Kat Sandler’s play, Yaga , is a retelling of the legend of Baba Yaga, the Slavic supernatural figure who eats children’s bones. The supernatural thriller is now a TV series starring Carrie-Anne Moss, Noah Reid, and Clark Backo. But the casting that has generated the strongest buzz is Hudson Williams , the star of Heated Rivalry.
In a conversation with Hindustan Times ahead of Yaga’s India premiere, Kat acknowledges Hudson’s role in popularising the show and says it allowed them to go bigger while addressing relevant issues.
On Hudson Williams’ impact on the show
There were reports of stagings of the play selling out due to the TV series after Hudson was announced as a cast member. Because he brought so many eyes to this project and that meant that we had the platform to discuss these bigger women’s issues, she says, “I’ll say it forever that I’m so thrilled that he signed on. Yaga is set in a small town where two detectives try to uncover the mystery behind the disappearance of a young man (played by Hudson). Since the show’s teaser dropped, the original play found new fans. Kat admits that ‘lot more people’ have now read the book. And Kat is only too thankful for that. She adds, “He’s the sweetest, smartest guy. He’s a great actor, and he showed up to work. He’s never been a diva even once, and he made the show sexier, bolder, and weirder. It’s been a joy to work with him, and I’m so grateful that he brought so many eyes to a project that is about women and women’s stuff.”
“Hudson signed on right when it was starting to become clear that Heated Rivalry and Hudson were going to be so huge,” she says. Calling Hudson ‘sweet’, Kat says he was never a ‘diva’ on set.
Kat reveals the actor was cast right around the time Heated Rivalry was taking off last year.
