Sheila McCarthy | |
|---|---|
 McCarthy at the 2012 Genie Awards | |
| Born | January 1, 1956 Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1982–present |
Sheila McCarthy (born January 1, [a] 1956) [1] [2] [3] is a Canadian actress and singer. She has worked in film, television, and on stage. McCarthy is one of Canada's most honoured actors, having won two Genie Awards (film), two Gemini Awards (television), an ACTRA Award, and two Dora Awards (theatre), along with multiple nominations. [4] [5]
McCarthy was born in Toronto, Ontario on January 1, 1956. [2] She attended Thornlea Secondary School in Thornhill in her youth. Her first appearance on stage was at Toronto's Elgin Theatre in Peter Pan when she was age six. [1] She later attended the University of Victoria and spent a year studying with Uta Hagen at her HB Studio in New York City, and also workshopped with the Second City troupe in Toronto. [6]
After several years of television work under her belt, McCarthy secured a role in the made-for-television movie A Nest of Singing Birds (1987), receiving early recognition for her talent with a Gemini Award nomination for Best Performance by a Lead Actress in a Dramatic Program. That year, she made her first notable impression on the Canadian movie scene as Polly, the quirky, "organizationally impaired girl" in Patricia Rozema's I've Heard the Mermaids Singing . For this role, McCarthy won the Genie Award for Best Actress. The film became wildly popular in Canada, earning many international and domestic awards and critical acclaim. [1] [7] [8]
McCarthy has since become one of Canada's more honoured actors, having won two Genie Awards (film), two Gemini Awards (television), and two Dora Awards (theatre) along with multiple nominations. [4] [5]
She played Sarah Hamoudi in the Canadian television series Little Mosque on the Prairie (2007–2012), a role for which she was nominated for a Gemini award. One of her more recognized big-screen roles is Samantha, the news reporter in the movie Die Hard 2 with Bruce Willis. Her most recent roles are Connie Hendrix, mother of the clone Alison in series Orphan Black and Agnes Rofa in the series The Umbrella Academy .
She is also an accomplished voice-over actress, having performed characters voices in Free Willy , Mythic Warriors: Guardians of the Legend , The Busy World of Richard Scarry , The Neverending Story , Bad Dog and Marvin the Tap-Dancing Horse .
On stage, McCarthy has appeared in Little Shop of Horrors, Hamlet, Cabaret, Guys and Dolls, Anything Goes and Love Letters. [9]
McCarthy was married to actor Peter Donaldson, who died January 8, 2011, two years after being diagnosed with cancer. [10] McCarthy has two daughters with Donaldson, Drew [2] and Mackenzie Donaldson, who is also in show business (producer of Whatever, Linda and Orphan Black ). [11]
McCarthy is active as a spokesperson for The Quilt Project, a support group for families affected by breast cancer, and Canadian Feed the Children. [1]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | A Nest of Singing Birds | Anna | |
| 1987 | I've Heard the Mermaids Singing | Polly Vandersma | won the Genie Award for Best Actress |
| 1988 | Gandahar | Council Spokeswoman (voice) | |
| 1989 | Friends, Lovers, & Lunatics | Kathy | |
| 1989 | George's Island | Miss Birdwood | |
| 1990 | Beautiful Dreamers | Molly Jessop | |
| 1990 | Die Hard 2 | Samantha 'Sam' Coleman | |
| 1990 | Pacific Heights | Liz Hamilton | |
| 1990 | Bright Angel | Nina | |
| 1991 | White Room | Zelda | |
| 1991 | Paradise | Sally Pike | |
| 1991 | Stepping Out | Andy | |
| 1991 | Montréal vu par... | Ann Stuart | segment: "Desperanto" |
| 1993 | Journey to the Planets | Oracle (voice) | short film |
| 1993 | The Lotus Eaters | Diane Kingswood | won the Genie Award for Best Actress |
| 1994 | The Biggest Little Ticket | The Troll | |
| 1996 | House Arrest | Gwenna Krupp | |
| 1997 | Shadow Zone: My Teacher Ate My Homework | Mrs. Hackett | |
| 2001 | Rare Birds | Claire | |
