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Watch the Official Trailer for The Lake
When Is the Release Date of The Lake?
Who are the Cast and Confirmed Characters of The Lake?
What Is the Background of The Lake?
What Is the Plot of The Lake?
Ah, summer. The perfect time to relax, get away from the hustle and bustle of the city and dive into the tranquility of nature. Some people opt for the beach, while others prefer the verdant peacefulness of a cabin in the woods. I’m sure you can picture it: green ferns, hiking trails covered in morning dew, and a crystal clear lake to idle around while reading your favorite book. This is the backdrop of Amazon’s upcoming scripted Canadian series The Lake. The series follows Justin (Jordan Gavaris), a recently single gay man who is attempting to connect with estranged birth daughter Billie (Madison Shamoun) by bringing her to the lake his family used to frequent when he was a child. His plans are thrown into chaos when he discovers that his “wicked stepsister” Maisy-May (Julia Stiles) has bought their childhood home, which he claims was his “birthright”. When he learns that she has plans to tear it down, he uses the summer escape as a scheme to thwart what in his mind are her nefarious plans.
Starring Jordan Gavaris, Julia Stiles, and Madison Shamoun, the idyllic peace of the Canadian wilderness becomes aflame with sibling rivalry in this Amazon Prime Video comedy series set to premiere on June 17. Here’s everything we know so far about The Lake.
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Watch the Official Trailer for The Lake
Amazon Prime Video dropped the trailer for The Lake in mid-May. One thing that works well in the trailer is the contrast between the landscape and the content. The opening of the trailer is an overhead, swooping shot of a lake resplendent with green trees and the Canadian wilderness. The vibrant, summer aesthetic lulls the viewer into associations of vacation and relaxation. This summer, however, seems to be the opposite of what the landscape implies. The trailer sets up the premise quickly: Adopted Billie is given an ultimatum by her parents: spend the summer with Justin, her estranged millennial birth father, or at bible camp. “I’m not like other birth dads, I’m a cool birth dad,” Justin quips, to which Billie exasperatedly replies “Are you quoting Mean Girls?”
The tension between the millennial Justin and his Gen-Z daughter as they attempt to connect is a focal point of the series as the plot progresses. When they arrive, Justin doesn’t quite fit in with the boxed-wine drinking, shoulder-slapping community members of the area. But those are the least of his problems. He’s in for an unwelcome surprise: the new owner of his family’s childhood home is none other than his step-sister Maisy-May (Julia Stiles). The dichotomy between the brash Justin and his cold, pragmatic stepsister is ripe for laughs. Justin’s free spirit and impulsive nature lead him to invest his entire summer into thwarting his stepsister. This childish behavior could be in the way of his ability to bond with Billie, who needs a positive role model. Much of the show seems to be about the emotional trauma that needs to be repaired between brother and step-sister, and how these traumas and others are part of what has been blocking Justin from growing up and showing up in his relationship with Billie as an exemplar and not as just a goofball.
When Is the Release Date of The Lake?
The Lake is scheduled to premiere on June 17, 2022, and will be available on Amazon Prime Video. Ahead of the official series premiere, the series was granted a preview screening at the 2022 Inside Out Film and Video Festival, one of Canada's biggest festivals celebrating LGBTQ+ content and creators. The screening showcased the first two episodes of the series.
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Who are the Cast and Confirmed Characters of The Lake?
The cast consists of a number of familiar faces, however in roles that stray from what they are known for. Jordan Gavaris stars as Justin, a man returning to his childhood community to connect with his estranged biological daughter Billie. Gavaris’ most recognizable role is as Felix Dawkins in the Canadian sci-fi thriller television series Orphan Black alongside Tatiana Maslany. Offering up wry, jaded humor inflected in a well-crafted British accent in that role, Jordan’s turn here will again allow him to show off his comedic chops and his Canadian roots in a lighter setting. Gavaris also had a lead role on the television series Unnatural History, as well as the American crime comedy-drama series, Take Two.
Joining Gavaris is actress Julia Stiles. Stiles may be best known for her iconic lead role as Kat Strafford in the late-90s American romantic comedy 10 Things I Hate About You, in which she starred alongside the late Heath Ledger and Jason Gordon Levitt. Her role in the early 2000s American teen dance film Save the Last Dance is another role forever cemented in the canon of late 90s, and early 2000s movie classics, while her roles in Mona Lisa Smile and as Nicky Parsons in the Bourne franchise cemented her transition from teen to adult audiences. Her television work includes a role in the fifth season of Dexter, which earned her nominations for the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress and the Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actress, and a current starring role on the Sky Atlantic series Riviera. Stiles’ role as Justin’s picture-perfect step-sister Maisy-May is a departure from some of the more dramatic work that we’ve become accustomed to seeing her in, but she certainly has the acting chops to make the character multi-dimensional.
Playing Justin’s biological daughter Billie is Madison Shamoun. Billie’s character has been sent to the lake with her biological father Justin as part of an ultimatum. Shamoun captures the requisite angst of her character, and her character’s trepidation at bonding with Justin feels authentic for the circ*mstances. Shamoun is best known for her work in the television comedies #BlackAF and Black-ish.
Additional cast includes Jon Dore (Humour Resources), Carolyn Scott (Goosebumps), Natalie Lisinka (The Expanse), Travis Nelson (Tucker and Dale vs Evil), Declan Whaley (Criminal Minds), and Terry Chen (The Expanse).
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What Is the Background of The Lake?
The Lake was created, written, and executive produced by Julian Doucet (Killjoys). Michael Souther and Teza Lawrence also were executive producers under their Toronto-based production company Amaze Film + Television. In May 2022, Jordan Canning and Paul Fox were revealed as directors. Filmed in North Bay, Ontario, Canada, The Lake is Amazon's first scripted Canadian series. Their other Canadian series, thus far, have been the revival of the sketch comedy The Kids in the Hall, the docu-series All or Nothing: Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Canadian version of the comedy-variety series LOL: Last One Laughing.
Executive producers Michael Souther and Teza Lawrence have said that they “were inspired by the summers we spent on the lake, which is the basis of the concept that we brought to Amazon,” before continuing, “We’re excited and really looking forward to working with this incredibly talented and diverse cast, and proud to have Jordan in this central role that celebrates the LGBTQIA+ community in this series.”
Christina Wayne, Head of Canadian Originals at Amazon Studios, has said that “It’s a show that will push boundaries and celebrate broken characters trying to hold it all together against one of the most picturesque settings – cottage country.”
What Is the Plot of The Lake?
Check out the premise that accompanied the trailer for The Lake below:
Justin (Jordan Gavaris), a recently divorced gay man, brings Billie (Madison Shamoun), the biracial daughter he gave up for adoption, to the lake where he summered as a boy. Justin hopes spending the summer together with Billie will bring them closer. Still, Justin’s obsession with wresting control of his family cottage back from his stepsister Maisy-May (Julia Stiles) only pushes them further apart. It will take a lot of growing up for all parties to learn how they fit into a family, including the Iron Lady of the lake, Maisy.
