Carrie-Anne Moss stars as Katherine Hargrove in the Crave mystery thriller Yaga, streaming on AMC+ in the United States. In exclusive interviews with TV Insider and Radio Times, the veteran actress revealed that working with intimacy coordinator Amanda Cutting for the first time shifted her perspective on a professional role she was initially hesitant to embrace.
The Bottom Line
- Carrie-Anne Moss admitted she was initially resistant to using an intimacy coordinator while shooting Yaga because she had never worked with one during her decades-long career.
- The eight-episode contemporary mystery thriller, inspired by the Baba Yaga myth, releases weekly episodes on AMC+ through December 4.
- Co-star Noah Reid and series creator Kat Sandler are also associated with the production.
How the Baba Yaga Myth Shaped Katherine Hargrove
Reimagining Slavic folklore in a modern coastal town, Yaga draws inspiration from the legendary figure of Baba Yaga. Prior to landing the role, Moss told TV Insider that she was coincidentally revisiting Clarissa Pinkola Estés’ book Women Who Run With the Wolves, which explores aging and mythology, while researching for her website Annapurna Living. When the script arrived, she connected the character of Katherine Hargrove directly to those archetypes.
Carrie-Anne Moss speaks on working with Hudson Williams on YAGA via @IGN !“My sons are close in age to Hudson. I mean that's what you do as an actor, right? I mean you're comfortable with that, but at the same time I was respectful of that too.” “I could be his mom. And if you… pic.twitter.com/v6bTvJAMvN”
Katherine is described as a smart and sexy professor who maintains total control over a cat-and-mouse dynamic with local men. That includes private investigator Charlie Rapp, played by Canadian-American actor Noah Reid. In the series’ opening episodes, which debuted on October 23, Moss and Reid share a charged first meeting at a bar that ultimately pauses at flirtation before deeper intimacy develops in later installments.
Overcoming Hesitation Around Intimacy Coordination
Despite taking on a character with an active sex life, Moss acknowledged to Radio Times that she is typically private regarding on-screen intimacy. Calling herself “old school,” she admitted she did not understand the necessity of intimacy coordinators before production began. However, working alongside coordinator Amanda Cutting and assistant Phay Moores altered her view entirely, leading her to compare the role to a traditional fight coordinator.
Moss clarified to TV Insider that she did not feel she needed personal protection on set, but rather appreciated having an expert evaluate camera angles to ensure the finished scenes looked authentic and comfortable for the actors. Co-star Clark Backo, who plays Sergeant Carson, noted to Radio Times that having female leadership and input on the creative team helped ensure female sexuality was represented through an authentic lens rather than a purely conventional gaze.
| Production Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Platform | AMC+ (United States) / Crave |
| Release Schedule | First two episodes out October 23; weekly through December 4 |
| Key Cast | Carrie-Anne Moss, Noah Reid, Clark Backo, Hudson Williams |
Embarrassment Practice and the Tone of Yaga
For Noah Reid, portraying the womanizing private investigator Charlie Rapp involved tackling a high volume of intimate sequences that pushed him out of his comfort zone. Reid told Radio Times that performing those moments felt like embarrassment practice on steroids, requiring significant humor and trust between the cast members.
With episodes rolling out weekly on Fridays ahead of the finale on December 4, the series continues to unfold its blend of ancient magic, a missing persons case involving heir Henry Park, and a pulp rom-com detective dynamic.
Inside Katherine and Rapp’s Encounters
She did a really good job, and I thought that it did really help,
the Memento star says. Moss admits I’m not someone who is comfortable shooting scenes like that.
She notes that Kat Sandler intended for there to be sexual scenes with older women. Speaking about the bar sequence, Moss tells us Noah’s a great actor,
admitting that there was a lot of anticipation
around it.