| 2002 | Duct Tape Forever | Easterbrook (uncredited) | |
| 2004 | Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen | Mrs. Gerard | |
| 2004 | The Day After Tomorrow | Judith | |
| 2004 | Being Julia | Grace Dexter | |
| 2004 | Geraldine's Fortune | Tina Larose | |
| 2005 | Bailey's Billion$ | Peggy Delaney | |
| 2005 | The Multiple Selves of Hannah Maynard | Hannah Maynard | short film |
| 2006 | Small Avalanches | Nancy's Mother | short film |
| 2007 | Breakfast with Scot | Miss Patterson | |
| 2007 | The Stone Angel | Doris Shipley | |
| 2009 | Year of the Carnivore | Mrs. Smalls | |
| 2012 | Antiviral | Dev Harvey | |
| 2014 | A Fighting Man | Rose | |
| 2016 | Considering Love and Other Magic | Veronica Guest | |
| 2016 | Milton's Secret | ||
| 2017 | Cardinals | Valerie Walker | |
| 2018 | Level 16 | Mrs. Denison (cameo) | |
| 2020 | Stroke of Fate | Shirley | short film |
| 2020 | Happy Place | Joyce | |
| 2020 | Anything for Jackson | Audrey | |
| 2021 | Like a House on Fire | Katherine | |
| 2021 | The Middle Man | Mrs. Stout | |
| 2022 | Christmas in Rockwell | Juniper | |
| Women Talking | Greta Loewen | ||
| TBA | Love is the Monster | Margaret | Filming |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Hangin' In | episode: "The Princess and the Pea" | |
| 1983 | Today's Special | Sourpuss Sal | episode: "Smiles" |
| 1984 | The Littlest Hobo | Murielle | episode: "Three Monkeys of Bah Roghar: Part 1" episode: "Three Monkeys of Bah Roghar: Part 2" |
| 1985 | Love and Larceny | Mary Bigley | TV movie |
| 1985 | Tucker and the Horse Thief | TV movie | |
| 1986 | 9B | Heather | TV movie |
| 1986 | The Marriage Bed | Lynn Reilly | TV movie |
| 1986 | Hot Shots | Jenny | episode: "Cut Off in His Prime" |
| 1986 | The Frantics: Four on the Floor | Various Characters | 6 episodes |
| 1986 | Really Weird Tales | Ellie Hutchins | episode: "Cursed with Charisma" |
| 1987 | Much Ado About Nothing | Margaret | TV movie |
| 1988 | Mount Royal | Luise Blaikie | episode: "Still Life" |
| 1989 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Sarah Hollister | episode: "For Art's Sake" |
| 1989 | Trying Times | Jenny Amber | episode: "A Good Life" |
| 1990 | Labour of Love | TV movie | |
| 1990 | E.N.G. | Carol Barton | episode: "Till Death Us Do Part" |
| 1990 | Back to the Beanstalk | Garbanza | TV movie |
| 1990 | Steel Magnolias | Annelle Dupuy-Desoto | TV pilot (unsold) |
| 1990 | Street Legal | Stephanie Coleman | episode: "The Psychic" |
| 1991 | The Soulmates: The Gift of Light | (voice) | TV movie |
| 1991 | Rupert | Additional Voices | 13 episodes |
| 1991 | The Hidden Room | episode: "Rogue in the Bathroom" | |
| 1992 | Beethoven Lives Upstairs | Sophie | TV movie |
| 1992 | A Private Matter | Diane Callaghan | TV movie |
| 1992 | The Ray Bradbury Theater | Francine | episode: "The Lonely One" |
| 1994 | Free Willy | Annie | TV series |
| 1994 | Dan Redican Comedy Hour | Various | TV movie |
| 1994 | Menendez: A Killing in Beverly Hills | Jill Lansing | TV movie |
| 1995 | A Woman of Independent Means | Totsie | TV movie |
| 1995 | The Awakening | Nancy | TV movie |
| 1995–1996 | Picket Fences | Sue Walsh | 4 episodes |
| 1996 | Road to Avonlea | Betty Blaine | episode: "King of the Great White Way" |
| 1996 | The Care and Handling of Roses | Carol Doster | TV movie |
| 1998 | Bad Dog | (voice) | TV series |
| 1998 | More Tales of the City | Mildred | TV miniseries |
| 1998 | Dead Husbands | Jane Armitage | TV movie |
| 1998–2000 | Emily of New Moon | Laura Murray | 46 episodes |
| 1999 | You Know My Name | Mrs. Lynn | TV movie |
| 1999 | Too Rich: The Secret Life of Doris Duke | Tammy | TV movie |
| 1999 | Mythic Warriors | Clotho (voice) | episode: "Damon and Pythias" |
| 2000 | Virtual Mom | Holly | TV movie, also writer |
| 2000 | Super Rupert | Aunt Rhonda | TV series |
| 2000 | Marvin The Tap-Dancing Horse | Elizabeth the Emotional Pig (voice) | |
| 2001 | Haven | Eva | TV movie |
