Rachel Blanchard

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Rachel Blanchard
RachelBlanchard08TIFF.jpg
Born (1976-03-19) 19 March 1976 (age 49)
Toronto, Ontario, Canada [1]
OccupationActress
Years active1984–present

Rachel Elise Blanchard (born 19 March 1976) is a Canadian actress. [1] Her television roles include Nancy in the British sitcom Peep Show, Emma in the American comedy-drama series You Me Her and Susannah in the American romantic drama series The Summer I Turned Pretty . [2]

Contents

Career

Blanchard's career was launched with a part in a McDonald's commercial, [1] and as an eight-year-old on the Canadian children's show The Kids of Degrassi Street , [3] in which she played Melanie Schlegel. She also starred in the television series War of the Worlds as Suzanne McCullough's daughter Debi and in YTV's Are You Afraid of the Dark? as Kristen. [4] Blanchard played the part of Cher Horowitz (originally portrayed by Alicia Silverstone in the film version) in the television series Clueless , based on the 1995 movie of the same name. [5] She played Roxanne on the television series 7th Heaven [6] from 2002 to 2004.

Blanchard had notable turns in fellow Canadian director and auteur Atom Egoyan films, first with Where the Truth Lies (2005), then as protagonist Rachel in his Cannes celebrated Adoration (2008), winner of that year's festival Ecumenical Jury Prize. [7]

Blanchard appeared as Nancy, the American girlfriend of main character Jeremy Usborne, in the second series of British sitcom Peep Show . She reprised this role in the fourth series (2007). [8] She played Sally on the HBO show Flight of the Conchords [9] [10] and had a recurring role in the first season of the 2014 FX crime series Fargo . [11] From 2016–2020, Blanchard played Emma Trakarsky in the comedy-drama You Me Her , about a woman who enters into a polyamorous relationship with her husband and a younger woman. [12]

She won the Gemini Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series at the 26th Gemini Awards for her appearance on Call Me Fitz . [13]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1991 On My Own Tania
1995 Iron Eagle on the Attack Kitty Shaw
1999 The Rage: Carrie 2 Monica Jones
2000 Road Trip Tiffany Henderson
2001 Sugar & Spice Hannah Wald
NailedKelly Sherman
2002 The Wild Dogs Moll
2003Chasing HoldenT.J. Jensen
2004 Without a Paddle Flower
2005 Where the Truth Lies Maureen O'Flaherty
2006 Comeback Season Chloe Pearce
Snakes on a Plane Mercedes Harbont
2007CarelessCheryl
2008 Adoration Rachel
Growing OpCrystal
2009 Spread Emily
2010 Open House Alice
Daydream Nation Ms. Budge
2012OvernightJenny
My Uncle Rafael Michele
2013 Mad Ship Adeline
ScrapperSharon
2014Dark HeartsClarissa
2020Getting to Know YouKayla
2022 Deep Water Kristin Peterson
2025 Vicious TBAPost-production

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1984–1985 The Kids of Degrassi Street Melanie"Liz Sits the Schlegels", "Martin Meets the Pirates"
1985 The Littlest Hobo Lisa Farrell"Voyageurs: Parts 1 & 2"
1986 The Elephant Show Rachel"Masquerade"
Alex: The Life of a ChildWendyTV film
1988 Glory Enough for All Melanie
1988–1990 War of the Worlds Debi McCulloughRegular role
1990 The Campbells Bonnie"Back to School"
The Hitchhiker Karen"Riding the Nightmare"
Clarence JillTV film
1992–1993 Are You Afraid of the Dark? KristenMain role
1993–1995 Chris Cross Dinah McGee
1995 Young Ivanhoe RowenaTV film
1996 Flash Forward Ellen Fisher"No More Good Days", "House Party", "Cool Book"
1996–1999 Clueless Cher HorowitzLead role
2002–2004 7th Heaven Roxanne Richardson Regular role
2004–2007 Peep Show NancyRecurring role
20051/4lifeLisaTV film
Joey Joelle"Joey and the Fancy Sister"
2006Our ThirtiesJessicaTV short
2007 Flight of the Conchords Sally"Sally", "Sally Returns"
2008 Anne of Green Gables: A New Beginning Louisa ThomasTV film
2009Everything She Ever WantedRachel ReedeTV miniseries
2010 Call Me Fitz Janet"Going Down Syndrome"
2011 Flashpoint Jackie Emery"I'd Do Anything"
The Case for ChristmasLaurenTV film
2012 Wedding Band Tracy"We Are Family"
2013The Surrogacy TrapMallory ParkesTV film
Legit Allie"Cuckoo's Nest", "Hat Hair"
Psych Laura"Juliet Wears the Pantsuit"
2014My Gal Sunday [14] Sunday O'Brien-ParkerTV film
Fargo Kitty NygaardRecurring role
2015 Childrens Hospital Missy"Kick Me"
Another Period Wedding Guest / Clambake Guest"Reject's Beach", "Modern Pigs"
2016–2020 You Me Her Emma TrakarskyMain role
2022–present The Summer I Turned Pretty SusannahMain role

Music videos

YearTitleArtist(s)
2000"Mr. E's Beautiful Blues" Eels
2004"Sunday Morning" Maroon 5
2007"Business Time" Flight of the Conchords

References

  1. 1 2 3 Rachel Blanchard's bio at www.northernstars.ca
  2. "‘Summer I Turned Pretty’ Series at Amazon From Jenny Han Sets Four Lead Roles" by Joe Otterson at variety.com
  3. Rachel Blanchard's bio at www.tribute.ca
  4. "What The Cast Of Are You Afraid Of The Dark? Is Doing Today" by Mike Bedard at looper.com
  5. "20 Movies That Became TV Shows" by Madeline Boardman at ew.com
  6. "7th Heaven: Where are they now?" by Mary Sollosi at ew.com
  7. Cannes, Jury oecumenique au Festival de (September 17, 2023). "Adoration". Jury oecumenique au Festival de Cannes. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  8. "Channel Four – Peep Show". Channel4.com. Retrieved October 2, 2013.
  9. "Women We Endorse: The Women of Flight of the Conchords" by Ross McCammon at www.esquire.com
  10. "Calum Henderson: What if Flight of the Conchords sucked?" by Calum Henderson at nzherald.co.nz
  11. "Elizabeth Rohm & J.R. Ramirez Join Starz’s ‘Power’; Rachel Blanchard In FX’s ‘Fargo’" by Nellie Andreeva at deadline.com
  12. "‘You Me Her’ Renewed for Seasons 2 and 3 by AT&T" by Laura Prudom at variety.com
  13. "Jason Priestley Comedy Big Winner at Canada's Gemini Awards" by Etan Vlessing at www.backstage.com
  14. "Jack Wagner, Cameron Mathison, Rachel Blanchard to Star in Hallmark Backdoor Pilot (Exclusive)" by Lesley Goldberg at www.hollywoodreporter.com