This April saw Beatrice Schneider have a guest role as Young Gigi in the new CBS series Watson, and last year, she played Imogene Herdman in the Christmas film The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, which is based on the bestselling children’s book by Barbara Robinson. On The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, Beatrice worked alongside a cast including Judy Greer and Pete Holmes, and she attended the film’s premiere in November and the 2025 Movie Guide Awards, which saw the film win the Best Movie for Families award. Beatrice played Willa in the Amazon Prime comedy series The Pradeeps of Pittsburgh and Abigail in the anthology series Tales from the Void, and she had her first leading role at the age of seven in her mother’s (Tee Schneider) short film Little Bird. As a voice actor, Beatrice voiced Arugula in Carl the Collector, numerous characters including Billie Jean King, Julia Child and Carol Burnett in Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum, Emmy in Series 8 and 9 of PAW Patrol, and for Apple TV+, she voiced Lydia in Snoopy Presents: It’s the Small Things, Charlie Brown TV movie and Fauna in the Pinecone & Pony series. Also having theatre experience, Beatrice played a Child Witch in Canadian Opera Company’s production of Macbeth, which was directed by Sir David McVicar. We spoke to Beatrice about her guest role of Young Gigi in the CBS series Watson, playing Imogene Herdman in The Best Christmas Pageant Ever and her voice work including Carl the Collector and PAW Patrol.

In the new CBS series Watson, you appeared in an episode in April as Young Gigi, how was it having a guest role in the show?

This was such an exciting experience. I was flown across the country in order to film in Vancouver. It was my first time there and it’s a very beautiful city. I had an amazing time sightseeing with my mom and my cousin as well as my friends and castmates Essek Moore and Sebastian Billingsley-Rodriguez from The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, who both live there! It was a special catch up. We had an amazing brunch, celebrated a birthday, and even got to take a class together.

Being on this set was incredible since I was directed by Mario Van Peebles, who I love from Heartbreak Ridge. He’s so funny and charming. Also, the hospital set was very cool and the actors and crew I got to work with were so nice. Plus, the caterer was AMAZING and the food was yummy! 🙂 One thing I love about being on set are set dogs!

We stayed at a beautiful hotel and I got to have a movie night with my friends but I was so tired, I fell asleep in the middle of the movie and had a great party sleep instead. On the day we checked out, there was even an Elvis impersonator in the lobby, who was hilarious!

Oh, and one really fun and unique thing about this project is that I got to see what I would look like as a brunette! They tried this wig on me but then decided against it. What do you think?

This is also a funny little thing that always happens when I’m on set. I have a birthmark on my neck which always has to get covered when I’m shooting something, especially when I’m playing the young version of other actors. In this case, I was playing the young version of Kiera Allen. That’s also an interesting story because I played a young version of Kiera before in Jonathan Sobol’s upcoming film, Littlemouth.

How did you find the experience filming as Imogene Herdman in last year’s release of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever and what was it like on the set of a Christmas film?

This was an adventure of a lifetime!!

The cast and crew made the journey so special. The kids in this movie will be in my heart forever because we fuelled each other’s performances and formed true bonds. Everyone was so generous and open. Winnipeg’s (shall we say chilly) weather, was utterly outmatched by everyone’s warm and fun spirit.

And then of course it was Christmastime on a Christmas set, which was like double the fun. Production spoiled us with gifts and the mood was so festive. None of us wanted to leave at the end and there were A LOT of tears. I think of everyone and that experience often.

Was there anything that drew you to the role of Imogene and what was she like to play?

Getting to play Imogene’s mean exterior and then her thawing heart was so challenging, exciting, rewarding and terrifying! I felt a lot of responsibility but also a lot of love and support.

But, it was really Dallas and Amanda Jenkins’ dedication and emotional attachment to this simple story that drew me in. Dallas makes you feel so welcome, like a true collaborator, and his and Amanda’s kindness and belief in me were very touching. Dallas is such a classic “DAD” – jokes and all. Their inspiration really made me feel determined to help them create the story that they had dreamt about for 15 years.

Imogene’s strong love for her siblings is something that really draws me to her character despite being an only child. I love children. Her protective nature is something that really means a lot to me.

How was it meeting and working with the rest of the cast, and what was it like reuniting with them at the film’s premiere in November?

I can’t say enough about this cast. It was almost strange how instantly me and the rest of the kids bonded on set. Working with them was a magical experience and each of them is insanely special and talented and they all inspired me each day on set. They really have become a film family for me.

Judy Greer and Pete Holmes were a blast and they made us laugh so hard. They are sort of non-stop with the jokes, which is totally up my alley. My dad’s a bit like that 😀 Also, I got to learn a lot by watching them work and Judy gave some great advice.

Working with Dallas was very special and his vision really helped me feel grounded and more and more confident as time went on. He had a real way with helping me feel calm and yet empowered to speak and ask questions – it really felt like working together as a team. He was very respectful of actors and asked me specifically what I needed to do the job.

