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www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Friday October 5, 2007 - 31 Artscene Oakville Beaver · FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2007 31 Little Mosque is big hit for Arlene Duncan By Krissie Rutherford OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF If you ask Arlene Duncan what has generated the most international interest of her acting career, it's not the big screen roles or major theatre. It's not Get Rich or Die Tryin', Degrassi: The Next Generation or Ragtime. It's a Canadian sitcom called Little Mosque on the Prairie. "It's been very exciting, because the whole world has embraced the show, not just Canada," Duncan said in a phone interview. "We're in Europe, Middle Eastern countries, Turkey, Finland, Israel, African countries. It's pretty exciting. I haven't been part of a show that's been picked up like that." Duncan plays Fatima Dinssa, a NigerianCanadian Muslim woman who owns and runs a diner, the popular hangout in the fictional town of Mercy, Saskatchewan. It's in the small prairie town where the action and comedy happens on Little Mosque on the Prairie, as the small Muslim community interacts with other residents of the town. "I think what makes it so appealing is it's the universal theme of being a different culture and relating to the mainstream culture," said "Everybody can relate to it on some level. And it's a comedy, it's funny. We're not trying to give you a message." Arlene Duncan, who portrays Fatima Dinssa on Little Mosque on the Prairie Duncan, a graduate of T.A. Blakelock who has been acting for more than 25 years. "Everybody has a feisty aunt, everybody has teenage problems, how they're rebellious and are trying to forge their own identity. We have our shock jock who is very suspicious of this new culture coming into his town," she said. "He's constantly commenting on it, and yet he comes to my place on his way into town. He could be coming to Tim Hortons, but he comes to my place," Duncan said, laughing. Little Mosque is not exactly "a religious show," the actress added. "It's these people with a unique culture, how they're integrating themselves into Canadian culture and the situations that you go through, being different. "Everybody can relate to it on some level. And it's a comedy, it's funny. We're not trying to give you a message," she said. Season two of the series, which kicked off Wednesday on CBC, will include episodes that tackle comedic issues like `the banning of the burkas,' Muslim burial rituals, competing Imams and Muslim dating rituals. Fatima is one of the more conservative Muslims on the show in terms of religion and dress, but there's a lot more to her character. "She wears her native garb every day, she wears her hijab, and then she runs a business. She's an independent woman," Duncan said. "She's not preaching her religion, she just is. It's not hitting you over the head." While she doesn't preach her religion, Fatima certainly speaks her mind. "She calls a spade a spade, tells it like it is, that's for sure," Duncan said. "I really like that. I really enjoy being able to play that kind of character, especially considering the image that Muslim women get of being very retired, very laid back." With an acting resume that includes roles in various TV series' and a successful career in theatre, playing the role of Fatima is quite a departure for Duncan, who admits she's used to "more glamorous roles." "It's very unique subject matter and it's a See Little page 34 Arlene Duncan + NOBODY BEATS... 2 FREE GIFTS! Enter To Win 1 of 300 Limited Edition Mega Pink Sheep + FREE! When you purchase and keep this Cherished king or queen sleep set 4 GB Pink IPOD AND a Sony 7.2 MP Digital Camera! MADE WITH SPACE AGE MEMORY FOAM & PRESSURE RELIEVING LATEX PLUS optical zoom 3x megapixels 7.2 ISO 1000 2.5" LCD Now with 23 locations and growing! 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