
Jane Luk on Playing in the Horror Sandbox That Is THE INSTITUTE
One of her employees is Maureen, played by Jane Luk, a haunted, dishonorably discharged veteran who spends her days cleaning and looking after the kids. Recently, I had the privilege of chatting with Jane about her recurring role on The Institute , what fans can expect and working with Mary-Louise Parker.
RELATED: Ben Barnes and Joe Freeman on Starring in The Institute
This interview is edited for length and clarity. Jane Luk Pictured: Jane Luk
Melody McCune: We at GGA love a good origin story. How did you get into acting?
Jane Luk: We had a family farm, but when we were little, we didn't go out to work. Back then, my parents left me at home. I was the oldest, so I took care of my siblings. TV was our babysitter. We watched copious amounts of TV. I thought, 'Oh, I want to do that.' Never thought I could do anything with it, mainly because we lived in a rural part of Ontario.
There weren't many Asian kids, so there weren't many opportunities. People were writing plays, but not with me in mind. That's when I first caught the bug. Later on, I remember watching Carol Burnett and Lucille Ball, not realizing that I liked them so much because they were funny. I thought, 'I want to do what they're doing.' The Institute
MM: Let's talk about The Institute . Can you tell me what it's about and how you got involved with the project?
JL: The Institute is based on Stephen King's book of the same name. The book is so dense with stuff that I'm glad they made it into a series to address a lot of material. I auditioned like any other actor. It's really funny how, in our industry, one project can change the entire trajectory of your career. I auditioned via Zoom on a recall for a different character. Then, on the recall, I was asked to do the role of Maureen as well.
RELATED: Stephen King's The Institute Gets Official Trailer
I hadn't read the book and didn't know the story. I had to do a lot of research. A lot of times, these big productions are on the hush-hush in terms of how much material they release to you.
I was so lucky because [for] Jack Bender, who's the executive producer and also directed a number of the episodes, it's his passion project. He was on the Zoom call. That's very rare. He said, 'This is what's going on with this character. This is what I'd like to see. Let's do it again.' I took in all his notes. Reading for Two Roles
I redid the whole thing, did a complete 180. He said, 'Oh, wow, yes, I really like you for this part.' At that point, I should have kept my mouth shut, but I said, 'What about the other role I auditioned for?' He said, 'Yes. You probably prepared for it. Why don't we see you do that role?' There was a second where I thought, 'Maybe I won't do as good a job because then he'll really consider me for this other role.'
RELATED: New TV Shows This Week (July 13- 19)
At the end of the audition, he said, 'No, you're better for the other role.' I thought, 'Did I just get cast?' I didn't know for sure. Anyway, it was really exciting to audition for him. That was the process. I wish I were at a point where I could pick and choose my projects, but not just yet. I got lucky with this one. Playing Maureen
MM: How does your character, Maureen, fit into the narrative?
JL: The Institute — I'm going to be very general, so I won't give any spoilers, but it's a place where all these children, from ages 10 to 18, are there because they either have telepathy or telekinesis. It's run by this woman, Ms. Sigsby. She's got other people working for her as well. It's a dark and foreboding place.
It's set in this town where the townspeople don't know what's going on there. Now, we have two storylines. I wasn't involved in the other one, which is what's happening in the town. Maureen works in the Institute. She's there under very sad circumstances. It's been a hard time for her. She's there to deal with the children and to report to Sigsby. Sigsby is her boss.
RELATED: Lily Santiago Talks About Her Untamed Character and Filming on Location What to Expect
MM: What can viewers expect when they watch this show?
JL: First of all, I was so impressed with everyone's performances. They're younger actors. The youngest actor we have is Viggo Hanvelt, who's 10. Everybody else is up to teens.
It's dark because it's Stephen King. There are some really good stunts. There's a lot of makeup. My character is by no means a glamorous version of me at all.
I love getting into characters, including makeup, prosthetics, that kind of thing. I don't have any prosthetics, but some people do. It's really quite a journey. You're always on the fence about who the good guys are and who aren't. Sometimes, they really reveal themselves right away.
MM: Describe The Institute using three words.
JL: Foreboding. Trap. Power-hungry.
MM: Do you share any similarities with your character?
JL: She does look after the kids. I was very lucky to be working with kids. This was a big project for me. It was really interesting to work with kids because I love working with them. I know sometimes people say, 'Oh, the worst things you have to deal with are kids and animals in any kind of project.' That was what was similar.
RELATED: Tamar Broadbent Debunks Parenting Myths and Celebrates Motherhood With Plus One
Maureen is very hard on herself, and I see that in me as well. In terms of why she's there, she's given up, and that's not me. I don't give up or surrender to a life that I know I'm not meant for. Working With Joe Freeman and Mary-Louise Parker
MM: Without giving too much away, of course, do you have a highlight or a favorite scene from filming?
JL: One of the highlights was working with Joe Freeman because I had a number of scenes with him. This was his first acting job. It was really great getting to know him. Some of the more difficult scenes we got into later on, it was great that we could at least talk about it a bit. We would share shorthands. I said, 'Do you want to do this at this point?' He said, 'Yes. Okay.' We would really try to make it work. That's what I loved.
