Q&A: Meet 'Anna Pigeon' cast members Nikki Rae Hallow & Crystle Lighting

Behind the Screens with Joshua Maloni

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The USA Network’s “Anna Pigeon” came out of the gates strong, thanks to the work of its lead actor, Tracy Spiridakos, and the vision of its director, Lea Thompson. But like any decorated athlete – or, in the case of this fictionalized tale, a collection of park rangers – success is found in teamwork.

Crystle Lighting and Nikki Rae Hallow have provided substance to the story set in Glacier National Park, while their characters have helped shape what we know of Anna Pigeon.

In the new series, Anna has moved to Montana – and is working as a no-nonsense park protector – following the mysterious death of her husband. Though her experience is in theater, Anna has no trouble adjusting to a new career. She is a true leader, a natural in nature, and capable of finding and busting bad guys.

Unlike most shows, “Anna Pigeon” doesn’t heavily shoot on sound stages or with computer-generated images. Instead, it fully utilizes the great outdoors – and the animals who roam that region.

As co-star Ronnie Rowe Jr. recently shared with BTS, “Anna Pigeon” combines action, mystery and romance in creating a unique spin on author Nevada Barr’s New York Times best-selling book series.

Lighting and Hallow shared more in this edited Q&A.

“Anna Pigeon” airs new episodes at 10 p.m. each Friday on the USA Network.

BTS: Tell me about yourselves and your background, and what got you into acting.

Crystle Lightning as Frieda in “Anna Pigeon.” (Photo credit: Michelle Faye/USA Network ©Versant Media 2025)

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Crystle Lightning: My name is Crystle. I play Frieda on the show. She's the dispatcher and knows all the tea about everybody and everything that's going on in the park. She is a rapper on the side, as well as has her own knitting club (laughs), so, she’s kind of all over the place.

I started acting when I was very young. I grew up in Los Angeles, but I was born in Edmonton, moved to L.A. when I was 9, got my first feature film at 9 years old called “Three Ninjas: Knuckle Up.” I was a child actor for a while. Then – you know how acting goes – sometimes you're working, sometimes you're not. Took a break, and then, once I turned 18, I was like, ‘You know what? I'm going to take this serious.’ I went to acting school and really worked on my craft, and then worked sometimes and got some really cool gigs, but I'm on “Anna Pigeon” now, and I'm very excited.

Nikki Rae Hallow: You’re killing it!

My name is Nikki, and I play Christina Clark. I'm in the Visitor Center/ranger, and I'm a single mom who's been going through a difficult divorce. I take a lot of pride in the park, and taking care of other rangers because I can't help it – cause I got that mom energy and I want to do that.

My mom was a clown, actually. My mom was a theater clown and an improviser, and it just kind of came naturally. I have three older brothers, and my dad's a master tradesman; so, it just was like a very chaotic small-town thing. I loved playing characters from a very young age.

I do a lot of comedy. I'm actually a comedian. I do a lot of sketch comedy and improv. Crystle’s seen me before. A funny thing, actually, is I have a sketch troupe – two: One is called Marvin Berry, which is a reference to “Back to the Future.” So, when I got on “Anna Pigeon” and was working with the Lea Thompson – who is as incredible as you think she is; she is as amazing as you think she is – it's great. It was just mind-blowing. I remember telling the boys, like, "Oh my god, it's Lea Thompson!” It was very fun.

And then, Sketchy Broads is my all-female troupe. So yeah, do a lot of comedy, and then a lot of film work. I loved movies from a very young age. That was a way that my family spent time together. We would sit down and we would watch movies, and we would talk about a lot. We lived on a farm, so we really had to find ways to entertain ourselves other than just working.

Crystle Lightning’s Frieda raps at the park ranger talent show. (Photo credit: Michelle Faye/USA Network ©Versant Media 2025)

Nikki Rae Hallow’s Christina Clark captures the staff talent. (Photo credit: Michelle Faye/USA Network ©Versant Media 2025)

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BTS: With the extracurricular talents that each of you have, downtime on set must be fantastic. It must be a riot – like, you’re the life of the party over there, right?

Crystle Lightning: Oh my gosh – you have no idea, Joshua. It is absolutely pure entertainment. There's never a dull moment on set ever. I mean, some of the BTS that we have, if you were to fly on the wall. …

Nikki Rae Hallow: I think some of the BTS will probably never get posted, especially if I had the camera! But that's OK. It was so fun – just the chemistry that we have and the energy that you can see in the show. I mean, it's our job to be able to think that, but we really did not have to do that.