| 2001 | Anne of Green Gables: The Animated Series | Mrs. King (voice) | episode: "Oh, Brother!" |
| 2001 | Royal Canadian Air Farce | Anne Robinson/Dr. Joy Thomas | episode: "9.2" |
| 2001 | I Was a Rat | Mrs. Tapscrew | TV movie |
| 2001 | The Endless Grind | Various | TV series |
| 2002 | Lathe of Heaven | Penny | TV movie |
| 2002 | The Rats | Miss Paige | TV movie |
| 2003 | Custody of the Heart | Alice | TV movie |
| 2003 | Full-Court Miracle | Mrs. Klein | TV movie |
| 2004 | The Shields Stories | Hazel | episode: "Hazel" |
| 2005 | Puppets Who Kill | Miss Wickham | episode: "Cuddles the Artist" |
| 2005 | Missing | Dr. Eleanor Reese | episode: "Analysis" |
| 2006 | Roxana | Amy | TV movie |
| 2006 | Cow Belles | Fran Walker | TV movie |
| 2007–2012 | Little Mosque on the Prairie | Sarah Hamoudi | 80+ episodes |
| 2009 | The Ron James Show | episode: "1.5" | |
| 2010 | Love Letters | Melissa | TV movie |
| 2013 | Murdoch Mysteries | Felicity Dawes | episode: "Lovers in a Murderous Time" |
| 2014 | Saving Hope | Violet | episode: "Breathless" |
| 2014 | Dear Viola | Peggy | TV movie [12] |
| 2015 | Orphan Black | Connie Hendrix | episode: "Community of Dreadful Fear and Hate" |
| 2016 | Ice Girls | Auntie Ginger | TV movie |
| 2016 | Brace for Impact | Faradee Gilchrist | TV movie |
| 2018 | The Detail | ||
| 2019 | Star Trek: Discovery | Amesha | episode: "New Eden" |
| 2019 | The Umbrella Academy | Agnes | Recurring role |
| 2020 | Nurses | Phillis Bruner | episode: "Friday Night Legend" |
| 2021 | The Good Doctor | Rose Babcock | episode: "Lim" |
| 2022 | Zombies 3 | Grandma Angie/Alien Scout | TV movie |
| Year | Nominated Work | Organization | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Really Rosie | Dora Mavor Moore Award | Outstanding performance in a revue or musical | Won [1] [2] |
| 1985 | Little Shop of Horrors | Dora Mavor Moore Award | Female performance | Won [13] [14] |
| 1988 | I've Heard the Mermaids Singing | 9th Genie Awards | Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role | Won[ citation needed ] |
| A Nest of Singing Birds | 3rd Gemini Awards | Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series | Nominated[ citation needed ] | |
| Mount Royal | 3rd Gemini Awards | Best Guest Performance in a Series by an Actor or Actress | Nominated[ citation needed ] | |
| 1992 | Bright Angel | Independent Spirit Awards | Best Supporting Female | Nominated[ citation needed ] |
| 1993 | The Lotus Eaters | 14th Genie Awards | Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role | Won[ citation needed ] |
| 1998 | Emily of New Moon | 13th Gemini Awards | Best Performance by an Actress in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role | Won[ citation needed ] |
| 1999 | Emily of New Moon | 14th Gemini Awards | Best Performance by an Actress in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role | Nominated[ citation needed ] |
| 2000 | Sesame Park | 15th Gemini Awards | Best Performance in a Pre-School Program or Series | Won[ citation needed ] |
| The City | 15th Gemini Awards | Best Performance by an Actress in a Guest Role Dramatic Series | Nominated[ citation needed ] | |
| 2018 | Cardinals | ACTRA Toronto Award | Outstanding Performance, Female | Won [15] |
| 2023 | Women Talking | Screen Actors Guild Award | Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture | Nominated [16] |
a. ^ Some sources say the 27th
Catherine Anne O'Hara is a Canadian and American actress. She is known for her comedy work on Second City Television (1976–1984) and Schitt's Creek (2015–2020) and in films such as After Hours (1985), Beetlejuice (1988), The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), and the first two installments of the Home Alone franchise: Home Alone (1990) and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992). Her other film appearances include the mockumentary films written and directed by Christopher Guest: Waiting for Guffman (1996), Best in Show (2000), A Mighty Wind (2003), and For Your Consideration (2006).
