PURE - Ryan Robbins and Alex Paxton-Beesley Interview

It’s the world of Mennonites you’ve never seen before!

Pure, a new crime/drama series about the insular world of the Mennonite community and a pastor’s double life within it, debuts on WGN America in the U.S and Super Channel Fuse in Canada  on Jan. 23. Ryan Robbins and Alex Paxton-Beesley star as Noah and Anna Funk who have their hands full with the community and the corruption that surrounds them.

Canadians got a taste of Pure when it aired on the CBC in 2016. The show didn’t get renewed by the Network but has found love South of the Border on WGN America. The series, which has already shot it’s second season, takes us deep inside a closed, secretive subculture through the eyes of a conflicted, good-hearted man trying to protect his family and preserve his faith. Inspired by true events, Pure is the journey of Noah Funk (Robbins), a newly elected Mennonite pastor, who is determined to rid his community of the scourge of drugs and its nefarious ties to a trans-border smuggling alliance with ruthless Mexican cocaine cartels. Just when he thinks he's won, Noah and his wife Anna (Paxton-Beesley) are thrust headlong into a desperate world of violence, greed, and betrayal.

Pure also stars A.J. Buckley (SEAL Team, Murder in the First), Rosie Perez (Rise, Search Party), Peter Outerbridge (Taken, 12 Monkeys, The Expanse) and Gord Rand (Orphan Black). 

Ryan Robbins was most recently seen as a series lead on Sacred Lies. Some of Ryan’s feature film credits include supporting lead roles in Warcraft, The Shack,opposite Sam Worthington, and Life on the Line, opposite John Travolta. Ryan has appeared in countless guest starring television roles, most recently on the hit series The Good Doctor, Deadly Class and Snowpiercer. Previously, Robbins has also been seen as a guest star on notable series such as, The Killing, Arrow, Battlestar Galactica and Hell on Wheels. 

Alex Paxton-Beesley most recently starred in the second season of Cardinal. Alex first came to audiences’ attention for her role in Copper, which she followed with a recurring role on Guillermo del Toro’s series The Strain. Alex’s other film and television credits include Guilty at 17, The Good Witch, Murdoch Mysteries, Rookie Blue, Impulse, Suits, Flashpoint, The Firm, Minority Report and Christmas with Holly.

I spoke with my fellow Canadians Ryan Robbins and Alex Paxton-Beeseley via satellite from Los Angeles about this intriguing series and the challenges they faced making it.