Crystle Lightning: We're a big family. We all love each other. We all bust each other's balls. Hilarious stuff. We go for hikes together. We cook for each other. We go out to dinner. We make TikTok videos. We just have a blast.

Nikki Rae Hallow and Crystle Lightning on “Anna Pigeon.” (Photo credit: Michelle Faye/USA Network ©Versant Media 2025)

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BTS: I believe episode two had the eagle cam. I'm watching the episode, and I'm like, “Oh, that's some really great eagle CGI.” And then I saw the BTS with Lea, and she's like, no, we're out there; we're waiting; Tracy was in a tree for hours waiting for this eagle to arrive.

What is it like to be out acting in this environment, with these elements, with these animals? What has that experience been like for each of you?

Nikki Rae Hallow: It's incredible. It's incredible.

One of the things I think that we find in theater is you really have to buy into the world; where in film, a lot of times, you have the opportunity to be on location.

They could have done CGI; they could have done green screen; but they didn't. We are in the middle of the mountains, in the middle of the woods, in these cabins, by these rivers, with these animals. I remember coming to set one day, and there was like a little heads up that went out to everyone. It was like, “There's bears in the area, so just make sure your food (is put away).”

I grew up in northern Alberta, and so I was like, “Yeah, OK, animals; that's fine; I’m just kind of used to it.” But it's beautiful. What better opportunity to immerse yourself in that world? And I think it really comes through on screen, where the environment, the location, becomes a character in itself – and it speaks for itself – rather than just, “It's a show about people.” It's also a show about this world that we are all living in, and trying to exist in, and trying to protect, and trying to honor. It was incredible.

Crystle Lightning: It’s just echoing what Nikki said: It was just breathtaking every single day, being in the Rocky Mountains in the fall. The streams; the crystal-clear water you can see all the way down to the bottom – there's just something so sacred about that space. And then just going like, “This is our job. We are working right now.” Nikki said it earlier, but it was like being on a vacation. You know, when you get to work, you're not just in a sound studio in a box. You are actually out there in nature, and working with wonderful people, but actually working with the animals – and a real cougar, and real kitties, and oh my gosh! It's just like, what a dream, what a dream show to be on!

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BTS: No doubt it is beautiful, and it is sacred, like you said. But watching this show, I mean, it's also pretty perilous. These stories about what could happen to guests, I'm like, “Man, if I go out there, I'm going to have to be in a big, protective bubble.” I don't know.

As actors, what did it require as far as preparation or safety training? What was that aspect of it like for each of you?

Crystle Lightning: Personally speaking, because I'm a dispatcher, I spend a lot of my time in the office. But I really loved – oh gosh, I can't talk about that one!

There wasn't really much prep for me in the beginning. There was character prep, of course, and I'm already kind of embellishing a character that was already created. That's a fun, exciting, quirky character, but I get to add my perspective to it. That's the fun thing about adaptation is that there's already something kind of laid out, and then you get to add your spice and your flavor to the character. That's one of my favorite parts, is creating the backstories, and the polishing part.

Nikki Rae Hallow: I would say I wasn't really scared, because we had a lot of individuals around. There's a lot of sound. A lot of the animals that were on set were, obviously, animals that had handlers and those things, so we're very safe.

And then any animals that are in the area, they're just minding their own business. Typically, they would just kind of go away. You'd see deer, which is not something that you're really concerned about – deer with fangs! I'm just kidding.

Generally, it is a very safe environment. I also grew up in a small town, on a farm, in the middle of nowhere. I also have three older brothers. So, I mean, there’s nothing more terrifying than three older brothers! So, I'm fine.

It wasn't that terrifying; and the set, the location, was very safe, very secure. A lot of individuals. I don't think that was ever really a worry.

And if, Josh, you are actually scared to go out in the parks, there are signs. There are people in the area that their job is to kind of skedaddle (the animals). And generally, most animals – I’ve spent a lot of time in the mountains throughout my life – the animals are just kind of minding their own business. You leave them alone, they'll leave you alone. It's when people are like, "Hey, elk, do you want to eat out of my hand?” Stop! Stop! Get in your car. “Why did he ram me with his horns?” Well, it says don't feed the animals as you're trying to feed the elk, and you're wondering why it's slamming into your vehicle. Strange. Weird. Sounds like they're not supposed to do that.

BTS: Crystle, not for nothing, but the office has already been firebombed in the first three episodes, so it's not like nothing is happening inside the building!

Crystle Lightning: True, true. Oh yes, that. Well, I did have a double for the main part, but we actually had to have a full-on discussion about the fire, because we all were in the vicinity when the fire was going.

