Paul Sun-Hyung Lee Honoured with
Canadian Award of Distinction

Paul Sun-Hyung Lee was awarded the Canadian Award of Distinction at the Banff World Media Festival, held from June 9 to 12 in Banff, Alberta. Lee, known for his roles in Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender and the Star Wars series The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, received this honour for his exceptional contributions to the industry. Previous recipients of this award include Colm Feore, Eric McCormack, Will Arnett, and his Kim’s Convenience co-star Simu Liu. Tom Green received the Sir Peter Ustinov Comedy Award. Allana Harkin and Jasmeet Raina hosted the Rockies Gala Awards and Rockie Awards International Program Competition, respectively.

Canadian Women of Power in Entertainment

Photos: George Pimentel Photography

Devery Jacobs, an award-winning performer, writer, director, and producer, received the Hollywood Reporter’s Women in Entertainment Canada’s Impact Award at the inaugural event in Toronto on May 30. Jacobs, from the Kahnawà:ke Mohawk Territory, advocates for Indigenous and LGBTQ2S+ rights. The Impact Award, presented in partnership with the Indigenous Screen Office, honours Canadian trailblazers who drive better representation and opportunities in media and entertainment.

ACTRA National President Eleanor Noble was featured in The Hollywood Reporter’s list of “Canadian Women of Power in Entertainment in Canada,” which highlights 42 top female industry leaders. UBCP/ACTRA sponsored the panel on gender parity in the Canadian entertainment industry.

Martin Cochingco and Johnson Phan win Outstanding
Stunt Performance Emmy Awards for Shōgun

Hiroo Minami, Nobuyuki Obikane, Martin Cochingco, Johnson Phan. Photo credit: The Television Academy

ACTRA members Martin Cochingco and Johnson Phan have won Outstanding Stunt Performance Emmy Awards for their work on Shōgun. The British Columbia-shot series won Outstanding Drama Series and set a new Emmy record with 18 award wins in one season.

Cochingco and Phan won the award alongside stunt performers Hiroo Minami and Nobuyuki Obikane. For more than three days the group trained for the winning scene. Filmed on a freezing cold day in Langley, it took 13 takes to make it perfect.

The 76th Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony was hosted by ACTRA members Eugene and Dan Levy on September 15. Link here to the full winners list.

2024 ACTRA Awards in the Maritimes

The 2024 ACTRA Maritimes Awards were presented at the Screen Nova Scotia Awards Gala on May 11, held at Casino Nova Scotia’s Bruce Guthro Theatre before a sold-out audience. The event featured the presentation of four gender-neutral Outstanding Performance Awards and the inaugural Series Ensemble Award.

Locally filmed TV series proved to be a showcase, with Kirstin Howell (Moonshine) and Shelley Thompson (Sullivan’s Crossing) both taking home ACTRA Maritimes Awards for Outstanding Performances. Britt Loder also won an Outstanding Performance Award for her role in the Hallmark movie Christmas Island, while David Rossetti won for his performance in the short film Remnants, which was made in the Atlantic Filmmakers Cooperative’s Film5 program.

Jonathan Torrens, Mary Austin, Brian George, and James Faulkner took home the inaugural ACTRA Maritimes Series Ensemble Award. The cast of the Bell Fibe TV1 series Vollies were recognized for their role in the fresh, funny comedy that follows the Essex-West-Essex Fire Department, a small-town volunteer fire department that never has any actual fires to fight. Link here to the full winners list.

Winners of the 2024 ACTRA Awards in Toronto

Front row: Members’ Choice Series Ensemble winner, Sort Of (Ali Hassan, Varun Saranga, Supinder Wraich, Raoul Bhaneja). Back row: accepting on behalf of Outstanding Performance (Gender Non-Conforming) GNC-F winner Elizabeth Saunders is Cliff Saunders; Award of Excellence recipient Maria del Mar; Outstanding Performance GNC-M winner Salvatore Antonio; Outstanding Performance GNC-M Voice winner Cory Doran; Stunt Award recipient Tom Farr. Missing from the photo is Outstanding Performance GNC-F Voice winner Maria Nash. Photo: George Pimentel Photography

The 22^nd ACTRA Awards in Toronto took place at the Palais Royale on April 22. Maria Nash won the Outstanding Performance – Gender Non-Conforming or Female Voice Award for the role of Pinecone in Pinecone & Pony, “The Sturdy Stone” (First Generation Films, in association with DreamWorks Animation and Apple TV +). This year the award was presented in honour of Samantha Weinstein. Samantha was an ACTRA member and in 2006, at 10 years old, became the youngest winner of an ACTRA Award. The Outstanding Performance – Gender Non-Conforming or Male Voice was presented to Cory Doran as Balloonicus in Super Wish, “The Ballooniverse Pageant” (Discovery Kids Latin America, Nelvana, Corus, Redknot). The Outstanding Performance – Gender Non-Conforming or Female Award was presented to Elizabeth Saunders as Sue in smokeBreak (Benchmark Pictures) and the Outstanding Performance – Gender Non-Conforming or Male to Salvatore Antonio as Salomé in Slasher, “Everybody’s Darling” (Shaftesbury, Shudder, Hollywood Suite).

ACTRA Toronto’s 2024 Award of Excellence was presented to Maria del Mar by Maurice Dean Wint with a special introduction by Gil Bellows. The 2024 ACTRA Toronto Stunt Award was presented to Tom Farr by Jamie Jones. Sort Of (Sphere Media, CBC, Max) won the Members’ Choice Series Ensemble Award. The Marsh King’s Daughter (Black Bear Pictures, Anonymous Content) won the 2024 Stunt Ensemble Award. Link below to the online edition of the awards presentation.

