Sheila McCarthy
{{short description|Canadian actress}}
{{Infobox person
| honorific_prefix =
| name = Sheila McCarthy
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| image = Sheila McCarthy at the 2012 Genie Awards.jpg
| image_size = 200px
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| caption = McCarthy at the 2012 Genie Awards
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| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1956|1|1}}
| birth_place = Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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| occupation = Actress
| years_active = 1982–present
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| spouse = {{marriage|Peter Donaldson|1986|2011|reason=died}}
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| children = 2
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Sheila McCarthy (born January 1,{{efn|Some sources say the 27th}} 1956){{cite encyclopedia |editor-last=Riggs|editor-first=Thomas |encyclopedia=Contemporary Theatre, Film, and Television |title=McCarthy, Sheila, 1956- |language=en |year=2009 |publisher=Gale |volume=90 |location=Detroit, MI |id=CX3069900115 |isbn=978-1-4144-3465-0 |oclc=733291253 |pages=181–183}}{{cite web |url=https://www.allmovie.com/artist/sheila-mccarthy-p46970 |title=Sheila McCarthy |author= |date=2020 |website=AllMovie|access-date=March 11, 2020}} 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.{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/littlemosque/cast.php?sid=6&cid=3|title=Little Mosque on the Prairie Cast: Sheila McCarthy|author= |date=n.d.|website=CBC Television|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|access-date=March 10, 2020|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160722103602/http://www.cbc.ca/littlemosque/cast.php?sid=6&cid=3 |archive-date=July 22, 2016}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.postcity.com/Eat-Shop-Do/Do/February-2013/The-star-of-stage-and-screen-on-collaborating-with-Liza-Minnelli-and-why-she-loves-living-at-Yonge-St-Clair/|title=Sheila McCarthy: the star on collaborating with Liza Minnelli and why she loves life at Yonge & St. Clair|author=Ben Kaplan| publisher=Post City Toronto|date=31 January 2013| access-date=10 March 2020}}
Early life
McCarthy was born in Toronto, Ontario on January 1, 1956. 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.{{cite web|url=http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/sheila-mccarthy/|title=Sheila McCarthy|last=Townend|first=Paul|date=March 4, 2015|website=The Canadian Encyclopedia|publisher=Historica Canada|access-date=March 10, 2020}} 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.{{cite web |url=https://hbstudio.org/about-hb-studio/alumni/ |title=Alumni |author= |date=2020 |website=HB Studio|access-date=March 10, 2020}}
Career
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.{{cite web|url=http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/ive-heard-the-mermaids-singing-1988|title=I've Heard the Mermaids Singing|last=Ebert|first=Roger|date=March 4, 1988|website=RogerEbert.com|access-date=March 10, 2020}}{{cite web|url=http://tiff.net/spring2015-cinematheque/canadian-open-vault-spring-2015/ive-heard-the-mermaids-singing|title=I've Heard the Mermaids Singing|author=|date=n.d.|website=tiff.net|publisher=Toronto International Film Festival|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150507204439/http://tiff.net/spring2015-cinematheque/canadian-open-vault-spring-2015/ive-heard-the-mermaids-singing|archive-date=May 7, 2015|access-date=March 10, 2020}}
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.
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.{{cite web|url=http://postcity.com/Thornhill-Post/November-2013/Cover-Story-A-profile-of-Sheila-McCarthy/|title=Cover story: A profile of Sheila McCarthy|last= Aksich|first=Caroline|date=October 31, 2013|website=trnto.com|publisher=Post City Toronto|access-date=March 10, 2020}}
Personal life
McCarthy was married to actor Peter Donaldson from 1986 until his death in 2011.{{cite web|url=http://news.ca.msn.com/top-stories/cbc-article.aspx?cp-documentid=2717727 |title=Peter Donaldson was 'finest actor's actor' |author= |date= January 9, 2011 |work= MSN CA |publisher= CBC News |access-date= March 10, 2020|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110112152317/http://news.ca.msn.com/top-stories/cbc-article.aspx?cp-documentid=27177278 |archive-date=January 12, 2011}} They have two daughters: Drew and Mackenzie Donaldson, who is also in show business (producer of Whatever, Linda and Orphan Black).{{Cite news|last=Barnard |first=Elissa |date=January 26, 2012|url=http://thechronicleherald.ca/artslife/55744-actress-finds-inspiration-even-sadness-death|title=Actress finds inspiration even in sadness of death| publisher=Herald Arts & Life |access-date=March 10, 2020|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120131060850/http://thechronicleherald.ca/artslife/55744-actress-finds-inspiration-even-sadness-death |archive-date=January 31, 2012}}
McCarthy is a spokesperson for The Quilt Project, a support group for families affected by breast cancer, and Canadian Feed the Children.
