Schitt's Creek birthed some of television's most memorable characters, including the flamboyant Alexis Rose (Annie Murphy), and the cynical Stevie Budd (Emily Hampshire), while also saving their acting careers from a premature ending. Schitt's Creek's popularity would not have achieved its humongous scale without the actors who brought each character to life, which Dan and Eugene Levy had valued from its conception. With even the title Schitt's Creek originating from Eugene Levy's life, creating unique and real characters underneath the drama is something that would not have been possible without Annie Murphy and Emily Hampshire.
Starting its journey on CBC from 2015 to 2020, Schitt's Creek introduced the affluent Rose family who, at the start of the show, had just lost everything except the deed to the town of Schitt's Creek, which Johnny Rose (Eugene Levy) had bought as a joke for his son David (Dan Levy). Along with David's sister Alexis (Annie Murphy), and their mother Moira (Catherine O'Hara), the family was forced to move to the humble, hardly diamond-studded town to have a roof over their heads. Upon their arrival at the local motel, they met Stevie (Emily Hampshire), the begrudging motel employee who would later take over as the owner. Throughout the show's six seasons, the family became engrained into the community while never abandoning the elaborate personalities that audiences fell in love with.
Schitt's Creek saved the careers of both Emily Hampshire and Annie Murphy, who, before landing their roles, were on the verge of quitting their acting careers. When the show released its final season, it was followed by a documentary episode entitled Best Wishes, Warmest Regards: A Schitt's Creek Farewell, where Annie Murphy revealed that she was inches from quitting acting entirely: "The universe was really screaming in my ear 'this is not for you' and, the next day, I got an audition for a show called Schitt's Creek," she said in the documentary. Alexis Rose was built from her interpretation, Alexis's signature hand gesture being an improvised invention of Murphy's. She had not worked professionally in two years when she landed the role of Alexis Rose, just proving that successful actors are committed actors who push forward even when the universe seems to say no.
Emily Hampshire, who played the role of Stevie Budd in Schitt's Creek, was experiencing a different sort of block in her acting career: anxiety. It had gotten to the point where she would break out in "full-body hives" when she would have to audition in person, she stated for Best Wishes, Warmest Regards. She was dropped when telling her US agent that she was no longer comfortable with live auditions; however, her Canadian agent encouraged her to audition for Schitt's Creek, persuading Hampshire by saying that "they're Canadian, they're nice." Hampshire has since penned her first graphic novel, which is due for release later this year, as well as her confirmed involvement in Chapelwaite, based on the Stephen King story “Jerusalem’s Lot” set in the 1850s alongside Adrian Brody.
When audiences are introduced to Alexis Rose and Stevie Budd, they were at what could be considered rock bottom. Stevie was struggling to keep her motel afloat with the possibility of inheriting the property looming as well, and Alexis had just lost her entire expensive, eccentric life due to her family's bankruptcy. Knowing that both Emily Hampshire and Annie Murphy were at career-breaking points before booking their roles on Schitt's Creek, it is even clearer how their characters developed. Despite the extremes of both characters, their pain and fear are based on truth, which makes them even more loveable and enjoyable to watch.
Though Alexis's signature catchphrase was only said three times in the entirety of Schitt's Creek, Annie Murphy's stamp on the character is undeniable. It would not have been anywhere near as absurd and adorable if played by anyone else. Emily Hampshire's anxious, relatable, narcissistic Stevie is built from Hampshire's own being and curated into a character that was the perfect foil for the Rose family. Both actresses have gone on to win awards and further prove their worth as brilliant female actors in film and television.