Link here to the online edition of the awards presentation.

Tina Keeper appointed to Order of Canada

Photo: George Pimentel Photography

ACTRA member Tina Keeper has been named Member of the Order of Canada. Well-known for her award-winning role as RCMP officer Michelle Kenidi on CBC’s North of 60, Keeper was named ACTRA National Woman of the Year in 2017. One of the first Cree members of Parliament, from 2006 to 2008 Keeper was the elected Member of Parliament for Manitoba’s Churchill riding under the Liberal Party of Canada and went on to serve as the Official Opposition’s Critic for Public Health and Canadian Heritage. As co-founder of Kistikan Pictures, Keeper continues to focus on Indigenous rights, reconciliation, and gender-based violence through her work.

The Order of Canada, established in 1967, recognises Canadians whose contributions have significantly shaped and impacted society.

Congratulations to the
2024 Canadian Screen Award Winners

Crave/APTN’s Little Bird, created by Jennifer Podemski and Hannah Moscovitch, led television honours winning 13 awards including: Best Drama Series; Best Ensemble Performance, Drama; Best Lead Performer, Drama Series, presented by the Canada Media Fund, for Darla Contois; and Best Supporting Performer, Drama for Braeden Clarke.

CTV’s Children Ruin Everything was honoured with awards for Best Lead Performer, Comedy for Meaghan Rath and Best Supporting Performer, Comedy for Ennis Esmer, while Crave’s Letterkenny received Best Ensemble Performance, Comedy. The award for Best Stunt Coordination was presented to Sean Skene, Dan Skene, and Cam Fergus for Crave’s Shoresy.

Film honours were led by Matt Johnson’s BlackBerry which received a record 14 Canadian Screen Awards, including Best Motion Picture; Best Performance in a Leading Role, Comedy for Jay Baruchel; and Best Performance in a Supporting Role, Comedy for Glenn Howerton. The Queen Of My Dreams secured the win for Performance in a Leading Role, Drama for Amrit Kaur, while Performance in a Supporting Role, Drama was presented to Chantal Thuy for Ru.

The 2024 Canadian Screen Awards broadcast aired on May 31 and was hosted by Mae Martin. You can view the 2024 Canadian Screen Awards on CBC Gem and the additional shows and full list of winners can be viewed at CanadianScreenAwards.ca. ACTRA is a proud sponsor of the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television.

Top Photo, Paul Sun-Hyung Lee received the 2024 Canadian Award of Distinction at the BANFF World Media Festival. Photo: Kristian Bogner

By Staff

Chief Dan George, steadfast in his refusal to accept roles that demeaned Indigenous peoples, was a pivotal figure in advancing their rights in North America. Widely regarded as the first well-known Indigenous screen performer in North America, his activism profoundly reshaped the narrative of Indigenous people on and off screen.

Born in 1899 to the Tsleil-Waututh Nation in North Vancouver, George (born Geswanouth Slahoot) served as chief of the Tell-lall-watt tribe of the Coast Salish Nation from 1951 to 1963. He was also an honorary chief of the Squamish and Shuswap bands.

Before embarking on a career in film and television, George worked as a dockworker, musician, and poet. His acting career began serendipitously when CBC Vancouver invited him to audition for their new Western series, Cariboo Country, while he was touring British Columbia as a musician in the late 1950s. His starring role in this series marked the beginning of his celebrated acting career.

Cariboo Country was notable for challenging many stereotypes of the Western genre, portraying guns as tools for hunting rather than instruments of violence. The series also broke new ground by casting Indigenous actors in Indigenous roles.

George’s talent caught the attention of Hollywood. In the 1960s and 1970s, he appeared in several notable films and television shows. His role as Old Lodge Skins in Little Big Man (1970) alongside Dustin Hoffman earned him an Academy Award nomination, making him the first Indigenous actor to receive such recognition. He also received accolades from the National Society of Film Critics and the New York Film Critics Circle for this performance.

In 1971, George was named an Officer of the Order of Canada, one of the country’s highest honours. He was also inducted into the B.C. Entertainment Hall of Fame and Playback’s Hall of Fame. His film credits include Harry and Tonto (1974) and The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976), where he starred alongside Clint Eastwood. His many television roles include Bonanza, Kung Fu, and McCloud. He had a recurring role of Chief Moses Charlie in the Canadian comedy-drama series The Beachcombers.

Jackson Davies, who played RCMP Constable John Constable on The Beachcombers, recalls his experience working with George: “It was like being around royalty. Dan had a quiet elegance, and his voice was hauntingly beautiful. He was funny, loved to laugh, and enjoyed telling jokes. He was also thrilled to act alongside his granddaughter Charlene Aleck, who played Sara on the show. We were truly blessed.”

Davies also remembers George’s impactful activism. In 1967, to mark Canada Day, George delivered his poignant Lament for Confederation speech at the Empire Stadium in Vancouver. Davies describes the speech as a powerful introduction to Indigenous political activism.

In his speech, George addressed a dark chapter of Canada’s history: “When I fought to protect my land and my home, I was called a savage. When I neither understood nor welcomed his way of life, I was called lazy. When I tried to rule my people, I was stripped of my authority.”

