During our time on the phone, Tamara Duarte makes sure to mention her upbringing, that she is from Milton, Ontario. The actress is extremely generous and mentions many times that she is from Canada, and the importance of friendship. This dovetails nicely into a discussion of her film My Ex-Ex, which was selected as a part of the Canadian Indie Film Series, and will be opening this Friday at the Magic Lantern Carlton Theatre, with many of the cast and crew in attendance, though unfortunately, not Duarte. Still, it is clear her passion for the film, which was shot in Toronto and is very much about the virtues that Duarte preaches. Oh yes, the actress revealed something else to us as well: she’s engaged!

Scene Creek: What is My Ex-Ex all about?

Tamara Duarte: The movie is about my friend, going through this breakup, and her, Pardon my French, her ass of an ex-boyfriend breaks up with her, and I try to make it all better, and find this psychic to help her out, and the psychic tells her that she’s going to be reunited with the ex-boyfriend and that everything’s going to work out, and she ends up having a chance encounter with her Ex-Ex. Now she can’t figure out who she’s supposed to be with.

Scene Creek: What was vital to your performance in the movie?

Tamara Duarte: I got to be a little bit of a nerd, which was fun, it was a fun role to play, because that’s kind of a younger version of me in grade school was like, a lot of it. Because that’s kind of what that side of me, that quirky side come out, but then to play a lot of harder roles, like harder demeanours, sort of badass, and that’s kind of what growing up to be that person to a certain extent and that was sort of to be that person, that quirky sort of nerdy person to a certain extent.

Scene Creek: What did you like most about shooting this movie?

Tamara Duarte: We got to make these really good friends, like Katherine (Barrell), it’s very rare, like summer camp, “we should totally keep in touch, and then, you know, you don’t”. Life happens, but life happens together when you’re with other people. I mean, I love Katherine Barrell so much. I think she’s so talented. She produces, she writes, she creates, she’s a storyteller, she’s so great. And I think that we connected on that. That was the most special part that I kept in contact with people that will always be in life. You can’t buy that. I’m so glad that they’re together, ré and Katherine.

Scene Creek: From where do fans recognize you?

Tamara Duarte: People identify me from Degrassi, I played a lesbian that was Fiona’s love interest in it. She’s also like a lot harder, you know, she rides a motorcycle or a moped sort of thing. People still stop me from that and mess with me (laughing). Because it’s a Canadian show that is so well-known, you know, I’ll be in L.A. and get stopped and they’ll say, “Hey, did you play Charlie?” Which is great because it’s Canadian, and when I’m going into a FedEx…

Scene Creek: What do you think is the biggest takeaway from the movie?

Tamara Duarte: We always try the answers from outside, and the answers are inside ourselves. And we always have to be still and listen to that voice, believe it and follow through with that little voice. Just try to figure out life and love and friendship and figuring it all out, what it means.

Photography credit: John Berger Photography