We interview the wonderful actor Sarah Krndija on this week’s episode of The Pilot Podcast!
Tune in to learn more about Sarah’s experience filming Class of '07. We learn all about her character Sandy and hear fun behind the scenes stories. We also discuss her upcoming musical role and the variety of shorts she’s filmed. Tune in!
Follow Sarah:
Mamma Mia! Australia @mammamiainoz
Transcript available on our website
BJ (00:09):
So welcome to the Pilot Podcast. This week we have a special episode with a guest you may recognize from Class Of '07 on Prime Video. Welcome, Sarah Krndija.
Sarah Krndija (00:20):
Hello.
Mitu (00:22):
Welcome, Sarah. We're so excited and happy to chat with you today. Would you like to introduce yourself to our listeners?
Sarah Krndija (00:29):
Sure. I'm Sarah Krndija. I play Sandy Cooper-Reid in Class Of '07 on Prime Video, and I'm just happy to be here.
Mitu (00:38):
That's a beautiful way to be. And just as a peek behind the curtain for our listeners, BJ had some Wi-Fi issues, so I got to very aggressively fan girl over Class Of '07 with Sarah in the couple of minutes that BJ left me alone and so-
Sarah Krndija (00:58):
I lapped it up.
Mitu (00:58):
Oh, good.
BJ (01:00):
All according to plan.
Mitu (01:01):
It's truly like I finished that show so fast. The only thing delaying me was when the episodes were coming out, and so I'm curious about how it was to play this character who is a million things at once. She's out for a revenge, she's crying out for love and real relationships. She's eating seagulls. She's oddly very strong and resilient. How was that?
Sarah Krndija (01:32):
The best thing ever. Yeah. There's never a time where it was too far. That's a lie. That's an absolute lie. There was many times I took it too far, but just to have so much to play with and to do it within the realm of comedy, I think was the biggest treat of all. Yeah, she was a gift and as somebody who loves character roles, I can't believe that I got a shot at her. So yeah.
Mitu (02:02):
I'm so curious about the character role and being a character actor, and Sandy is a character. Did you feel like you needed to like her to be able to portray her? Because obviously we go hot and cold on our girl throughout the season.
Sarah Krndija (02:21):
Yeah, good question. I love her. I think she's completely reasonable. If it was an apocalypse, I would be crying as well. I'm not sure I'd be foraging for a handbag, but maybe, I don't know. I haven't been there, can't speak on that. But yeah, I think I get it. I get longing to be something that you're not, I get being weirdly erupting if that makes sense. Her rhythm of emotions and not being able to properly communicate, that feels very familiar to me. Yeah, you're right. We were very hot and cold with her and I really enjoy that. I loved being an antagonist. I loved being a villain. I loved not having to be concerned with getting her softest parts across, and I think the story kind of takes care of that later in the series. Yeah. Did I like her? Yeah, I love her. I'm obsessed with her.
Mitu (03:19):
I really appreciate you saying that because I am in the Justice for Sandy camp. I think I shared in the review of the pilot, I was like, this is my girl. Because it feels like the most rational reaction. I think I would simply snap and so I get it. Even the hyper fixation on the purse, perhaps that is the thing that your mind is focusing on. The other thing that really surprised me is obviously when you fall in love with the show, you look up every single cast member and everything they're up to, and I was very surprised to learn you were not American.
Sarah Krndija (03:55):
Oh, what a compliment. Oh, you're my best friend.
Mitu (03:59):
Truly.
Sarah Krndija (03:59):
That's so nice.
Mitu (04:02):
How was forming your accent? What did you use as inspiration?
Sarah Krndija (04:07):
I used a lot of reality TV as inspiration, and then I kind of got put in my box a bit and we tried to neutralize it. Yeah, I worked with an amazing dialect coach. Her name is Melissa Bruder, she's American herself, and we kind of curated a more general, palatable version, but I remember coming in quite hot in the audition process, this slightly more caricature version. But yeah. That's so lovely to hear that you were surprised I was Australian.
Mitu (04:34):
I truly was.
Sarah Krndija (04:34):
Good. Oh, good.
BJ (04:39):
And another fantastic part of the show is the cast chemistry and one of Mitu's favorite themes on TV, women doing wonderfully terrible things. So how was it being with this group?
Sarah Krndija (04:54):
It sounds like a cliche, but it's the genuine truth. We're all best mates now. We are in each other's lives daily, intensely and forever. We were locked down for I think two months of shooting, so even people local to Sydney, which is where we shot majority of the show, had to move into a hotel that all the interstate or international actors were at. And we would travel to set together, we would come home, we would have dinner together because we couldn't hang out with anybody. We would watch series together. We had, I think three days off miraculously, and instead of choosing to debunk and recalibrate and recharge, we all went to the mountains together and hired an Airbnb. And it was such a messy, beautiful sisterhood. And I think that chemistry was definitely there from day one, but it just deepened as we went on.
