Dress by Greta Constantine
Jewelry by Cartier

Kathleen Robertson is a Canadian actress who has built a decades-long career across film and television, taking on diverse roles both on-screen and behind the scenes. In her latest projects, including Season 4 of Reacher, Tracker, and Blessed Sacrament, Robertson continues to explore new characters and creative opportunities. As she sat down with PhotoBook, Robertson discussed the distinct women she portrays in Reacher and Tracker, her creative vision for Blessed Sacrament, and the professional evolution of her career. From playing Elspeth Sampson, a politically active woman devoted to her husband and his career, to Maxine, a high-powered attorney embracing dating and a new chapter in her life, Robertson continues to find the humanity in every character she embodies. She also opens up about stepping into the multifaceted roles of writer, creator, producer, showrunner, and actor for Blessed Sacrament, while reflecting on her career's longevity and her passion for creating work that brings people together.

You’ve been acting for quite some time, starting with Beverly Hills, 90210. Looking back on your career, how has your approach to taking on a role changed over the years?

I’m not sure it has, to be honest. I still approach every project from a place of curiosity. I try never to judge my characters. I try to find their humanity. I try not to simply play myself, but to really embody them and figure out their life trajectory and how they move through the world.

As you prepare to bring Blessed Sacrament to audiences, what are you most looking forward to about this new chapter?

The editing process (laughs). I genuinely love every step of the creation process. I love writing. I love creating looks for each character. I love working on music. I love picking locations. I obviously adore casting and working with actors. I love collaborating with the Director of Photography and finding a unique, interesting visual language. This is a show I have wanted to make for quite some time. I’m really excited to share it with the world.

Dress and Jacket by Greta Constantine
Jewelry by Cartier

You’re joining Season 4 of Reacher while also appearing in Tracker. What drew you to each of these characters, and how have the two experiences been different from one another?

My kids joke that I only take on roles in shows that end in “-er.” Reacher is such a global phenomenon, and it’s been so fun to see people’s reactions to the new season. I play Elspeth Sampson, who is married to Congressman John Sampson. They are an unconventional political couple who move through the world as one singular unit. She deeply loves him and also has no problem being his fiercest advocate and advisor. In Tracker, I play Maxine, a high-powered attorney at the top of her game. I primarily work with Fiona Rene, who is fantastic and so much fun. Both shows have such incredible built-in fan bases. People genuinely love them both, so it’s incredibly satisfying to be working on two shows that have reached so many people internationally

Both Tracker and Reacher have different dynamics, from their audiences to their characters. Do those differences influence the way you approach and portray each character?

I would say my role in Tracker is much lighter, and the storyline has more levity. Maxine is recently separated and dating, and she is at a point in her life where she’s looking for lightness and fun, whereas Elspeth is in a completely different environment and world. The stakes are much higher, and she has an incredible amount of responsibility. So, yes, I would say those differences influence how I approach and portray each character.

Working on projects like Swimming with Sharks, where you were a producer, writer, and creator, what did you find most rewarding about being involved in the creative process?

Watching incredible actors like Kiernan Shipka, Diane Kruger, and Donald Sutherland embody characters that you created is pretty high up there. Creating a world and assembling the amazing creative team we had was really rewarding.

With Reacher, Tracker, and Blessed Sacrament each bringing something different to the screen, what are you most excited to explore with each of these projects?

Well, creating and showrunning are completely different from simply acting in someone else’s show. Both have their positives and challenges. Every job is a new opportunity and experience, and I enjoy learning. I started acting when I was 10 years old, and I still learn something new on every job I do.

Outfit by Vintage Michael Kors Collection
Jewelry by Cartier

Having experience both acting in projects developed by others and creating your own work, how does your perspective as a writer and producer influence the roles you portray in projects like Tracker and Reacher?

Well, I try to keep them very separate. I’m not there to rewrite or solve production issues, so I show up, do my job, and go home. It’s quite liberating, actually (laughs).

When you look back at the beginning of your career, what do you think would surprise your younger self most about what you’ve accomplished and where you are today?

Nobody in my family is in the entertainment industry. I was raised in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, which is essentially the Canadian Pittsburgh. It’s not lost on me how fortunate I am and how incredible it is that somehow I’ve had the career that I’ve had. I weirdly feel like I’m just getting started! Longevity in the entertainment industry is very rare. People come and go, and so many actors that I started out with are no longer in the industry. So, I’m very, very grateful.

**Left:**
Jacket by Greta Constantine
Jewelry by Cartier
**Right:**
Outfit by Vintage Michael Kors Collection

Blessed Sacrament is a project you developed and will star in, produce, and write. What has been the most rewarding part of bringing your own vision to life while managing so many different aspects of the series?

It’s all pretty rewarding. Right now, we are in preproduction, so I am hiring directors, actors, and all the heads of department. I always have 1 million notes on my app, tracking things like color palettes, songs, and wardrobe ideas for certain characters. I will wake up in the middle of the night with some random, tiny detail that I think would make a cool, weird, funny scene, and I will jump up and write it down. It’s quite amazing to have an idea, write it down, and then find yourself on set with 150 people, all executing something you wrote on a random Tuesday in the middle of the afternoon while wearing your sweatpants.

What has been the most memorable part of your experience working on Tracker?

Justin and Fiona have been incredibly welcoming to me. We filmed last season in Vancouver, and this season is in Los Angeles, so I know the crews in Los Angeles are very grateful to have a big, successful show filming there, given how much the industry has struggled there over the past few years. It’s always fun to shoot in LA.

What was it like joining such an established series and immersing yourself in the world of Reacher?

People are so obsessed with that show. It’s pretty incredible. Alan is a true star in every way, a wonderful scene partner: funny and self-deprecating. The showrunner, Nick Santora, is fantastic, as is the rest of the creative team. It was one of the easiest, most chill sets I’ve ever been on.

What do you think Reacher fans will enjoy most about the upcoming season?

I’m sure of the stunts! No, I think this season is the best of all of them. The writing is fun and sharp. The characters are interesting and specific. We filmed in Washington and Toronto, and it is a totally wild ride. Audiences are going to lose their shit over it.

What do you hope audiences take away from your characters in Tracker and Reacher?

With everything I do, I’m always looking to, of course, entertain people and help them escape from their lives; to make people think a little differently about things or how they fit into the world. With everything I write and do creatively, I hope to make people feel a little less alone. We’re all connected and more alike than we are different. I think that’s the big-picture hope and dream for all artists.

CREW CREDITS:
Talent: Kathleen Robertson
PhotoBook Editor-In-Chief: Alison Hernon
PhotoBook Creative Director: Mike Ruiz
Photographer: Gabor Jurina at Creative Management
Fashion Director: Zeina Esmail at P1M
Sittings Editor: Kristyn Mathews
Hair: Cia Mandarello at P1M
Makeup: Viktor Peters at P1M
Beauty Assistant: Alan Ovalles
Digi Tech: Jenna MacDermaid
Tearsheets by Daniel Lopez, Art Director, PhotoBook Magazine
Interview by Ali Rosoff, Contributor, PhotoBook Magazine

Kathleen Robertson: The Power of Every Role