What was the inspiration for this show?
I wouldn’t say there was really anything that inspired me to write it other than the simple need to create. This is a theme in my life, where I allow myself to get so creatively pent up over time that I just happen to vomit out a bunch of ideas and eventually decide to take action on one. It just so happens that during one of those moments I had just moved to Vancouver and didn’t know anyone, so I had a lot of free time on my hands when I wasn’t working or exploring the city.
What characters do you most align with, other than yourself of course.
There was a time I would have said MAX, there was also a time I would have just said THE DIVINE, but honestly there are bits of me sprinkled in every character. The way Mark and I collaborated in the early stages of the character building allowed us to add small bits of ourselves to each character. Little nods to each other, I like to think.
What was your favourite scene to perform in?
The first scenes I shot definitely stand out as a milestone, but I’d have to say - the entirety of the Christmas Carol episode was hands down my favourite. The costumes, the time travel and spending that 1 on 1 time with Daniel was a lot of fun. The script also allowed for me to just have a lot of fun with everything. There are a lot of times in production where everything is happening so fast, and it’s go, go, go – so it was nice to just live in the character for a solid amount of time.
What was your favourite part of production?
“THAT’S A WRAP ON CHAMPAGNA!” Hahahahaha. I’m not even joking. This project has been with me for 13 years, so there were so many times where everything still didn’t seem real, and I was waiting to be pinched. It was just this overwhelming sense of gratitude I don’t think I’ll ever forget.
What would you do if your estranged bestie showed up on your doorstep today with a BIG ASK.
HA! …well we’d probably hash it out for a second. None of this “tip toe around the bushes’”shit. And then I’d promptly say no, give her some resources, and send her away with love. I can hardly take care of myself.
Where can folks find you on social?
You can find me on Instagram @champagna_papi or tiktok @_champagna_
What’s a surprising fact your cast mates may not know about you?
I used to hate Drag Queens in my early 20’s :p