Wendy Crewson

Wendy Crewson
Wendy Crewson, actor (born at Hamilton, Ont 9 May 1956). Wendy Crewson is a Canadian actress who has received international acclaim for her prolific work in film and television. Crewson discovered acting in Grade 10 with her role in The Boy Friend at Westwood Collegiate in Winnipeg. After graduation from high school in Montréal, Crewson attended John Abbot College. She intended to major in English at Queen's University in Kingston, Ont. Instead, she graduated in 1977 with a bachelor of arts degree in drama, receiving the prestigious Lorne Green Award for outstanding work in theatre. Following college, Crewson relocated to London, England, to continue her studies at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art.

Early Career
Upon completion of her dramatic training, Crewson returned to North America, where she was cast in the 1980 CBC television movie War Brides. For the next decade Crewson appeared in numerous television programs, including Home Fires (1980), The Littlest Hobo (1981), Mazes and Monsters (1982), Skullduggery (1983), Heartsounds (1984), Murder: By Reason of Insanity (1985) and Night Heat (1985). In 1987 she appeared in the CBS television drama Hard Copy, and went on to be featured in Robert Altman's HBO series Tanner 88 (1988). She later appeared in the film Sleeping Dogs Lie (1998).

More Successes
Crewson received an ACTRA Award for best actress in a television drama for her ongoing appearances on CBC's Home Fires. Other notable television appearances have included two Spenser TV movies (1994/95) with Robert Urich, the lead in The Many Trials of One Jane Doe (2002), and The Matthew Shepard Story (2002). She portrayed Louise Arbour in Hunt for Justice: The Louise Arbour Story (2002) and appeared in 24 (2003) with Kiefer SUTHERLAND. She played the long-suffering wife of a football star whose memory was lost after a traffic accident, in The Man Who Lost Himself (2006; best actress GEMINI AWARD), based on a true story. She is also seen as Rachel Woods in the TV series ReGenesis (2007-08; winning the Gemini for best supporting actress) and made guest appearances in Flashpoint (2009) and Rookie Blue (2010).

Wendy Crewson in the Movies
Crewson's first feature film appearance was in The Doctor (1991). Although a small role, it led to many other films with notable co-stars including The Good Son with Macaulay Culkin (1993), The Santa Clause with Tim Allen (1994) and To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday with Peter Gallagher (1996). The following year she appeared with Harrison Ford in the thriller Air Force One (1997). She starred as the conservative mother of a lesbian daughter in Anne WHEELER's Better Than Chocolate (1999).

Wendy Crewson played Joanne Kilbourn, the crime-solving character created by Regina-based mystery writer Gail BOWEN, in a series of made-for-TV movies: Love and Murder (2000), Deadly Appearances (2000), The Wandering Soul Murders (2001) and A Colder Kind of Death (2001), producing as well as starring in Verdict in Blood (2002) and A Killing Spring (2002). Crewson received a Gemini Award for her guest appearances on Due South in 1998, but it was her role in The End of the Day: The Sue Rodriguez Story (1999) for which she was first honoured with a Gemini for best actress in a dramatic program. Rodriguez became widely known for her attempts to end her life with dignity after suffering for years from the debilitating effects of Lou Gehrig's disease (ALS). Her case appeared before the Supreme Court of Canada; her plea for the right to die was denied.

Crewson's feature film appearances have included Perfect Pie (2002), written by Judith THOMPSON, What Lies Beneath (2000) with Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer, Between Strangers (2002) with Sophia Loren, The Clearing (2004) with Helen Mirren and Robert Redford, and Who Loves the Sun (2006) with Lukas Haas, Molly PARKER and R.H. THOMSON. She had a role in Sarah POLLEY's directorial debut in the film Away From Her (2006), and co-starred with Mary Louise Parker in The Robber Bride (2007), based on the novel by Margaret ATWOOD.

Wendy Crewson as Activist
Since her portrayal of the late Sue Rodriguez, Wendy Crewson has become a supporter and spokesperson on behalf of the ALS Society of Alberta and its annual Betty's Run for ALS (named in honour of the late Betty Norman of Calgary). She won the Gemini Humanitarian Award in 2002 for her work on behalf of ALS patients. She received ACTRA Toronto's 2007 Award of Excellence and is an outspoken advocate for Canadian film and television.

See RODRIGUEZ CASE (1993).

Author LESLEA KROLL

Links to Other Sites
Wendy Crewson
A brief profile of Queen's University alumnus and screen star Wendy Crewson. From queensu.ca.

Wendy Crewson
See a biography, photos, and filmography for accomplished actress Wendy Crewson. From rottentomatoes.com.

Income tax averaging for artists
See a video clip featuring Canadian star and cultural advocate Wendy Crewson speaking out about the need for income tax averaging policies for artists. From YouTube.