(05:50):
And I can even see in the scenes that we shot later in the piece, I'm like, oh, wow, that kind of buoyancy and that electricity it was just so much deeper and our comedy especially began to really become synergetic, and people's skills of very particular comedy skills were brightened as we got closer and closer as a cast. I've always wanted to do an ensemble comedy, but doing it with all women was just something else because we just love to cheer each other on, and the amount of times we would ruin takes by corpsing at one another because we were all just so bold and ridiculous, it was an actual dream.
BJ (06:32):
And I think you can really see the friendships that you've developed. And it's making me think Mitu and I actually have our own reunion coming up really soon.
Sarah Krndija (06:42):
I've heard.
BJ (06:43):
We were reminiscing about living close to each other and just being able to hang out all the time, and the type of bonding you get when you are in such close proximity with people.
Sarah Krndija (06:56):
And especially women, our friendships are very intense and romantic. And I think that's what I love most about this show is that it doesn't shy away from the grit of female friendship and how high stakes it can feel, especially at high school. I remember it feeling that way for me at least. And just being in close proximity, you become a little village, a little moving unit if somebody's sad, everyone's sad, if somebody's happy, everyone's happy, that kind of thing. I mean, it happened on set and it happens in the show. So yeah, I'm very proud of it.
BJ (07:29):
And you mentioned Sydney, which is such a beautiful setting. Did you enjoy your time in those surroundings? Sounds like you and the cast did do some outings. How was that?
Sarah Krndija (07:39):
Yeah, I mean, we were locked down in terms of we couldn't go to cafes or restaurants or bars or anything just to try and keep the set alive because if you did get COVID, they just rewrote the scenes and gave lines out to other characters. That sounds quite grim, but it was quite funny like we would just get to set one day and all of a sudden you'd be saying a line that was destined for another character. And it was fun. I found it fun. I hope I don't get in trouble for saying that. Oh, well. But Sydney itself is beautiful, and we had great weather and we had access to a pool, so we did that. Oh God, what else can I share about Sydney? They've got great trailers. The local crew were amazing. Actually, that was a massive highlight because majority of the crew were also subject to a mini lockdown. We became very close with them, and it was kind of a dream place.
Mitu (08:40):
That is so cool to hear about. I can't imagine how performing has changed in the world of lockdowns and not letting anyone come to set and potentially stop production. This is very random, but I was watching a TikTok about RuPaul's Drag Race, and I noticed that one of the judges just disappears two episodes in, and he said it was because he had COVID and the seasons are shot very quickly. And so by the time his window of being contagious closed, finale going and it wraps, and so he was like, I met all these wonderful queens, and then I just didn't get to learn what happened with them. And so he got to be surprised like the rest of us.
Sarah Krndija (09:25):
You just never know what's happening behind the scenes these days because yeah, the measures people have to take is really extensive. And we were testing at one point every day, and then we were getting... Yeah, it was just full on. And yeah, like you said, no visitors on set. I couldn't go and see my family over the holiday period, that kind of thing, and people missed weddings and just a lot more, I think, sacrifice and diligence. But there was a great deal of commitment from the cast and production to just keep this thing afloat because we didn't have an enormous amount of time to shoot what we needed to shoot to begin with. So yeah, there weren't a lot of complaints. And also a good thing we all got along, we laughed. Imagine if there was friction or tension, Jesus, what a flog. But no, we are suitably obsessed with each other to both the celebration and dismay of our leaders, because God, we can talk on a set, between takes was a bit of a party.
Mitu (10:24):
And we can certainly feel that party, that comradery, that commitment, that obsession when we watch the show, and I try to avoid spoilers, BJ and I try to avoid spoilers doing The Pilot Podcast, but this is the premise, so I think we're in a safe zone. This show is kicked off by an apocalyptic event. This group of women who went to an all girls religious school, gathered for a reunion, things are a little complicated between them. And then water shoots out from everywhere and all hell potentially breaks loose. And so most of the cast believes it is the apocalypse. And then another cast member later on, again, truly trying to avoid spoilers is like, no, you silly gooses. This is just extreme effects of climate change. So I'm curious, what was the event and is it intentionally ambiguous?
Sarah Krndija (11:19):
Yeah, it's intentionally ambiguous. I think just to leave room for audience interpretation and also scope for season two stuff. I didn't think too much into it. I just went, great. She's seeing water, she's seeing disaster. Attention is not on her. Let's fix that. So that's kind of as far as I went in terms of defining the apocalypse. But definitely the women in the show have identified it as the end of the world within themselves and around them. Although in the Bible, in the show Bible, they did say that there's nothing supernatural about this apocalypse. So I can share that, that's for sure.
