‘Orphan Black’ acting double Kathryn Alexandre on her crucial, faceless role

TORONTO – Toronto actress Kathryn Alexandre likes to tune in to “Orphan Black” with her family members every week to see if they can spot her.

“They’re like, ‘Is that you? That looks like your shoulder. Those are your hands,’” she says with a laugh.

As the acting double for star Tatiana Maslany, Alexandre’s face is never seen in the hit Space clone drama, which airs Saturdays at 9 p.m. ET.

She acts opposite Maslany whenever a scene involves more than one of her clones, so that the star can react properly to the character.

“It’s a lot easier for Tatiana, for the other actors that are in the scene with us, and for the crew to see the other clone materialized in a person, as opposed to a stand,” says Alexandre, 25.

She mimics whichever clone is in the scene with Maslany and has to know all the lines, mannerisms, accents and the backstory of that character. She also has to wear their costumes and wigs and know their precise blocking marks on set.

But for the most part, she doesn’t have an on-screen presence due to the magic of filmmaking — save for a body part here and there.

“It’s such an interesting role and it’s such a great challenge as an actor,” she says.

“Really, your entire job is to give the other person as much as you can give them and be the best that you can be for them to be the best that they can be.

“So it’s a really great, ego-less job that’s such a gift as an actor, to not really have to worry about your face being on camera. It’s all about the connection with your fellow actor.”

Alexandre, who was born in Hamilton and grew up in Ancaster, Ont., was fresh out of theatre school when she went for several auditions for the role of Maslany’s double.

“I didn’t really have any on-camera experience before this,” she says.

“Little short films and that kind of thing, but this kind of threw me head-first into the most technical role I will probably ever have. So it’s been a great learning curve.”

She got the part not only because of her acting skills, but also because her height, weight, skin colour and hair were similar to Maslany’s.

“I had shoulder pads for the whole first season to try and bring my shoulders up a bit,” says Alexandre.

“There are little hidden things that are all throughout to try to make us as similar as possible.”

Sometimes other doubles will also be used for scenes depicting multiple clones, but Alexandre is the main double and usually the only one used.

As such, she says she’s close with Maslany, who has been nominated for a Golden Globe for her performances on the show.

During shooting for season 3, Alexandre also got to bond with the acting double for Ari Millen, who plays a new set of male clones.

“That was really neat to have a fellow double,” says Alexandre.

“His name is Nick Abraham and he had some questions. He and Ari came to me like, ‘So, what do we do and how does this work, and can you take us through things?’

“So much of it you really have to do it to understand, because it’s so technical, but it was really fun to have him on as well and have him experience it. He, like me, was so excited for the opportunity.”