For Immediate Release:

Toronto, January 6, 2016 – ACTRA Toronto is delighted to announce the nominees for the 14th Annual ACTRA Awards in Toronto. The ACTRA Awards in Toronto will take place at The Carlu on Saturday, February 20, 2016.

Nominees for Outstanding Performance – Voice:

Christian Distefano (Artie) Creative Galaxy, “Christmas Memories” (9 Story Media Group) Andrew Jackson (Buford) Numb Chucks, “Flock of Steven Seagulls” (9 Story Media Group) Julie Lemieux (Granny Butternut) Numb Chucks, “Tough Love” (9 Story Media Group) Bryn McAuley (Quills) Numb Chucks, “Quills and Present Danger” (9 Story Media Group) Adrian Truss (Armand the Sasquatch) Camp Lakebottom, “The Abominable Dr. Squatch” (9 Story Media Group)

Nominees for Outstanding Performance – Female:

Torri Higginson (Natalie Lawson) This Life, “Gut Punch” (Sphere Media Plus) Christine Horne (Jennifer) Hyena Road (Rhombus Media) Tatiana Maslany (various) Orphan Black, “History Yet to Be Written” (Temple Street Productions) Catherine O’Hara (Moira Rose) Schitt’s Creek, “Wine and Roses” (Not A Real Company) Shailyn Pierre-Dixon (Young Aminata) Book of Negroes, Episode 1 (Conquering Lion Pictures)

Nominees for Outstanding Performance – Male:

Nigel Bennett (Giles) Murdoch Mysteries, “What Lies Buried” (Shaftesbury Films) Kevin Hanchard (Detective Art Bell) Orphan Black, “Formalized, Complex and Costly” (Temple Street Productions) Dylan Harman (Eugene) The Rainbow Kid (Other People’s Films) Christopher Plummer (Zev Guttman) Remember (Serendipity Point Films) Rossif Sutherland (Ryan) Hyena Road (Rhombus Media)

“What a magnificent display of talent,” says David Sparrow, President of ACTRA Toronto. “We are so proud to recognize these ACTRA Toronto members. It is a special honour for actors when their work is prized by a jury of peers.”

Sarah Gadon will pick up the 2016 ACTRA Toronto Award of Excellence. The Award of Excellence recognizes an exceptional body of work and a commitment to advocacy on behalf of all performers. The show will be hosted by comic Martha Chaves.

ACTRA Toronto is the largest organization within ACTRA, representing over 15,000 of Canada’s 22,000 professional performers working in recorded media in Canada.  As an advocate for Canadian culture since 1943, ACTRA is a member-driven union that continues to secure rights and respect for the work of professional performers.

Sponsors:

Diamond Sponsor: Actra Fraternal Benefit Society. Platinum Sponsors: ACTRA National and ACTRA Performers’ Rights Society and RACS, Bell Media. Gold Sponsors: CBC, Canadian Media Production Association (CMPA), City of Toronto (Film + Entertainment Industries), Deluxe, IATSE 873, In Your Ear Productions Inc., Rhombus Media, Shaftesbury Films, United Steelworkers. Silver Sponsors: Cavalluzzo, Directors Guild of Canada (Ontario). Bronze Sponsors: Creative Arts Savings & Credit Union, Don Carmody Productions, Entertainment One (eOne), Grant Thornton, HUB International, New Real Films, Rolling Picture Company, Serendipity Point Films, Take 5 Productions, Whizbang Films, Writers Guild of Canada.

– 30 – Media contact: Karen Woolridge, ACTRA Toronto Public Relations Officer, cell: (416) 937-1437, email: kwoolridge@actratoronto.com. )