Chief Dan George concluded with his hopeful vision for the future: “I shall see our young braves and our chiefs sitting in the houses of law and government, ruling and being ruled by the knowledge and freedoms of our great land. So shall we shatter the barriers of our isolation. So shall the next hundred years be the greatest in the proud history of our tribes and nations.”

Chief Dan George and Jackson Davies (left) and Bruno Gerussi (right) in the comedy drama CBC series The Beachcombers. Photos courtesy of Jackson Davies.

Top photo, Chief Dan George. Photo: Bettmann / Getty Images

Winners of the ninth annual UBCP/ACTRA Awards!

Nine performers were honoured at the 2020 UBCP/ACTRA virtual awards on November 21 in recognition of their achievements within B.C.’s entertainment industry. The event was preceded by a star-studded virtual red-carpet and included recorded greetings by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and B.C. Premier John Horgan. John Cassini won the Best Lead Performance – Male award for his role in Daughter while the Best Lead Performance – Female award went to Carmen Moore for her role in Rustic Oracle. Brendan Fletcher won the Best Supporting Performance – Male award for his role in Night Hunter and Jenn MacLean-Angus won the award for Best Supporting Performance – Female for her role in Daughter. Giles Panton won the Best Voice Performance award for his performance in Absolute Carnage and stunt performers Corry Glass and Adrian Hein won the Best Stunt Performance award for their performances in The Detour – The Sister. The Lorena Gale Woman of Distinction Award was presented to Catherine Lough Haggquist and the John Juliani Award of Excellence was presented to Alvin Sanders. If you missed the celebration, you can watch it by clicking on the video below.

Congrats to Taylor Olson for your 2020 FIN Atlantic International Film Festival wins!

2020 Canadian Screen Awards Winners

Cardinal won big at the 2020 Canadian Screen Awards (CSAs), picking up seven awards during the virtual ceremony this past May, including Best Drama Series. Schitt’s Creek captured six trophies, including Best Comedy Series, with ACTRA member Catherine O’Hara picking up the Best Lead Actress, Comedy Award, and Eugene Levy the Best Lead Actor, Comedy Award. Cardinal stars Billy Campbell and Karine Vanasse won Best Lead Actor, Drama Series, and Best Lead Actress, Drama Series Awards. Anne With an E picked up five honours, including the Best Guest Performance, Drama Series Award for Dalmar Abuzeid. Mark O’Brien won Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role for Goalie. In the sketch comedy and comedy categories, Baroness von Sketch Show won five awards while Kim’s Convenience and Letterkenny won two awards. Other winners include Mary Kills People, Vikings and the TV movie Believe Me: The Abduction of Lisa McVey. This year marked the first time the CSAs presented an award for Best Stunt Coordination, with Angelica Lisk-Hann and Tally Rodin winning for their work in Mary Kills People. Click here for the complete list of 2020 Canadian Screen Award nominees and winners, and here to (re)watch the virtual award presentations.

imagineNATIVE honours Lorne Cardinal

Lorne Cardinal was honoured with the August Schellenberg Award of Excellence at the 2020 imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival. The festival presents the annual award to a performer whose work celebrates the spirit and commitment its namesake, August Schellenberg, showed over the course of his career. With more than 100 film, TV and stage credits, Lorne has played everything from historical figures, like the character “Loud Noise” in the TV movie Tecumseh: The Last Warrior, to recurring roles such as Daniel Deela on North of 60 and Sergeant Davis on Corner Gas. Lorne was honoured to receive the August Schellenberg award, saying Schellenberg “left an indelible mark in my life,” and he “was lucky to call [Schellenberg] a friend and a mentor.”  The two worked together over the years on such projects as Lonesome Dove, Crazy Horse and the historical stage version of King Lear (in 2012, the all-Indigenous cast production of King Lear was performed at the National Arts Centre and Schellenberg was cast in the title role). ACTRA and AFBS are proud sponsors of the festival’s August Schellenberg Award of Excellence. This year, the ImagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival took place virtually from October 20 to 25. Visit imagineative.org for the full list of winners.

‍Mary Galloway wins 2020ACTRA Manitoba Award

ACTRA Members Tom Jackson and Dave Thomas appointed to Order of Canada

Iconic actor, musician, activist, philanthropist and trailblazer when it comes to Indigenous on-screen representation, ACTRA member Tom Jackson is being promoted to the highest level within the Order of Canada. Previously appointed as an Officer in 2000, Jackson will receive the highest honour – Companion – within the Order of Canada. One of Tom’s notable charitable works was his creation of the annual Huron Carole Christmas concert series, which for the last 30 years has travelled across the country and raised millions of dollars and supplies for Canadian food banks (the seasonal music tradition will go ahead this year as well but will take place virtually). Comedy legend actor, writer and producer and ACTRA member Dave Thomas has been selected as a Member to the Order of Canada this year. Dave co-created the famous Canadian comedy duo Bob and Doug with fellow Canadian Rick Moranis and was among the lead members of the legendary sketch series SCTV. Created in 1967, the Order of Canada is one of the country’s highest honours presented by the Governor General to citizens whose work in a wide-array of industries have shaped and impacted Canadian society. The 2020 recipients will be presented with their insignia at a ceremony to be held at a later date.

Ruth Lawrence named 2020 Leslie Yeo Award for Volunteerism recipient

Alberta’s 2020 Rosie Award Winner

2020 Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards Laureates

Schitt’s Creek sweeps the 2020 Emmys with nine wins!

