Born in Connecticut, USA and raised in New Brunswick, Canada, I got the best of both worlds. Two Thanksgivings; need I say more? I grew up in a small town where I was able to learn the power of hard work and community. I figure skated, skied, ate lots of poutine and poured maple syrup on snow like a true Canuck. My favorite childhood obsessions included recreating each number in Moulin Rouge, Paul Newman, putting on my mother’s old clothes and singing “I’m gonna wash that man right out of my hair”, and creating my own world where I was Jane (James) Bond. It was clear as I soaked up every movie my dad told me was a classic and started quoting Westerns in school -that I was in love. I loved everything about creating, exploring boundaries, human emotion and connecting through story (I just didn’t know how to put it into words yet).
Though we lived a fair distance from the city, my parents made sure I had access to theater and any artistic outlet we could find. 6th grade was my first opportunity to act; a class production of Snow White. All you had to do was be the first to raise your hand and the role of Snow White was yours, easy. I chickened out, was too slow and ended up being Doc. How much I had wanted it surprised me, it was then that I began going to Summer Drama Camp each year. The Capitol Theatre in Moncton, New Brunswick is where I found a deeper love for acting. Once I aged out of the camp I joined the adult acting class. I drove after school into the city a couple days a week, acting with people of many different backgrounds and ages. I was able to make meaningful bonds and connections there, that led to my first on camera roles. At the time I was also in the Model UN, French Immersion, Public Speaking competitions, poetry writing seminars and readings, song writing seminars, short story seminars…basically “Doc” made me want to volunteer for anything I could. I found my second big love through all of that by working with organizations such as Free the Children, volunteerism will always be a huge part of my life. Wanting to merge both of these passions…
I went on to study at Bishop’s University; providing me with many opportunities to direct, write, act, and all technical parts of theater production. It truly broadened my horizons and pushed me to do things I never thought I could. We were encouraged to work on every part of the production process, from light design to sound board to stage manager. My biggest turning point was acting in Top Girls as Angie, a challenging role that pushed me to expand my ideas of character development. Through many ups and downs, I came out on the other side ready for more.
After being part of several more plays I hopped to a slightly bigger pond, Halifax, Nova Scotia. It was a year of firsts! I acted in a couple music videos and I was able to gain experience on a television set (Mr.D). I had previously worked on short films, but it is here that I was finally able to be a part of a couple feature films, as well as some industrial/commercial shoots. I had dipped my toes in and was ready to take the plunge!
I moved out to Los Angeles and began acting in short films and music videos while studying at a variety of acting studios. My knowledge and skill set has expanded tremendously, as has my passion for film and television. I began working behind the camera as well as in front, taking on assistant directing, casting, and producing roles in an effort to better understand the production process and how I as an actor can best support the vision at hand.
I’m a country girl with a big heart, a love for stories, and a hunger to be a part of them.