Applause!
Winners of the 2023 ACTRA Awards in Toronto
The 21st annual ACTRA Awards in Toronto were presented at an intimate, in-person luncheon at the Palais Royale in Toronto on Wednesday, April 26, 2023. bahia watson won the Outstanding Performance – Gender Non-Conforming or Female Voice award for her role voicing Misty in My Little Pony: Make Your Mark and Billy MacLellan won the Gender Non-Conforming or Male Voice award for his narration of the audiobook Each Man’s Son. Raven Dauda won the Outstanding Performance – Gender Non-Conforming or Female award for playing Angela McManus in Five Days at Memorial and Eric Peterson took home the Outstanding Performance – Gender Non-Conforming or Male award for his role as Junior in Junior’s Giant. Wendy Crewson presented ACTRA Toronto’s 2023 Award of Excellence to Angelica Lisk-Hann – the first-ever ACTRA Stunt Performer/Coordinator to receive the honour. The 2023 ACTRA Toronto Stunt Award was presented to Paul Rutledge by John Stead. Sort Of (Sienna Films, Sphere Media, Canada Media Fund (CMF), HBO Max) won the Members’ Choice Series Ensemble Award, presented by AFBS, and was accepted by cast members Ellora Patnaik, Gray Powell and Supinder Wraich. What We Do In The Shadows, “The Night Market” (FX Productions, Two Canoes Pictures, 343 Incorporated, FX Network, Dive) won the 2023 Stunt Ensemble Award and was accepted by Stunt Co-Coordinator Tig Fong.
Said ACTRA Toronto President David Gale: “Following a record-breaking production year in Ontario in 2022, we are thrilled to come together to celebrate our nominees and special award recipients this year at the 21st ACTRA Awards in Toronto. Please join us in congratulating this year’s winners and their outstanding performances that continue to amaze and inspire us.” Be sure to watch the first-ever broadcast of the live show.
2023 ACTRA Awards in the Maritimes
ACTRA Maritimes presented four Outstanding Performance Awards at the Screen Nova Scotia Gala held on May 13 in the Schooner Ballroom at Casino Nova Scotia in front of a sold-out crowd of industry members and supporters. Briar Mosher took home an ACTRA Maritimes Award for Outstanding Performance for her role as a neglected six-year-old girl who uncovers a secret from her mother’s past in ACTRA Maritimes member Leah Johnston’s short film Mother’s Skin. Phoebe Rex won an Outstanding Performance Award for playing the teenage Samantha in Jason Eisener’s sci-fi horror feature Kids vs. Aliens.
ACTRA Maritimes Member Koumbie’s feature film directorial debut Bystanders proved to be a showcase for local talent, with both Taylor Olson and Marlee Sansom taking home trophies from ACTRA Maritimes for Outstanding Performances for their roles in the film. Be sure to watch Screen Nova Scotia’s broadcast of the show: https://vimeo.com/825073389/c21e29d311
UBCP/ACTRA Women’s Committee honours Bonnie Hay
The UBCP/ACTRA Women’s Committee honoured Bonnie Hay on International Women’s Day in recognition of her outstanding contribution to the union, the industry and social justice causes. Bonnie has championed gender equality and empowerment through her work on both the Women’s Committee and the Age Inclusion Committee at UBCP/ACTRA. Her unwavering commitment and enthusiasm for equality and fairness help to dismantle the barriers that have historically excluded women from the industry.
As an honouree of International Women’s Day, Bonnie joins a distinguished group of women who have made significant contributions to their communities.