Schitt’s Creek broke a record at the 2020 Emmy Awards, winning every award in the comedy categories for which it was nominated. Our talented ACTRA members swept the performance categories: Eugene Levy won Best Actor, Catherine O’Hara took home the Best Actress prize while Annie Murphy won Best Supporting Actress and Dan Levy took home the Best Supporting Actor award. Winning nine awards makes Schitt’s Creek the first comedy series — in the Emmys’ 72-year history — to do so. Congratulations to the cast and crew for making history. Click here for the full list of Emmy winners.

2020 ACTRA Maritimes Award Winners

Screen Nova Scotia hosted its sixth annual awards gala virtually on December 4. Vinessa Antoine won the ACTRA Maritimes Award for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Lead or Featured Female Role for playing lawyer Marcie Diggs in the CBC series Diggstown. Antoine made history in 2019 as the first Black Canadian woman to helm a prime-time drama in Canada. Gay Hauser also won for her role in Diggstown, taking home the ACTRA Maritimes Award for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Female Role. Cory Bowles won the ACTRA Maritimes Award for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Male Role for his performance in the series Pure (WGN America) as Detective Jay Gates. Allister MacDonald won the ACTRA Maritimes Award for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Lead or Featured Male Role for his performance as drag queen Joan of Arkansas in Thom Fitzgerald’s feature film Stage Mother. Click here to watch the award show video clips available on Screen Nova Scotia’s Vimeo page. screennovascotia.com

Sarah Polley – ACTRA National’s 2020 Woman of the Year

Sarah Polley has shared her personal experiences as a child star when speaking in support of children who work in the entertainment business. She’s also been a leading voice promoting ACTRA’s campaigns to increase Canadian entertainment content.

Sarah’s successful career as a performer, writer, director and producer inspires us all, which is why this year Canadian performers are shining a spotlight on Sarah — our 2020 ACTRA National Woman of the Year.

You’ve supported ACTRA’s bargaining teams and made a real difference in the way performers are treated and respected in our country. How did this come about?

I’ve never been at the bargaining table, but I’ve been there to show support in the past and I’ve given some input into protections for child performers. Being a child actor was pretty awful for me overall and, as a child in a vulnerable position on many film sets, I was often protected and nurtured by other ACTRA members. I’ve never forgotten those gestures of solidarity from my fellow union members (Barry Flatman, Cedric Smith, Mag Ruffman and Lynda Mason Greene come to mind, for example) and, as a result, being part of this union has always brought a feeling of a family for me. I feel a very strong affinity to the labour movement and, when I was on ACTRA Toronto Council in my teens, this actually put me at odds with many other Councillors who came from a more conservative background. Over the years, it’s been amazing to see ACTRA become more and more of a progressive union and take real action on issues like protecting child performer’s rights.

Over the past few years, what has – or hasn’t – changed for women working in the entertainment industry?

There is certainly much more awareness now of how women have been harassed and abused in their place of work, which is wonderful, though not much has changed in terms of the players. There is still misogyny everywhere; being experienced by women in various incarnations all the time. Some women I know received heartfelt acknowledgments and apologies from men in the aftermath of the MeToo movement. It would be great to see more of those kinds of acknowledgements of past behaviour so we could really move on to a new chapter. I think some men have learned a lot over the last few years. Many, though, haven’t internalized the information but are at least too afraid to behave as horribly as they did before. To be honest, I’m happy for even this. I’d rather have had everyone change and see things more clearly but I’m also happy our culture has shifted enough at least for them to know their behaviour is unacceptable even if their minds haven’t changed. Hopefully, the next generation has an easier time internalizing this stuff. I’m happy many women now don’t brush off incidents of harassment as par for the course and that we have a discourse to talk about what is wrong with harassment. It’s something I didn’t have for most of my life. I still don’t see enough space for women who don’t present as “feminine enough,” enough space for BIPOC actors, LGBTQ+ actors. Most of the women I know who aren’t straight, white, cis women have seen even less positive change in their workplaces, which sucks.

What does being named ACTRA Woman of the Year mean to you? 

It means a lot. I’ve had such a long history with ACTRA. It’s rare to see big organizations and institutions change in meaningful ways, and I’ve seen the ability of this organization evolve into so many iterations over the years. I’ve also been raising my kids for the most part for the last eight-and-a-half years, which can make people think you have somehow disappeared – I’ll often be chasing two kids along the sidewalk with a toddler in my arms and someone will say, “What the hell have you been DOING lately?!” I’m like… um… I’ve been doing this…) – so to be recognized in this way is very meaningful when my main job over the last number of years has been raising children.

What’s changed in your [professional] life since the COVID-19 lockdown? 

I’ve been writing a book. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, and it’s been amazing to finally get to do it. I’ve also reoriented myself towards projects that really mean something to me politically, that have something pressing to say. I haven’t felt interested in art for art’s sake. It’s time to make some noise. 

Your long and successful career has encompassed numerous roles on screen and behind the camera. What’s next for Sarah Polley?

I’m excited to find new modes of collaborating in more democratic ways. I’d like to direct again in the next few years but work civilized hours that are safe and respectful to everyone’s families. I’d also like to do more writing that isn’t film related.

Sarah Polley is an award-winning performer, writer, director and producer whose long and distinguished career has encompassed numerous roles both on screen and behind the camera. Her dramatic features include Away from Her, Take This Waltz and Stories We Tell.Sarah’s adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s Alias Grace for CBC and Netflix, which she executive produced, garnered six Canadian Screen Award wins including Best Screenplay, Director, Actress and Limited Series. In 2008, Sara was honoured with the ACTRA Toronto Award of Excellence. Sarah’s most recent work, CBC Gem’s Hey Lady!, which she co-directed, debuted at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival.

