With over ten years as a leading actor in the Canadian film and television industry, Anthony Lemke has been a part of many series including The Listener, 19-2 and Lost Girl just to name a few. Most recently, he can be seen in a leading role on the hit sci-fi series Dark Matter on Space TV Canada, now filming its second season. We had a chance to talk to Anthony while he was at Toronto Comic Con promoting Dark Matter.

You’ve done a lot of work in television. Was that by choice or more where the work led you?

Anthony: This is Canada, it’s the best place to make a career. I mean, we have very strong television industry and because it travels worldwide you can support your family doing it, it’s about that simple. But I’ll be honest with you, when I first landed my first television gig way back when I fell in love with it. So I’m happy that this is where you can make a living in this industry, a good living, but it also happens to be something that I really, really love. I love the immediacy of it, I love the challenge of quickly finding a character, doing it once and then moving on, I love it.

You are one of many main characters on Dark Matter. Was there ever a worry that the group of actors wouldn’t gel together during filming?

Anthony: For sure, you never know. You just show up with these folks and it’s like the first day of grade nine, li ke I don’t know, is anyone going to like me, am I going to l like anyone, am I going to find a friend? It’s a little bit like that on television sets period, that’s just the way it is, you’re always making new friends and then leaving and then making new friends again. But this one, you could be with these people for three or four years, I hope we are, and we’re lucky that everyone kind of gelled, everyone’s got the personality, we’re not all the same by any means but we’ve got personalities that work well together. So I think there was a little bit of worry and trepidation and exploration in the beginning, I think on everyone’s part but no, it worked out great and we’re all super happy to see each other for a second season.

Can you tell me a little bit about the charity you’re involved with, Handicap International?

Anthony: Yeah, Handicap International is an organization that I feel really fortunate to be a part of. They help people living with disabilities in conflict zones and areas of natural disasters where often there is no health system in place to reintegrate into their normal lives. They’re involved with many countries around the world, about sixty, and they spoke to me personally because my mother in law was born in a DP camp and my father had to flee during the Second World War. They were lucky enough to make it out unscathed but lots of folks aren’t and you can see that in the Syrian conflict now. It’s an organization that has deep, deep roots in helping folks, the most vulnerable in society and to me that was a real honor when that relationship started to gel.

I want to thank Anthony for taking time out of his busy schedule to talk with us