2023 Governor-General’s Performing Arts Awards honours Paul Sun-Hyung Lee
Paul Sun-Hyung Lee is the recipient of the 2023 National Arts Centre Award. Lee is known for playing patriarch Appa in Kim’s Convenience on stage and screen. The show brought the Korean-Canadian immigrant experience into the cultural conversation, first in Canada and then around the world, and established him as a model and an inspiration for a generation of Asian actors. Lee has recently been popping up in the Star Wars universe as Captain Carson Teva in The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett. He has also been cast as Uncle Iroh in Netflix fantasy series Avatar: The Last Airbender. en.ggarts.ca
Congratulations to the 2023 Canadian Screen Awards Winners
The Porter (CBC) led the television honours, winning 12 Canadian Screen Awards, including Best Drama Series, and Best Guest Performance, Drama Series for Alfre Woodward. The award for Best Lead Performer, TV Movie went to Martha Henry for Edward Albee’s Three Tall Women (CBC). The award for Best Lead Performer, Drama Series was won by Hamza Haq for Transplant (CTV), making this his third consecutive win as a lead in the series. Best Supporting Performer, Drama went to Christopher Plummer for Departure (Global). In comedy, the second season of Sort Of (CBC) took home seven awards, including Best Lead Performer, Comedy, presented by the Canada Media Fund, for Bilal Baig, and Best Guest Performance, Comedy for Amanda Brugel. Best Supporting Performer, Comedy was presented to Ennis Esmer for Children Ruin Everything (CTV).
The award for Best Stunt Coordination was presented to John Stead, Anita Nittoly, Dejah Dixon-Green, Nova Zatzman and George Tchortov for Pretty Hard Cases (CBC). Film honours were led by Clement Virgo’s Brother, which received a record 12 Canadian Screen Awards including: Performance in a Leading Role, presented by Telefilm Canada, for Lamar Johnson; and Performance in a Supporting Role for Aaron Pierre. Best Lead Performance, Web Program or Series was presented to Olunike Adeliyi for Revenge of the Black Best Friend while Sedina Fiati won Best Supporting Performance, Web Program or Series for Tokens. Best Performance, Children’s or Youth was awarded to Saara Chaudry for Holly Hobbie (Family Channel). The Fabulous Show with Fay and Fluffy (Family Jr.) won the Shaw Rocket Fund Kids’ Choice Award and Hudson & Rex (Citytv) took home the Cogeco Fund Audience Choice Award.
Hosted by Samantha Bee, the Canadian Screen Awards broadcast aired on April 16 and can be viewed on CBC Gem. ACTRA is a proud sponsor of the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. The full list of 2023 Canadian Screen Award winners can be viewed here: Nominees – Academy.ca – Academy.ca
Heartland kicks off season 17 with 250th episode
Heartland is the longest-running one-hour drama in Canadian television history. The series was nominated for the Cogeco Fund Audience Choice Award at the 2023 Canadian Screen Awards and has made its way into the hearts of viewers in more than 120 countries. In 2022, Heartland fans watched 18 billion minutes to make it one of the most-streamed series in the United States.
Amber Marshall shares, “I really can’t imagine a better group of people to create something so special. We are all so proud of this show.” Shaun Johnston continues, “250 episodes of Heartland! That sure is a beautiful thing… I am honoured, humbled and privileged to be Jack Bartlett. And thank you, fans of Heartland.” Chris Potter says, “In 2007, Heartland presented an opportunity of great promise. As we celebrate our 250th-episode milestone, it is with admiration for and congratulations to every person involved in making the show throughout the seasons. For me, the dream goes on until I ride my horse into the Heartland sunset.”
Leslie Yeo for Volunteerism Award Winner
ACTRA member Jayne Heitmeyer is this year’s AFBS Leslie Yeo Award for Volunteerism. Her work for children’s and women’s charities and animal welfare, shows what bringing creative energy into day-to-day life can achieve. Jayne has generously donated the full amount of her Leslie Yeo Award – $5,000 – back to the charities she supports: Shriners Hospitals for Children-Canada, the West Island Black Community Association, the West Island Women’s Shelter and Gerdy’s Rescues & Adoptions.
Heartland is the only Canadian-made series to make the overall top 15 series watched by Americans across all streaming platforms (source: Nielsen 2023). Season 17 will premiere exclusively in Canada on CBC and CBC Gem this fall. Filming locations include Calgary, High River, Millarville and Longview in Alberta.
