Katie Douglas (actress)

Last updated

Katie Douglas
Katie Douglas - 2025 WonderCon (cropped).jpg
Douglas in 2025
Born
Kathryn Emily Douglas

(1998-10-19) October 19, 1998 (age 26)
OccupationActress
Years active2007–present

Kathryn Emily Douglas (born October 19, 1998) is a Canadian actress. Her roles in horror and thriller projects have gained her recognition as a scream queen. [1]

Contents

Douglas's career started in 2013 with roles in the television series Spooksville (2013–2014) and the film Compulsion (2013). Subsequent television roles included Defiance (2013–2015), Raising Expectations (2016–2018), Mary Kills People (2017–2019), and Pretty Hard Cases (2021–2023). After her first leading film role in the thriller Level 16 (2018), Douglas's breakthrough came with roles in the true crime television films Believe Me: The Abduction of Lisa McVey (2018) and The Girl Who Escaped: The Kara Robinson Story (2023); the latter won her the Canadian Screen Award.

Douglas gained wider recognition for her starring role in the Netflix comedy drama series Ginny & Georgia (2021–present). She has since acted in The Walk (2022), Lazareth (2024), and Clown in a Cornfield (2025).

Early life and career

Douglas was born into a family with three siblings, and a cousin Adam, on October 19, 1998, in Burlington, Ontario, in Canada. [2] Douglas started acting at the age of six at the Great Big Theatre Company [3] in Burlington, Ontario. She starred in a number of productions, including a Christmas play involving penguins, and as Tinkerbell, at the summer camp of the Burlington Dance Academy. [4] Douglas attended Nelson High School in Burlington. Throughout her early acting career, Douglas completed her education through the use of a travelling tutor. [4]

Career

Douglas began her screen acting career at the age of six in F2: Forensic Factor. [5] Douglas later played Sally Wilcox on Discovery Family’s fantasy action TV show Spooksville in 2013, but it only lasted one season. [6] [7] Douglas starred as Young Irisa on the science fiction action TV series Defiance: The Lost Ones which premiered on SyFy in March 2014. [8] [9] At the age of 15, [4] Douglas was nominated for Outstanding Performer in a Children’s Series at the 41st Daytime Creative Arts Emmy Awards held in Los Angeles in 2014, for her role as Sally Wilcox in Spooksville . [7] [6]

Douglas starred as Naomi Malik from 2017 to 2019 in the Global Network Canadian comedy and drama TV series Mary Kills People , working alongside Caroline Dhavernas. [10] Douglas played a lead role as Vivien on the Danishka Esterhazy directed 2018 science fiction movie Level 16 . [11] [12]

In 2019, Douglas was the protagonist in the drama film Believe Me: The Abduction of Lisa McVey , which recounts the true story of Lisa McVey. McVey was 17 years old and suicidal in 1984 when she was abducted, and raped for 26 hours, by serial killer Bobby Joe Long, before talking her way to freedom. [13] Douglas received an ACTRA Award nomination for her performance, eventually losing out to Amybeth McNulty. [14]

In 2021, she starred as Abby, a friend of Ginny and part of the MANG group (Max, Abby, Norah and Ginny), in the Netflix comedy series Ginny and Georgia , alongside Brianne Howey, Antonia Gentry, Sara Waisglass, and Chelsea Clark. [15] After the Season 2 release, Ginny & Georgia was the most-watched title from January to June 2023 on Netflix, with a combined 967.2M hours viewed between Seasons 1 and 2. [16] In May 2023, the series was renewed for a third and fourth season, the former of which was released on June 5, 2025.

Douglas starred in a main role as 18-year-old Jackie Sullivan, in the first two seasons of the CBC Television female police comedy-drama television series Pretty Hard Cases from 2021 to 2022. [17]

In 2022, Douglas stars as Kate Coughlin, in the Daniel Adams-directed police protection film The Walk , among a cast which includes Justin Chatwin, Terrence Howard and Malcolm McDowell. [18]

In 2023, she was the titular role in the film The Girl Who Escaped: The Kara Robinson Story, [19] which portrays the true story of how a 15 year-old girl survived the trauma of abduction, incarceration and sexual assault for over 18 hours until an opportunity to escape arose. [20]

In 2024, Douglas starred in the thriller film by Alec Tibaldi titled Lazareth opposite Ashley Judd and Sarah Pidgeon, which was released on May 10, 2024. [21] Her performance in the 2025 film adaptation of the 2020 horror novel Clown in a Cornfield was met with positive reviews, with Slashershack saying she possesses "scream queen potential". [1]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2013 Compulsion young Saffron [4]
2018 Level 16 Vivien
2018 Every Day Megan / A
2020Double EdgedEvelyn and SamanthaShort film
2022 The Walk Kate Coughlin [18]
2024 Lazareth Imogen
2024What Would Jesus Do?MargotShort film
2024This Too Shall Pass
2025 Clown in a Cornfield Quinn Maybrook

Television film

YearTitleRole
2011Stay with MeLucy
2012 Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town [4] Rose Leacock
2013Defiance: The Lost OnesYoung Irisa
2018 Believe Me: The Abduction of Lisa McVey Lisa McVey
2019Thicker Than Water Addie Decker
2023The Girl Who Escaped: The Kara Robinson StoryKara Robinson

