Stephen McHattie tackles new but familiar role on ‘Essex County’

A prolific Maritime character actor continues to add to his impressive resume.

Stephen McHattie has earned more than 200 film and television credits in his more than 50 year acting career.

Now, McHattie wears a new hat in a limited series called “Essex County.”

Audiences may recognize him from shows like “Star Trek” or “Seinfeld.”

“I just remember how precise and demanding that kind of three-camera show is,” McHattie tells CTV Atlantic.

McHattie even won a Gemini award for his role on “Life with Billy,” a movie about a Nova Scotia woman navigating a violently abusive relationship.

“People would come up to me and say, ‘Oh, I hated you,” he recalled.

Born in Antigonish, McHattie enjoyed his formative years in Nova Scotia.

When asked about growing up in the Maritimes, McHattie responded, “Why’d I ever leave?”

“I still have family there and I have a little place there,” he added.

Much like where he grew up, McHattie’s new show “Essex County” is set in a small town.

The five-part limited series explores how loss, betrayal and trauma can transcend generations.

“’Essex County’ is a look at rural life in Ontario and the consequences of our actions,” he hinted.

McHattie plays uncle Lou, who lives with dementia and struggles with the ghosts of his past.

“Lou is a guy who was a good hockey player in his youth and did something that ruined his family, and is trying to make it better,” said McHattie.