I mean, that's so exciting and fun! I love that stuff. I love stunts. I love when there's big things going on. It makes your job really fun. I'm a rollercoaster girl. I like bungee jumping. I like skydiving. So, that kind of stuff excites me. It's a perk of the job.

Nikki Rae Hallow: We also had such a great team that were just like, in everything, in control. It's hard to be nervous when you're surrounded by so many professionals that are just like, “Yeah, we got it.” You're like, “OK.”

Tracy Spiridakos as Anna Pigeon. (Photo credit: Michelle Faye/USA Network ©Versant Media 2025)

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BTS: Tell me about Tracy. I was so taken aback by what she did on “Chicago P.D.” I didn't recall someone coming into a series that late into the run and just becoming such an essential part of the story and just taking over the show the way she did. She's been great through three episodes in “Anna Pigeon,” as well.

What is it like working with her, and what do you appreciate about her, as far as acting goes?

Crystle Lightning: Tracy is a magnificent actress. But she's, off set, I mean, the etiquette. There's a certain etiquette that I feel you have to have on a set, of how you treat people, how you treat the crew, how you treat your guest stars, the professionalism. She has it all.

She is a great leader. She takes care of everybody. I've seen her, with the background actors, just make sure that they feel good, and that they feel safe, and that they feel heard. We have a terrific crew anyways, but she's so giving and so generous with, “Do you want to run lines?” Not every No. 1 is like that.

She's a sweetheart – but she's also a ballbuster, which I love. I love watching her and Ronnie (Rowe Jr.) go at each other. She's a tough cookie in real life. I'm really, really happy to be working with her – learning a lot from her as well.

Nikki Rae Hallow: She's also very observant, and I think that's something that I really admire about her. She doesn't just kind of get to know you; she gets to know you. She cares.

There's moments where she's just been really present – and the cast, in general, has been like that for each other, where we could see someone coming on and, separate to production, you’re just kind of having a hard day – and she'll take that extra beat. And Crystle, you were like that, as well. The family of the cast, even the crew (is like that), but Tracy really set the stage.

And you saying “leader,” she's such an excellent leader. It’s just like such a perfect definition of her; because I think to be a great leader, you have to put people above yourself sometimes, rather than trying to smush. You know what I mean? And she's just so good at supporting and uplifting and encouraging and being present; and she's so thoughtful and conscientious. And she's so freaking talented – and humble. She's just all of those things – and it's so hard.

Her and I, we have a very, like, sibling relationship where we push each other around in a very fun, silly, playful way.

She is really observant. Crystle said so many things that cover it. She just is, man – she’s Tracy, and she's amazing, and she's perfect for Anna.

There was a running joke of, like, “Tracy Pigeon,” right? Because it's like she is perfect for Anna.

Kim Coates as Jeremiah Paulson and Shaun Smyth as Harlan Roberts in “Anna Pigeon.” (Photo credit: Michelle Faye/USA Network ©Versant Media 2025)

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BTS: I think I feel a little bit safer with the idea of going to a national park, having now spoken to the two of you. … Though I don't know how safe I would feel hanging around Kim Coates.

Crystle Lightning and Nikki Rae Hallow: (Laughs)

BTS: I don't know that I've seen either of you with him on screen yet, but to the extent that you've seen him offset, or that you have worked with him – or did work with him in episodes we're yet to see – tell me about him – because I feel like that guy has been a villain in every single thing I've ever seen him in!

Crystle Lightning: He's so nice, but he definitely has a presence. He walks on set, and you all, everybody knows he's there. He just exudes this. … It's not threatening in any type of way, but it's a deep presence.

Nikki Rae Hallow: It’s like power – but it's not bad. When we say “power,” we don't mean like (dominance). It’s strength. He's got a lot of strength.

Kim Coates as Jeremiah Paulson. (Photo credit: Michelle Faye/USA Network ©Versant Media 2025)

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Crystle Lightning: He's a very seasoned human. He plays that role better than anyone – the bad guy.

Nikki Rae Hallow: Yeah, the bad guy. Absolutely. But it's so funny because he's so kind. He's just so kind! Like, even when we were just at the premiere and we were doing photos, and I was like stepping one foot forward. I kind of like teetered. Kim was like, "I got you,” and I was like, "Thanks, man.” Because he's just he's just so present, and he's just a very gentle, sweet man.

And so, it's so funny seeing this extreme of him playing a bad guy on camera, but then knowing he's just such a nice human. It's very cool.