Former Toronto actress/radio host/comic Carla Collins says the decision to leave Canada for Hollywood was easy. It was in every newspaper.
“The word omnipresent and ubiquitous was in front of my name in a thousand newspaper articles,” remembered Collins in an interview at Toronto’s new burlesque club Jezebels.
“‘The ubiquitous Carla Collins’ it said. It was like they were tired of me. So sometimes it’s good to go away. Though I hope they call me that in the states. That’d be wonderful.”
It hasn’t happened yet, though not for lack for trying. As the new series Carlawood (Starting Sunday on TVtropolis) makes it clear — don’t get in Collins’ way. She’s one ambitious gal.
Based out of a small apartment in Malibu, Carlawood follows Collins as she attempts to make her mark in the competitive world of acting and comedy.
“I tend to screw up my life whenever I’m comfortable,” she says. “I wanted to challenge myself. Play with the bigger, better tennis players. I love the adventure of it all.”
As a show, Carlawood has the trappings of your usual reality show as Carla’s pursuit of success leads to odd situations and odder Hollywood characters. Still, it’s more documentary in tone; a bit more grounded in real life.
“It’s not a train wreck show. I think it’s relatable to people. You can’t set stuff up. Folks are way too sophisticated for that.”
Joining Carla on camera is her husband/actor Tyrone Power Jr., son of the Hollywood icon (Blood and Sand, Nightmare Alley). He remembers his first meeting with Carla as a tense experience.
“We had a mutual friend who said ‘You have to come and see this one-woman comedy show,’” recalls Power.
“And I said don’t make me go. If it’s awful, there’s only one woman in the cast and I have to meet her after the show. But 30 seconds in, I knew she was great. Funny, charming, intelligent and gorgeous.”
As for her career beyond this show, Carla is busy. She’s done a couple of TV pilots and has a feature in development.
“They have preconceived notions in L.A. They like to categorize you. But once they start getting you and get who you are, then you start getting the calls.”
Debut nears
• Carlawood premieres Sunday at 9 p.m. (ET/PT) on TVtropolis.
