Reel Beach: Beacher Miku Martineau takes the lead on Netflix’s Crew Girl

By BERNIE FLETCHER

The Beacher Café is a landmark eatery on Queen Street East serving our community for more than 40 years. You may know the Martineau family who have owned and operated the popular restaurant since 1999.

The youngest Martineau, Miku, is making a name for herself playing the lead in the hit YA (Young Adult) eight-episode sports drama Crew Girl now streaming on Netflix. It’s not too steamy for teens and there are no vampires or killer clowns.

Miku plays 16-year-old Teagan Tao with wisdom beyond her years as her life is turned upside down. She’s an aspiring single sculls rower who must relocate to a small town with her mom after a family scandal.

She lands at an elite prep school where she’s the new girl who tries to fit in. Like most teens she struggles to belong to a group, but Teagan has the resilience to overcome adversity.

She finds out that there is no girls rowing team, but becomes the coxswain to an unruly team of eight boys.

“See you in the boat for season two!” — Miku Martineau

Crew Girl is heading back to the water. The series is such a hit that it has already been renewed for Season 2.

There are terrific rowing scenes filmed in beautiful Victoria, B.C. as well as a love triangle. (One chapter is titled A True Rowmance.)

Miku joked to Tudum (Netflix): “Who knows what will happen in Season 2? A love square? Is that even possible?”

Shows mixing athletic drama with romantic tensions (Heated Rivalry) have become popular. There’s always some rivalry, but it’s important to learn to work together as a team. Can we look forward to an all-girls rowing team in the next season?

Miku is proud of her Japanese and French-Canadian heritage. Her mother Kumiko came from Japan to Canada on a working visa and actually met her father Peter in the Beacher Café.

Miku loved growing up in the Beach and credits all the sports she played as a kid in helping her with the rigorous training for the rowing scenes.

“Don’t live your life based on what other people think,” is Miku’s advice.

The young actor fell in love with performing and started her career at 13. Miku just turned 22 last month but she already shines bright like a diamond.

She believes that everyone should celebrate their uniqueness. Talented Asian-Canadians such as Sandra Oh, Simu Liu, Hudson Williams, Maggie Kang and Domee Shi have paved the way for more representation in the film industry.

Rowing is one of Canada’s most successful Olympic sports with 10 gold medals.

There must be something in the water of Lake ONTARIO that so many great athletes have come from the Beach, especially in water sports such as paddling (Balmy Beach Canoe Club) and swimming (Penny Oleksiak).

Maybe Crew Girl will inspire another young athlete to pursue Olympic dreams.

“Believe in yourself and take a chance on yourself.” — Miku Martineau