Phyllis Ellis

Phyllis Ellis (born 11 November 1959) is a Canadian hockey player, actor and director.

Personal life

Ellis was born in Oakville, Ontario and grew up in the Greater Toronto Area. In high school, she did musical theatre and later obtained a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with a major in classical theatre. As a child, she wanted to be an olympian, an actor and a director. She was married to a professional hockey player and has two children.{{Cite web |last=Ellis |first=Phyllis |date=June 26, 2022 |title=Who Is a Woman, and Who Gets to Decide |url=https://www.cbc.ca/playersvoice/entry/category-woman |access-date=September 15, 2023 |website=CBC News}}{{Cite web |last=Zekas |first=Rita |date=January 10, 2009 |title=Starring in the role of a 'hot mess'; Eccentric chic suits her and TV star Phyllis Ellis shops east, and west, for her award-winning look |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/439545837 |access-date=October 13, 2023 |website=Toronto Star |id={{ProQuest|439545837}}}}

Sports

She was part of the Canadian field hockey team in the 1984 Summer Olympics. The team finished fifth out of six.{{cite Sports-Reference|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/el/phyllis-ellis-1.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418044252/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/el/phyllis-ellis-1.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 April 2020|accessdate=25 May 2012}}

In 1985, Ellis was hired as the women's coordinator for the Best Ever Ontario program as part of Ontario Ministry of Tourism. Under Ellis's leadership, the Female Athletes Motivating Excellence (FAME) program was initiated to promote increased female participation in sports programs. This initiative features high-profile female athletes, such as gold medalist Linda Thom, who visit schools and events to inspire girls and challenge stereotypes.{{Cite web |last=Sokol |first=Al |date=1986 |title=Female Athletes Get Role Models |url=https://ocul-crl.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/fulldisplay?&context=PC&vid=01OCUL_CRL:CRL_DEFAULT&search_scope=NewDiscoveryNetwork&tab=OCULDiscoveryNetworkNew&docid=cdi_proquest_newspapers_435402730 |access-date=September 15, 2023 |website=Toronto Star}}

Film and theatre

She founded a women's theatre company in Minneapolis, where she lived during her then-husband's hockey tenure.{{When|date=August 2024}}

She co-created the 2009 TV spinoff series Three Chords from the Truth. The series unfolds the adventures of Helena, portraied by Ellis, as she navigates a struggling country music TV network, despite her limited knowledge of country music. Category: Woman is a documentary directed by Ellis that explores the question of gender identity and the controversial practice of sex testing in international sports and its impacts on female athletes.

= Awards =

class="wikitable"

!Year

!Award

!Category

!Work

2009

|Gemini

|Best Individual Performance in a Comedy Series

|The Wilkinsons{{Cite web |date=2007-10-28 |title=Slings & Arrows victorious with big wins at Gemini gala |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/slings-arrows-victorious-with-big-wins-at-gemini-gala-1.658246 |access-date=2024-08-22 |website=cbc.ca}}

2013

|Donald Brittain Award

|Best Social-Political Documentary

|About Her{{cite web |author=Directors |date= |title=Phyllis Ellis |url=https://www.northernstars.ca/phyllis-ellis/ |accessdate=21 April 2020 |publisher=Northern Stars}}

2019

|Calgary International Film Festival

|DGC Best Canadian Documentary Award

|Toxic Beauty{{cite web |author= |date=2019 |title=TOXIC BEAUTY |url=https://www.calgaryfilm.com/films/2019/toxic-beauty/ |accessdate=20 April 2020 |publisher=Calgary International Film Festival}}