‘Ottawa’ Canuck Star Sugar Lyn Beard Finally Gets Her Sweet Ending
The odds of making it as an actor in Hollywood are staggering. And with a dearth of roles for women, it’s even harder for actresses. But Sugar Lyn Beard beat the odds.
In 2008, the one-time television host abandoned a cozy gig at YTV to take on Tinseltown. Now with a critically-praised part in the new comedy Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates, she’s not only landed a starring role (opposite Zac Efron), she’s stealing scenes.
“Until I actually became really close to booking the part, I didn’t even read the whole movie,” laughed the squeaky-voiced Scarborough-native about Jeanie, the put-upon bride/sister of two brothers who place an online ad to attract companions for the ceremony. “I’ve been out here a long time and you learn to cope with auditioning; I got to the point where I was realistic about what was a possibility for me (but) with Jeanie, I understood who she was immediately.”
Beard may have identified with the high-strung bride but what she didn’t initially realize was that her funniest sequence involved a raunchy erotic bum-on-bum massage — a cinematic spectacle that even lead veteran critic Pete Hammond to offer a special “shout-out to Beard, who is really game for anything.”
“I can’t tell you how comfortable and fun it was,” insisted Beard, who admits nudity and comedy naturally intertwine. “Although by the end of the day, the studio felt so bad for me, they paid for an actual massage with a real professional to make up for the ass-job that I got.”
After several years coveting minor roles in movies like Aloha and TV series like Weeds, Beard deserved that studio spa day, even as she anticipates her bright future with upcoming animated comedy Sausage Party and a series she’s developing with Seth Rogen. Perhaps more so, she’s proud her star is finally on the rise — a dream she never let go.
“I’m not going anywhere,” stated Beard, offering a bit of advice to Canadian actors thinking of heading to Hollywood.
“We have the best place to go back to and if you want to chase your dream out here, it’s so important to always remind yourself that the alternative is amazing.”