Sonja Smits

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.

Television

Besides her starring roles in Street Legal (1987–1992) and Traders (1996-2000), Smits plays a main role as Megan Redner on The Eleventh Hour (2002–2005), and a recurring role as Cynthia Hodge on Odyssey 5 (2002–2003).

Smits' guest roles in television series, including Falcon Crest (1984), Airwolf (1987), Counterstrike (1993), The Outer Limits (1995), and the miniseries The Best Laid Plans (2014).

Film

On the big-screen, Smits played Bianca O'Blivion in David Cronenberg's science fiction body horror film Videodrome (1983), and was lead actress in the 2021 drama Drifting Snow.^[2] She portrayed Mona Louise Parsons in the Heritage Minutes short documentary film by Historica Canada.^[3] In 2025, Smits portrayed the Terran Proctor in Star Trek: Section 31.^[4]

Smits has been nominated for five Gemini Awards, winning in 1988, and two Genie Awards. She has also received the Toronto Women in Film and Television (TWIFT) Outstanding Achievement Award, and the ACTRA Toronto Award of Excellence.^[4]

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.^[5]

In 2009, Smits was elected president of the board of directors of the Harbourfront Centre.^[6]