“Yaga”: Sam Krochmal is Ready for His Closeup [THS Interview]

All the World’s a Stage

There’s an old Tinsel Town saying that it takes 10 years to be an overnight success. It honors the hundreds of actors who have spent their young adult lives in search of their big break. The idealistic view of the “overnight sensation” or the star who was “discovered” in a small town are now heralded as hopeful folktales that do nothing to speak to the reality of the hustle. These kids work hard and do what it takes to make a career out of their passion. It’s admirable, especially in an industry starved for authenticity and meaning in the face of AI, increased competition and corporate takeover. It’s a rare treat to see someone still inspired by the magic of Hollywood. 

Starring in the upcoming Crave/AMC+ series Yaga, Sam Krochmal is a young actor hailing from the picturesque Edmonton in Alberta Canada. He’s been enchanted by the arts since childhood and spent his 20’s honing his craft in front of and behind the camera. From writing, producing and starring in his own short films, Krochmal feels ready for new opportunities and the new opportunities are ready for him. He cut his teeth as comedy relief in projects like Upload (2025) and The Vince Staples Show (2025), and now we’ll see him flex his dramatic skills (though never without a touch of humor) in upcoming projects like Private Eyes: West Coast (2026) and Osgood Perkins’s The Young People (2026) alongside Nicole Kidman and Tatiana Maslany. 

Krochmal took time out of his busy TIFF schedule to sit down with That Hollywood Show. We sat down to talk about what makes up the young actor with stars in his eyes. Before arrival, there was an event at hotel Bisha across from us. Fan pits were installed and they were filled with hyped up fans ready to see the stars. 

Sam Krochmal: It’s so wild this week, TIFF is so busy. 

That Hollywood Show: I love stuff like that! I was wondering, “What is happening over there? Because I want to go! I want to know what’s happening!”

Krochmal laughs as we begin our interview. 

THS: Where are you from originally? 

SK: I’m from Edmonton, Alberta born and raised! I escaped when I was 18 and took a gap year in the UK because I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life. I ended up back in Vancouver shortly after and I knew I wanted to pursue film and television. 

THS: What was the first role that made you feel like an actor? 

SK: It’s funny because I feel like it was a role that wasn’t necessarily any big network film or TV gig.

THS: It doesn’t need to be that to be influential. 

SK: Yeah! In 2024 I wrote, produced and starred in a short film called DTF? (2024) which is this raunchy coming of age story. 

The Crazy8’s program in British Columbia produced the film. The program is an amalgamation of a film mentorship program and film festival. Krochmal pitched to the program and was selected as one of the final 6 pitches out of hundreds. Once selected, participants are given funding and then get to make a movie. 

SK: There were so many moments in that process where I had to just do it. I had to affirm myself – believe that I’m capable and I think there was a lot of growth and defeating some of the impostor syndrome I was feeling during the process. I’m sure it’s relatable for a lot of artists where you feel like you can’t do something until all of a sudden – you do it!

THS: I can imagine that’s validating. 

SK: Yeah, I was like, that wasn’t actually that hard! Especially when you surround yourself with the right people in the right seats. None of this can be done by yourself, you need the support, so the project kind of signified – not only a shift in my self confidence and journey as an artist, but also, I think the door was cracked open that got the ball rolling in terms of more opportunities.  

THS: Do you find that you’ve pulled more towards acting, writing, a mixture? 

SK: I’ve fallen in love with writing! There’s so much on the industry acting side that feels so out of your control. I think there’s important autonomy that you feel when you’re able to write and create your own thing. 

THS: The ability to say, I wanna do this thing; I’m gonna do it. 

SK: Right! I have creative control over it and at the end of it, I have a product. I think that’s really special. Also, just the collaboration of working with people who become your colleagues and friends.

Naturally, we had to ask about Deputy Billy Granger, Krochman’s character in Yaga. Based on the stageplay by Kat Sandler, Yaga is a modern interpretation of the “baba yaga” folklore. Her house stands on chicken feet and is surrounded by a fence of human bones. At its center, the baba yaga is embodied by two witchy faces – one is repulsive and ferocious while the other is approachable and even nice. Starring Carrie Anne Moss, Noah Reid, Clark Backo and Hudson Williams, the show is sleek, stylish and sexy. The Crave family is tight knit as the show also features Heated Rivalry’s Nadine Bhabha as story editor. 

