” said her mother.
“We thought she would be a tree, but they put her in the leading role and it was an hour-long show, where she was on stage the whole time,” she added.
“And I remembered everyone’s lines,” said Allison.
She has been part of productions at Gateway Theatre in Richmond and Theatre Under the Stars in Stanley Park. She has also done a few commercials and short films before landing her role in Ghost Wars.
She is in all of the episodes except for two. Her character was introduced in Episode 2.
Allison loves telling a story through her acting.
“I love how you don’t know what’s coming next. You just want to keep going and going. It’s almost like you are reading a book and it’s a very good book and you don’t know what’s coming next and you really want to keep reading it but you know you have to put it down at some point,” she said.
Allison met some high-profile actors on the set who gave her advice on her acting career and took her under their wing.
“Meat Loaf I think was probably her little buddy on set because he really took a shining to her,” said Kathleen.
“He’s very down to earth and friendly. He’ll sit there and he’ll just talk for hours about his stories and his life,” she added.
“Apparently he had to have three concussions before he could sing,” quipped Allison while her mother laughed.
“That’s what he says, but who knows because he’s a story teller,” chuckled Kathleen.
Kim Coates of Sons of Anarchy fame advised Allison about bringing her ‘A’ game to the set all the time and that it is important to always be professional and part of the team.
Allison started filming the show at the end of May and finished the beginning of September. Some weeks she would be on set every day, some weeks she would be there twice that week. But she filmed over a four-month period all the episodes. Ghost Wars was shot at locations in Langley, Maple Ridge, Vancouver and Squamish.
Allison found it the most difficult the final month, when she had to fit in all her schooling.
“I think it would be when you were doing all the tutoring in June and you had to film five scenes and still get in four hours of tutoring,” said her mother.
Allison is going to focus on television and movies in the future. Right now she is taking it easy because it is the beginning of the pilot season.
Outside of acting, though, Allison is busy with other activities.
“Most of her friends don’t even know she [acts],” said Kathleen.
“It’s like soccer or dance or whatever. It’s just something she does that she enjoys to do,” said her mom.
Allison enjoys interacting with like-minded people on set.
“When I see her on set, that’s where she is most comfortable. I see her in her element in her environment because she is a really creative person,” added Kathleen.
Allison’s mother is most proud of her daughter’s positive attitude towards acting.
“You have to work hard. She’s taken years worth of classes and student films for free, some of which have gone onto the Cannes Film Festival and other festivals. So she’s paid her dues, she’s put the work in,” explained Kathleen.
Now, she says, if you like it, you have to be persevering.
“It’s so easy to get deterred when you go out for so many auditions,” continued Kathleen
“When [Allison] walks away, she lets it go. Not everybody can do that. She is very good at walking away and realizing, ‘I did the best that I could now it’s about whether or not everything aligns,’” she said.
Whether Allison will be allowed to watch the series is another issue.
“This is not the type of show I would normally let her watch,” laughed Kathleen, glancing at Allison.
“I will only let you watch your parts,” she said.
Ghost Wars has already completed its full run on NBCUniversal Channel Syfy and will be streaming globally on Netflix starting March 2.