Sadie Laflamme-Snow says she loves playing Alice in the new time-travel drama, The Way Home, because the character is more than just a stereotypical "closed-off, grumpy teenager."
Airing Sundays on the Hallmark Channel and Peacock, the series follows American Alice and her mother Kat (Chyler Leigh) as they move into the Canadian farmhouse of Kat's estranged mother Del (Andie MacDowell).
Shortly after their arrival, Alice discovers a portal to the past where she meets teen versions of Kat (Alex Hook) and her father Brady (Siddharth Sharma), then begins to unravel the Landry family's mysteries.
Laflamme-Snow said the dimension that comes with her latest role offered thrilling challenges for her to explore as an actress, but also makes for fun and emotionally satisfying storytelling for viewers.
"I was seeing the parts where [Alice] was with her family in the '90s and she was so warm and so loving and sweet and open and then, in the present day, she was so mean to her parents and so closed off," Laflamme-Snow told UPI in a recent Zoom interview.
"She wasn't letting anyone in or sharing what was going on with her at all, so you have these two really, really different sides of the same person," she added. "I liked the idea that it was all about unlocking who Alice really is and that that can't just happen in a day."
Laflamme-Snow was also drawn to the project because it had so many strong, well-drawn female characters.
"The fact that it is based on mother-daughter relationships is so rich," she said. "You have a lot to work with there. You have so much history. There's so much at stake."
Having Leigh and MacDowell also serve as producers on the series meant the work environment on set was "female forward," which Laflamme-Snow admits "has just been really nice."
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"As a young woman, and just in general, I feel like it is a supportive environment and story and I feel like these are all complicated and interesting women," the actress said.
"You see them at their best, at their worst, being funny, being in love, being really, really at odds with each other. I don't think that's always a given. I think the scripts are really, really strong for that and I think we are really lucky."
The time-travel aspect of the story wasn't emphasized during the audition process.
"They don't want to spoil anything until you are closer to getting the role," said Laflamme-Snow.
The actress isn't sure all kids would benefit from going back in time and meeting their parents, but she said Alice definitely did.
"She's not really sure why Del and Kat are so unable to communicate and be more than just civil with one another. They tolerate each other, but this is not a warm, homey environment, so I think that for Alice -- even at Episode 4 where we are now -- I don't think she has the full picture yet," Laflamme-Snow said.
"All she is seeing is that there is this huge gap in what they were and what they are," the actress added. "She has some responsibility to heal that, but she also has to stay in her lane because Del and Kat are going to duke it out as they need to."
The show may have only premiered last month, but Laflamme-Snow said she is already hearing from passionate fans on social media.
"People are definitely feeling pretty strongly that they want Kat and Elliot (Evan Williams) to get together," she laughed, referring to Kat's childhood best friend who is now Alice's science teacher and time-travel guide.
"The Hallmark fans are so warm and Chyler's fans are such a loving fanbase, as well," the actress added.
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"People are so eager to share their theories and I don't think I expected that, but I love the enthusiasm for it."
The different ages of the main characters are also attracting multi-generational audience members.
"When we were in New York for the premiere, I met this couple who found out about the show and were like: 'Oh, my God, we're going to have our granddaughter over and we haven't been able to figure out [what to watch with her.] Since she turned 13, she doesn't want to watch Disney movies anymore...' And I was like, 'You have to watch The Way Home!'" Laflamme-Snow recalled.
"To me, that was such a beautiful thing that this show can be for people."