Wendy Jane Crewson is a Canadian actress and producer. She began her career appearing on Canadian television, before her breakthrough role in 1991 dramatic film The Doctor.
Sonja Smits is a Canadian actress. She was nominated for two Genie Awards: for Videodrome (1983) and That's My Baby! (1984). On television, she starred in Street Legal (1987-1992) and Traders (1996-2000).
The 9th annual Genie Awards were held March 22, 1988, and honoured Canadian films released in 1987. The ceremony, which was broadcast live on CBC Television, was held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre and co-hosted by actors Megan Follows and Gordon Pinsent.
Patricia Rozema is a Canadian film director, writer and producer. She was part of a loosely-affiliated group of filmmakers to emerge in 1980s from Toronto known as the Toronto New Wave.
I've Heard the Mermaids Singing is a 1987 Canadian comedy-drama film written and directed by Patricia Rozema and starring Sheila McCarthy, Paule Baillargeon, and Ann-Marie MacDonald. It was the first English-language Canadian feature film to win an award at the Cannes Film Festival.
Maury Alan Chaykin was an American–Canadian actor, best known for his portrayal of Rex Stout's fictional detective Nero Wolfe in the A&E series A Nero Wolfe Mystery, as well as for his work as a character actor in many films and television programs.
Martha Burns is a Canadian actress known for her stage work and youth outreach in Ontario and her leading role as Ellen Fanshaw in the TV dramedy series Slings and Arrows.
Linda Pauline Griffiths was a Canadian actress and playwright best known for writing and starring in the one woman play Maggie and Pierre, in which she portrayed both Pierre Trudeau and his then-estranged wife, Margaret. Among her cinematic work, she is best known for her acclaimed, starring role in Lianna.
Jo Vannicola, formerly known as Joanne Vannicola, is a Canadian actor. They are most noted for their roles as Dr. Naadiah in Being Erica, Dr. Mia Stone in PSI Factor, Jerri in Love and Human Remains, Sam in Stonewall, Renee in Slasher: Guilty Party, Amber Ciotti in Slasher: Solstice and Slasher: Flesh and Blood, as well as voice roles in Crash Canyon and My Dad the Rock Star.
Luke Farrell Kirby is an American-Canadian actor. He is best known for his role as Lenny Bruce in the Amazon Prime Video comedy-drama series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, for which he received a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series.
Tony Nardi is a Canadian actor, playwright, and theatre director based in Toronto, who has performed on stage and in film and television.
The Canadian Screen Award for Best Actor in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role is an annual Canadian television award, presented by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television to the best leading performance by an actor in a Canadian television series. Previously presented as part of the Gemini Awards, since 2013 it has been presented as part of the Canadian Screen Awards.
The Canadian Screen Award for Best Actress in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role is an annual Canadian television award, presented by the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television to the best leading performance by an actress in a Canadian television series. Previously presented as part of the Gemini Awards, since 2013 it has been presented as part of the Canadian Screen Awards.
The Canadian Screen Awards are awards given for artistic and technical merit in the film industry recognizing excellence in Canadian film, English-language television, and digital media productions. Given annually by the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, the awards recognize excellence in cinematic achievements, as assessed by the Academy's voting membership.
Sex & Violence is a television series that first aired on 17 November 2013 on OUTtv in Canada. The series stars Jennie Raymond as a lesbian police constable, Olympia Dukakis as a victim advocate, Jackie Torrens as a social worker and Kerry Fox and Preston Carmichael as therapists. The original six-part show, focused on domestic violence, became the highest rated original drama in OUTtv's history and the channel announced its renewal on 8 May 2014. The third season debuted on OUTtv on 10 September 2017.
Theresa Tova is a Canadian actress, singer and playwright. She is most noted for her play Still the Night, which won several Dora Mavor Moore Awards in 1997 and was a shortlisted finalist for the Governor General's Award for English-language drama at the 1999 Governor General's Awards.
Karen Robinson is a British-Canadian film, television, and stage actress. She won the Canadian Screen Award for Best Performance in a Guest Role in a Drama Series at the 7th Canadian Screen Awards in 2019 for her appearance on the television series Mary Kills People. She also won a 2021 Screen Actors Guild Award as part of the Schitt's Creek cast.
Patricia Collins is a British-Canadian actress, prominently associated with the Stratford Festival.
Allegra Fulton is a Canadian actress, best known for Frida K, a one-woman stage show in which she portrayed artist Frida Kahlo.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
