As Sterling Point’s foppish-haired, brooding Ellis, actor Jacob Whiteduck-Lavoie became summer’s YA heartthrob. With season two now officially confirmed, he’s craving more.

The day before this interview, Sterling Point is renewed for a second season. Naturally, I picture a bleary-eyed Jacob Whiteduck-Lavoie, fresh from a heroic night of celebrations, stumbling in to chat with his co-star Daniel Quinn-Toye – who, presumably still wearing whatever he had on the night before, has managed to arrive with exactly one question, which he can barely remember.

And, frankly, it would have been fair enough. Megan Park’s YA series has been sitting at number one on Prime Video since landing more than three weeks ago, infecting the internet with its particular brand of yearning charm and catapulting its 20-something ensemble into that strange, vertiginous orbit of fast fame and even faster press cycles. The boys have plenty to celebrate.

But that isn’t really in keeping with Sterling Point: a show whose greatest currency is its unabashed wholesomeness. Produced by Jason Schwartz (Gossip Girl, The O.C.), the eight-part series follows Annie Jacobson, played by Ella Rubin, a New York teenager who arrives in Canada’s sprawling Muskoka Lakes after her late grandfather – a man she has never met – leaves her an island. There, Annie finds new friends and lands, somewhat slapdash, in the middle of a classic will-they-won’t-they love triangle, whilst entangled in a Cluedo of family secrets.

Enter Ellis: the mariner’s answer to the boy next door who knows his way around a boat and, as played by 23-year-old Canadian Jacob Whiteduck-Lavoie, carries himself with a dutiful nonchalance and an underlying torridness that suggests there is rather more going on beneath the surface.

Then there is Rory, the posh boy party-thrower Annie knew growing up, played by Scottish actor Daniel Quinn-Toye with a raw charisma and a persistent twinkle in his eye.

When it comes to the pair’s off-screen friendship, thankfully, they do not share a love interest. Instead, they have settled for something considerably less complicated: pickleball and picnics in Toronto.

For this interview, Daniel takes on the self-appointed role of Wonderland’s intern, giving Jacob a break from the vagaries of the press tour to talk books, boat licences, his own year of becoming, all while fitting in an impromptu french lesson – and, now that Sterling Point has been renewed, why he’s looking to be challenged in season two.

Daniel Quinn-Toye: There he is. How are you, man? 

Jacob Whiteduck-Lavoie: I’m good, man. 

DQT: Got the backwards cap on already?  

JWL: My hair’s getting long.

DQT: Is that your disguise for when you go out in public now? You can’t tell you’re Ellis if you have the backwards cap on.  

JWL: Right? I’m just invisible when I put my cap on. 

DQT: My first burning question that I have to ask is, what’s your favourite colour?

JWL: [Laughs] My favourite colour? I always said purple. I think it’s because of the purple guy in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Donatello. 

DQT: That guy spoke to you? 

JWL: Yeah, I just thought he looked so cool with this super long baton. What’s your favourite colour? 

DQT: [Laughs] I don’t know, I quite like purple too. Actually, I found this purple thing by the desk [holds up a purple plastic set square]. Maybe I could put that to camera and give everything a purple hue for this interview.

JWL: Oh that’s pretty cool.

DQT: On a real note, congrats on season two though.

JWL: Dude!!

DQT: How are you feeling?

JWL: Man, I can’t believe it. It’s crazy. I’m so happy we get to go back. I just want to time travel to next summer already. It’s insane. We’re gonna have to wait for a little bit though, so that sucks. How are you feeling?

DQT: Yeah, good. It’s strange. It’s just exciting. It’s nice to feel the love. Did you celebrate at all?

JWL: No, not really [laughs]. I’ve been doing my own thing alone. What about you? Did you go out?

DQT: No, I was on a train when I got told and I was silently pleased…to myself. I was trying to think back for this interview to the first time we saw each other in Canada.

JWL: It was at the park.

DQT: Yeah, that picnic, right? 

