Interview with Sarah Dugdale

Mercy: Can you share a little bit about yourself?
Sarah: Hi, my name is Sarah Dugdale. I love my family, exploring nature, dogs, dark chocolate, and curling up with a good book. 

Mercy: What inspired you to become an actress?
Sarah: I was painfully shy growing up. My first creative outlet was dance; next came singing, and then acting to follow. Acting has changed my life and broken me out of my shell. I feel so grateful to be able to explore the lives of different people for a living and to create work that has the power to move people. 

Mercy: What drew you to the role of Claire Tate and can you share anything about the upcoming Mystery 101 movie?
Sarah: Claire is smart, eager, a bit of a mystery nerd, and a great detective; what more could I ask for?! She’s such a pleasure to play. The upcoming Mystery 101 movie ‘Playing Dead’ – which airs Sunday June 23rd – is a fun one. It’s really a play within a movie. The cast is wonderful as usual. 

Mercy: Is there a fun behind the scenes story you can share from filming Mystery 101?
Sarah: I’ve never been surrounded by such a stimulating and positive cast and crew before. Jill and Kris lead our cast so beautifully. Kris is always cracking jokes or playing the nearest musical instrument. 

Mercy: What character that you’ve played is most like and unlike you?
Sarah: I’m somewhat like Claire in the sense that she wants to do a good job and prove herself. In ‘Death Of A Cheerleader’, a Lifetime movie I did last year, I felt a strong connection to my character because of the pressure she put on herself to be perfect. I tend to do that to myself but have grown to be more patient and understanding with myself.   I’m probably most unlike the character I played in ‘The Bad Seed’, acting alongside the talented McKenna Grace. My character was a bit nasty, manipulative, and not afraid to speak her mind – even if it wasn’t nice. 

Mercy: If you weren’t an actress what profession would you choose? 
Sarah: The ocean has always fascinated me. As a child, I was set on becoming a Marine Biologist. I love watching documentaries about the deep sea and have always wanted to go scuba diving. It’s on my bucket list. 

Mercy: What is something most people don’t know about you? 
Sarah: I will be a ping pong pro by the end of the summer! Okay…that might be a mild exaggeration. My boyfriend and I bought ping pong paddles recently and played our first match the other day. He played with his left hand to spare me from a huge loss. One of the many reasons why I love him. 

Mercy: Any other upcoming projects you can share about?
Sarah: Yes! We’re currently shooting a 4th Mystery 101 movie so that is something to keep an eye out for. Also, I have a movie coming out on Netflix called ‘In The Shadow Of The Moon’. It doesn’t have a release date just yet.