SUPPORTING - FITNESS INSTRUCTOR, ANY The fitness instructor is caught making out with Jennifer in his car. He drives off as soon as they are caught. Reference: Fitness influencer

Elane, the Woman at Table 2, is Kenneth’s mother and Avery’s grandmother. She enjoyed a very happy life in her small town with her husband and 2 kids. She slowly started developing Alzheimer’s in her late 60s, which was accelerated by her husband‘s recent passing. She is a very loving and sweet woman with a positive outlook on life.

Avery is an 11 year old girl. She enjoys spending time with her uncle Kenneth although she doesn’t get to see him too much. She is an only child and lives with her mom and grandmother. She is smart, kind, and observant. Avery developed an ear disease when she was very young and became deaf in both ears. She mainly communicates through sign language and is very good at lip reading. ** Deaf, Hearing Impaired, and/or Sign Language Ability would be a strong asset ** ** ALL lines for this character will be in Sign Language **

Tess is a 27 year old part time waitress and artist. She went to the same high school as Kenneth, only a year below him. She always wanted to be an artist and has had some exhibitions around town. She never left her small town and likes living a slow life. Tess always had a small crush on Kenneth, the kind of crush that makes you smile when you remember.

A likeable and fun-loving young man that has always struggled with finding his place in the world. Hoping to start this new chapter at university with optimism, John hosts a farewell party for himself, but the celebration quickly turns into a harrowing confrontation. Being faced with his own mortality, John is terrified of being forgotten; igniting a desperate need to cling on to life. Not allergic to grass.

Doesn’t speak, instead exuding a profound depth of presence and an eerie stillness demanding fear and intrigue equally. The pale man exists as a silent threat in moments and the sole source of salvation in others. Whether he is warning John, helping him or the one causing John’s death; only one thing is clear… When John is confronted with the lonely isolation of death, The Pale Man is who he must turn to.

Her life has been filled with diligence and high academic achievement; as a result, she finds herself somewhat detached from her old life and friends John and Drew. Still, believing it’s the right thing to do, Sarah goes home just for John’s party. As the night goes on, however, Sarah quickly realizes something is off, and while trying to remain polite, desperately tries to escape the party.

An eccentric goofball and the life of the party. Despite his large personality, Drew is sharp, observant and, most of all, a loyal friend. Drew is the first one to pick up on something being off with John, a testament to his emotional intelligence; but as the night progresses, Drew’s concern is overtaken by self-preservation as he realizes he needs to leave.

Young Kung Fu instructor. Fluent in Mandarin. Kung Fu skills are not required, but must be athletic. Tentative shoot date May 14

Vietnamese/ SouthEast/ East Asian. An artist who is dealing with grief in all the wrong ways. She believes her sister who recently committed suicide is trying to contact her. Spunky, reactive, hardened.

Vietnamese/South East Asian. A single mother who has been in survival mode for as long as she can remember. She loves her daughters but doesn’t necessarily know how to show it in the Western way. She carries survivor’s guilt with her and is dealing with the grief of the suicide of her youngest daughter.

Open ethnicity. Margot is Jenny’s partner, they’ve been through everything together, but Silvia’s death may be the ultimate test. Margot is kind and unwavering. She is the yin to Jenny’s yang – but even she has limits. Reader may also read for the role of ADAM.

Vietnamese/South East Asian. Jenny and Silvia’s aunt, Anita’s younger sister. She a baby when they came to Canada following the Vietnam war and is more Westernized than Anita. She is fun, colourful, and supportive. She provided the girls with the love they needed. (Same reader as NGOC)

First-generation American, Pakistani, Muslim, Hijabi with a dancer physique, challenges cultural and religious ideologies. Living under her grandmother, Zuli’s outdated rules, Safa struggles with finding her voice. When she enlists the help of her mother after secretly entering a dance competition, she pushes boundaries in pursuit of her dreams but fears being judged by her community. Although stubborn at times, Safa is determined, loyal and almost always uses her heart to guide in the right direction.Ultimately, her love for her family and best friend Ilias is what gives her the courage to believe in herself.

Zuli, mid 60s, born Pakistani, embodies the typical South Asian Matriarch, who stubbornly holds onto her cultural ideologies, even if they don’t fit into the world she currently lives in. Her need to control her family keeps her at arm’s length from truly understanding who they really are. Picking up the pieces of her late husband’s gambling addiction, she’s determined to make sure Safa walks the straight and narrow path. Unable to accept her granddaughter’s dream to dance, she finds ways to thwart Safa’s plans and hinder her ability to be the person she was always meant to be.

Muslim, American, born Pakistani, Sanam is a loving Mother and devoted wife who chooses to prioritize family over her personal desires. Despite battling an aggressive form of cancer, she is determined to help Safa achieve her dream to dance by enlisting as her trainer for a dance competition. Sanam uses the skills she’s learned from her background as a dancer, to help her daughter triumph as an aspiring dancer. Holding onto her traditions but embracing new ones, she’s ahead of her time and wishes to break the generational trauma by showing her girls what it means to live a life with truth and love. Juggling both her life at home with her family and managing her illness presents its challenges, but her strong-willed attitude should not be underestimated. Her spirit for all things magical is at the heart of who she is.

First-generation American, Muslim, Pakistani, best friend, and confidant to Safa, is an aspiring filmmaker. Heart throb for many, he only has eyes for since Safa since childhood. Close friends with her family, he watches Safa chase her dreams which in some ways is the catalyst for him to follow his own. His love and loyalty to Safa is apparent. His witty charm and forward-thinking attitude are what sets him apart from the rest of his community. PERFORMER WILL BE REQUIRED TO READ FOR AN ADDITIONAL ROLE (CHOTO) CHOTO, 7-10 years old child. First-generation American, Muslim, Pakistani is younger sister to Safa and daughter to Sanam and Bilal. She symbolizes light, hope and new beginnings. Her witty sense of humour and immense love for her family is what holds the family together during turbulent times. At seven, she’s smarter than the average and helps Safa with her secret plan to dance in the competition.

Black man. Responsible, loyal and a ringleader. When the zombie outbreak begins, Sharpe wrestles with immense guilt for being unable to save his family and friends. After meeting Yafiah and her little sister, Sharpe views their protection as a path to personal redemption. He won’t fail again to protect those in need. As much as they need him, he needs them too. Playing the role of provider and protector gives him his only sense of purpose.

Black, Muslim woman. free-spirited college student in a family of 5. When the zombie outbreak begins, her 10-year-old sister is the only surviving member of her family. Yafiah bravely takes on a maternal role to protect her younger sister. With no resources or support, Yafiah must rely on others to secure her safety out of the city. A position that renders her subservient, stifling her free-spirited nature. Once she arrives at the cottage safe house, she’s finally able to return to her true self.

18+ to play 10-12 years old child. Black, Muslim, Yafiah’s younger sister. Bubbly and innocent; the youngest of her siblings. After watching her mother die to the hands of her infected brother, Dua is irreparably changed. She anxiously clings to her only remaining family member, Yafiah. She struggles to trust anyone else, fearful of their capacity for violence.