Martha Burns
Canadian actress
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Martha Burns (born 23 April 1957)[2] is a Canadian actress known for her stage work and youth outreach in Ontario and her leading role as Ellen Fanshaw in the TV dramedy series Slings and Arrows.
Martha Burns | |
|---|---|
| Born | 23 April 1957 |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1983–present |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2, including Hannah Gross |
| Father | James W. Burns |
Early life
Career
Burns has had a long career as a character and supporting actress. Her most notable television roles being Shakespearean diva Ellen Fanshaw in Slings and Arrows,[2] for which she won two Gemini Awards,[3] Jasmina Hart on Michael, Tuesdays and Thursdays[4] and Rebecca Baker on Remedy.[5]
Some of her notable film work includes Long Day's Journey into Night and for Love and Savagery, both resulting in Genie Awards for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role.[6]
Theatre
Burns is a founding member and a former associate director of Toronto's Soulpepper Theatre Company.,[5] Burns headed up Soulpepper's extensive youth outreach program.[5] She founded the Toronto Arts for Youth Award,[7] and has worked as an instructor for the theatre program at George Brown College.[8]
She has performed leading roles at Stratford,[5] the Shaw Festival,[2] the National Arts Centre[2] and The Company Theatre.[9] She was nominated five times for a Dora Award[10] and won twice: in 1986 for The Miracle Worker and in 1984 for Trafford Tanzi.[11]
In 2005 she was honoured for her career in the theatre with the Barbara Hamilton Award.[12]
In 2016 Burns was awarded ACTRA’s Leslie Yeo Award, an award honouring actors for their volunteer work.[13][14] She donated her cash prize to the Qaggiq Performing Arts Teacher Training Workshop, a program that works on developing Inuit-specific performing arts programming for children and youth.[15]
Personal life
Burns is married to director and actor Paul Gross.[2][9] They have two children, Hannah Gross and Jack.[2]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Passage of the Heart | Kate Ward | |
| 1994 | Paint Cans | Melda | |
| 1995 | Never Talk to Strangers | Maura | |
| 1999 | The Life Before This | Gwen Maclean | |
| 2000 | Hindsight | Trina | Short film |
| 2004 | Siblings | Miss Bradford | |
| 2006 | Screening | Helen Thompson | Short film |
| 2007 | Silk | Mme. Joncour | |
| 2008 | Rewind | Heather Beckett | Short film |
| 2009 | You Might as Well Live | Dr. Elizabeth | |
| 2009 | Dinner at Lucy's | Lucy | Short film |
| 2009 | Love and Savagery | Mother Superior | Won – Genie Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role[3] |
| 2009 | A Wake | Sabina | |
| 2010 | The Reception | Debra | Short film |
| 2011 | French Immersion | Cathy | |
| 2012 | Fury | Gretchen | |
| 2013 | Mad Ship | Judith | |
| 2013 | Hardsell | Sandra Hipps | Short film |
| 2015 | Boxing | Janet | Short film |
| 2016 | A False Sense of Security | Debra | Short film |
| 2021 | We're All in This Together | Kate Parker |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Backstretch | Kelly | TV series |
| 1987 | Street Legal | Margaret | "Take My Jokes, Please" |
| 1990 | The Last Best Year | Sally | TV film |
| 1991 | E.N.G. | Joanna Miles | "Tyger, Tyger" |
| 1995 | Great Performances | Cathleen | "Long Day's Journey Into Night" Won – Genie Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role[3] |
| 1996 | Side Effects | Andrea Burrows | "Sex, Death and Rock 'N' Roll" |
| 1996 | Traders | Rita Hutchison | "Two Steps Forward" |
| 1997 | Marie Curie: More Than Meets the Eye | Lisette Boudreau | TV film |
| 1997 | Due South | Nadia | "Spy vs. Spy" |
| 1998 | Witness to Yesterday | Amelia Earhart | "Amelia Earhart" |
| 1998 | Thanks of a Grateful Nation | Dr. Rosemary Dove | TV film |
| 1999 | What Katy Did | Aunt Izzie | TV film |
| 1999 | Due South | Caroline Fraser | "Call of the Wild: Part 2" |
| 1999 | Emily of New Moon | Eve Kinch | "Under the Wishing Moon: Part 1", "Bridge of Dreams: Part 2" |
| 1999 | Murder Most Likely | Alice Malinson | TV film |
| 2003 | Profoundly Normal | Dr. Maswell | TV film |
| 2003-06 | Slings & Arrows | Ellen Fanshaw | Main role Nominated – Gemini Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role (2004)[3] Nominated – Canadian Comedy Award for Best Female TV Performance (2006)[16] Won – Gemini Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role (2006)[3] Won – Gemini Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role (2007)[3] |
| 2008 | The Trojan Horse | Mary Miller | "Part One" |
| 2009 | Murdoch Mysteries | Mrs. Burgess | "Convalescence" |
| 2009 | The Foundation | Selena Selkirk | "The Face of Hope", "The African Prince", "Springing Jett" |
| 2011 | Republic of Doyle | Joyce | "Something Old, Someone Blue" |
| 2011 | Michael: Tuesdays and Thursdays | Jasmina Hart | Main role |
| 2013 | After All These Years | Phyllis Deitrichson | TV film |
| 2013 | Cracked | Alice Kelly | "The Valley" |
| 2014 | Darknet | Mother | "Darknet 3" |
| 2014-15 | Remedy | Rebecca Baker | Main role Nominated – Canadian Screen Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Supporting Role in a Dramatic Program or Series (2016)[3] |
| 2017 | Alias Grace | Mrs. Parkinson | 3 episodes |
| 2022 | Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities | Agatha | Episode: "Lot 36" |