Canadians have been in the public eye for quite a while now, beginning with Charlie Chaplin and Mary Pickford who were the King and Queen of silent films. Since these two talents have emerged from Canada, the world has been eying Canadian talent for quite a while. Not only are Canadians present in movies, but they take avid part in the music industry as well. Many famous singers are Canadian -- such as Paul Anka, City and Colour, Alexisonfire, illScarlet and Simple Plan. Canadians are also known for their radiant beauty and photogenic faces. Several of the world's famous models are Canadian, including Daria Werbowy, Linda Evangelista and model-turned-actress Tricia Helfer. Some of the world's most talented are bred in Canada.
Though we cannot compare to the Hollywood/Bollywood stars of America and India, Canadians are making their mark. They are taking great strides in pursing their dreams and the world is welcoming them with open arms. You may be surprised to know that some of the following stars are Canadian!
Jim Carrey - comedic actor
Mike Myers - comedic actor
Eugene Levy - comedic actor
Tom Green - comedic actor
Pamela Anderson - actress and activist
Kristen Kreuk - actress: plays 'Lana Lang' on "Smallville"
Kim Cattrall - actress/producer: 'Samantha Jones' in "Sex and the City"
Neve Campbell - actress: Scream movies
Ryan Reynolds - actor
Ryan Gosling - actor: 'Noah Calhoun' in The Notebook
Scott Speedman - actor
Bryan Adams - actor, composer, singer
Canada has many studios and is a popular filming location for producers. There are many opportunities for Canadians to succeed, however Canadian men have outnumbered women in the past because they have traveled outside of Canada to seek fame. Now, female Canadians are moving to America to accomplish their goals of finding stardom. This is how you can look like some of Canada's most famous women:
Alanis Morissette
Alanis Nadine Morissette entered the world on June 1st, 1974 in Canada's capital -- Ottawa. She learned to play the piano when she was six years old. When Alanis turned 21, she decided to take up the guitar. Alanis began her career in 1986 with her single "Fate Stay With Me". She then recorded dance/pop albums. When Alanis turned 18 years-old she made the move to Toronto to work with a variety of musicians and songwriters but she was not pleased with the collaborations. But in 1994 her luck finally changed upon meeting talented producer and songwriter, Glen Ballard, who later became her business partner.
Avril Lavinge
Avril Ramona Lavinge was born on September 27th, 1984 in Ontario, Canada. Through the years, Avril was known in her hometown for singing at town events. It was clear to everyone that Avril wanted to become a singer. When Avril turned 16, she moved to Manhattan, New York to start working on her debut album: Let Go. This album caught the attention of many record labels and when they offered her a record deal, she immediately dropped out of high school to make her dreams come true.
Elisha Cuthbert
Elisha Ann Cuthbert was born on November 20th, 1982 in Alberta, Canada. She began her career as a child star, appearing in Canadian TV shows. When Elisha was just seven years old, she successfully landed her first modeling job. At the mere age of 11 years-old, she realized that acting was her dream and began pursuing it seriously. Soon after her seventeenth birthday, Elisha left her native country Canada to move to Los Angeles in hopes of gaining success as an actress in more diverse and public roles. Within 5 weeks of moving, Elisha landed her breakthrough role of Kimberly Bauer on FOX's hit TV show "24"
Evangeline Lilly
Nicole Evangeline Lilly was born on August 3rd, 1979 in Alberta, Canada. She was discovered by the Ford modeling agency while walking the streets of Kelowna, British Columbia. Evangeline signed with the agency as a way of paying her tuition for the University of British Columbia. When Evangeline decided to become an actress, she realized that signing with Ford had immensely boosted her career as she was recognized by many producers. Evangeline currently stars in the TV show "Lost" in which she plays 'Kate Austen'.
Lauren Collins
Lauren Felice Collins was born on August 29th, 1986 in Ontario, Canada. Lauren is best known for her role as 'Paige Michalchuk' on the TV show "Degrassi: The Next Generation". She began her career through appearing in small Canadian TV shows until she landed the role that made her a household name.
Rachel Blanchard
Rachel Elise Blanchard was born on March 19th, 1976 in Ontario, Canada. While attending Queens University, she auditioned for the role of Cher Horowitz in the 1996 TV series "Clueless" (based on the popular movie of the same name). Rachel eventually dropped out of Queen's University to accept a chance in a lifetime offer -- she had landed the role. Rachel's career began taking off since then, as she began accepting more Hollywood roles after making a name for herself on Canadian television.
Rachel McAdams
Rachel Anne McAdams came into the world on October 7th, 1976. Rachel had a passion for the arts in high school but she did not want to make acting her career path, thinking that her dreams were only a joke. However, she was encouraged by her high school drama teacher to become a drama major at university -- and she did just that! Rachel attended York University and majored in theater. She then hired an agent and began grasping the many opportunities that came her way. Rachel found the success she hoped for, when she starred as 'Regina George' in the 2004 hit movie Mean Girls. You can see Rachel in The Time Traveler's Wife which is coming out later this year.
Shania Twain
Eileen Regina Edwards was born on August 28th, 1965 in Ontario, Canada. Shania began her career by singing in bars after hours. At the tender age of 13, she appeared on the TV show "The Tommy Hunter Show" as a way of making a name for herself. In 1991 she officially changed her name to Shania and signed a contract with the Mercury Nashville record label. She gained no recognition for her failed debut album. So she teamed up with producer Robert John Lange (Mutt) for her second album, which broke world records sales. Recently Shania divorced her husband of 14 years, Mutt Lange and is spending quality time with her son.
Shenae Grimes
Shenae Sonya Grimes stars alongside Lauren Collins in "Degrassi: The Next Generation". Shenae plays 'Darcy Edwards', which is her breakthrough role. At first, the character of 'Darcy Edwards' appeared in a few scenes and was introduced as a friend of one of the main characters. This role soon became reoccurring and after re-evaluating her story lines, the producers decided to make her a main character. Shenae will be appearing in the upcoming remake of the popular TV show "Beverly Hills, 90210".
Now you know some of Canada's most successful actors and musicians. Watch out for some Canadian talent in the media because if they are Canadian, they will not be hard to miss.
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Author's Note: Sources:
www.netglimse.com
www.imdb.com
