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Kim Roberts (actress)

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Kim Roberts
Roberts in 2017
Born
Toronto, Canada
Alma materUniversity of Western Ontario,
York University
OccupationActress
Years active1991–present

Kim Roberts is a Canadian actress, best known for her roles as Mayor Goodway in Paw Patrol, Greta on The Sinner, Christine in The Handmaids Tale, Marnie in Schitt's Creek, Neeva in The Strain, Gloria in Lucky Seven, Camilla in Being Erica, Mazz in The Doodlebops, Mrs. Arvin in I'm Not There, Deborah in Saw III and Saw IV and Mrs. Bosco in The Cheetah Girls.[1][2][3]

Early life

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Roberts' parents are from the Caribbean. Her mother, Josephine is from the Creole island of Dominica and her late father, Oswald, was born in Jamaica.[4] They met and married in Toronto, Canada, where Roberts and her brother Mark were born. Roberts still has close ties to both islands. As a child, Roberts performed as a member of The Friendship Circle, a group of young singers and dancers directed by Lois Lilienstein of Sharon, Lois and Bram and her partner Louise. The ensemble toured locally, singing folk songs at schools and festivals like Mariposa, as well as appearing on Bram's TV show. Under the direction of her older cousins, Roberts began her stage career as a leading lady in home productions put on for friends and parents. She attended a drama lab at the University of Toronto at age 12, which solidified her interest in the craft. While enrolled in the gifted program at Earl Haig Secondary School, Roberts was given special permission to enter the acting stream at Claude Watson School for the Arts. Roberts finished her studies at C. W. Jefferys Collegiate Institute.

Career

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Roberts attended the University of Western Ontario majoring in political science and minoring in philosophy, with a view to becoming a lawyer. A theater class taken at York University one summer led to an invitation from Ron Singer, the chair of the Theater department, to study at York. Roberts accepted the invitation a year later, but before completing her studies, auditioned for and was cast in the Company of Sirens touring production of, "No Problems Here." She performed as well as produced and directed for the company over the next three years.[5] Roberts branched out into film and television and became the first woman of African descent to portray the speaking heroine in a nationally televised Canadian commercial. The spot was for Benylin cough syrup.[6][7] Since then, Roberts' resume has grown to include leading and recurring roles in over 200 different on-screen credits. She has shared screen and stage with the best of the artistic community, including Christopher Plummer, Helen Mirren, Jackie Chan, Lindsay Lohan, Eugene Levy, Debbie Gibson, James Garner, Julie Andrews, Robin Williams, Alfre Woodard, Mariah Carey, Raven-Symoné, Wesley Snipes, Tom Selleck, Farrah Fawcett and more. She has been directed and produced by many industry luminaries, of note, Steven Spielberg, Maya Angelou, Todd Haynes, Sidney Lumet, and Peter Bogdanovich.[4]

Obsidian Theatre Company, Canada's premiere black theatre company, was founded in Roberts' home and she is one of thirteen founding members.[8] Roberts narrated and performed The Book of Negroes for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s podcast ‘'Between the Covers.

While shooting In the Company of Spies, in 1999, Roberts became one of the first actors to shoot a scene inside CIA Headquarters in Langley, Virginia.

Personal life

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Roberts was once romantically linked to jazz musician Christian McBride. She lived common law with Canadian actor Peter Bryant.

