Laurence Leboeuf Talks About The Massive Challenges For Her Character Mags as TRANSPLANT Hits The Home Stretch

By BILL HARRIS Special to The Lede With Dr. Magalie “Mags” Leblanc facing such an emotional journey as the fourth and final season of CTV’s TRANSPLANT barrels toward its dramatic conclusion, Laurence Leboeuf has been walking a fine line with her deft portrayal. As loyal viewers of TRANSPLANT know, Mags is not an overly emotional character in ordinary circumstances. So how is Mags going to react to the extreme situation that she’s now facing, heading into a crucial new episode, Friday, Nov. 17 at 9 p.m. ET on CTV, CTV.ca, and the CTV app? SPOILER ALERT:  Up-to-date plot details are about to be discussed. Mags has been dealing with a heart condition her entire life, and now, just when she’s on the verge of the big promotion she has always wanted, the opportunity for a heart transplant has emerged. Of course, time is of the essence, and choices have to be made quickly. At the end of the most recent episode, after intense consideration, Mags gave her consent for the surgery to proceed. Leboeuf chuckled when it was suggested to her that the writers of TRANSPLANT couldn’t have made her work any harder in Season 4, with Mags going through so much in the home stretch of the show. “Oh no, it’s a blessing, actually, to finish things this way,” Leboeuf said. “Having to go through such a big range of emotions, and having an arc that moves, I find it was a great gift to have this year. We’re going really deep. This is my favourite season, and I’m not even exaggerating, or lying, when I say that. I really mean it.” As for the balancing act of processing emotions for a character who isn’t naturally emotional, Leboeuf said, “I don’t know if this has happened to you before, but sometimes, when you have really hard things going on in life, like a critical situation, or something serious with a loved one, it’s as if there’s something that needs to sink in before the emotion comes. That’s probably how Mags internalizes it.” And there’s also the professional side of it for Mags, too. “She’s usually the doctor,” Leboeuf agreed. “She’s a doctor, and a really good one, too. So it’s interesting that the show has put her in this position. Now she’s also a vulnerable patient. Which side takes over? Which side dominates the other? That has been a great challenge, but I love it.” Another one of Mags’ strongest characteristics is her independence, but the walls have been closing in on that front as well. Everyone who is aware of what’s going on wants to help, but sometimes what they consider helpful doesn’t necessarily feel that way to Mags. Even her mom is driving her crazy, with some rogue and unwanted plans for post-surgery living arrangements. “Isn’t that how we all feel about our parents sometimes? ‘I love you so much, but stop it!’” Leboeuf said with a big laugh. “I think there’s definitely some of that. And she also has Bash (Dr. Bashir Hamed, played by Hamza Haq) in her life. But, Mags still has to learn to soften that part of her. She needs to let people help her, and let them see her in that vulnerable kind of state.” Does it seem to Leboeuf as if almost four years have passed since the debut of TRANSPLANT back in early 2020? “I don’t know where the time has gone,” said Leboeuf, who also has a recurring role on SHORESY (available on Crave), playing herself. “Because TRANSPLANT is nearing the end, we were watching a couple of clips from Season 1, and I do feel like we look like babies. So much has happened between the first season and now. We even went through a pandemic! But, that’s the weird thing about time. It’s really strange how fast it goes by, but then you realize a big chunk of your story has happened.” There are certainly big chunks of story left to be told on TRANSPLANT, for Mags and all the other characters, with only five episodes remaining (one this week, one next week, and then three after the holidays, in early 2024). “There are still some great complex and emotional medical cases coming our way, that’s for sure,” Leboeuf said. “But, I think we’re coming to the peak of the story that we wanted to tell. I’m really proud of how the show is going to end. I think maybe, finally, our characters are going to somehow find out who they are, and where they belong.” billharristv@gmail.com @billharris_tv