Sera-Lys McArthur on ‘Burden of Truth’ Season 3, Producing, and More [Exclusive Interview]

Joanna and Billy’s return to Millwood is marked by a case that hits close to home for both attorneys, and a blast from the past on Burden of Truth Season 3.

The blast from the past comes in the form of Joanna’s childhood friend, Kodie Chartrand, played by Sera-Lys McArthur.

McArthur took the time to answer a few questions about who Kodie is, what’s in store for her throughout the season, the agency that comes with producing her own projects, and more.

Tell-Tale TV: How would you describe Kodie when we meet her this season?

Sera-Lys McArthur: She is a recovering addict single mother of two who is nervous and happy to be reconnecting with her childhood friend whom she lost touch with for 20 years, Joanna Chang (Kristin Kreuk).

She has seen and been through a lot, having emerged from some darker days into a happier life of sobriety and parenthood. She cares deeply for her friends and children but also has a lot of trust issues. She’s a real fighter.

Tell-Tale TV: With Kodie’s childhood connection to Joanna, how much of their collective pasts will we be learning about?

McArthur: That’s essentially what this season is all about. It’s really clever storytelling to introduce this character that has such a strong history with the lead. So much of their present interaction is informed by this connection the two of them shared.

Joanna has begun suffering from anxiety attacks that are triggered by her past trauma and are affecting her life and relationships now. The audience will get to see some poetic flashbacks into Joanna and Kodie’s childhood interaction.

It’s very beautifully shot and revealed, almost dreamlike. It adds another layer to Joanna which hasn’t been explored before and also allows us to see Kodie in a fully realized, well-rounded scope. 

Tell-Tale TV: Kodie’s children get taken away at the end of the first episode of the season. What does the journey to get them back look like for her?

McArthur: It’s highly dramatic — full of twists and turns, and just when you think you know the truth and final outcome, you’ll be thrown for another loop. Kodie is a woman who doesn’t take no for an answer and thinks outside the proverbial box.

She’s unconventional to a fault, which also has its charm. She and Joanna are almost like an odd couple, each strong in their own way. And even though Joanna is a very good lawyer, this is her first foray into family law, and there are a lot of unexpected differences to navigate. So in short, it looks like a lot of tension, hope, drama and emotion.

Tell-Tale TV: The Chartrands have quite a reputation in Millwood. Will we be seeing more of the Chartrands this season as the case to get Kodie’s children back continues?

McArthur: We get a good dose of Chartrand in Episode 2 of this season, when Kodie confronts her cousin Crystal (Michaela Washburn). In Episode 4, there is definitely another dose of this infamous family.

I won’t reveal too much, but Episode 4 was my absolute favorite to read and shoot. They definitely live up to their badass reputation!

Tell-Tale TV: Along with your work as an actor, you also produce. How does that experience differ from your acting work in terms of your process and control?

McArthur: The process is very different because as a producer, I have much more say in how the characters built, and stories told, are represented. That is the reason why I began to produce in the first place.

It is so I can have more control over the message and representation of the work I am putting out there. Although, I do find it being quite challenging. There is a lot about producing that goes against my natural inclinations.

I have a passion and excitement about acting that will always make it my first love. I am passionate about storytelling and about creating work that might affect societal change by illuminating a side of a person or situation that is lesser-known or difficult for outsiders to relate to.

My hope is to inspire empathy so that we as humans might come to understand one another’s experiences. Seeing the finished product as an actor makes me feel happy and excited. Seeing the completed production as a producer, makes me feel more like a parent: accomplished and proud of what I helped create.  

Tell-Tale TV: Can you tell us a bit about your short films, Pharmalarm, Magic Madeleines, The Wolf of Waubamik Woods?

McArthur: Pharmalarm is a comedic short film about a pharmaceutical sales representative, played by me, who is exploiting her charm to convince a doctor to order some very sketchy drugs from her company. I created it with the help of ACTRA, the Canadian union, in an effort to diversify my work samples.

At that time, I noticed that I wasn’t getting a lot of comedic roles or playing women with careers. It ended up teaching me so much about producing, and I am very grateful that I had the opportunity to do it.

The Wolf of Waubamik Woods is a thriller inspired by an area that has been named “The Highway of Tears”: a stretch of highway in Canada where over 1200 Indigenous women have disappeared. It sheds light on a bigger issue which affects the US, Canada, Australia, and other regions, known as Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls & Two-Spirit people (MMIWG2S, previously MMIW). It was picked up by Comcast Xfinity and is available to watch on Amazon Prime Video.

Magic Madeleines is a magical modern fairy tale written and directed by accomplished acting coach Miriam Laurence. It has themes of environmental and cultural preservation, and delves into human nature and interconnection in a very refreshing way.

Miriam was a student of the late Lee Strasberg and has ties to The Actors Studio. There are a lot of elements of this style of work, like sense memory, that are interwoven into the fabric of this enchanting tale. I am currently working with Miriam to develop this into a feature film. Stay tuned!

Tell-Tale TV: Has there been one aspect of the creative process, aside from acting and producing, that you’d like to explore next? 

McArthur: It’s actually very difficult to choose! The logical progression is writing and directing. And I do want to do both of those things. But I am also a nerd for languages, linguistics, dialects and vocal production.

I love using the International Phonetic Alphabet to transcribe and learn various accents, dialects, and especially Indigenous North American languages. I’d like to be a specialist in that area and maybe work as a voice, speech and dialect coach.

Tell-Tale TV: What TV shows are currently on your must-see/must-binge list?

McArthur: I am currently watching Killing Eve, The Morning Show and Outlander. I just finished Russian Doll: Wow! I am still in awe. What an excellently executed original series.

If I could re-watch a series again for the first time, it would be Boardwalk Empire. Big Little Lies is addictively salacious and well-executed.

When I want a laugh, I turn to the Canadian series Letterkenny, which US viewers can find on Hulu. 

Tell-Tale TV: If you could work with anyone on TV, who would it be and why?

McArthur: Phoebe Waller-Bridge! That woman is so smart, funny and talented. I’ve got a girl crush.

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Be sure to catch Sera-Lys McArthur on Burden of Truth airing Thursdays at 8/7c on The CW, and be sure to catch The Wolf of Waubamik Woods out on Amazon Prime Video now.

*Featured image credit: Saloni Agarwal

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