Reuniting with (almost) everybody at the premiere was so exciting and getting to see our work on screen was so moving. Everyone looked AMAZING and that was fun too because in Winnipeg, especially us Herdmans, weren’t so fancy. (We missed seeing Molly Belle Wright and Matthew Lamb a lot, who were away working on other projects)

They threw this incredible outdoor party and we got to stay in a hotel with the most beautiful hotel bathroom I have ever seen! After the premiere, all of the kids and families went out and had a delicious meal at a beautiful restaurant and then, of course, partied until we dropped at the hotel! I got lots of cuddles with my little film sis Kynlee (Heiman).

And last but not least, we spent the day after the premiere at Disney! It was my first time and I discovered I LOVE rides!

You also attended the 2025 Movie Guide Awards with The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, how was this?

Ok, this was CRAZY. The whole thing. I got to travel to Los Angeles! I walked Hollywood Boulevard, which was so cool (and also a little scary)! I have a photo of my feet on all of my favourite actors’ stars, and I even got to stand on Elvis’ star! I am a huge Presley fan by the way. A highlight of my trip was definitely getting to see Gary Sinise at the awards themselves because Forrest Gump is a classic and one of my favourite films.

Ok and then The Best Christmas Pageant Ever winning the Best Movie for Families award made me so proud because I definitely think that it is a wonderful family film, all-year round.

Winning The Grace Award for Movie Performance was so shocking and discombobulating. I started to cry in the middle of my speech when I saw my mom and could barely finish. I also started to panic because I was running out of time and I was so surprised. I know that all of my friends and the cast and crew, teachers, and parents were the ones that made everything possible and I felt incredibly proud of them and myself.

Can you tell us about the Amazon Prime comedy series The Pradeeps of Pittsburgh and your character Willa?

Pradeeps was a really fun show to work on and a completely different experience. We shot in Toronto in the winter and it was very early mornings during COVID times. But I was still going to my regular school during non-shoot days.

The cast was so funny and I loved getting to work with Ashwin Sakthivel and Zack Rayment (Vinod and Mo). Vijal Patel, the showrunner, was also really funny (which I guess is a good thing since he is funny for a living!). Playing Willa was a blast. She had amazing costumes and hair (which is a part I will admit I always love about being an actor), and also very funny bits.

Fun fact: I worked briefly with Pete Holmes on The Pradeeps of Pittsburgh as well as The Best Christmas Pageant Ever!

What was it like getting into character as Willa and do you have any stand-out memories from filming that you can share?

Working with a speech pathologist was very interesting as my character was played with a stutter. Even though it was only slight, learning about the specificity of making it feel genuine on camera while allowing it to work with the comic timing of the show was a unique challenge. I think in terms of getting into character, the glasses, wardrobe and hair were a big part of it.

From time to time, I audition in glasses if I think it’s right for the character. This is one time that I did, and it stuck.

How was it being involved with the anthology series Tales from the Void as Abigail?

After filming Tales from the Void, I really became enamoured with the idea of playing a role in a gritty thriller feature. The sets and costumes were so well done and really helped me understand how I could use those things to inform how I was feeling in the scenes.

We flew up to Sault Ste. Marie to shoot that, which is near where my mom is originally from. She actually knew people in common with some of the crew.

We also got to film out in the woods and it was my first time doing something like that as well so that was very exciting. And I had that same experience of really getting to be informed by the environment as an actor.

I wish I could play Abigail all over on a larger scale because her character is so complex and I really enjoyed the creepy result. What a fun genre 🙂

Toby Poser and John Adams directed me in this and they were wonderful to work with. They treated me so well and are really into the genre so it’s like learning about filmmaking while you’re working as an actor. They were very collaborative with me as well and made me feel very safe and supported in all the weirdness that was the story and the sets!

Also an experienced voice actor, you voice Arugula in Carl the Collector, what is this series like to record for?

Voicing Arugula is a very sweet experience. An empathetic twin bunny rabbit, her soft nature is so adorable and the concept of this series is amazing. Carl is an autistic raccoon, so the show is created especially for young children who need this representation and guidance and the whole team is so invested and caring. I really hope that people enjoy our series. We recorded Season 1 for about a year here in Toronto and wrapped in December. One super fun thing that happened while recording Carl was that I sometimes got to play with the cutest puppy named Hugo! I really miss getting to play Arugula every couple of weeks and really hope we get to do some more! Also, set dogs!

What did you enjoy about voicing numerous characters in Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum?

When I was younger, voicing these bold women from history was so empowering but also a real learning experience about each of them: legends like Julia Child, Billie Jean King, Carol Burnett, Lucy Maud Montgomery, and Hedy Lamarr to name a few.

I am really proud to have gotten to play these amazing roles on a series that I feel very proud to be a part of.

