Canadian sitcom takes place in a small fictional town called Ice Cove, located in the real Canadian territory of Nunavut, which is mostly inside the Arctic Circle. Its central character is Siaja, played by Anna Lambe, who struggles to raise a young daughter having recently split from her husband.

Siaja’s story is sweet and warm-hearted despite the freezing temperatures of its setting and should take its rightful place alongside some of the best North American Indigenous movies as one of the truest screen representations of an Inuk community. North of North season 1 spans 10 episodes in which we get to meet the various characters populating Siaja’s life and Ice Cove more broadly, many of whom are the source of the show’s highly relatable comedy moments.

Anna Lambe as Siaja

Born on September 25, 2000

• Active Since: 2018

Actor: Anna Lambe is a Nunavut native, having been born in the territory’s capital, Iqaluit, at the turn of the century. She landed her first screen role as a teenager in the Canadian sports movie The Grizzlies. Since then, she’s made her name as a recurring cast member in various TV shows, most notably playing the character Kayla Prior in True Detective season 4. She’s also been confirmed in the cast of Brad Pitt’s action movie Heart of the Beast.

Notable Movies/TV Shows

Character: North of North revolves around Siaja’s struggles to raise her daughter, Bun, following her separation from Bun’s father Ting, who was her high school sweetheart. Ting’s popularity in Ice Cove doesn’t make things any easier for Siaja, nor do the irresponsible decisions of her parents Neevee and Alistair.

Mary Lynn Rajskub as Helen

Born on June 22, 1971

• Active Since: 1996

Actor: Mary Lynn Rajskub was born in Trenton, Michigan in 1971. She’s the biggest established star in North of North, having featured in the movies Punch-Drunk Love, Little Miss Sunshine, and Safety Not Guaranteed, as well as an array of sitcoms including Modern Family, Arrested Development, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. However, her best-known role is as Jack Bauer’s ally Chloe O’Brien in 24.

Notable Movies/TV Shows

Character: Rajskub plays Ice Cove’s self-centered town manager, Helen, who pushes back against Siaja’s plans for more cultural events to be held in the town’s community all year round. Helen is an outsider appointed to run the town, and Rajskub portrays her as showing the kind of condescension you’d expect of a know-it-all bureaucrat riding rough over the wants and needs of locals.

Maika Harper as Neevee

Born in 1986

• Active Since: 2010

Actor: Like Anna Lambe, Maika Harper was born in Iqaluit, Nunavut, and has been acting since her teenage years. She had to wait until the age of 24 to land her first onscreen role, though, playing Anna in the comedy-drama series Mohawk Girls. Over the past nine years, she’s made guest appearances in numerous Canadian comedy and drama shows, including the sitcom Kim’s Convenience, and as a detective in the cast of Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent.

Notable Movies/TV Shows

Character: Neevee is Siaja’s ive but difficult single mother, a recovering alcoholic who has her own business to take care of, and doesn’t have time to spare anyone’s feelings. On the other hand, she does have time for flings with younger men, on whom Siaja repeatedly plays a hilarious prank.

Jay Ryan as Alistair

Born on August 29, 1981

• Active Since: 1998

Actor: Another seasoned TV star, Jay Ryan was born in Auckland, New Zealand, in 1981, and initially made his name on the Australian soap opera Neighbours. Since then, he’s moved into North American movies and TV, with his most prominent roles coming in the movie It Chapter Two, in which he plays Ben Hanscom, and as Ben Wesley in the recent medical drama Mary Kills People.

Notable Movies/TV Shows

Character: Ryan plays Siaja’s absent father, Alistair, who only learns about his daughter in an early episode of the show, under problematic circumstances, to say the least. Alistair’s ambiguous situation with Neevee then becomes a running subplot across the rest of North of North’s first season.

Braeden Clarke as Kuuk

Born on April 25, 1988

• Active Since: 2016

Actor: Braeden Clarke was born in Alberta, Canada in 1988, and is also of indigenous heritage, belonging to Alberta’s Mikisew Cree First Nation. After several minor TV roles, his role as Leo in the acclaimed Canadian limited series Little Bird made him a rising star before he got the part of Jeremy Wood in the cast of medical series SkyMed.

Notable Movies/TV Shows

Character: Kuuk is Alistair’s devoted assistant in his job as a contracted environmental researcher in Ice Cove. He’s the son of two indigenous leaders famous in Nunavut, and Helen insists on calling him The Little Prince, accordingly.

North Of North ing Cast And Characters

Kelly William as Ting - Siaja’s ex-husband and the father of her daughter, with whom she breaks up at the start of the show.

Nutaaq Doreen Simmonds as Elisapee - A coworker of Siaja’s at Helen’s Ice Cove office.

Tanya Tagaq as Nuliajuk - The Inuk goddess of sea mammals, who appears to Siaja in apparitions.

Zorga Qaunaq as Millie - One of Siaga’s best friends.

Bailey Poching as Colin - Siaga’s other best friend who runs Ice Cove’s local radio station.

Taylor Hickson as Alexis - Nuuk’s girlfriend in North of North.