Eleanor Noble

When I received the request to write an article on safe sets across Canada, I was, admittedly, reluctant to take it on. I felt uninspired to write about a subject that has infiltrated every single aspect of our lives in every single way around the world. I struggled with the idea that anyone would even want to read, yet another f—king COVID-19 story and how it’s affecting our lives!!

Regardless, I reached out to some fellow actors across the country to hear about their experiences on set, comparing them with mine. Actors on series, big MGM productions, indie and Hallmark movies all unanimously agree that everyone seems to have adapted well to government health regulations, ACTRA Branches’ local Health & Safety guidelines, and other union enforcements. I was left with the distinct impression everyone is taking tremendous measures to protect each other, stepping up to the task because they want to work. Masks, eye protection, physically distancing, hand washing and disinfecting is where it’s at… until ACTION, when we remove our PPE and hope for the best.

For Intimacy Coordinators (IC), this has coincided quite well. Lindsay Somers, Founder of Intimacy Coordinators Canada, explained how necessity dictates that we be more inventive about intimate scenes involving physical contact of any kind during these uncertain times and ICs have risen to the challenge. Not comfortable kissing your partner in that scene? Need it to still be hot? No problem, an IC can readily and efficiently find all kinds of super sexy alternatives that leave the actors feeling secure and safe and the director content. And the added bonus is we are all quickly adjusting to the practice of consent. Because we have to. A relatively easy concept long to take hold, is now becoming the norm. Intimate scenes are no longer thrown at anyone in the last minute or thought up on the spur of the moment. Everything must be well planned out ahead of time.

Kudos to Hudson & Rex, shot out in Newfoundland, for running a very tight ship. Producer Paul Pope shared that they have established a safety bubble by having their own hotel where out-of-town performers stay during their shoot that excludes outside guests for additional security. Mr. Pope was enthusiastic about their production’s ongoing efforts to continually make the actors, crew and background feel safe and even more like a family than ever before. They have also mastered shots that divert crowds and won’t draw your attention to pre- and post-COVID-19 shooting. And the legacy of COVID-19 confinement that may live on… better quality food (no more buffet style) and regularly cleaned toilets! Hooray!!

So, what else could I possibly report on?! All the issues and challenges that encompass self-tapes and auditioning at home in today’s climate? What about the impact of COVID-19 on women, especially BIPOC women? Or the Black Lives Matter movement and our industry? Or the current state of politics and the economy at the moment? These all need completely separate and in-depth focus.

Oh yes, safe sets…

And that’s when it hit me. I thought about all the people who work in our industry. All the passion and drive and determination we each have in us. How being forced to stop working simply made us work even harder to sustain our industry. In fact, the very nature of our being is the compelling habit (be it good or bad) to automatically say YES to most things. YES, because of our creative drive. YES, because it’s the first word that comes to mind when we work. YES, because sometimes it’s too awkward to say no (bad!). YES, because we don’t want to risk tarnishing our reputations because we want to work forever.

It’s due to that extremely vulnerable side of ourselves that the very premise of a union exists for us. It exists to give us boundaries and rules to protect us from our YES’s and our propensity to please while perfecting someone else’s vision. And it’s no different during COVID-19 times.

ACTRA’s Best Practices for Scenes Involving Nudity, Intimacy, Simulated Sex and Sexual Violence is a resource to help guide workers in the entertainment industry to ask the right questions about scenes involving nudity, intimacy, simulated sex and sexual violence. It contains separate checklists for performers, intimacy coordinators, agents, casting directors and production companies.

To think there was some talk from opposition government parties being nervous that a bunch of artists would just want to stay home to take advantage of CERB! How little they understand us. How little they grasp the fact that all we really want to do is work. Pay attention, government! One of the first things the world turned to during confinement was entertainment. We are ‘essential’ workers providing an ‘essential’ need.

So let’s carry on, carrying on!! Let’s continue proving we work together because we want to work. Social distance when you can, when you can’t then physically distance, wear a mask, eye protection, gloves, and wash your hands… do whatever you need to do to help our industry stay open and alive, with all the resilience and drive we’re known for.

Here’s to 2021!!
Peace Out!

Eleanor Noble is a full-time actor based in Montreal. She has been an ACTRA Council member since 2006. She is currently Vice President of ACTRA Montreal, and ACTRA National Councillor, and the Chair of the ACTRA National Women’s Committee. Eleanor is the creator of the Casting Standards Committee in Montreal working together with industry partners to improve the casting process. She also volunteers her time on numerous other committees in between studio and set time. Her lovebird Tony, two dogs, Walter & Scooter, and long-distance video chats with her partner in the US keep her company during these unprecedented times.

Omari Newton

The ability to perform convincingly is essential for an actor who hopes to have any semblance of a career. Our training is meant to help us cultivate our tastes or understanding of “good acting,” as much as it is meant to help us fully embody the characters we portray. A good actor is able to recognize when they or others are “living truthfully under imaginary circumstances,” an elegant definition of the craft of acting often attributed to legendary actor and acting teacher Sanford Meisner. But what about the performances we give when the circumstances are real?