I was directed by Susan Hart, who has so much experience. You learn so much recording with her and she really understood what I needed as a child actor to be able to do these roles. This was a lot of fun and I miss working on the show.

Across Series 8 and 9 of PAW Patrol, you played Emmy, what was the character like to voice and how did you feel finding out you’d be joining a hugely-popular long-running animated series?

Emmy was a very bratty character, and lots of fun to play but the really interesting thing about working on this was that my recording sessions took place at home in my parents’ closet during the pandemic. We built a sound booth because we had these ongoing jobs and everyone was scrambling to try and make it work. My parents still haven’t reclaimed their closet because we use the booth now to audition, create content, and my mom has even used it to record Foley for our projects.

Can you tell us about working on the Apple TV+ projects Snoopy Presents: It’s the Small Things, Charlie Brown (TV movie) as Lydia and Pinecone & Pony (series) as Fauna?

I am a longtime Peanuts fan, so joining the history of Charlie Brown was exciting, if only in a small way. Pinecone & Pony was also recorded during the pandemic in my parents’ closet/booth. The character was very fun and silly to play, since one of Fauna’s traits was the ability to speak with plants and animals in gibberish. So basically, I got to make funny sounds in a closet… what kid doesn’t love to do that?!

What are some of your further favourite highlights of your acting career so far, which has seen you have roles in series and films including The Boys, Little Bird, Blue’s Clues & You, Odd Squad and Abby Hatcher, Fuzzly Catcher?

One of my very favourite personal highlights of my career has been starring in my mom’s own short film, Little Bird. I was seven and it was my first leading role. Also, it was written for me! It was really special for us to get to work together. The story is a very human one where I got to play a feisty seven year old in the foster care system. Once we had that movie, we were able to use it for my demo and I think that really helped people trust that I could do this in bigger projects.

Working on The Boys was completely different than anything else I’ve ever done. They shut down an entire city block in Toronto on the day we were filming and there were so many background performers. There were four cameras shooting our scene at the same time, which was really cool. Also, my mom was sick on the day we shot so it was my dad chaperoning me which almost never happens so it was great to get to make some set memories with him as well. I got to meet the main characters and work with Homelander. Everything was very secretive because the Black Noir storyline wasn’t out yet so I don’t have any pictures! I didn’t know what any of it meant and I still really don’t because I’ve only ever watched my scene… my parents thought that was for the best.

Another unique highlight was performing as a Child Witch for the Canadian Opera Company’s production of Macbeth a couple of years ago.

It was an acting role, not a singing role, but I got to be with all the company in that beautiful theatre and the opera was directed by Sir David McVicar, who is kind of a big deal in the opera world!

How different do you find working on screen opposed to in voiceover, and how did you get into each?

Working on screen is quite different from working in voiceover. Voicework has more regular hours and you are not needed to be visually ‘ready’ to appear on camera so I get to wear very comfy clothes and don’t need makeup or hair! So long as your voice is warm and you have prepared your script, there is no line-learning needed.

I would say that working on camera is generally a much bigger commitment, and is a lot more unpredictable, scheduling and performance wise. It’s nice to have both in your life. I love the crazy hours and travel/adventure that comes with film and TV but it’s also great to have a bit of routine sometimes and catch up with schoolwork.

Both of my parents are in the industry and so I have been with Newton Landry (my agency here in Toronto) from a very young age. They represent film, TV, voice and theatre so I’ve been really lucky to get all different types of opportunities. When I was little, I was actually very shy, and so my parents decided it may be beneficial for a little while, not expecting me to find my passion! Now I have a second agency, Coast to Coast, representing me in the US. I’m feeling very lucky to have had all of these opportunities starting at a young age.

Do you have any favourite films and TV shows to watch, and what do you enjoy doing away from acting?

I couldn’t possibly list all of my favourites, but here are 10 things I absolutely love: Thelma & Louise, The Shawshank Redemption, The Fugitive, Forrest Gump, Steel Magnolias, The Bodyguard, Misery, The Green Mile, Pretty Woman, Breaking Bad/Better Call Saul.

I love to read and write. I am a brown advanced belt in karate and am preparing to test for my black belt (hopefully this fall)! This year I got my first pair of pointe shoes and am doing pointe prep in my ballet class – just a few minutes per class to build up to it but I love doing it. Also, I just started cantering in my horseback riding lessons so it’s been a very exciting time!

What are you hoping this year brings for you, and do you have any upcoming projects that you can share?

MANIFESTING HERE!!! I would love a juicy role in a feature film of either a drama or thriller genre. 🤞🤞🤞

Also, my family and I are developing a feature film based on a very special story and we are really excited to get it off the ground. Of course, there may be a lead role in it for me as well!

And just a last note, I wanted to say thank you for asking me to do this interview. It’s been really fun reliving all of these projects. I love what I do and I feel so lucky to get to do it and I also love getting to talk about it! Thank you so much!

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