Life, death and drama at 20-thousand feet — that’s what you’ll find in a typical episode of SkyMed. The beloved medical adventure-drama series is back in full force for Season 2, reintroducing more fun characters like Reese, a charming young pilot from Season 1. I had the privilege of chatting with actor Ryan Ali, who plays Reese, about his expanded role in SkyMed Season 2, audience expectations, Reese’s arc, what’s on the horizon and more.
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This interview is condensed for length and clarity.
Melody McCune: We at Geek Girl Authority love a good origin story. How did you get into acting?
Ryan Ali: It’s been a lot of different volumes so far, and it keeps expanding, which is always fun as an actor. I was born in Syria in the Middle East, and then my family and I immigrated to Montreal when I was three. I went back to Syria for high school.
Then, when I turned 18, I moved back to Montreal. That’s when I finally felt like I could make decisions for myself and see where I wanted to take things. My passion for acting came at a young age, but coming from an immigrant family, they didn’t have the resources for me to follow my heart and do what I wanted to do. So, that’s why it became essential for me to do things I enjoyed, and acting was part of that. I took my first acting class, and I’ve been building on that ever since.
MM: Let’s talk about SkyMed. Can you tell me what it’s about and how you got involved with the project?
RA: SkyMed is a medical drama on CBC and Paramount+. It follows pilots and nurses who fly air ambulances. Our show typically follows patients from the accident scene to the hospital, but not beyond that. It really just follows their journey. I got to come in at the end of Season 1 last year, and people got a glimpse of my character, Reese. I was excited when they asked me to come back for Season 2 because there’s a lot more story to tell with this character.
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MM: How does Reese fit into this story?
RA: Typically, when you’re a pilot fresh out of flight school, you try to gain flight hours at different places. One of the things people do is fly those medivacs in the north, let’s say in Canada. When you join an airport crew, you might not start as a pilot immediately, so you must start as a ground crew member at the airport. That’s how we get introduced to Reese in Season 1.
This season, though, he finally joins the ranks of his flightmates and becomes one of the pilots. He becomes a first officer, and that’s the season’s storyline, getting to see him navigate the dynamics already established and find his place.
MM: What can audiences expect when they watch this season?
RA: Expect the unexpected. We see many characters we grew to love in Season 1, but we see them in entirely different situations. When that happens, you tend to see characters in a different light than you have before. You get to know them better, but it might also surprise you.
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MM: Do you share any similarities with your character?
RA: Quite a few. When they wrote my character Reese for Season 1, it was left pretty open-ended — intentional from the writers because they wanted to see who would play the part. Then, we had a break between seasons, so they got to know me quite a bit in that period. Many things that made it onto the show to establish my character are based on me, which is awesome. It feels exciting and like I can show that side of myself on TV, which I haven’t done before.
They also made the character Arab, which meant a lot to me because there are few roles for Middle Eastern people. The fact that they made this character my ethnicity … another thing I’ve been trying to do as an actor is bring more representation. This is a great way to do that.
MM: Describe Season 2 using three words.
RA: Juicy. Thrilling. Flirty.
MM: You also have a new film making the festival rounds, Queen Tut. Can you tell me what it’s about and how you got involved?
RA: Queen Tut was my first lead role in a feature film. We filmed it last year, so it was in between Season 1 and 2 of SkyMed. It’s a coming-of-age story about this young Egyptian man who, after the passing of his mother, moves from Cairo to Toronto. He discovers the drag queer scene in Toronto, and his life completely changes from there. That was a very meaningful project for me.
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There’s something that happens as an actor when you go from having a few scenes here and there in a show to being in a feature film where you’re needed every day. You have more creative choices and a voice in those environments. That was one of the most enriching experiences of my life.
MM: What’s your favorite part of the acting process?
RA: All of it. I love reading the script for the first time. I love analyzing the script and diving deeper into it. And I love being on set. If I were to pick one, it would probably be the family environment and the bonds you create on a film set. I find it’s one of the most unique environments I’ve ever come across. You get to know so many people and work closely with them. It builds a community. That’s definitely one of my favorite parts.
MM: What else is on the horizon for you, career-wise?
RA: As we speak, I’m packing up my life and moving to LA.
MM: Congratulations!
RA: Thank you. I spent the summer in Los Angeles and officially decided to move there. I still see myself working in Toronto quite a bit, but I enjoyed my time there. I feel it’ll be a good place to grow my body of work. That’s been a project in and of itself.
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MM: Have you watched anything interesting lately?
RA: I finally caught up on The Bear. That was incredible. Barbie and Oppenheimer. And a bunch of HBO series. I like what HBO has been doing.
MM: Name your top five favorite films.
RA: Everything Everywhere All at Once. The Harry Potter films. Barbie. Oppenheimer. Call Me by Your Name.
MM: Thank you so much for chatting with me, Ryan!
RA: Thank you, Melody!
You can follow Ryan on Instagram (@ryanali23) and Twitter (@ryanali23). SkyMed Season 2 airs new episodes every Sunday at 9 pm on CBC. Season 1 is now streaming on Paramount+.
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What I do: I'm GGA's Managing Editor, a Senior Contributor, and Press Coordinator. I manage, contribute, and coordinate. Sometimes all at once. Joking aside, I oversee day-to-day operations for GGA, write, edit, and assess interview opportunities/press events.
Who I am: Before moving to Los Angeles after studying theater in college, I was born and raised in Amish country, Ohio. No, I am not Amish, even if I sometimes sport a modest bonnet.
Bylines in: Tell-Tale TV, Culturess, Sideshow Collectibles, and inkMend on Medium.
Critic: Rotten Tomatoes, CherryPicks, and the Hollywood Creative Alliance.
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