Mae Martin teams with Toni Collette in first look at genre-bending horror-thriller Wayward (exclu...

&34;It's really like a lifelong passion project,&34; Martin says of the Netflix miniseries about Tall Pines Academy for troubled teens and its mysterious leader

"It's really like a lifelong passion project," Martin says of the Netflix miniseries about Tall Pines Academy for troubled teens and its mysterious leader.

Mae Martin teams with Toni Collette in first look at genre-bending horror-thriller Wayward (exclusive)

"It's really like a lifelong passion project," Martin says of the Netflix miniseries about Tall Pines Academy for troubled teens and its mysterious leader.

By Nick Romano

Nick is an entertainment journalist based in New York, NY. If you like pugs and the occasional blurry photo of an action figure, follow him on Twitter @NickARomano.

EW's editorial guidelines

Published on July 31, 2025 09:00AM EDT

Leave a Comment

Mae Martin as Alex Dempsey behind the scenes of 'Wayward'. Credit:

Michael Gibson/Netflix

A different kind of story has been brewing within Mae Martin for years, one that will feel like a major departure for anyone who's more used to the Canadian comic's stand-up routines.

*Wayward*, unveiled in **'s exclusive first-look photos and teaser (below), is an eight-episode Netflix miniseries that merges comedic elements with the horror-thriller genre. *Fargo*, *Get Out*, *One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest*, and *Rosemary's Baby* come up when Martin discusses influences for this story about the bucolic town of Tall Pines and the eccentric leader of the local school for troubled teens.

"As a teenager, my best friend got sent to a troubled teen institute," Martin, 38, shares with EW in a late July interview. "We grew up in Canada, and she was sent to the States. I was so shocked by the stories that she had about it when she came back and started researching that industry, which, especially at the time, was so unregulated and opaque and questionable in its practices. So even when I was about 20, I always knew that I wanted to write something about that industry and about adolescence and the way that we deal with troubled teens. It's really like a lifelong passion project."

'About a Boy' costars Toni Collette and Nicholas Hoult on reuniting for 'Juror #2'

Watch Toni Collette surprise 'Muriel's Wedding' fans, jam out to 'Dancing Queen' at special screening

Martin, who identifies as non-binary, is one of the rare LGBTQ+ TV creators who actually runs their own project as a co-showrunner and executive producer. (Ryan Scott is the other primary co-showrunner and EP.) They also lead the cast of *Wayward* as Alex Dempsey, a police officer who joins the local precinct when he and his pregnant wife, Laura (Sarah Gadon), move to Tall Pines. It's a place that's seductive on the surface from the residents' warm welcome and seemingly progressive nature, but it soon feels like something is off.

Alex is someone who's "yearning for acceptance and seduced by this fantasy of a normative nuclear family," Martin explains. "I definitely have felt that in my life. We deal with the question, How much are you willing to lose and sacrifice of yourself and your authenticity in order to get that community?"

Mae Martin as Alex Dempsey and Sarah Gadon as Laura Redman on 'Wayward'.

Michael Gibson/Netflix

Sydney Topliffe as Abbie and Alyvia Alyn Lind as Leila on 'Wayward'.

The peaceful facade quickly begins to unravel upon meeting Abbie (Sydney Topliffe) and Leila (Alyvia Alyn Lind), two students from Tall Pines Academy who are desperate to escape this facility, which is billed as an academic school for troubled youth. Investigating a series of unusual circumstances, Alex begins to suspect Evelyn (Toni Collette), the mysterious leader of the institution, might be at the center of all the problems that are rooted deep in this town.

"Evelyn is a powerful, intense, and mysterious figure in the town," Collette tells EW over email. "She runs Tall Pines Academy and has a lot of control over the community. We start the series not really understanding how or why she wields such authority, but as the story unfolds, so does the complex nature of Evelyn's history and purpose. I found her intimidating to play at first, but pulling apart the facade of Evelyn gave me so much to dig into. She's completely fascinating."

Toni Collette as Evelyn Wade on 'Wayward'.

Director Euros Lyn on set of 'Wayward' with Sarah Gadon, Toni Collette, and Mae Martin.

Michael Gibson/Netflix

Other prominent figures include Brandon Jay McLaren as Dwayne Andrews, Alex's partner on the force; Patrick J. Adams as Mr. Turner, Abbie and Leila's high school principal in Toronto; and John Daniel as Rory, another kid sent to Tall Pines Academy.

Patrick Gallagher, Gage Munroe, Byron Mann, and Mark McKinney will also appear in guest-starring roles.

Unlike much of Martin's comedy work, as well as their semi-autobiographical rom-com series *Feel Good *(also on Netflix), *Wayward* isn't based on their life, but there is a lot of Martin's personal experience baked into the miniseries.

Patrick J. Adams as Mr. Turner and Alyvia Alyn Lind as Leila on 'Wayward'.

Michael Gibson/Netflix

Sydney Topliffe as Abbie and John Daniel as Rory on 'Wayward'.

***Sign up for **'s free daily newsletter* *to get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more.***

The story begins in 2003 Toronto, where the actor and writer grew up as a troubled 16-year-old who smoked pot and skipped school. The production filmed just outside of the Canadian city where Martin lived as a teen, and some of the crew members even went to their high school around the same time. The musical tastes and vernacular of Abbie and Leila also come from that era of Martin's life.

"The specificity of that experience was really important to me," Martin notes, hoping that it all "feels unique and authored."

Mae Martin as Alex Dempsey and Brandon Jay McLaren as Dwayne Andrews on 'Wayward'.

Mae Martin as Alex Dempsey and Toni Collette as Evelyn Wade on 'Wayward'.

Michael Gibson/Netflix

And while there are horror elements to *Wayward*, which they point out "really escalates to darkness" at certain points and leaves viewers "deeply unnerved," "It's not oppressively dark or heavy or gloomy," Martin adds. "It's like there's a brightness to it and a levity." It's about walking that line between light and dark, which Martin firmly believes is true of our shared reality.

"It's something that, in pitching and developing, you often find yourself having to assert or defend, like, 'I promise this will work,'" they explain. "I don't have any set rule, but life is both terrifying and funny, especially with teenagers. If you put a teenager in a life-or-death situation, there's a chance they'll get the giggles, as well, especially if they're with their best friends. We're never shooting the joke. The joke is this sincerity of the characters and what they're feeling. It's making sure it's authentically character-driven. The funny moments are really funny, and the scary moments are really scary."

Sarah Gadon as Laura Redman on 'Wayward'.

Mae Martin as Alex Dempsey on 'Wayward'.

Michael Gibson/Netflix

*Wayward* will premiere Sept. 25 on Netflix. See the first look above.**

Original Article on Source

Source: "AOL TV"

Read More

---

Source: Astro Blog

Full Article on Source: Astro Blog

#LALifestyle #USCelebrities