Producer Christina Fon and Actress Brittany LeBorgne Talk About Mohawk Girls
Joining me for this episode of The Staffa Corner is Christina Fon, the producer of Mohawk Girls, along with one of the series stars, Brittany LeBorgne, who plays the sexually curious Zoe. Running for five seasons from 2014-2017, the Canadian series that premiered on OMNI Television is finding new life in the U.S. on the Peacock streaming service.
Developed by Tracey Deer and based on her 2005 documentary of the same name, Mohawk Girls is often described as “Sex in the City for Indigenous People.” The series follows the lives of Bailey (Jennifer Pudavick), Caitlin (Heather White), Zoe, and Anna (Maika Harper) as they navigate the ups and downs of life as a young women living on the Mohawk reserve of Kahnawake near Montreal.
Full disclosure, until days before the interview I’d never heard of the series. Initially, I had reservations, wondering if a show about four indigenous women in their 20s would have much entertainment value for an old white guy in his mid 40s. As I watched the first two seasons prior to the interview, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the series.
One of the things I found interesting was the subject of sexuality and the parallels it has to the girls' lives. Zoe, especially as she explores her sexuality, feels the pressure of how her community and even friends might judge her if they learned her secrets. As much as the show deals with sexual topics, it’s not at all gratuitous.
My biggest disappointment is realizing a white man crushing on Zoe and Bailey wouldn’t get very far with either of them because it’s frowned upon in their culture.
There’s an interesting cultural mix as many Mohawk traditions are kept while living in this modern world. As a viewer, you get to learn about the culture without it feeing forced,
While it likely wouldn’t have been on my radar had it not been for my podcast, Mohawk Girls is an entertaining show. Some of the infighting and bitchiness does take some getting used to but the characters treat their attitude almost like a game. Overall, I enjoyed learning about an indigenous group I was not aware of.
I want to thank Christine and Brittany for coming on The Staffa Corner Podcast and can’t wait to see what kind of trouble Zoe gets into during the rest of the series.
Check out Mohawk Girls on Peacock.