BJ (11:59):
Okay, good to know, for our fan theories.
Mitu (12:02):
Yeah, we wondered that. Switching gears from Class Of '07, you've also run into two very big Mamma Mia! fans, truly very big fans of the show.
Sarah Krndija (12:15):
Yay. We love the Swedes.
Mitu (12:19):
How is being part of that show as an icon, Sophie, and I'm just so curious about that experience?
Sarah Krndija (12:28):
Well, I actually start tomorrow. Today is my last day off before we head into five weeks of full-time studio rehearsals and then off on a nine-month tour.
Mitu (12:38):
Oh my goodness. I didn't even realize it hadn't started yet.
Sarah Krndija (12:42):
Yeah.
Mitu (12:43):
How are you feeling? Now we get the pre-interview.
Sarah Krndija (12:46):
Yeah, you get the before. Check on me after. It was amazing. I can't believe I... I like to do both theater musicals and TV and film. They energize me in different ways, they support me in different ways and frustrate me in different ways and just make me a better artist, I think. But just going from playing an antagonist to flitting around on stage, singing soprano and trying to find my dad and yelling out, I'm 20, which is ridiculous. But yeah, it's going to be magic, I think, and a real bucket list moment for me as an actor, I think. Yeah.
Mitu (13:26):
How are you using your talents differently for musical theater, if differently at all?
Sarah Krndija (13:33):
Yeah, good question. I was actually thinking about this this morning. I'm really grateful I came from a theater musical, even a musical background going onto Sandy, just because of the robustness of that performance. I spend a massive majority of the shoot crying, screaming on repeat, and I was just grateful to have not lost my voice and have that training behind me. So yeah, it wasn't the most subtle role anyway. What was the question?
Mitu (14:01):
Oh, just how you're applying your talents for musical theater.
Sarah Krndija (14:06):
Right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, there was no singing in season one of '07, but stay tuned, I'm hell-bent on there being a musical episode in season two.
Mitu (14:16):
Oh, I would love that.
Sarah Krndija (14:18):
Aw good, yeah, I think it's just flexing different muscles. The bigger ones for stage and the smaller ones for screen. And I mean, staying vocally fit is a massive thing in musical theater. But for both mediums, I really enjoy the village aspect, the community, going on a voyage kind of together and filling out the dynamics artistically and socially together. I really enjoy that part. I think its majority of the reason why I'm an actor, to feel that sense of building something together. But staying fit is a bigger thing, just not getting injured, I guess that's my biggest objective when I'm going into a long contract.
BJ (15:03):
Always important.
Sarah Krndija (15:04):
Always important. Whereas on set, I was pretty like whatever. I concussed myself doing not even a stunt. It's so embarrassing. A closeup of a stunt, or when that food fight scene, I didn't know what sugar glass was, and so I just put my hand right through the prop and it's ridiculous stuff.
Mitu (15:25):
Oh, goodness.
BJ (15:25):
Very intense.
Sarah Krndija (15:26):
And that's an oversharing.
Mitu (15:26):
No.
BJ (15:29):
We love it. This is a safe space. Let us know anything. And I'm actually curious, you alluded to a musical theater background, and I'm wondering what got you started in acting? Was it theater or did you want to be on television? What led you into this career?
Sarah Krndija (15:51):
I started out as a violinist, so I think I always had an affinity with music, and then something was not quite right when it came time to decide what I was going to go onto for university. And I think it was the storytelling and the drama of violin that I really enjoyed, actually. I always loved acting, but I loved dancing and I loved singing as well. And so I went on to study musical theater. And through that course I was like, I like dancing, I like singing, but I don't like them isolated from acting, if that makes any sense, just as singular skillsets. And then I came out of a musical theater course and I was just attracted to doing plays and auditioning for short films and whatnot more than I was main stage musical stuff.
(16:42):
Yeah. I think my objective has always been to just crossover between the two. And I mean, the producers of Class Of '07 really took a risk on me in terms of I had release runs on the board and I was the youngest in the cast by a bit. So they've definitely opened up that world for me much more than it was open before. Yeah.
BJ (17:01):
That's awesome. And also, I'm just envious of anyone that can play an instrument. That's the skill I always wish I had. So props to you. That's amazing.
Sarah Krndija (17:11):
You should pick it up. It's fun. Even if we're all crap at it, we're giving it a go.
BJ (17:16):
We'll see. Reading music has always been a challenge for me.
Sarah Krndija (17:22):
Yeah, if you never try, you never know. That's what I always say.
BJ (17:26):
That is true. Now, you also mentioned some of your other projects. We know you've starred in two shorts, The Junket, and Something Has Died in the Forest. Can you tell us a bit about those projects?
