Sonja Smits
{{short description|Canadian actress (born 1954)}}
{{Infobox person
|name=Sonja Smits
|birth_date={{Birth date and age|September 8, 1958}}
|birth_place=Ottawa Valley, Ontario, Canada
|years_active= 1978–present
}}
Sonja Smits (born September 8, 1958){{cite magazine|url = http://www.tribute.ca/people/Sonja+Smits/10942|title = Sonja Smits Biography|magazine = Tribute}} is a Canadian actress. She was nominated for two Genie Awards: for Videodrome (1983) and That's My Baby! (1984). On television, she starred in Street Legal (1987-1992) and Traders (1996-2000).
Life and career
Smits was born in the Ottawa Valley, Ontario, Canada. She went to Bell High School in Bells Corners, she also attended Woodroffe High School and South Carleton High School in Richmond, a village outside Ottawa. She studied acting at Ryerson Polytechnic Institute until she was invited to join the Centre Stage theatre company in London, Ontario.
Smits has played roles in many television series, including Falcon Crest, Airwolf, Odyssey 5, The Outer Limits, Street Legal, Traders, The Best Laid Plans and The Eleventh Hour. Smits also played Bianca O'Blivion in the David Cronenberg horror movie Videodrome (1983) and was lead actress in 2021 drama film Drifting Snow.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/film/reviews/article-canadian-drama-drifting-snow-finds-brutal-beauty-in-prince-edward/|title=Review: Canadian drama Drifting Snow finds brutal beauty in Prince Edward County|first=Amil|last=Niazi|newspaper=The Globe and Mail |date=May 11, 2021|via=www.theglobeandmail.com}}
She portrayed Mona Parsons in Heritage Minutes: Mona Parsons (Historica Canada){{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmLaI9_K6OQ | title=Heritage Minutes: Mona Parsons | website=YouTube | date=2 March 2016 }}
Smits is married to Atlantis Films co-founder Seaton McLean with whom she has two children. They live in the Rosedale neighbourhood of Toronto and are the owners of the Closson Chase winery in Prince Edward County. They also own a farm close to the winery.{{Cite web|url=https://www.everythingzoomer.com/arts-entertainment/2021/05/11/sonja-smits-talks-country-living-roles-for-older-actresses-and-her-new-film-drifting-snow/|title=Sonja Smits Talks Country Living, Roles for Older Actresses and Her New Film, 'Drifting Snow'|website=www.everythingzoomer.com}}
In 2009, Smits was elected president of the board of directors of the Harbourfront Centre.{{cite web|url = http://www.postcity.com/North-Toronto-Post/November-2009/Sonja-Smits/|title = Sonja Smits|publisher = Post City|date = November 2009}}
Smits has been nominated for five Gemini Awards, winning in 1988, and two Genie Awards. She has also received the ACTRA Toronto Award of Excellence.
Filmography
=Film=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| 1978
|Sharon | |
| 1981
|{{sortname|The|Pit|The Pit (1981 film)}} |Mrs. Lynde | |
| 1983
|Bianca O'Blivion |Nominated — Genie Award for Best Supporting Actress |
| 1984
|Suzanne |Nominated — Genie Award for Best Actress |
| 2003
|Dana Selkirk | |
| 2003
|Carol Warsher | |
| 2004
|{{sortname|A|Different Loyalty}} |Fay Tolland | |
| 2006
|Linda Birk | |
| 2021
|Joanne | |
| 2022
|Kate | |
=Television=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| 1980
|Lisa |TV film |
| 1984
|Lydia Boulanger |"Suitable for Framing" |
| 1984–85
|{{sortname|The|Hitchhiker|The Hitchhiker (TV series)}} |Nina Russell / Susan Carter |"Face to Face", "Murderous Feelings" |
| 1985
|{{sortname|The|Fall Guy}} |Jessica Beaumont |"Her Bodyguard" |
| 1985
|Command 5 |Chris Winslow |TV film |
| 1986
|Loose Ends |Carla |TV film |
| 1987
|Alexandria Rostov |"Stavograd: Parts 1 & 2" |
| 1987–1992
|Carrington 'Carrie' Barr |Main role, 83 episodes |
| 1988
|{{sortname|The|Ray Bradbury Theater}} |Mary |"The Fruit at the Bottom of the Bowl" |
| 1993
|{{sortname|The|Diviners|The Diviners (film)}} |Morag |TV film |
| 1993
|Julia Devane |"Betrayed" |
| 1994
|Spenser: Pale Kings and Princes |Carolyn Rogers |TV film |
| 1994
|Kate Cardigan |TV film |
| 1994
|Kate Cardigan |TV film |
| 1995
|{{sortname|The|Outer Limits|The Outer Limits (1995 TV series)}} |Dr. Anne Crain |"White Light Fever" |
| 1996–2000
|Sally Ross |Main role, 83 episodes |
| 1998
|Sheila Feinstein |TV film |
| 2001
|Angela Widstrom |"Teamwork" |
| 2001
|Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows |TV miniseries |
| 2002–03
|Cynthia Hodge |Recurring role |
| 2002–2005
|{{sortname|The|Eleventh Hour|The Eleventh Hour (Canadian TV series)}} |Megan Redner |Main role |
| 2003
|{{sortname|The|Atwood Stories}} |Mrs. Anderson |"The Man from Mars" |
| 2005
|"Mona Parsons" |
| 2007–08
|Texas |"Texas", "Upstairs" |
| 2012
|Amanda Jocelyn |"Chapter 3", "Chapter 6" |
| 2012
|Cybergeddon Zips |Amanda Jocelyn |"Amanda" |
| 2014
|{{sortname|The|Best Laid Plans|The Best Laid Plans (TV series)}} |Diane Gagnon |TV miniseries |
| 2016
|Flower Shop Mystery: Dearly Depotted |Glory Osbourne |TV film |
| 2017
|Gwyneth Davenport |"The Artist" |
| 2017
|Laura's Mother |"The Bone Orchard", "Git Gone", "A Murder of Gods" |
| 2017
|Belinda Carlyle |"Brackenreid Boudoir" |
| 2017
|Save Me |Gloriana |"Code 5" |
| 2018
|Estelle |"The Connection" |
| 2022
|Judy Wazowski |9 episodes |
| 2024
|Minister Fulford |“Wag The Dog" |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|0810500|Sonja Smits}}
{{Best Actress in a Drama Series CSA}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smits, Sonja}}
Category:Best Actress in a Drama Series Canadian Screen Award winners
Category:Canadian television actresses
Category:Canadian people of Dutch descent