JWL: Yeah, because you got to Toronto a little later. I think we were all there. We had a picnic for mine and Keen’s [Ruffalo’s, who plays Connor Jacobson] birthdays.

DQT: I remember you strolling up, very nonchalant, very stoic.

JWL: [Laughs] Yeah, I remember I was late to that gathering. I don’t know why. I remember Ella [Rubin, who plays Annie Jacobson] also brought this huge freaking salad she made. 

DQT: Yeah she made a giant chicken salad.

JWL: Ella’s a good cook. I remember we got that question on Zoom in an interview the other day, about who is the best cook and I said Amélie [Hoeferle, who plays Ramona], but Ella’s a good cook also. She makes some banger salads. 

DQT: She deserves it. Honourable mention for Ella. So you’re in Montreal, but you grew up in Quebec, right?

JWL: I grew up three hours north from Montreal in rural Quebec on lakes in Maniwaki. The reservation I lived on is right next to it. It’s called Kittigan Zibi. Then, I moved to Montreal right after high school.

DQT: Wow, okay. So you stayed further up north for a long chunk of time. 

JWL: Yeah, I moved from my hometown when I was like 10. And then I moved in with my dad closer to Montreal 40 minutes away. I did my high school there. Then, after high school, I moved here for college. 

DQT: What was it like going back to Muskoka to film Sterling Point after being away from [rural Canada] for so long?

JWL: [Laughs] 

DQT: What?

JWL: You’re just funny. You got these questions prepped. I feel like you’re locked in.

DQT: No, no that’s something I did actually want to ask and we’ve naturally segued. Don’t ruin this for me.

JWL: [Laughs] Okay, I’m locking in. 

DQT: I’ve got an unpaid internship with Wonderland. This is it, I’m trying to get into this gig. 

JWL: You’re doing great. Okay, I’m locking in, sorry.

DQT: Growing up by the lakes, did you already have your boat license then?

JWL: No, no, I didn’t. I had to do it for the show, which was really fun to do.

DQT: Is this you admitting that you were illegally driving boats prior to that?

JWl: [Laughs] Yeah, I was illegally driving boats. I mean, where I grew up, there’s no police on the water. The lakes are just secluded, you’re alone on there. Even if I actually was illegally driving, I don’t think I would have been caught. You know what I’m saying?  

[Jacob’s publicist reminds us that he has another interview in 25 minutes]

DQT: Oh wow, booked and busy man. How are you kind of dealing with that side of things, press and stuff? Has it been non-stop? Have you been able to kind of breathe in between or do you quite enjoy just being in the rush of it all right now? 

JWL: I mean, it’s kind of crazy. It went from zero to a hundred real quick. But our press run [for the show] in New York was so much fun because we were together. I think it would have been different if we would have been alone. Also, I genuinely believed that we were going to spend more free time together as a cast. I was like, ‘Oh, we’re going to be in New York for a week, we’re going to always be chilling together.’ But we were just in our own hotel rooms getting groomed and prepped, and going to bed as soon as we got to the hotel and waking up five hours after. But I really tried…no I did. I enjoyed every second of it. I was trying to be present and take it all in. We had a blast. It was so much fun. But yeah coming back home, I am trying to enjoy my time alone here because I’m really big into my routine. I just try to ground myself every day with doing things I enjoy doing on my own: moving my body, eating well, going outside, going on walks, and going on runs and stuff.

DQT: So you’re running now? 

JLW: Yeah, a little bit.

DQT: Hell yeah. 

JLW: Little bit’ski. Short runs.

DQT: I remember in Toronto you pulled up to the park one time in these yellow Asics trainers, they were sick. 

JLW: I threw those out before I left. They were giving me blisters during our pickleball sessions. Big ass blisters on my feet.

DQT: Yeah, that’s suboptimal.

JLW: I bought another pair of Asics, the Superblast 3 running shoes. Crazy comfortable. It feels like I’m running on clouds. 

