Photo Credit: Matt Martin
Sarah Levy is perhaps best known for portraying the beloved character, Twyla Sands, on multi-award winning comedy series Schitt’s Creek opposite Catherine O’Hara, Eugene Levy and Dan Levy (her father and brother, respectively), and Annie Murphy, a series which famously inundated the culture and awards season with an equal and mighty sweep, garnering multiple Emmy Awards, as well as Golden Globes, SAG and Critics Choice awards. Sarah’s role in the show earned her a 2020 Canadian Screen Award Nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, and she recently celebrated alongside her family as it won the 2021 SAG Award for Best Ensemble Cast in a Comedy.
These days, Levy currently stars in the SyFy paranormal drama series, Surreal Estate. She plays real-estate agent Susan Ireland, a fresh-faced, charismatic realtor who signs up for a new job working alongside Nick Roman (fellow Creek alum, Tim Rozon). What appears to be a run-of-the-mill agency quickly reveals itself to be everything but, with the elite team taking on the sale of haunted and possessed houses. She can also be seen in Roku Original’s The Holiday Shift, is a five-episode romantic comedy series following the intersecting love stories of young mall employees during the holiday season.
Here, we sit down to ask Levy about her series, her holiday traditions, and if we can expect a Creek reunion in the future.
Photo Credit: Matt Martin
On Surreal Estate you play Susan, a real estate agent who specializes in haunted and possessed properties. What interested you in being a party of a Sci-Fi series like this?
I was immediately taken by the pilot script, it was so spooky and thrilling and wonderfully written, I just knew it would be an incredibly exciting series to shoot. It’s also such a departure from anything I’ve done in the past which is always a draw, and finding out Tim Rozon was cast as Luke sealed the deal for me.
Susan starts off season 2 running the agency but then gets trapped in her obsessive house. What can fans expect from the season 2 finale?
I think fans are very much in for a ride in the finale. There are so many twists and turns, so much energy and so much fierceness but there is also an incredible amount of heart which I think we pride ourselves on. I hope they will be very, very satisfied.
Do you have a favorite scene from season 2 or favorite memory on set? Why is it a favorite?
I loved shooting scenes where I got to be a little evil and allowed to be so shamelessly mean. That being said, my absolute favorite scenes were the ones we all got to shoot together because we truly love each other’s company so much. So much of the show requires our characters to be doing a lot alone. Bringing us all together means there’s a lot of talking and laughing and being told to quiet down.
You are guest starring in a romantic comedy series called The Holiday Shift. Can you tell us about who you play?
Yes! I play Susan, (another Susan, the name seems to follow me around) who is the wife of Brian played by the very talented John Dore. He runs a clothing store in the mall called City Denim that is on the verge of a potential closing. It is such an incredibly funny and talented cast and I was thrilled to be able to pop in and play with all of them.
Photo Credit: Matt Martin
With the holidays approaching, do you have a favorite tradition?
I think my favorite tradition is one that I do with my family on Christmas morning. We make a huge bacon and egg breakfast with cinnamon buns and pancakes and mimosas and then sit there very full before exchanging gifts.
Is there anything that you’ve taken from the Schitt’s Creek set that is important to you?
Besides the menu of course, I took a part of the chalkboard from above the counter and a few diner mugs. I spent a lot of time pretending to dry those mugs and it makes me smile every morning sipping coffee out of them.
Can we expect a Schitt’s Creek holiday reunion special in the future?
Oh man. I wish so badly I could say we can expect that in the future but you’ll have to talk to the male Levy’s about that one. I think I can speak for our whole cast when I say we hope, hope, hope.
What to you is the greatest luxury in life and why?
To me the greatest luxury in life right now is free time with my family. Being able to be completely present with my son without any work getting in the way and just watching him grow and blossom. We all need more guilt-free free time with our families.