Filmography
| class="wikitable sortable"
|+Film |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| rowspan="2" |1987
|{{sortname|A|Nest of Singing Birds|nolink=1}} |Anna | |
| I've Heard the Mermaids Singing
|Polly Vandersma |won the Genie Award for Best Actress |
| 1988
|Council Spokeswoman (voice) | |
| rowspan="2" |1989
|Friends, Lovers, & Lunatics |Kathy | |
| George's Island
|Miss Birdwood | |
| rowspan="4" |1990
|Molly Jessop | |
| Die Hard 2
|Samantha 'Sam' Coleman | |
| Pacific Heights
|Liz Hamilton | |
| Bright Angel
|Nina | |
| rowspan="4" |1991
|Zelda | |
| Paradise
|Sally Pike | |
| Stepping Out
|Andy | |
| Montréal vu par...
|Ann Stuart |segment: "Desperanto" |
| rowspan="2" |1993
|Journey to the Planets |Oracle (voice) |short film |
| {{sortname|The|Lotus Eaters|The Lotus Eaters (film)}}
|Diane Kingswood |won the Genie Award for Best Actress |
| 1994
|data-sort-value="Biggest Little Ticket, The" | The Biggest Little Ticket | The Troll | |
| 1996
|Gwenna Krupp | |
| 1997
|Shadow Zone: My Teacher Ate My Homework |Mrs. Hackett | |
| 2001
|Claire | |
| 2002
|Easterbrook (uncredited) | |
| rowspan="4" |2004
|Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen |Mrs. Gerard | |
| {{sortname|The|Day After Tomorrow}}
|Judith | |
| Being Julia
|Grace Dexter | |
| Geraldine's Fortune
|Tina Larose | |
| rowspan="2" |2005
|Peggy Delaney | |
| {{sortname|The|Multiple Selves of Hannah Maynard|nolink=1}}
|Hannah Maynard |short film |
| 2006
|Small Avalanches |Nancy's Mother |short film |
| rowspan="2" |2007
|Miss Patterson | |
| {{sortname|The|Stone Angel|The Stone Angel (film)}}
|Doris Shipley | |
| 2009
|Mrs. Smalls | |
| 2012
|Dev Harvey | |
| 2014
| data-sort-value="Fighting Man, A" | A Fighting Man | Rose | |
| rowspan="2" | 2016
| Considering Love and Other Magic | Veronica Guest | |
| Milton's Secret
| | |
| 2017
| Valerie Walker | |
| 2018
| Level 16 | Mrs. Denison (cameo) | |
| rowspan="3" | 2020
| Stroke of Fate | Shirley | short film |
| Happy Place
| Joyce | |
| Anything for Jackson
| Audrey | |
| rowspan="2" | 2021
| Katherine | |
| data-sort-value="Middle Man, The" | The Middle Man
| Mrs. Stout | |
| rowspan="2"| 2022
| Juniper | |
| Women Talking
| Greta Loewen | |
| 2024
|Dawn | |
| TBA
|Margaret |Filming |
Television
| class="wikitable sortable"
|+Television |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| 1982
| |episode: "The Princess and the Pea" |
| 1983
|Sourpuss Sal |episode: "Smiles" |
| 1984
|{{sortname|The|Littlest Hobo}} |Murielle |episode: "Three Monkeys of Bah Roghar: Part 1" |
| rowspan="2" |1985
|Mary Bigley |TV movie |
| Tucker and the Horse Thief
| |TV movie |
| rowspan="6" |1986
|9B |Heather |TV movie |
| {{sortname|The|Marriage Bed}}
|Lynn Reilly |TV movie |
| Hot Shots
|Jenny |episode: "Cut Off in His Prime" |
| data-sort-value="Frantics: Four on the Floor, The" | The Frantics: Four on the Floor
|Various Characters |6 episodes |
| Really Weird Tales
|Ellie Hutchins |episode: "Cursed with Charisma" |
| Check It Out!
