For her highly anticipated turn at the helm of Arctic Air, sci-fi icon Amanda Tapping was tasked with wrangling a dragon.
And not just any dragon: Tapping directed David Chilton, author of Canada's all-time best-selling book (The Wealthy Barber) and the newest investor on CBCs entrepreneurial pitch series Dragons Den, in the penultimate episode of the second season of Arctic Air (airing April 10).
"David came to the show fully prepared and changed every line that was written for him to make it better, which was great," Tapping told WE in January.
Chilton's appearance on the hit CBC drama — which stars Adam Beach and Pascale Hutton as the star-crossed operators of a fledgling Northern airline — wasn't the result of any network-dictated cross-promotion. "I asked," said Chilton in a recent phone interview. "I love Arctic Air. I watch it all the time."
Prior to Arctic Air, Chilton had but one acting credit to his name. "I played the undertaker in Oliver! when I was in Grade 12, and I was told that it was one of the worst performances ever given on stage in my high school," he said. Thus, Chilton made sure he brought his A-game to Arctic Air — even though the role wasn't too far out of his range. "I was method acting myself," said Chilton of his cameo appearance, which is set following a Wealthy Barber seminar.
On set, Chilton savoured the opportunity to observe the legendary Tapping in action. "[The crew] were all very pumped up to have her there, and I think quite honoured," said Chilton. "She's got an amazing brand."
Recently Tapping — beloved for her roles on Stargate SG-1 and Sanctuary — has been flexing her directorial muscle. In 2012, she directed three episodes of Spaces dinosaur-hunting series Primeval: New World while still making time for roles on screens big (Random Acts of Romance) and small (Supernatural).
But it was her time behind the camera on Arctic Air that was truly restorative for her confidence, which, as Tapping shared with WE back in January, had been shaken after Sanctuary went off the air in early 2012. "When I finished Arctic Air, I could not have been happier," said Tapping.
As for Chilton, if he gets his way, CBC viewers will be seeing him all over the schedule. "I want to go in and do Peter Mansbridge's job one night," he said.
Arctic Air airs Wednesdays at 9:00pm on CBC.