Television series

YearTitleRoleNotes
2007F2: Forensic FactorBrendaEpisode: "Dead Man's Hollow"
2009 Flashpoint Jennifer SabistonEpisode: "The Fortress"
2012 Less Than Kind Brenda3 episodes
2012 Alphas Teenage NinaEpisode: "When Push Comes to Shove"
2013–2014 Spooksville Sally WilcoxMain role, 22 episodes [4]
2014 Saving Hope TatumEpisode: "The Heartbreak Kid"
2013–2015 Defiance Young Irisa / Irzu / Little GirlRecurring role, 10 episodes
2015–2016 Max & Shred Melanie2 episodes
2016 Eyewitness Bella Milonkovic4 episodes
2016-2018 Raising Expectations Connor WayneyMain role, 26 episodes
2018 Creeped Out IndigoEpisodes: "Side Show, Parts 1 & 2"
2018 Burden of Truth Amanda Parson2 episodes: "Witch Hunt", "Devil in the Desert"
2017–2019 Mary Kills People Naomi MalikMain role, 18 episode
2019 Nurses SashaEpisode: "Lifeboat"
2021–2023 Pretty Hard Cases Jackie SullivanMain role, 15 episodes [17]
2021–present Ginny & Georgia AbbyMain role, 30 episodes
2024 Ghosting with Luke Hutchie and Matthew Finlan Herself

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryNominated workResultRef.
2014 41st Daytime Creative Arts Emmy Awards Outstanding Performer in a Children’s Series Spooksville Nominated [7] [6]
35th Young Artist Awards Best Performance – TV Series – Leading Young Actress Nominated [22] [23]
2018 Blood in the Snow Awards Best Actress Level 16 Won [22] [24]
2019 17th Annual ACTRA Awards, TorontoOutstanding Performance – Female Believe Me: The Abduction of Lisa McVey Nominated [22] [14]
2020 Canadian Screen Awards, TorontoBest Lead Performance, TV MovieNominated [22] [25]
2021Hollywood Blood Horror FestivalBest Young ActressDouble EdgedWon [22]
Independent Horror Movie AwardsBest ActressWon [22]
2022IndieFEST Film AwardsHumanitarian Award of Excellence Actress: Leading The Walk Won [22] [26]
Rome International Movie AwardsBest Young ActressWon [22]
Hollywood Reel Independent Film FestivalBest Supporting ActressWon [22]
Moscow Indie Film FestivalBest Actress in Supporting RoleNominated [22]
2024 12th Canadian Screen Awards Best Lead Performer, TV MovieThe Girl Who Escaped: The Kara Robinson StoryWon [27]

References

  1. 1 2 "Clown In A Cornfield Film Review". August 9, 2025. Retrieved August 10, 2025.
  2. "Katie Douglas From 'Believe Me' Is Netflix's New It-Girl To Know". Elle . June 7, 2021.
  3. "Great Big Theatre Company young people's theatre – Photo Gallery 2014". gbtc.com. 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Burlington's Katie Douglas surprised by Emmy nomination". toronto.com. June 26, 2014. Archived from the original on 6 June 2021.
  5. "This is where you've seen Believe Me's Lisa McVey actress Katie Douglas before". radiox.co.uk. June 4, 2021.
  6. 1 2 3 "41st Annual Daytime Emmy Complete List of Nominees". redcarpetreporttv.com. 2014. Archived from the original on 2023-01-09. Retrieved 2019-10-18.
  7. 1 2 3 "Katie Douglas at 41st Daytime Creative Arts Emmy Awards #CreativeArtsEmmys". redcarpetreporttv.com. 2014. Archived from the original on 2023-01-09. Retrieved 2020-05-24.
  8. "Amazon prime Video – Katie Douglas". Amazon. Archived from the original on 2021-08-21. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
  9. "Defiance: The Lost Ones – Cast". airdate.cc. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
  10. "Naomi in Mary Kills People". Global TV. 2019 via Twitter.com.
  11. "Level 16". sho.com. 2019. Archived from the original on 18 October 2019.
  12. "Canadian actor Katie Douglas takes another step up with dystopian thriller Level 16". The YY Scene. 2019. Archived from the original on 2020-02-20. Retrieved 2019-10-18.
  13. Kelly Schremph (September 30, 2018). "Is 'Believe Me' Based On A True Story? The Lifetime Movie Follows Lisa McVey's Harrowing Tale Of Survival". Bustle .
  14. 1 2 "ACTRA Toronto 2019 nominees". playbackonline.ca. January 16, 2019.
  15. "Who plays Abby in Ginny & Georgia? – Katie Douglas". popsugar.co.uk. 2021. Archived from the original on 2023-01-09. Retrieved 2021-05-20.
  16. "'Ginny & Georgia' Dominated Netflix In First Half Of 2023". Deadline.
  17. 1 2 "Pretty Hard Cases Katie Douglas". cbc.ca. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
  18. 1 2 "Katie Douglas". filmaffinity.com. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
  19. "The Kara Robinson Story". kararobinsonchamberlain.com. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
  20. "The Girl Who Escaped: The Kara Robinson Story (2023)". justwatch.com. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
  21. Grobar, Matt (May 4, 2023). "Ashley Judd To Topline Vertical Thriller 'Lazareth' From Writer-Director Alec Tibaldi; The Syndicate Launching Sales At Cannes". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 20, 2024.
  22. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Katie Douglas Awards". imdb.com (index source only). Retrieved November 27, 2021.
  23. "35th Young Artist Awards 2014 Nominations and Results". youngartistawards.org. Archived from the original on 20 July 2015. Retrieved 4 May 2014.
  24. "Bloodies Awards 2018". bloodinthesnow.ca. Archived from the original on 2021-06-29. Retrieved June 29, 2021.
  25. "Cineflix Receives 16 Canadian Screen Award Nominations". cineflix.com. February 18, 2020.
  26. "2022 Humanitarian Award Winners". theindiefest.com. 2022. Archived from the original on 2023-06-07. Retrieved 2023-05-25.
  27. Etan Vlessing, "Canadian Screen Awards Gets New Date, Venue Change". The Hollywood Reporter , February 8, 2024.