Monarch’s Joshua Sasse teases Shania Twain’s guest appearance

All this created a true out-of-body experience for Sasse.

“My character calls her Shanaiya and she’s there fully clothed,” he said. “I don’t know if you’ll see it on camera, but I’m pissed because it’s Shania Twain! And I call her Shania! I was just giggling. That’s the great thing about this job. You can be in extraordinary circumstances.”

Of course, playing alongside Oscar winner Sarandon presented a completely different challenge, namely trying not to absorb her aura.

“She’s so fearless,” Sasse said of his co-star. “I felt like I was soaking up every little detail of this performance because it’s so delicate. Immediately she is completely relaxed. At that time, it conveys a huge amount of information with only the smallest turns and movements. It’s just like an internal masterclass.”