|Sonja |episode: "Dog Day After Dark" |
| 1987
|Margaret |TV movie |
| 1988
|Luise Blaikie |episode: "Still Life" |
| rowspan="2" |1989
|Sarah Hollister |episode: "For Art's Sake" |
| Trying Times
|Jenny Amber |episode: "A Good Life" |
| rowspan="5" |1990
|Labour of Love | |TV movie |
| E.N.G.
|Carol Barton |episode: "Till Death Us Do Part" |
| Back to the Beanstalk
|Garbanza |TV movie |
| Steel Magnolias
|Annelle Dupuy-Desoto |TV pilot (unsold) |
| Street Legal
|Stephanie Coleman |episode: "The Psychic" |
| rowspan="3" |1991
|{{sortname|The|Soulmates: The Gift of Light|nolink=1}} |(voice) |TV movie |
| Rupert
|Additional Voices |13 episodes |
| data-sort-value="Hidden Room, The" | The Hidden Room
| |episode: "Rogue in the Bathroom" |
| rowspan="3" |1992
|Sophie |TV movie |
| {{sortname|A|Private Matter}}
|Diane Callaghan |TV movie |
| {{sortname|The|Ray Bradbury Theater}}
|Francine |episode: "The Lonely One" |
| rowspan="3" |1994
|Annie |TV series |
| Dan Redican Comedy Hour
|Various |TV movie |
| Menendez: A Killing in Beverly Hills
|Jill Lansing |TV movie |
| rowspan="2" |1995
|{{sortname|A|Woman of Independent Means}} |Totsie |TV movie |
| {{sortname|The|Awakening|nolink=1}}
|Nancy |TV movie |
| 1995–1996
|Sue Walsh |4 episodes |
| rowspan="2" |1996
|Betty Blaine |episode: "King of the Great White Way" |
| {{sortname|The|Care and Handling of Roses|nolink=1}}
|Carol Doster |TV movie |
| rowspan="3" |1998
|(voice) |TV series |
| More Tales of the City
|Mildred |TV miniseries |
| Dead Husbands
|Jane Armitage |TV movie |
| 1998–2000
|Laura Murray |46 episodes |
| rowspan="3" |1999
|Mrs. Lynn |TV movie |
| Too Rich: The Secret Life of Doris Duke
|Tammy |TV movie |
| Mythic Warriors
|Clotho (voice) |episode: "Damon and Pythias" |
| rowspan="3" |2000
|Virtual Mom |Holly |TV movie, also writer |
| Super Rupert
|Aunt Rhonda |TV series |
| Marvin the Tap-Dancing Horse
|Elizabeth the Emotional Pig (voice) | |
| rowspan="5" |2001
|Haven |Eva |TV movie |
| Anne of Green Gables: The Animated Series
|Mrs. King (voice) |episode: "Oh, Brother!" |
| Royal Canadian Air Farce
|Anne Robinson/Dr. Joy Thomas |episode: "9.2" |
| I Was a Rat
|Mrs. Tapscrew |TV movie |
| {{sortname|The|Endless Grind}}
|Various |TV series |
| rowspan="2" |2002
|Penny |TV movie |
| {{sortname|The|Rats|The Rats (2002 television film)}}
|Miss Paige |TV movie |
| rowspan="2" |2003
|Custody of the Heart |Alice |TV movie |
| Full-Court Miracle
|Mrs. Klein |TV movie |
| 2004
|data-sort-value="Shields Stories, The" | The Shields Stories |Hazel |episode: "Hazel" |
| rowspan="2" |2005
|Miss Wickham |episode: "Cuddles the Artist" |
| Missing
|Dr. Eleanor Reese |episode: "Analysis" |
| rowspan="2" |2006
|Amy |TV movie |
| Cow Belles
|Fran Walker |TV movie |
| 2007–2012
|Sarah Hamoudi |80+ episodes |
| 2009
|{{sortname|The|Ron James Show}} | |episode: "1.5" |
| 2010
|Love Letters |Melissa |TV movie |
| 2013
| Felicity Dawes |episode: "Lovers in a Murderous Time" |
| rowspan="2" |2014
|Violet |episode: "Breathless" |
| Dear Viola
|Peggy |
| 2015
|Connie Hendrix |episode: "Community of Dreadful Fear and Hate" |
| rowspan="2" |2016
|Ice Girls |Auntie Ginger |TV movie |
| Brace for Impact
|Faradee Gilchrist |TV movie |
| 2018
|data-sort-value="Detail, The" | The Detail | | |
| rowspan="2" |2019
|Amesha |episode: "New Eden" |
| Anne with an E
|Mrs. Blackmore |episode: "The Better Feelings of My Heart" |
| 2019; 2024
|data-sort-value="Umbrella Academy, The" | The Umbrella Academy |Agnes |Recurring role (season 1); guest role (season 4) |
| 2020
|Phillis Bruner |episode: "Friday Night Legend" |
| 2021
|data-sort-value="Good Doctor, The" | The Good Doctor |Rose Babcock |episode: "Lim" |
| 2022
|Grandma Angie/Alien Scout |TV movie |
Discography
- 2006: "All Good Now" – from the movie Cow Belles
Awards and nominations
:This section needs to be expanded to include further awards and nominations.
