Asha Soetan plays one of the lead roles – Agent Orli – in the new Odd Squad UK, working closely with Alexander Shaw as Agent Ozzie, and Agent Orli marks Asha’s television series debut. Odd Squad UK released last month on CBBC and BBC iPlayer, and is a live-action comedy series about an international high-tech organisation run by children, who investigate all things ‘odd’. Further screen work for Asha includes the short film The Friend, in which she plays Jaz and has a film festival release, and she is in the cast of horror film Daddy’s Head. We chatted to Asha, who answered our questions about starring as Agent Orli in Odd Squad UK, what it was like seeing the series release on CBBC and BBC iPlayer last month and playing Jaz in short film The Friend.

In the new UK series of Odd Squad, you star as Agent Orli – one of the lead characters, can you tell us about Agent Orli and the new series?

Agent Orli is a very excitable, fun and positive agent from Niagara Falls, Canada who, through unintentional circumstances, becomes part of Odd Squad headquarters in the UK. She becomes a key asset to the team and a much-loved character by all of her Odd Squad friends and agents in the UK.

How much did you know about Odd Squad before auditioning and how did you feel finding out you’d booked the role?

I knew quite a bit about the Canadian series since I had watched it when I was younger. That helped me when I was auditioning for the role to be able to understand the characters and the idea behind agents using maths to fight oddness – which is very odd in itself! I was super excited and surprised to find out that I had gotten the role since it’s my first major TV role. It was a relief to know that, after so many auditions, my hard work had paid off but I also had no idea what to expect when we started filming!

What is Agent Orli like to play and how did you prepare for filming?

Agent Orli was super fun to play. She’s very funny and a bit crazy (just like me!). I also had to adopt a Canadian accent, which was challenging at times but I lived in Canada for two years when I was little and most of my mum’s family lives there so I often practice or switch into different accents. I didn’t really know what to expect when we started filming so I didn’t have to (or couldn’t) prepare a lot in advance. When we did start filming, I would go over my lines for the next day so that I felt comfortable and prepared for the next day’s scenes.

How do you find the experience on set of the show and have you had any favourite scenes to film so far?

I had so much fun on set. All of my castmates became good friends of mine and we, of course, still keep in touch. Spending so much time together, we became really close and developed so many inside jokes – especially when we got to go to the Lake District to film A Dicey Situation. The crew as well were incredibly kind and made the experience so much fun. One of my favourite scenes was being on set eating an ice cream. Because of all the takes, I got to eat three ice creams in one day and I loooove ice cream! Another favourite episode was A Part of the Furniture because we got to hold and play with a whole bunch of kittens!

What is it like working alongside the rest of the cast and how was it meeting them for the first time?

The first time I met all of my castmates was doing the chemistry reading at BBC Studios. Alex (Shaw), who plays Agent Ozzie, and I read through our lines a few times and the directors really liked how we both played off each other – he was the opposite of Orli’s character and it really showed contrast. But in real life, Alex and I get on really well and loved to fight over who got to hold the gadget. The best part about Odd Squad is being on set with so many kids because you always have someone to have fun with and talk to – even when you’re not working!

How did you feel when Odd Squad was released on CBBC and BBC iPlayer last month?

It was so strange to see myself on TV but also genuinely cool! We had waited almost a year between wrapping filming and the launch so we were all super excited! It was also incredibly cool to know that my family in Canada and the US were able to watch it as well!

Is there anything you are enjoying most about being part of Odd Squad and filming as a regular character for CBBC?

Knowing that I’m on TV alongside some of my favourite TV shows is both incredible but also daunting! But also now, when I watch films or TV series, I have a really in-depth understanding of what the actors and crew must have gone through to set up the scenes.

Can you tell us about the short film The Friend and how would you describe your character Jaz?

The Friend is a short film about a girl called Charlie who goes to boarding school and unfortunately gets bullied. She copes with the bullying by developing an imaginary friend. My character, Jaz, bullies Charlie but further into the film, the viewers can see she is insecure and doesn’t really know where she herself fits in. Towards the end, she starts to realise that the two mean girls she hangs out with might not be the best choice of friendships.

What was The Friend like to film and how has it been seeing it be accepted into film festivals?

The Friend was my first experience on set and I really bonded with the other girls in the cast. I was so thrilled to see the finished product and am really grateful to see it all come together with so much success at the film festivals.

We understand you are also in the cast of Daddy’s Head, how was it working on set of a horror film?

This one was so fun because I got to be on set with my sister. Although we didn’t have major roles, we got to act in a funeral scene – a completely different film genre than I’d ever been in.

How did you get into acting and was it something you always wanted to do?

I got into acting because of my younger sister. She loves to do musical theatre and has since appeared in several West End productions. I decided to sign up with the same agency – Daisy and Dukes – and they have been great in helping me secure the Odd Squad and The Friend roles – both of which have been life-changing!

Do you have any favourite films and TV shows to watch?

I love watching Modern Family, Family Reunion, Enola Holmes and The Fall Guy (also anything with Kevin Hart – he’s the funniest!). I’m also really looking forward to the next Disney release of Moana 2 and Inside Out 2 that was recently released.

How do you like to spend your time away from acting?

I LOOOOOOOVE to dance!!!!! And sing! I also do gymnastics and me and my two sisters love to come up with new dance and acro routines together.

Have you been given any advice over your career so far that has stuck with you?

Yes, I was told early on, if you want to be an actor, you’ll probably go through 100 or more rejections before you land the role that’s right for you. This was true in my case. It can be a lesson in patience but it’s worth it.

What are you hoping the next year brings for you and do you have any projects coming up that you can share?

I would really love to land an acting/singing/dancing role in an upcoming movie/musical. That would be my dream job. At the moment though, I’m happy just waiting for whatever next comes my way.

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