When the infamous video of George Floyd’s callous murder at the hands of a police officer went viral this summer, public outcry was swift and widespread. Social media was awash with black squares and mentions of #BlackLivesMatter. A cacophony of public pledges of solidarity filled my various social media feeds. The volume of people vowing to fight anti-Black racism was damn-near deafening. Even the NFL, which had notoriously been embroiled in a bitter battle with former player-turned-social-justice-activist Colin Kapernick over his right to peacefully kneel on the sidelines in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, posted a statement speaking out against racism. It was sometime after the NFL released its statement that I realized we had entered a moment unlike any we had seen in recent years. It was also around this time I began to worry about how this moment could be sustained and turned into a movement.

The distinction between performance and performative is, in my opinion, subtle but critical. A performance is ephemeral. It is meant to captivate and convince audiences for relatively short bursts. It is understood by audience and artist alike that performances are meant to be shaken off soon after a show is over, allowing the performer to revert back into their regular mannerisms, thoughts, and general state of being. The clear end of a performance also allows audiences to go about their lives after being treated to a bit of escapism.

A performative display, on the other hand, may look similar but is fundamentally different. It has more cynical aims. Unlike a performance concerned primarily with entertaining or engaging viewers, performative behaviour is more transactional. It is a form of virtue-signaling designed to garner public praise, empathy, and access. Access to resources in the form of funding from government institutions now actively seeking out BIPOC projects and people to support, or private lenders looking to cash-in on viral trends. It also looks to gain access to communities who have been systematically and historically ignored by industries such as film and television. It was only after the recent but incredible success of BIPOC-centred films like Black Panther and Crazy Rich Asians the industry recognized “diverse” programming can attract new demographics willing to pay big money to see themselves represented on screen. Performative behaviour is a cynical tactic meant to indicate solidarity and change while maintaining inequitable power structures that have long been in existence. Performative is having the faces on camera look slightly more diverse while predominantly keeping key roles off camera old, white and male. Performative is spending months trumpeting outrage over the death of George Floyd, then voting to keep an overt bigot in power only a few months later.

How do we build on this summer’s undeniable moment and usher in a true movement towards change? The answers have long been straightforward. Stakeholders need to do the work to ensure equal opportunities for BIPOC actors, writers, directors and producers. They must seek out stories and storytellers from BIPOC communities and empower us with the resources to tell our own stories or the training to help our skillset catch up to our tastes and passion. We must reject the absurd fallacy of colour blindness and work from a place of colour consciousness, paying consideration to how different bodies on screen carry different stories with them. Treating us all as if we are differently toned white people dilutes the story being told and undermines our sense of pride and self-worth.

If our lives truly do matter to you, cut the performative posturing and start performing your duties as allies. The future of our industry depends on it.

Omari Newton is an award-winning actor, writer, director and producer. Notable film and television credits include roles in the animated Netflix series The Dragon Prince, Corner Gas (the animated series), Showcase’s Continuum and the voice of the ‘Black Panther’ in multiple Marvel animated productions. In 2017-2018, Omari received the Jessie Richardson Award for Outstanding Performance by an Actor and a nomination for Best Director for his work in the Speakeasy Theatre production of The Shipment. Omari’s Hip Hop presentation of Sal Capone at Canada’s National Arts Centre earned him rave reviews as a playwright for raising a mighty fist to issues of our time – prejudice, homophobia and injustice – with grace and wit. TW: @OmariAkilNewton; Insta: omariakilnewton; FB: omari.newton

Samora Smallwood

I was absolutely thrilled when I received the call inviting me to join the cast of Star Trek: Discovery. As an actor, you are happy for work and any call about a booking is a cause for celebration, but this booking on CBS All Access’s Star Trek: Discovery was extra special to me for several reasons.

The first is personal: my mom has been a huge Star Trek fan since I was a child and every time I auditioned for the show (there were a few auditions!) I can still picture her face when I gave her the news. The second reason is super personal: the Star Trek franchise means so much to diversity and inclusion. As a biracial Black woman and ACTRA Toronto’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee’s co-chair, real on-screen representation is my heart and soul. And nobody does it better than Star Trek.

I still vividly remember my mom sitting me down to explain the impact of Star Trek’s character Nyota Uhura, originally played by Nichelle Nicholls, and what it meant to have a Black woman front and centre, especially at a time when diversity on screen was extremely rare. If I’m honest, I was too young to fully understand the lesson, but that’s how representation serves as an invaluable tool for parents of children of colour in their task of explaining both the inequalities and possibilities they will encounter in this world.

Akela Cooper, a Black woman and writer of the upcoming, highly anticipated new Star Trek: Strange New Worlds series, spoke of watching Star Trek with her parents as a child and how much it meant to them because the series showed a future in which  “Black people had made it.”  How moving is that? It just demonstrates that real representation empowers, emboldens and unites. It is hugely powerful.

Star Trek: Discovery is also important to Toronto and Ontario because of the abundance it brings to our local economies and the performing arts community. Since its launch, Star Trek: Discovery has spent $257 million on production in Ontario and has created almost 5,000 local jobs, over half of which are for cast and crew. It makes me immensely proud a show of Star Trek: Discovery’s extraordinary calibre knows it can rely on our craftspeople and actors in creating truly epic storytelling.

CBS Studios President David Stapf acknowledges, the “Toronto area has provided series like Star Trek: Discovery with diverse and appealing locations, great production infrastructure, and crafts expertise that cannot be easily found. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again; there is nothing this province can’t provide, and the people here can’t create.”

