Leishe Meyboom is taking flight in Season 4 of SkyMed. The Locke & Key actress joins the hit Canadian medical drama as rookie flight nurse Piper Adler, bringing new energy to the high-stakes world of air ambulance medicine. The fourth season premiered on May 21 on Paramount+, continuing to follow a team of medics and pilots as they navigate emergencies across remote regions of Northern Canada.
We spoke with Leishe about joining an established cast, preparing for the show’s intense medical and stunt sequences, and what she hopes audiences take away from the new season.
What was it like joining a cast that had already established itself over three seasons?
Leishe: Well, the good thing was that a bunch of us were new, so that made it feel a lot safer. You’re joining with a whole bunch of new people, so it was exciting because we all got to bring new characters [to life], new energy, new vibes,. But also, there’s characters on the show that people love so much, so that’s also intimidating, because you want to make sure that people are going to love you just as much.
What was it like for you to read through the scripts, see all the drama and different cases unfold on the page, and then watch it all come to life once you got on set?
Leishe: It was really exciting, because the energy of the show is so [great]. It’s sexy, it’s exciting, it’s dramatic, and Julie Puckrin, our show runner, always brings a level of excitement to it, but also intensity. You really want to stay loyal to the situations of [the real] people who are actually flight nurses and make sure you’re doing that scene properly and using the right vocabulary, so that’s nerve wracking. But it also creates a really big adrenaline rush, because you want to make sure you’re being true to the world you’re in, and also you’re shooting in these really tiny planes, like actual set planes. Everything’s so intimate and adds [another layer] to the series.
What was the preparation process like for you before stepping into the role?
Leishe: Well, week one, we did some medical rehearsal just to figure out how to put gloves on. We had this big dummy that we worked with [to practice] needle injections. So that was intimidating, because [I am] not a medical professional. Also, on our first week, there were a lot of stunts involved. John Stead was our director for the first episode and was also our stunt choreographer, and he definitely gave us some challenging things [to work on] in the the first week.
We shot eight episodes in three months, so it went [by really fast]. But in a lot of ways that is the best, because you’re not overthinking your choices, you’re not overthinking yourself or your capabilities. I think we made a really cool product out of it, and the chemistry between everyone is pretty remarkable.
How excited are you for audiences to finally experience the episodes?
Leishe: I’m really excited. I’m also really nervous, because I feel like it’s really vulnerable. You’re showing a lot of yourself, and I tried to bring as much of my own self to it, as much as you’re playing a character, you only really know your own life experiences.
How different is your experience on SkyMed compared to past projects you’ve worked on, especially joining the show in season four?
Leishe: The similarities [were] that it’s ensemble casts, so you are trying to support [the] other actors as much as you can. The difference, though, with [SkyMed] is it has this intensity to it in terms of the medical world that you’re in, so that was a bit different for me in terms of my prep, and I really had to trust that like, it’s okay, you’re not a real doctor.
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Season 4 of SkyMed is streaming on Paramount+.
Follow Leishe Meyboom: Instagram