Adam MacDonald

{{short description|Canadian actor and film director (born 1977)}}

{{Infobox person

| name = William Adam MacDonald

| years_active = 1998–present

| birth_name = William Adam MacDonald{{cite web|url=http://www.filmreference.com/film/56/Adam-Macdonald.html|title=Adam Macdonald Biography (1977–)|publisher=|access-date=November 3, 2016}}

| relatives = Jeff Roop (cousin)

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1977|4|26}}

| birth_place = Montreal, Quebec, Canada

| occupation = Actor, writer, director

}}

William Adam MacDonald (born April 26, 1977) is a Canadian actor, writer, and director. He is known for portraying Josh MacIntosh on the CBC show Being Erica, Peter McGregor on Wild Roses, and Detective Steve Peck on Rookie Blue, and for his guest-starring roles in several other shows, including Murdoch Mysteries and Republic of Doyle.{{Cite web|date=2015-07-08|title=Interview with 'Rookie Blue's Adam MacDonald|url=https://talknerdywithus.com/2015/07/interview-with-rookie-blues-adam-macdonald/|access-date=2021-05-16|website=Talk Nerdy With Us|language=en-US}}

MacDonald's writing and directing work includes the horror films Backcountry (2014) and Pyewacket (2017), both of which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, and the third season of the anthology horror television series Slasher (2019).{{Cite web|last=Miska|first=Brad|date=2018-10-23|title='Pyewacket's Adam MacDonald Directed the Entire Third Season of "Slasher" for Netflix! [Exclusive]|url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/tv/3528872/pyewackets-adam-macdonald-directed-entire-third-season-slasher-netflix-exclusive/|access-date=2021-05-16|website=Bloody Disgusting!|language=en-US}}

Life and career

MacDonald was born and raised in Montreal,{{Cite web|last=Kelly »|date=2012-03-30|title=My TV Nominees- Q&A with Adam MacDonald|url=https://www.myentertainmentworld.ca/2012/03/adam-macdonald/|access-date=2021-05-16|website=My Entertainment World|language=en-US}} and dabbled in acting and music throughout high school. He began to take it seriously in 1997 at the age of 20, when he became "hooked" after participating in an acting class.

MacDonald has starred in several television series throughout his career, in both leading and guest roles. He is known for portraying Josh MacIntosh on the CBC show Being Erica, Peter McGregor on Wild Roses, and Detective Steve Peck on Rookie Blue, and for his guest-starring roles in several other shows, including Murdoch Mysteries and Republic of Doyle.{{Cite web|title=Rookie Blue's Adam Macdonald gives us closure – The TV Junkies|url=https://thetvjunkies.com/rookie-blues-adam-macdonald-gives-us-closure/|access-date=2021-05-16|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|last=Gelman|first=Vlada|date=2014-06-16|title=Rookie Blue Casts Being Erica's Erin Karpluk in Mysterious Role|url=https://tvline.com/2014/06/16/rookie-blue-season-5-cast-erin-karpluk-being-erica/|access-date=2021-05-16|website=TVLine|language=en-US}} He also starred as Nick McAllister on the short-lived supernatural show Vampire High.{{Citation needed|date=May 2021}}

After building a career on screen, MacDonald began writing and directing short films.{{Cite web|date=2017-12-07|title=Canadian filmmaker Adam MacDonald invokes 'Pyewacket'|url=https://www.thegate.ca/film/031342/canadian-filmmaker-adam-macdonald-invokes-pyewacket/|access-date=2021-05-16|website=The GATE|language=en-US}} He struggled to make the move from short films to a feature.{{Cite web|date=2015-03-22|title=Adam MacDonald Talks Backcountry, Storyboarding with Cats and More|url=https://collider.com/backcountry-adam-macdonald-interview/|access-date=2021-05-16|website=Collider|language=en-US}}