My experience on the Star Trek: Discovery set was so special because a show like this offers actors a chance to become better. I play Lieutenant Amin, a member of the USS Enterprise crew, alongside Anson Mount, Rebecca Romijn, Ethan Peck and ACTRA members Hanneke Talbot and Chai Valladares. Our storyline is a high-stakes one involving joining the original Discovery crew of actors such as Sonequa Martin-Green, Doug Jones and Michelle Yeoh. Working with these talented, poised and powerful actors is a huge blessing.

As an actor, being a part of a story of extreme conflict, which included a pyrotechnics crew, green screen and, of course, the glorious USS Enterprise, is a masterclass in television production excellence. It was incredibly touching to represent a biracial or “ethnically ambiguous” character – who is ambitious, smart, driven and highly skilled — front and centre on the beloved Enterprise bridge. Real representation means writing characters and casting actors of infinite diversity in infinite combinations. That is the Star Trek way.

Star Trek was “doing diversity” before it was cool and continues to push the envelope. ViacomCBS recently announced an international “No Diversity, No Commission” production policy aimed at elevating new diverse voices. It means productions will have to adhere to diversity guidelines before budgets are approved and production can begin. This is huge. We all remember Frances McDormand’s simple plea in her Oscar winner’s speech: “Inclusion Rider.” We need the most powerful among us to boldly go into that inclusive on-screen future, which in turn informs real change and inclusivity in the real world.

The premiere episode of Star Trek: Discovery season three features two strong Black lead actors. For diverse performers, it matters to see a story being led by diverse characters with plot-changing agency. A recent episode featured something we haven’t seen before: a romance between a non-binary character and a trans character. Imagine the impact this has on members of those traditionally marginalized communities. The power of screen entertainment is immeasurable.

Star Trek: Discovery Executive Producer and Director Olatunde Osunsanmi (who directed my episodes and the stunning season three opener) had this to say about the work Star Trek: Discovery is doing: “Inclusion is one of those things that needs to be nurtured, cared for, grown, and constantly maintained. You can never let your guard down around it, otherwise, it could wither and decay. It is important to be constantly vigilant around it. So, we continue to work on it every day.”

May this sentiment live long and prosper.

Samora Smallwood is an award-winning performer, writer, feminist and activist who has a passion for telling fresh stories and promoting diversity on screen and behind the camera. Her acting credits include: Star Trek Discovery, Star Trek Short Treks, The Expanse, Coroner, Shadowhunters, Frankie Drake Mysteries, Daughter Dearest, Counting on Christmas and Queen of the Morning Calm. In 2020, Samora was nominated for the Best Series Ensemble ACTRA Toronto Award for Tokens. Samora is a member of the ACTRA National Diversity & Inclusion Committee and founder of The Actors Work Studio in Toronto. Samora is of West African and Caucasian descent, and speaks English, French and Spanish.

Marie Kelly

For any organization keeping ahead of the curve is always the goal.  When it comes to unions and ACTRA in particular, it’s a necessity to be on the forefront of the ever-changing landscape. Doing so allows us to ensure our members are both protected and promoted within our industry.  More than ever, safety, resilience and creative excellence are at the heart of our union’s work in Canada’s vibrant entertainment industry. With major cultural and economic shifts taking place, we are engaged in a variety of forums to maximize our role to create positive change.

As production resumed across the country following the first wave of the pandemic this past spring, ACTRA Branch leaders and staff have been heavily involved with provincial legislators to develop new industry health and safety guidelines. Those guidelines and the protocols we negotiate for each production have been paramount to ensuring the industry and our job opportunities survive while at the same time keeping our members safe.  With a dedicated focus on workplace health and safety measures, we will be looking to our collective agreements to enhance and codify these protections for our members.

The stage is set for 2021 to be an extremely important bargaining year for us. We will be renewing our National Commercial Agreement, our CBC Television and Radio Agreements, our Game On Agreement, the British Columbia Master Production Agreement and the Independent Production Agreement. We have much to do!

COVID-19 and the impact of our emerging digital world has greatly affected our industry, which is why we will be reviewing our approach to residuals within our collective agreements. As the platforms for our work shift so must we evaluate how to shift with them. At the same time we also know that use fee payments have been a lifeline for many of our performers who were not able to work in front of the camera during this pandemic. From March to December of this year, our ACTRA Performers’ Rights Society disbursed over $10 million in residuals and royalties to our members.

For us to remain successful leaders within Canada’s vibrant media and entertainment sector, our solidarity is paramount. The digital era is presenting us with growing audiences and growing work opportunities. Our work is domestically successful and becoming more globally competitive.

Time and time again, Canadians have shown us they want to see Canadian stories on their screens. A policy shift is finally happening with the introduction of Bill C-10 by Canadian Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault, which will regulate Internet broadcasters such as Netflix, Disney+ and Crave. As David said in his President’s Message, this could mean digital streamers’ contributions to Canadian music and stories could hit $830 million by 2023. The Bill also proposes amendments to our broadcasting system and we want to ensure that any changes better reflect the needs and interests of the rich diversity of Canadians, including Indigenous peoples and racialized communities. Our advocacy and our goal is to ensure these legislative changes will result in improved support for our Canadian screen industry and the performers who work in it.

The pandemic has also exposed a lot of issues we are facing both as a nation and in our industry, such as the need to collectively address anti-Black racism and racial inequality. Broadcasters, media giants and politicians have expressed their support of Black, Indigenous and People of Colour creators and storytelling. Now is our time to push for action and commitment.

