Meegwun Fairbrother Reflects on Owen’s Journey and What He’s Learned on ‘Burden of Truth’ [Interview]

As Burden of Truth ends, so does the journey for many of our favorite Millwood citizens – including Sheriff Owen Beckbie.

Since the former officer and current Sheriff’s introduction on the Canadian legal drama during its freshman season, we have learned more about the man behind the badge, from his relationship with Diane blossoming to maintaining his ties to members of the community.

I recently had the chance to speak with Meegwun Fairbrother, the actor responsible for bringing Owen to life on screen, about the whirlwind process of auditioning for Owen and what the role has meant to him, including how one of his workshop students offered him that final push to audition.

“We had just finished shooting a bunch of stuff in the morning session, and I was, like, ‘I got this audition. I’m just too tired.’ And then one of my students just looked me dead in the eye [and said] ‘no, you’re doing this.'”

What came of that decision was the Owen Beckbie that fans have been able to watch week-to-week for the last four seasons. When speaking of this character, he shared his appreciation for the role.

“[Owen] has really grown, and I think I’ve grown as a result of this role. I didn’t know much going into it. I mean, I had just finished Mohawk Girls‘ final season coming in from a bit more of a bit more of a bad guy kind of role.”

Fairbrother elaborates that Owen’s helped him grow professionally as well, saying, “it’s been amazing just to grow that character. I don’t think I’ve ever had the chance to really grow a character. He became a character and a man all unto himself. That’s for sure.”

The inspiration for some aspects of the Millwood officer he’s portrayed?

“George –Okimakahn—is what we call him in the language, but his name is George Lepine, and he’s a master and creator of Okichitaw martial arts, which is a martial arts system that was based in Cree teachings and lifestyle,” Fairbrother explained.

“[G]etting to know George more it turns out, he was a cop in Manitoba, and that’s where he cut his teeth as young, indigenous Cree cop. So, [I] started to base a lot of Owen Beckbie on George as well as my own life.”

When asked about examining Owen’s reconciling his identity as a Sheriff with his identity as an Indigenous member of the Millwood community, Fairbrother says it’s about balance for his character.

“It’s kind of like straddling two worlds or putting a foot into two worlds. Which is not unlike my own life,” Fairbrother said. “Being Indigenous and part Scottish, but knowing nothing about that side of my heritage, because I actually grew up on reserves, which I think is something that not a lot of Indigenous people have had that opportunity.”

Fairbrother taps into this connection to the community to ground themself and provide these opportunities throughout the series. Viewers can see it when Owen reaches out to Kip, taking him from his abusive and dangerous foster situation.

“That’s something I wanted to bring in… a man who came from his community who hasn’t had a connection to it. But now wants to work in a more mainstream culture and try to affect change from the inside.”

There’s some overlap between the character and the actor. Fairbrother’s dedication to keeping the arts programs going on reserves, especially among the community’s younger members, sparked the idea of a workshop.

“I grew up on the reserve, and we didn’t always have groups taking an interest in the youth there,” he said.

“[I]f they did, it would be a project that would come for like a weekend and would get everybody really excited. Then they would leave, and we wouldn’t have anywhere to put that excitement and energy. So, for me, I wanted to create something that was consistent in which the students could really grow and see themselves growing and see year after year.”

“So, I wrote a grant with a group up in Fort St. James. [T]hat allowed us to come there once a month for about three years, and we developed a group of young people that were so imaginative and hungry for art that we created the group in a way that now it self-perpetuates itself. We taught the first three grades and then as the young ones came in the older ones, were teaching younger ones, and so on, so forth.”

With Burden of Truth ending (check back here for our last review), the Canadian actor is looking to a future in the industry filled with a mix of acting, writing, and directing, including more projects like his first two short films, Sweet Dreams and Shoot Your Shot.

“I got a taste for what that’s like to see it from the page [on Burden of Truth] all the way to the TV screen that we sit around and watch it on. So, I’m really understanding the process. And so doing Sweet Dreams is just another one of those things that helps me along that process to understand how we do this thing, how we make art, how we share it [with others].”

“There’s a lot that goes into the actual filmmaking, and I have such a grander respect for, with all the filmmakers out there just making films,” he said as he reflected on his most recent projects.

When asked about what’s next for the Burden of Truth and Helix actor, he shared that he will be diving back into sci-fi with projects like his recently greenlit APTN sci-fi/dramedy web series, D Dot H, and upcoming NBC/Paramount+ streaming genre series.

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*Featured image credit: Kevin Mcintyre

You can watch Meegwun Fairbrother’s Owen Beckbie (and say farewell) on Burden of Truth‘s series finale Friday, September 17^th at 8/7c on The CW.

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