In 2014, MacDonald made his feature film directorial debut with the 2014 nature–survival horror Backcountry.{{Cite web|date=2014-09-14|title=Writer-Director Adam MacDonald Talks Backcountry at TIFF 2014|url=https://collider.com/adam-macdonald-backcountry-interview/|access-date=2021-05-16|website=Collider|language=en-US}} Starring Missy Peregrym, the film is based on the true story of a hungry man-eating bear that attacked Mark Jordan and Jacqueline Perry, in the back country of Missinaibi Lake Provincial Park, North of Chapleau, Ontario in 2005.{{cite web|last1=Nemiroff|first1=Perri|title=Writer-Director Adam MacDonald Talks Backcountry, the True Story, Shooting with Real Bears, Editing Gory Scenes and More at TIFF|date=September 14, 2014 |url=https://collider.com/adam-macdonald-backcountry-interview/|publisher=Collider|accessdate=April 21, 2015}} Production took place in late 2013 with funding from Telefilm Canada and Northern Ontario Heritage Fund.{{Cite web|date=October 16, 2013|first=Etan|last=Vlessing|title=Eric Balfour, Nicholas Campbell board Backcountry (Exclusive)|url=https://playbackonline.ca/2013/10/16/eric-balfour-nicholas-campbell-board-backcountry-exclusive/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-05-16|website=Playback|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131016180136/http://playbackonline.ca/2013/10/16/eric-balfour-nicholas-campbell-board-backcountry-exclusive/ |archive-date=October 16, 2013 }} The film premiered at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival,{{cite web|last=Condit|first=Jon|date=September 7, 2014|title=TIFF 2014: Stills, Artwork, and Screening Details for Backcountry|url=https://dreadcentral.com/news/66586/tiff-2014-stills-artwork-and-screening-details-for-backcountry-2/|publisher=Dreadscentral.com|accessdate=March 27, 2015}} and received generally positive reviews from critics upon release.{{cite web|title=Backcountry (2015) – Rotten Tomatoes|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/backcountry|website=Rotten Tomatoes.com|publisher=Fandango Media|accessdate=7 December 2020}}{{cite web|title=Backcountry reviews|url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/backcountry/critic-reviews|work=Metacritic|publisher=CBS Interactive|accessdate=3 December 2019}}

In 2016, MacDonald directed his second feature film, Pyewacket, an occult horror film starring Laurie Holden.{{Cite web|last=Kay2016-10-25T16:12:00+01:00|first=Jeremy|title=Seville International boards 'Pyewacket' for AFM|url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/seville-international-boards-pyewacket-for-afm/5110665.article|access-date=2021-05-16|website=Screen|language=en}} The film, which he also wrote, screened in the Contemporary World Cinema section at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival.{{cite web|title=Pyewacket|url=http://www.tiff.net/tiff/pyewacket/|publisher=Toronto International Film Festival|accessdate=20 October 2017}}{{cite web|author=Steve Pond|date=9 August 2017|title=Toronto Film Festival's Canadian Content to Include New Margaret Atwood Adaptation|url=https://thewrap.com/toronto-film-festivals-canadian-content-include-new-margaret-atwood-adaptation/|work=TheWrap|accessdate=9 August 2017}} It received mixed reviews from critics.{{cite web|title=Pyewacket (2018)|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/pyewacket|work=Rotten Tomatoes|publisher=Fandango Media|accessdate=September 6, 2019}}{{cite web|title=Pyewacket Reviews|url=https://metacritic.com/movie/pyewacket|work=Metacritic|publisher=CBS Interactive|accessdate=18 July 2018}}

In 2019, MacDonald directed the entire third season of the Netflix anthology horror series, Slasher, titled Solstice. In 2020, it was announced that he will direct the fourth season, titled Flesh & Blood, as well.{{Cite web|last=White|first=Peter|date=2020-11-12|title=Shudder Orders New Installment Of Horror Anthology 'Slasher', David Cronenberg Joins Cast|url=https://deadline.com/2020/11/slasher-shudder-david-cronenberg-1234613503/|access-date=2021-05-16|website=Deadline|language=en-US}}

MacDonald has expressed his desire to complete a trilogy of feature films featuring women overcoming extreme circumstances, beginning with Backcountry. In 2020, IFC acquired the right to MacDonald's script title Out Come the Wolves, also starring Peregrym.{{Cite web|last=Miska|first=Brad|date=2020-10-29|title=IFC Acquires Survival Thriller 'Out Come the Wolves' from 'Pyewacket' Director Adam MacDonald!|url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/movie/3639256/ifc-acquires-suvival-thriller-come-wolves-pyewacket-director-adam-macdonald/|access-date=2021-05-16|website=Bloody Disgusting!|language=en-US}}