Sarah Krndija (17:39):
Yeah, sure. Something Has Died in the Forest was the first short I ever did with an amazing creator named Eva Torkkola. She's based in Melbourne, and it's set against the backdrop of World War II, Ukrainian immigrants come to Melbourne, which is something that did happen. So it's completely in Ukrainian. I learnt Ukrainian for that short. It's 22 minutes, I'm not sure if it counts as a short. It's a long short. Let's go with that. Yeah, it was the most beautiful experience. It's a very harrowing drama about a woman who loses a child and her experience of finding herself again after that.
(18:22):
And The Junket was just a fun zippy 11 minute black comedy that was incredibly fun. It's set in a junket basically. And this very spiffy script by Sean Bell. Yeah, both couldn't be more different, but they're both just as great.
BJ (18:42):
That's awesome. I bet it's fun to have that variety to shake things up.
Sarah Krndija (18:47):
Hugely, yeah. You find out what you're good at and what you're bad at and what scares you and where you feel comfortable. And I think that's key to a long enjoyable career, at least by my definition.
BJ (19:02):
And we've already discussed Mamma Mia!, your upcoming project. Do you have any other projects that you want to share with our listeners?
Sarah Krndija (19:10):
I wish. That would be nice, wouldn't it? No, I'm kind of married to ABBA for the next nine months of my life, and then we'll see what's next. I'll keep you posted.
BJ (19:25):
Please do.
Mitu (19:26):
And you're officially in my dream marriage of being married to ABBA.
Sarah Krndija (19:33):
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Perfect. I always imagine Sandy in the context of ABBA, or not of ABBA, of Mamma Mia!. I'm like, what would she be doing? She'd be like foraging for seagulls. And yeah.
Mitu (19:48):
This is an entirely new world coming together that is making me so excited of thinking of Sandy and that damn bag and that canoe. And then Mamma Mia!.
Sarah Krndija (20:01):
Yeah. It's the best of both worlds.
Mitu (20:04):
I'm very into this. Mamma Mia! needs a better villain, like a stronger, sharper...
Sarah Krndija (20:12):
More dreadlocks baby I always say.
Mitu (20:18):
And we always ask this question to the wonderful creatives who join us for interviews like you, what advice do you have for listeners who hope to make it in this creative industry?
Sarah Krndija (20:30):
Listen to your gut, define your own success and be willing to make a fool of yourself. And I think just give it a go. Don't define yourself. Don't let your rejections or even your successes define your artistry. Yeah. Let it all come from within you. I think that's where things go right for me at least. And try comedy. If you're a drama actor or whatever, I think everybody benefits from playing within that space because it's just so vulnerable. And as we discovered on set, making a fool out of yourself amongst your closest friends who you have that rapport and trust with is one thing, but then doing it in front of complete strangers, and also with no feedback in terms of like people can't laugh on set. You don't know if things are landing, you don't know if you know you're hitting the mark. It's a very vulnerable thing and a great exercise in just abandoning composure and throwing it to the wind. So yeah, give comedy a wack. And if you're already a comedic actor, slay on.
Mitu (21:36):
I think that is wonderful advice, especially the emphasis on trying comedy. Of the two of us, I am the one who likes comedy more, and I always tell BJ that one day he will enjoy smiling and laughing and children's joy and all the other things that sort of make our world go round.
BJ (21:58):
Right, right, right.
Sarah Krndija (22:01):
Oh, that's particularly good. One day you'll enjoy smiling and laughing.
Mitu (22:06):
And good. Before we close out, where can listeners find you and support you in your work?
Sarah Krndija (22:12):
I'm on Instagram a bit. I do some funny stuff, I guess. @SarahKrndija is my tag. Looks wrong, but it's right. That's kind of it. I've just joined Twitter. I don't think I'll stay much longer, so I won't even plug that.
Mitu (22:32):
I think that makes total sense. And can listeners potentially support you on tour for the next nine months?
Sarah Krndija (22:38):
Oh yeah. If you like. @MammaMiaInOz is the Instagram handle. If you're in Australia, we open at the Sydney Lyric Theater, May 27th, and they move on to QPAC in Brisbane and then bringing it home to Melbourne at the Princess Theater in November. So if you're around, come say Good day. We can talk seagulls or ABBA or nothing. You don't have to talk to me. That's my plug, done.
BJ (23:09):
Awesome. And we'll put all your links in our show notes, and we want to thank you again, Sarah, for joining us today. This has been really fun, and I appreciate your patience.
Sarah Krndija (23:19):
Oh, no. No worries. Thanks for having me. I feel very special. And yeah, I was saying before that I really enjoy your voices. I'm going to tune into the podcast. It makes me feel very relaxed and quite intelligent.
Mitu (23:32):
Thank you. I haven't heard that one before. We're here to make people feel intelligent.
BJ (23:42):
Yeah. Please listen.
Mitu (23:42):
Exactly.
Sarah Krndija (23:42):
Love this.