Passion keeps Hamilton actor Ann Pirvu going

It’s going to be a pretty good Christmas for actress Ann Pirvu.

The 35-year-old East Hamilton resident has three film projects under his belt, including two vacation-themed films.

The first, Around Robin, had its Canadian premiere at the Hamilton Film Festival in November but is slated for a theatrical release and then a US streaming service.

The psychological thriller was filmed in Los Angeles before the pandemic. Clementine Nicholson plays a celebrity who receives threatening letters from a stalker. Pirvu plays a part of her inner circle that is dangerously obsessed with her.

Pirvu said the film was shot in an apartment, like a play by Canadian director Peter Meech – the camera rolled on 20-minute scenes. She described the project as immersive.

“I lived in space and worked in space,” said Pirvu. “You found different levels in your character because it was such an intense experience.”

A Tiny Home Christmas premieres on W Network on December 11th. Pirvu has a small role in the film, which is set in North Bay but was produced by her fiancé, Christopher Giroux.

But before that is “Undercover Holiday,” which debuted last Sunday (December 4) on the W Network and Hallmark Channel. Pirvu plays Margot, the best friend and assistant of Jaylen (Noemi Gonzales), an aspiring pop star who visits her hometown during the holidays with her handsome bodyguard (Stephen Huszar) while avoiding a stalker. The film was shot in Ancaster, Dundas and Brantford in October by director Bradley Walsh.

Pirvu said the film is “very different” from a regular Hallmark film, at least it has a Latino lead, but she calls it funny and heartwarming.

“The characters just jumped off the page once you read the script,” Pirvu said. “That was Dynamo. It was great. Everyone puts their heart and soul into it.”

Pirvu has had a varied career since she entered the film industry in 2005 when she directed her own feature film Pure Malice. She was in 12th grade. The film premiered at the Royal Tyrrell Museum in Edmonton and won a number of film festival awards.

Pirvu had hopes for a solid film career.

“My only goal was consistency,” she said. “Being able to work is one of the greatest fears of an actor. It’s difficult to navigate. Continuity of work cannot be taken for granted.”

Pirvu has been in everything from silly comedy to big drama. She is perhaps best known for her role as Nicole Toucet in “Reign,” the story of Mary, Queen of Scots that was filmed in Toronto and Ireland and ran on the CW Network from 2013 to 2017.

But she has been in children’s shows (Odd Squad), comedies (Total Frat Movie (2016), sitcoms (Workin’ Moms) and had one starring role (Jane in 2020’s Learning to Love Again). She also voiced Iceolina in the animated series Totally Spies and appeared in Global’s medical TV drama Remedy (2014-2016).

Pirvu was born in Romania and came to Canada in 1997. Her parents, Lucian and Mirela, were both electrical engineers. Her family first arrived in Toronto but eventually moved to Edmonton.

Pirvu said she always wanted to be an actress or do documentaries.

“I love people and their stories,” she says. “I was fascinated.”

She graduated from Ryerson University’s journalism program in 2009. It was her backup plan in case acting didn’t work out. Two projects are planned for 2023, the thrillers “A Dangerous Romance” and “The Path of Totality”.

“I feel fortunate to have found longevity and what drives her is pure passion for the craft,” said Pirvu. “Once I established myself, I never doubted that I would have a long life.”

Pirvu and Giroux moved to Hamilton from Toronto in 2020 and got engaged this summer. You have no regrets about coming to the hammer.

“The amazing thing was discovering the vibrant art scene,” added Pirvu. “You have everything.”

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