Filmography

=Film=

Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" \| Notes
class="wikitable sortable"
1998	Going to Kansas City	Floyd Weaver
1999	Running Home	Jay Torpy
2004	Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen	Steve
2005	data-sort-value="Stranger Here Myself, A" \| A Stranger Here Myself	Conan	Short film
2006	Jekyll + Hyde	Josh Enfield	Straight-to-DVD
rowspan=2\|2007	14 Days in Paradise	Houston
Final Draft	Jack
2010	Love Letter from an Open Grave	Ray	Short film
2012	Home Sweet Home	Frank
rowspan=2\| 2014	Wolves	Marty
\| Backcountry	{{TableTBA\|N/A}}	Writer, director
2017	Pyewacket	{{TableTBA\|N/A}}	Writer, director
2023	Thanksgiving	John Carver	Voice
2023	Out Come the Wolves	{{TableTBA\|N/A}}	Director
2026	This is not a test	{{TableTBA\|N/A}}	Writer, director

=Television=

Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" \| Notes
class="wikitable sortable"
1998	data-sort-value="Mystery Files of Shelby Woo, The" \| The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo	Danny Dabowski	Episode: "The Yearbook Mystery"
rowspan=3\| 1999	Misguided Angels	Brandon Dean	Episode: "Son for the Road"
\| Big Wolf on Campus	Butch Jenkins	Episodes: "Butch Comes to Shove", "Butch Is Back"
\| Are You Afraid of the Dark?	Eddy West / Bulldog	Episodes: "The Tale of the Misfortune Cookie", "The Tale of Highway 13"
rowspan=3\|2000	Nuremberg	American Guard	Television miniseries
data-sort-value="Audrey Hepburn Story, The" \| The Audrey Hepburn Story	Nick Dana	Television movie
Satan's School for Girls	Blake	Television movie
rowspan=5\|2001	Leap Years	Tom Greenway	Episodes: 1.19, 1.20
Mutant X	Renfield	Episode: "Kilohertz"
Snow in August	Frankie McCarthy	Television movie
Hysteria – The Def Leppard Story	Rick Savage	Television movie
\| Vampire High	Nick McAllister	Recurring role, 12 episodes
2002	data-sort-value="Associates, The" \| The Associates	Lyle Thomlin	Episode: "Walking the Line"
2003	1-800-Missing	Doug	Recurring role, 7 Episodes
2004	Love Rules!	Brian	Television movie
2005	Beach Girls	Marty Alba	Limited television series; main role, 6 episodes
2007	No Brother of Mine	Drew Brampton	Television movie
rowspan=2\|2008	Victor	Dave Kolisnik	Television movie
Mayerthorpe	Constable Peter Schiemann	Television movie
rowspan=2\|2009	Wild Roses	Peter McGregor	Main role, 13 episodes
ZOS: Zone of Separation	Medic DeFranco	TV miniseries, 3 episodes
2009	Being Erica	Josh MacIntosh	Recurring role, 27 episodes
rowspan=2\| 2010	Living in Your Car	Dave	Episodes: 1.6, 1.7
\| Rookie Blue	Detective Steve Peck	Recurring role (seasons 1–4); main role (seasons 5 & 6)
2011	Murdoch Mysteries	Bert Howland	Episode: "Dead End Street"
rowspan=3\|2012	Republic of Doyle	Roger	Episode: "The Dating Game"
Flashpoint	Erik	Episode: "Eyes In"
Transporter: The Series	Thierry Lefebre	Episodes: "Hot Ice", "City of Love"
2019	Slasher: Solstice	{{TableTBA\|N/A}}	Director
2020	Tribal	Lucas Fielding	Series regular
2021	Slasher: Flesh and Blood	{{TableTBA\|N/A}}	Director
2023	Slasher: Ripper	{{TableTBA\|N/A}}	Director