Also, working with Mary-Louise Parker. Phenomenal. I have a couple of scenes with her. I have this one big scene — it's just her and me. When we were both in the makeup trailer, she said, 'Do you want to run lines?' I thought, 'Oh, yes. How amazing that you would ask me.' Because a lot of times, when you have the top of the lead, very rarely, I find, do they want to run lines. They ask another actor if they want to run lines. I thought that was really great. I loved that.
RELATED: David John Phillips on Writing Oh! I Miss the War and Its Hopeful Message for the Queer Community
See, I'm an improviser. I discovered it a long time ago, and now I teach it as well. She uses similar basic guidelines of improv, which are to really listen and be in the moment. Sometimes, the moments would shift a bit based on the way the other person gave me their line, and she would do the same. I thought that was so great. I love working like that. You're both really present and authentic with each other. That was one highlight with two people. On the Horizon Pictured: Jane Luk
MM: What else is on the horizon for you, career-wise?
JL: I'm auditioning. There are lots of projects happening. Our industry is so unpredictable. This year, I've been doing mostly voiceover work. It just happened that way. Whereas in other years, I've had theater or was teaching at the University of Windsor. It's like you throw all this confetti in the air, and then wherever it lands, like, 'You're doing this, this, and this for this year.'
I love voice work. My friend Sam Agro is an animator. Also, he's done comedy writing for sketch and stuff like that. We wanted to do voices, and we were really interested in sinking our teeth into more characters. We created a silly — I'll say silly because it's meant to be comedic, but it's a murder mystery between this husband and wife duo.
RELATED: Revival 's Romy Weltman on Becoming Em and Working With Melanie Scrofano
He's a lead detective for the Department of Uncanny Cases. She is a star reporter for this fictitious Northern Upper New York paper. We haven't decided on the name of that yet. Kitty O'Donoghue. It's set in the '50s. We've already got one script done. We're working on a second one. That's been a lot of fun, just researching the colloquialisms of the day. Also, trying to make it relevant for today and trying to skew it to make it using today's events to showcase them in that time period. Jane's Favorites
MM: Have you watched anything interesting lately?
JL: I just started watching Ginny & Georgia again, the new season. I'm behind, but I'm seeing a number of my friends in there because it's shot in Toronto, which is so great.
I finally got onto Better Things with Pamela Adlon. I thought, 'I wish I knew more about this human before.' She is just an amazing person.
RELATED: Agape Mngomezulu Talks Bryon and Bracia's Relationship in Ginny & Georgia Season 3
MM: Name your favorite films.
JL: I have eclectic taste. I still say The Court Jester from way back, because when I was little, I got some great catchphrases from there, like, 'The chalice from the palace has the brew that is true.' Cool Hand Luke . Blade Runner . The Shawshank Redemption . Stand by Me . The Princess Bride .
You can follow Jane Luk on Instagram (@janelukpicard). Be sure to catch new episodes of The Institute every Sunday on MGM+.
Cecilia Lee on the Wild Ride That Is FEAR STREET: PROM QUEEN Contact:
[email protected] What I do: I'm GGA's Managing Editor, a Senior Contributor, and Press Coordinator. I manage, contribute, and coordinate. Sometimes all at once. Joking aside, I oversee day-to-day operations for GGA, write, edit, and assess interview opportunities/press events. Who I am: Before moving to Los Angeles after studying theater in college, I was born and raised in Amish country, Ohio. No, I am not Amish, even if I sometimes sport a modest bonnet. Bylines in: Tell-Tale TV, Culturess, Sideshow Collectibles, and inkMend on Medium.