With courage, we can take the necessary steps to ensure a lasting cultural shift. In 2017, amid the issues brought to light during the MeToo movement, ACTRA stepped up to lead change within our industry and called for better strategies to create safer work environments. ACTRA Montreal Member Eleanor Noble examines our union’s commitment to creating change in her Safe Sets across Canada story, which explores how the filming of intimate scenes between performers has evolved.

A lot of challenging conversations are still to be had with governments, within our industry and with each other. We are united by our resilience and collective commitment to the well-being and success of ALL of our members. When we come to you for your support, whether it’s for our collective agreements or political action campaigns, your engagement as a union member is essential for our success. We all need to be united.

Although holiday gatherings may look different this year, reasons for celebrating are not. I am incredibly grateful to all of our members across the country who have taken action whether it is by embracing the new health and safety protocols, speaking out about racism and discrimination or advocating for the protection of our Canadian industry and stories. I am proud of your professionalism, resilience, creative excellence and as always – incredibly proud of who we are together; ACTRA!

I wish you, and your loved ones, good health, peace and happiness in 2021.

In solidarity,
Marie Kelly

David Sparrow
ACTRA National President

As we prepare to enter the third decade of the 21st century, I think we are all ready to close the door on the second. I know 2020 has been a tough year for us all. However, I also know ACTRA members are resilient. We stepped up to the challenges we all faced in dealing with a global pandemic and are ready and eager to go back to work.

Although we may not know exactly when, COVID-19 will eventually end. Recent news about potential vaccines, I hope, has helped lift your spirits. While even as early as next year we may see many things return to a new normal, our industry will likely be forever different from its pre-pandemic days. Buffet lunches, cramped holding spaces, protocols around hair and make-up, scenes of intimacy and so many other aspects of our daily business will be treated more carefully for a long time to come.

Another thing that comes to mind is the audition process. I’m sure many of us are wondering if the self-tape audition is here to stay or if we will ever be back in a live audition room again. What has burgeoned as a pandemic necessity is likely to morph into a new, post-pandemic audition process where self-tapes will be the first contact for most roles. While this will give opportunity to performers living in more remote locations, the learning curve and cost of producing a self-tape must be addressed with producers in future negotiations.

This crisis has forced our government and society to recognize the important impact storytelling and performance have on Canadians. ACTRA and our industry colleagues have had the ear of government officials and have been heard. Even so, Canadian performers will need to reinvent and strengthen our place in an industry that has moved very quickly toward the truly global. But hey, we are a creative bunch with over 75 years of technological/media adaptation behind us. Together our collective bargaining and political strategies will support the careers of Canadian performers, the stories of Canadians and the proud culture our work projects to the world.

Throughout the pandemic shutdown and the recent return of work opportunities, your union has remained steady. ACTRA staff have continued to ensure commercial residual payments, and ACTRA Performers’ Rights Society and UBCP/ACTRA royalties are received by members across the country. Additionally, your union was able to help convince the government that performers should be included in the CERB and that up to $1,000/month in earnings should not be counted against CERB eligibility.

Your union was also vocal about the need for new financial support to be made available to self-employed and gig economy workers once the CERB came to an end in September. The government listened. For the first time, such workers were included in an EI provision. The new Canada Recovery Benefit, different from the CERB, helps support the gap in earnings an individual may experience due to various COVID-19 impacts.

Your union has also been busy working for its members on the industry front. ACTRA lobbied the government to create a temporary insurance support measure that would help Canadian productions should they be faced with a COVID-related interruption. And when the government heard our call and announced the Short-Term Compensation Fund, ACTRA joined forces with IATSE and the DGC and called for health and safety protocols and provisions for adequate compensation for cast and crew to be included in the Fund’s guidelines. By the way, those excellent health and safety protocols being observed on set… ACTRA staff from across the country worked with their local industry colleagues and governments to establish protocols that would make everyone working in our industry safer. (Check out ACTRA’s ACTSmart! page.) It is for these reasons our country has been seen as a safer location for film & TV work to resume.

Diversity, equity and inclusion, always a priority for your union, have taken on an increased and deserved importance this year. We were thrilled to have Olivia Nuamah join us last month in the newly created position of Director, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging. (You can learn more about the expertise Olivia brings to this position by linking to our announcement.) And I want to thank member Richard Young for stepping up to Chair our National Diversity & Inclusion Committee. Additionally, ACTRA has recalled the coalition of Canadian Creative Industries to address anti-Black racism and to work together to bring lasting change to our industry with the goal of ensuring real representation on all of our screens.

This year has also been a full and challenging year for our federal government, but they have not forgotten their pre-pandemic goals for our sector. We should take a moment to celebrate our legislative successes. After years of consultations, we were pleased to have Canadian Heritage table Bill C-10 – An Act to amend the Broadcasting Act – in November. The much-needed changes proposed in this Bill, specifically bringing online streaming services into the broadcasting system, are good news for Canadian content production and for Canadian performers. The simple changes to rules for online streaming services is expected to generate $830 million per year in contributions to Canadian audio-visual stories and music creation by 2023.

In the months to come, ACTRA will keep an eye on this new legislation, liaise with Canadian Heritage and will continue to advocate on behalf of ACTRA members as we work our way out of the pandemic. Let’s all remember to be professionals at all times, letting the industry here in Canada and around the world know ACTRA members make health and safety their first priority and we can be counted on to help make productions amazing and successful. Let’s keep our sets safe and our industry rolling.

The new year is right around the corner, so please take care of yourselves, your friends and your families, especially during the holiday season.

I wish you all health and prosperity in a brighter 2021.

In solidarity,
David Sparrow