THS: How did you even become aware of the project?

SK: The audition came across my desk and it happened to catch me in a very chaotic time in my life. I was moving and it was one of the last auditions of the year – like really close to the holidays. I was thinking I didn’t have time for it, but it happened to be a script which gave me the luxury of playing close to myself. There’s always some technique or morphing that needs to happen, but Billy felt very familiar. Once I was onboarded, Kat spoke to me and said as soon as she saw the tape she said, That’s our Billy! And I felt the same way.

THS: Billy is so fun because you can tell he’s a small-town deputy, but it seems as though it was just something for him to do because there wasn’t anything else for him to do. 

SK: Yeah, it’s like, get a job here or get a job in the pie shop. 

THS: Or the fishery! He kind of develops a hero worship with [Detective] Charlie Rapp (Noah Reid). Tell me what it was like working with Noah to develop that little/older brother relationship? 

From his first moment’s onscreen, Reid imbues Charlie with an effortless approachability that mixes bravado with just enough self-efacing. He’s calculating and friendly and a complete magnet to Billy’s naivety. 

SK: Yeah, it was so fun! I think art imitates life a little bit – working with Noah I felt a little like, “Wow, this is a really cool, seasoned actor.” It was just so rewarding to watch him work, I mean, all these people – Clark Backo, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hudson Williams – there’s an ease to their work because they have accumulated so many reps doing it. So I think, honestly, a lot of the dynamic of the characters just came from me watching them work and being like, this is awesome!

THS: Did you find that there were times when you had to be word-perfect with the script or were you guys able to build in more comedic moments or improv as you went on? 

SK: I think the improv and finding new moments come from showing up really prepared. I think that was true across the board. I think Kat Sandler created a container for us that was so collaborative that it felt like we were all peers working together. That really allowed us to mine and find these little moments that maybe aren’t in the script but are really magic. Everyone showed up ready to work and that’s such a beautiful thing. 

THS: It does sound like a magical set, and you can see the passion on the screen through the performances. 

In addition to Sandler’s show running, episodes were co-directed by Rachel Talalay (Good Omens (2019) and Davide Frazee (Flashpoint 2008) for all 8 episodes. 

SK: Working with Rachel and David – paired with Kat Sandler’s oversight – there were lots of moments to mine stuff that wasn’t on the page while staying true to the story. The genre of mystery transcends – everyone loves a good mystery – it’s such a fun, captivating thing to watch. Also, shoutout to our DP Jaryl Lim. He not only shot the show beautifully, but with it shot in Victoria, he made it so moody and aesthetic. He did an excellent job of creating this mysterious, odd setting that plays into the mystery of the story. It’s gorgeous!

THS: A feast for the eyes and the mind. Along with that, tell us why people should watch Yaga? 

SK: What makes Yaga really special, dynamic, intriguing and captivating is that even though it’s in the mystery genre, it feels like the genre is constantly shifting under your feet. Kat has done a really beautiful job creating a show that leaves audiences feeling like they almost don’t know what type of show they’re watching and that creates the tension that holds audiences. It’s a little bit of dark mystery, a little bit of gritty, witchy magic and moments of comedy and levity. It touches on a lot of areas and I think that’s impressive and kind of unique in television. 

THS: It feels like not many people take risks, and this feels like a really cool risk. As you continue to navigate your career, what’s one thing that you were surprised to learn?

SK: In my early 20’s I really thought I knew what I was doing. I thought I knew how to be an actor and looking back I’m really reworking everything. I don’t know what I’m doing, but there’s an important lesson for me in there where I have to embrace being a little sh*tty before it starts looking nice. 

THS: There’s something to the idea of the unearned confidence of youth being needed to get you to the next step. 

SK: I look back on my early and mid-20’s with a little cringe sometimes because the work I did wasn’t my best, but it was the sh*t that led me to today where I’m feeling like the bread’s coming out of the oven fully baked. 

Yaga will premiere on Crave in Canada on October 23rd. In the US, the first 2 episodes will air on AMC+ followed by weekly releases on Fridays through November 27, 2026.

About “Yaga”

Starring Canadians Hudson Williams, Noah Reid, and Carrie-Anne Moss, this adaptation of Kat Sandler’s award-winning play unfurls the truth behind a mysterious disappearance in a small coastal town. – Source