Critic: Rotten Tomatoes, CherryPicks, and the Hollywood Creative Alliance.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
9 minutes ago
- Yahoo
And Just Like That EPs Tell All About That Taylor Swift Needle Drop, Why It Was Perfect for Carrie's Big Moment
Turns out Carrie Bradshaw is like every other woman alive: She leans on Taylor Swift to help her get through a breakup. This week on And Just Like That…, Carrie said goodbye to her longtime love Aidan after she realized he'd never get over her affair with Big all those years ago. And after they decided to split up, we heard Taylor Swift's beautifully melancholic song 'How Did It End?' on the soundtrack as Carrie took all the Virginia postcards off of her fridge, got dressed up and met her girlfriends for drinks. (The lyrics even center on a recently ended relationship, with the opening line: 'We hereby conduct this post mortem…') More from TVLine And Just Like That EPs Admit to Hesitating Over Carrie and Aidan's Big Decision: 'Are We Making a Mistake?' Washington Black's Sterling K. Brown and Ernest Kingsley Junior Revel in the 'Brotherhood and Mentorship' Hulu's Historical Drama Gave Them Outlander Spinoff Cast on Why Blood of My Blood Makes Claire's Journey in the Original Series Even More 'Tragic' Swift herself signed off on the inclusion of the song, executive producer Elisa Zuritsky tells TVLine, crediting showrunner Michael Patrick King with sealing the deal: 'That was a Michael Patrick King production, right out of his brain. It was shortly after her newest album [The Tortured Poets Department] was released, and he knew of the song before I did… He was right there on it with that song.' The song really fit the resilient mood of that final scene with Carrie, too, fellow EP Julie Rottenberg points out, and the writers used it as inspiration: 'It was helpful, once [Michael] shared that idea with us, to think about that song in writing it, and to make sure that that last scene felt not just tragic, but empowering and maybe freeing. That she always has her friends, and this isn't the end. It might be an end, but life goes on.' What did you think of the Taylor Swift song — and Carrie's big breakup? Tell us in the comments! Best of TVLine Yellowjackets' Tawny Cypress Talks Episode 4's Tai/Van Reunion: 'We're All Worried About Taissa' Vampire Diaries Turns 10: How Real-Life Plot Twists Shaped Everything From the Love Triangle to the Final Death Vampire Diaries' Biggest Twists Revisited (and Explained)
Yahoo
39 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Edmonton man's 54-hour ferris wheel ride raises $70,000 for Alberta Dreams
Former Edmonton radio host Chris Scheetz stepped onto the ferris wheel at KDays with the hope of raising funds for chronically-ill children while simultaneously attempting to obtain the world record for the longest time spent on a ferris wheel. Scheetz concluded the Wheel of Dreams fundraiser after 54 hours on the KDays ferris wheel to raise at least $54,000 for Alberta Dreams, a charity that fulfills dreams of children with severe chronic or life-threatening medical conditions. The three-day fundraiser, which ran from Monday to Wednesday, raised $70,886 for Alberta Dreams, said a Friday news release. 'Explore Edmonton is proud that KDays served as the home for the Wheel of Alberta Dreams Challenge. Congratulations to the entire Alberta Dreams team, especially Chris Scheetz, on the success of the fundraiser,' said Arlindo Gomes, vice-president of business development and venues management at Explore Edmonton. Alberta Dreams executive director Reuel Thomas thanked Albertans in the release for helping their team surpass the initial goal. 'It is a resounding statement that children and their families are loved and supported by their fellow Albertans, and this support will provide hope, joy and inspiration that dreams do come true,' Thomas said. 'None of this would have been possible without the incredible support from the entire team at Explore Edmonton, who adopted our mission and worked tirelessly to make every aspect of the project a success.' Donations are being accepted until the end of KDays next Sunday. Details can be found at Bookmark our website and support our journalism: Don't miss the news you need to know add and to your bookmarks and sign up for our newsletters. You can also support our journalism by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribers gain unlimited access to The Edmonton Journal, Edmonton Sun, National Post, and 13 other Canadian news Edmonton Journal|The Edmonton Sun
Yahoo
39 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Toronto seniors make stand-up comedy debut, proving laughter is the best medicine
When Alan Wang took the stage for his stand-up comedy debut Thursday, the senior citizen says the bright stage lights were nerve-recking. For his routine, Wang says he shared his experience job hunting as an immigrant, where he was advised to move to Ontario for more opportunities. "I say, 'How would I do that?' And they say, 'Get a car!'" Wang was one of five seniors who performed at the Comedy Bar's sketch night for seniors, titled Die Laughing. The show was an exclusive, one-night event with sets lasting around five minutes — and was meant for more than just laughs, said Marie Minimo, production and communications coordinator at Mammalian Diving Reflex, the theatre performance company that organized the event. "Ultimately, the goal is to highlight the importance of seniors sharing their stories, as well as give them a space to feel empowered," said Minimo. To prepare for their show, seniors participated in an eight-week workshop with Tamara Shevon, a comedian teaching stand-up for almost six years. Each set was inspired by personal instances because "it's harder to forget something that you have already lived through," Shevon said. Shevon says she loves the program because it gives her an opportunity to help people achieve new goals regardless of what stage of life they are in. "It's not something that's restricted to age. You can do things for as long as you want to," Shevon said. Workshops were held once a week for around two hours, and aimed to teach skills to get participants out of their comfort zones. For Wang, learning the "right" jokes was a challenge because he rarely watched stand-up comedy and says he often did not understand other people's jokes. "I'm Chinese. What we find interesting or funny is not what people here find funny," Wang said. Shevon taught the seniors how to add punch lines and anecdotes to help tie their sets together and make them humorous for the audience. One concept that Shevon taught was social acupuncture, where small instances of social discomfort are created as an intentional stressor to facilitate genuine connection. As an example, seniors were encouraged to interact with strangers on the street to gain confidence as many had never been on a stage before. WATCH | Moe Ismail: School teacher by day, comedian by night: Dean Rogers, another participant, dressed up as Santa for his set. He focused on making puns, a skill he learned from his grandfather. "I've got a little bit of acting in my blood and comedy in my blood. And I can do puns," said Rogers. The audience included many family members cheering in support as the seniors took the stage. Wang describes the event as a once- in-a-lifetime experience: "Like climbing Mt. Everest."