Windsor actor shines in 'Alias Grace' series based on Atwood novel

Alice Snaden's first task at her new job was to fall in love with a man she had never met.

The young Windsor actor had just finished theatre school when she nabbed a role on 'Alias Grace,' a six-part miniseries based on a Margaret Atwood novel.

It tells the true story of Grace Marks, an Irish housemaid and immigrant who was jailed for the murder of her employer.

"It's a pretty remarkable opportunity and I count my lucky stars every day," said Snaden, who had received a call to audition last spring.

"I spent that entire weekend reading the novel and just sort of filling myself with the story."

Snaden plays the role of Lydia, a young woman who tries, without success, to gain the affection of one of the story's main characters, Dr. Simon Jordan.

"I remember on the first day my one task was to fall in love with this character, Simon Jordan," said Snaden. " And I hadn't really met Edward who plays the role."

She said after meeting her fellow actor, she was relieved to learn her job would be "very easy" because he is "quite a handsome, loving, kind person" and they hit it off as friends right away. 

"Miss Lydia was quite a lot of fun because the show… it's quite dark it's a heavy show and my character touches none of the darkness," said Snaden. 

Working on set also had it's challenges, said Snaden, especially when it came to wearing the traditional garb for the show which is set in the 1840's. 

"There were certain days where I was there for 12 to 14 hours but because of these incredible costumes I was in a corset for the majority of that day," Snaden said, adding that she was able to take it off for lunch.

"Even then I was like I can't eat too much because I have to put it back on," she said.  

Snaden started off in the arts as a ballet dancer when she was 12-years-old, and was "devastated" when her ballet school did not invite her back after her first year. 

She said her parents and her Windsor ballet teacher really pushed her to follow her passion and not give up. 

Snaden realized what she loved about dance was "telling a story and the electricity of being on stage," and that's when she decided to pursue acting. 

"I feel very grateful for that journey, it felt like a natural progression," she said. 

'Alias Grace' premiered Monday night on CBC Television.