| class="wikitable" |
| Year
!Nominated Work !Organization !Award !Result |
|---|
| 1983
|Outstanding performance in a revue or musical |
| 1985
|Female performance |{{won}}{{cite press release |author= |title=Cardinals: World Premiere, Toronto International Film Festival, 2017|url=https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5a79aa83010027f2c098cae0/t/5a7c45c7e2c483d427b86775/1518093771493/Cardinals_Press%2BKit.pdf |location=Toronto, Ontario |publisher=Wildling Pictures|date=2017 |access-date=2020-03-11}}{{cite news |last= Mietkiewicz |first=Henry |date=September 5, 1985 |title=Cats leads pack of Dora nominees |work=The Toronto Star |location=Toronto, Ontario|page=C3 }} |
| rowspan="3"|1988
|I've Heard the Mermaids Singing |Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role |{{won}}{{citation needed|date=October 2022}} |
| A Nest of Singing Birds
|Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series |{{nom}}{{citation needed|date=October 2022}} |
| Mount Royal
|Best Guest Performance in a Series by an Actor or Actress |{{nom}}{{citation needed|date=October 2022}} |
| 1992
|Best Supporting Female |{{nom}}{{citation needed|date=October 2022}} |
| 1993
|Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role |{{won}}{{citation needed|date=October 2022}} |
| 1998
|Best Performance by an Actress in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role |{{won}}{{citation needed|date=October 2022}} |
| 1999
|Best Performance by an Actress in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role |{{nom}}{{citation needed|date=October 2022}} |
| rowspan="2"|2000
|Sesame Park |Best Performance in a Pre-School Program or Series |{{won}}{{citation needed|date=October 2022}} |
| The City
|Best Performance by an Actress in a Guest Role Dramatic Series |{{nom}}{{citation needed|date=October 2022}} |
| 2018
|Outstanding Performance, Female |{{won}}{{cite press release |url=https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/winners-the-16th-annual-actra-awards-in-toronto-675152193.html |title=Winners: The 16th annual ACTRA Awards in Toronto |publisher=ACTRA Toronto |date=February 26, 2018 |agency=CNW Group |access-date=March 11, 2020}} |
| 2023
|Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture |{{nom}}{{cite web|last=Moreau|first=Jordan|url=https://variety.com/2023/awards/awards/sag-awards-nominations-2023-1235482418/|title=SAG Awards 2023 Nominations: The Complete List|work=Variety|date=January 11, 2023|access-date=January 11, 2023}} |
Notes
{{Notelist}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|id=0565319}}
- {{Twitter}}
{{Navboxes
|title = Awards for Sheila McCarthy
|list =
{{ACCT Best Actress}}
{{Best Actress in a Drama Series CSA}}
}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:McCarthy, Sheila}}
Category:Actresses from Toronto
Category:Canadian film actresses
Category:Canadian stage actresses
Category:Canadian television actresses
Category:Canadian voice actresses
Category:Best Actress Genie and Canadian Screen Award winners
Category:Best Actress in a Drama Series Canadian Screen Award winners