DQT:  Man, we need to get this sponsored by Asics. You’ve been a day one Asics boy. Obviously, we’re talking about how busy you are. I know I struggle with just getting back into a mode of appreciating other work like films, TV, books, creative stuff, artistic stuff. Then, every time I do, every time I allow myself to go back into being a viewer it’s amazing. It’s so invaluable, to feed you as an artist yourself. Is there anything that you’ve been up to creatively recently? A film you watched or a book you’ve read or even just an experience that taps you back into that, because there’s the press side of things, and then there’s the actual artistic side of things?

JWL: 100%. Yeah. It’s funny you say that. I haven’t picked up a book since high school, which is kind of crazy, but I recently picked up a book and actually I’m reading it right now. It’s not a fictional novel, it’s more of a conversation between a philosopher and the student. It’s kind of deep, but honestly I enjoy it. I didn’t want to pick up a book to read a made-up story or a fantasy. I want to…

DQT:…learn.  

JWL: Yeah, I want to learn. I want to gain knowledge from books, you know? It’s now part of my routine every time before I go to bed, when I wake up and it’s one of the things that grounds me and it’s my calm moment. It’s called The Courage of Being Disliked. 

DQT: I’m going to be really antisocial. I’m going to look it up. It’s by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga. 

DQT: Yeah. Do you know them?

DQT: [Laughs] No, did I say that name with the assurance I knew the name?

JWL: [Laughs] But yeah, back to your question, honestly, since we got back, I haven’t sat down and watched something. My head’s been constantly going at 200%. I haven’t been consuming a lot of movies or TV shows. But the last show I watched was The Studio with Seth Rogen. I know I’m crazy late to it. 

DQT: Is that because you feel like you’re still in press mode, or are you still in “Ellis mode” a little bit? After wrapping the show, did you feel like you parked the character for a while, only to suddenly reconnect with him now that you’re promoting it and seeing how much people have responded to your performance? Do you feel like talking about the story so much, and being reminded of Ellis, has brought you back into his spirit in a way – where you’re experiencing some of the same feelings, thoughts or even that sense of nostalgia you had while playing him?

JWL: Yeah, 100%. I think there was such a big time gap between when we wrapped and when we started doing press. I feel like I’ve lived a whole different life in that time, and I’ve changed so much since last year. So getting to do these interviews and dive back into a story that you worked on a year ago definitely makes you revisit it all. I do feel like I’m still in Ellis mode, in a way. But, like I said, the things I enjoy doing every day ground me and bring me back to who I am – Jacob. I think when you’re doing press, you can end up saying so much about a project, and sometimes the questions can start to feel quite repetitive. This interview has actually been really fun because I feel like I’m not just repeating myself. The questions have taken me somewhere a little different, which I really appreciate.

DQT: That’s really good. Make sure you mention that to Wonderland afterwards, because, like I said, I’m trying to get in with them. Every little word like that helps a lot [laughs].

JWL: But obviously it’s such a pleasure to talk about it and I’m so blessed. It’s insane. I mean, this is all of our biggest projects ever, you know? There isn’t really a clear experience gap in the cast, which is what’s so cool about it. We’re all living it for the first time, so we’re all bouncing off each other and relating to each other. 

DQT: It’s really nice to be part of an ensemble show, I think. It really feels like an ensemble show. I remember when we did some interviews, you were asked about Ellis and talked about how much of yourself you brought to the character – drawing on your own experiences and thoughts, and how similar Ellis is to you, Jacob, the actor. Do you think you took anything from Ellis in return? Is there anything about the way you play him, or something you learned from being Ellis, that you’ve carried with you into your day-to-day life?

