(February 22, 2016 – Toronto, ON) It’s turned out to be a very good year for actor Catherine O’Hara. Of course, deep down inside she might consider any year a good year since 1976. That’s when she got her start, if you can call it that, waiting tables at the Second City Theatre in Toronto. But the talent was there and the drive and when she got to play in the cast of SCTV, so was Eugene Levy. And Rick Moranis, Martin Short, John Candy, Joe Flaherty and Andrea Martin. Terrific company to be in.
This past weekend, at the 14th annual ACTRA Awards in Toronto, Catherine O’Hara was given the Outstanding Performance – Female award for her work as Moira Rose in an episode of CBC’s hit comedy series Schitt’s Creek, titled Wine and Roses. Speaking of being in good company, The Outstanding Performance – Male award went to Christopher Plummer for his role as Zev Guttman in Atom Egoyan’s Remember. CBC recently announced that Schitt’s Creek would be renewed for a third season, which is an award in itself. The series received 15 nominations for the 2016 Canadian Screen Awards making it the most nominated TV series of 2016.
And then in just a few days time, O’Hara and Eugene Levy will be in the spotlight at the 3rd annual An Evening with Canada’s Stars in Los Angeles. The event, which is co-hosted by Telefilm Canada, the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television and the Consulate General of Canada in Los Angeles, will see the pair receive the Academy’s Legacy Award. Some of the stars in attendance at the event include Adam Beach, Lyriq Bent and Emmanuelle Chriqui who are acting as presenters. Canadian actors who have been nominated for this year’s Canadian Screen Awards include Amanda Crew, Tricia Helfer, Greyston Holt, Jonathan Keltz, Sarah Rafferty, Maxim Roy, Amanda Silk, David Sutcliffe and Laura Vandervoort. In short, a truly star-studded event and all of it to help honour two of Canada’s most enduring actors.
Also invited to An Evening with Canada’s Stars on February 25th — just a few days before the Oscars® — are key industry players and media; Canada’s organizations and supporters are joining forces to position talent and filmmakers on the global stage.
“2016 is off to a roaring start with talent from Canada powering 20 Oscar nominations and a Technical Achievement Award,” said Carolle Brabant, Executive Director of Telefilm Canada. “And for the first time ever two Canadian coproductions — Room, produced by No Trace Camping, and Brooklyn, produced by Item 7 — are in the running for Best Picture.”
James Villeneuve, Consul General of Canada in Los Angeles, added: “Canada’s talent—on screen and behind the scenes—is a sign of the strength of the entire range of Canadian creative industries. It’s a great moment to celebrate our filmmakers’ achievements and keep building on the momentum of our successful partnerships in the US and elsewhere.”
Martin Katz, Chair of the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, added: “It’s been a record-breaking year for Canadian film. For the first time, we announced 10 Best Picture nominations for the Canadian Screen Awards, and we’re really proud that Canada is playing so well internationally. We’re particularly pleased that the Canadian Screen Awards line-up of nominees may well be the most diverse in the world.”