JWL: 100%. Like I said, I feel like I’ve changed so much since last year, and I think a big part of that is the summer we had and the character I spent the whole summer playing. That whole experience, and everything that came with it, changed my mindset in a lot of ways – how I approach things, how I deal with relationships and friendships. I feel like I’m much more communicative now. I was like Ellis a little bit, I used to be very quiet and had a hard time talking about myself or my feelings. So, since last year, I’ve definitely taken things not just from Ellis, but from the story in general, and applied them to my everyday life. I’ve realised a lot of important things this year. I’m 23, so I’m still learning every day, but I feel like my mindset has shifted in terms of realising that I’m officially an adult now. I’ve started to understand that one of the most important things in life is the people around you and the relationships you have with them. I don’t have a huge circle – I have a very small one – and I think I used to take that for granted a little bit. I wasn’t always as open or communicative as I could have been. But I’ve realised that you have to take care of those relationships and put effort into them. That’s something I’ve also been thinking about through the book I’m reading, which talks a lot about interpersonal relationships. But I think that shift has happened professionally too. I used to be much more of a “whatever happens, happens” kind of guy. Now I feel much more dedicated. I want to earn things, I want to work for things. 

DQT: You got Ellis’ hustle. 

JWL: Yeah, kind of, a little bit. 

DQT: That’s exciting to think about, though – you can go back for seconds next year and fill up the tank some more. Steal a little more from Ellis, give a little more to him. Maybe you’ll go full method.

JWL: Ah, fuck [ laughs].

DQT: Not in a weird way. It’s such a cool opportunity to come back, and have another go. You speak three languages, right? You speak English, you speak French and Algonquin? 

JWL: No, I used to when I was a kid. I kind of lost it with time. 

DQT: But you’re definitely bilingual. When you dream about me, what language is it in?

JWL: [Laughs] Well, definitely English. I’m not dreaming about you in French.  

DQT: Damn it. 

JWL: Do you speak French a little bit? 

DQT: No, not at all. 

JWL:  No, not even a little bit? You can’t even give us a bonjour?

DQT: I can say: Bonjour, ça va?

JWL: [Laughs]

DQT: Well you need to reply. If I say ça va, you say?

JWL: Ca va bien, et toi?

DQT: Bien, merci.

JWL: Holy shit that’s good [laughs].

DQT: That’s it, that’s all I’ve got. Seriously, you dream about me in English?  Damn. I mean, I was hoping it would be…I don’t know. I was hoping there’d be some romantic kind of noir. There’s cigarette smoke somehow in my mind. I remember when we last did an interview, you wanted Ellis to get kind of shattered. Is that still the dream? What is it that appeals to you about getting to be heartbroken or not necessarily heartbroken but getting to be hurt in some way? Is it a masochistic thing?

JWL: I just feel like I have so much more to explore with Ellis. He got some crunchy scenes, but I mean we have so much more to learn about him. He feels like a little bit of a rock sometimes. I’m just comparing the Ellis and Annie scenes and the Rory and Annie scenes. I mean, you guys, like the chemistry is just so obvious. You obviously notice it on screen. I’m starting to see people realise it too. I’m starting to see people saying, you know, that he’s boring.

DQT: No!

JWL: And he doesn’t really have a personality. 

DQT: That’s the stoicism I’m referring to. But I think that is the beauty of the part, is it not? It’s that you can’t read him, and he does have trouble communicating, and he doesn’t speak his thoughts and then it manifests. I mean, that closet scene, man, and by the water at the camp, it’s like these beautiful little things seep in.

JWL: They’re really good scenes obviously, but I feel like I have so much more to give. I want to get challenged a little bit as an actor, I feel like that’s the most fun in a job is being challenged, like getting my boating license for the role. That was a cool challenge that I never got in my career yet. So I feel like at every gig, it’s always fun to do something new or to get challenged as an actor.  

DQT: To challenge yourself for next time, do you want to get to explore that depth? A darkness to Ellis?

JWL: Yeah, maybe his darkness or just more of his personality in general. I feel like we haven’t seen too much from him in season one. I feel like that could be a cool challenge for season two. 

DQT: Yeah, I’m sure you’ll get it. I’m really excited. I’m excited to see where you take him. Team Ellis all the way. Hashtag team Ellis.

JWL: Hashtag team Rory.  

DQT: I feel like we have to end everything this way. From now on, anytime we do anything, I say hashtag team Ellis, and you say hashtag team Rory. 

Interview by Daniel Quinn-Toye
Words by Ella Bardsley