Filmography

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Film
Year Title Role Notes
1996 Extreme Measures Home Nurse
1997 Bad Day on the Block 911 Operator
1997 Critical Care Intern #1
1998 Blues Brothers 2000 Dancer
1998 Down in the Delta Isabelle
1999 Judgment Day: The Ellie Nesler Story Church Friend, 1983
1999 The Misadventures of Tron Bonne Digger (English version, voice) Video Game[9]
2000 Chain of Command Stephanie Ellis
2000 Steal This Movie! Auditor
2001 Glitter Mrs. Wilson
2002 The Tuxedo ER Nurse
2004 Dawn of the Dead Cora
2006 Man of the Year Make-Up Artist
2006 One Way Norah
2006 Saw III Deborah
2007 Complete Idiot Wanda
2007 Charlie Bartlett Dr. Linda Jenkins
2007 I'm Not There Mrs. Arvin
2007 Saw IV Nurse Deborah
2008 Nurse.Fighter.Boy Intern
2008 Saving God Dr. Munson
2013 Carrie Ms. Arlene Walsh (uncredited)
2014 Dr. Cabbie Courtroom Clerk
2015 Remember Paula
2015 Fading Light (Short) Ms. Thomas
2016 A Man's Story (Short) Léonie Eganda (Mother)
2018 Love Jacked Aunt Hilary
2021 PAW Patrol: The Movie Mayor Goodway (voice)
2023 PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie Mayor Goodway (voice)
2024 All the Lost Ones Nancy
Television
Year Series Role Notes
1993 Street Legal Immigration Officer Episode: Faking It
1993 E.N.G. Nurse Episode: Legacy
1999 Little Men Sylvia Walker Episode: Family Business
1999 The City Secretary Episode: Blindside!
2000 The Others Nurse Episode: Pilot
2001 Doc Neighbour Episode: Pilot: Part 1
2001 The Associates Delores 5 episodes
2001 Soul Food Shelley Episode: Fly Away Home (2001)
2002 Tracker Miss Price Episode: Dark Road Home
2002 Odyssey 5 Dr. Egrari 2 episodes
2002 Get a Clue Miss Stern
2003-2008 Degrassi: The Next Generation Mrs. Smith 4 episodes
2004 Wonderfalls Peggy Episode: Wax Lion
2004 Paradise Falls The Doctor 2 episodes
2005 Air Emergency Ruth Green Episode: Runaway Train
2005 The Doodlebops Mazz 26 episodes (first season only)
2006 True Crimes: The First 72 Hours Church Lady Olive Williams Episode: Frenzy (2006)
2006 The Path to 9/11 Pan Am administrator 2 episodes
2007 Strangers in the Night G.G. Gryce
2008 The Trojan Horse E.R. Nurse Part One
2009 Turbo Dogs Delivery Dog (voice) Episode: Ruffing It
2009 Soul Roslyn 5 episodes
2009 Da Kink in My Hair Alisha Episode: Honesty the Best Policy?
2009 Warehouse 13 Smithsonian Tour Guide Pilot
2009 Guns Althea Beckford 2 episodes
2010-2013 Rookie Blue Nan / Anita Nash 2 episodes
2010 Wingin' It Mrs. Carter Episode: Cheer Me Up
2010 The Bridge Marta Davin Episode: Damned If You Do
2010 Blue Bloods Judge Waters Episode: Pilot
2010 Lost Girl Esther Episode: Oh Kappa, My Kappa
2010 Razzberry Jazzberry Jam Mrs. Trumpet (voice) Episode: Genre Busters
2010 Being Erica Camilla 5 episodes
2010 The Ron James Show Manager New Year's Eve Edition
2010 Bloodletting & Miraculous Cures Nurse Ronai Episode: All Souls
2011 Suits Glenda Episode: Dirty Little Secrets
2011 Against the Wall Alice
2012 The L.A. Complex Child Services Worker
2013 Lucky 7 Gloria 4 episodes
2014 Remedy 'Auntie' Priscilla Episode: The Little Things (2014)
2014 The Strain Neeva 2 episodes
2015 Schitt's Creek Marnie Episode: Allez-Vous (2015)
2015 Single Ladies DA Amelia Lawrence Episode: Remix (2015)
2017 Ransom Penny Williams / Mrs. Lewis 2 episodes
2017 Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs Regina Devereaux (voice) Episode: Virtu-Earl Reality
2017 The Handmaid's Tale Christine The Other Side
2018 In Contempt Judge Wells 3 episodes
2017-18 Baroness von Sketch Show Martha / Kim / Spa Woman #3 / 3 episodes
2018 Dino Dana Dr. White Episode: Dinosauroid/Dino Dana Says
2019 The Kindness of Strangers Female Plainclothes
2018-19 Killjoys Ginny 3 episodes
2019 When Hope Calls Pearl Mayfair 7 episodes
2019 Abby Hatcher Mrs. Melvin (voice) 8 episodes
2020–present PAW Patrol Mayor Goodway (voice) late Season 7-present
2020 Is There a Killer in My Family? Mrs. Palmer
2019-20 Diggstown Ona Reeves 2 episodes
2020 In the Dark Pam Clarke 3 episodes
2020 Grand Army Wanda Episode: Superman This S**t (2020)
2023 Workin' Moms Maggie 2 episodes
2023 Rubble & Crew Mayor Goodway (voice) 2 episodes
2023 The Good Doctor Yara's Mom Episode: "Second Chances and Past Regrets"

Awards

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Roberts received the Harold Award for theater in 1996.[10] She received the Reelworld Trailblazer award at the ReelWorld Film Festival in 2014 for her body of work in film and television.[11] And in 2022 she received the Independent Leader Award at the Vaughan International Film Festival [12]

References

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  1. ^ "Kim Roberts Biography ((?)-)". Filmreference.com. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
  2. ^ "Actress KIM ROBERTS Lands on Global and FX Networks". Clichemag.com. February 7, 2014. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
  3. ^ "Saw IV (2007) Cast and Crew - Cast Photos and Info - Fandango". Fandango.com. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
  4. ^ a b Sunshine, Fannie (February 23, 2014). "Kim Roberts busy on TV and movie screens". TheIFP.ca. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
  5. ^ "La Femme Fatale: Interview with Kim Roberts - Addicted". Weraddicted.com. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
  6. ^ CATON, HILARY (April 11, 2013). "Kim Roberts hoping to get 'Lucky'". InsideToronto.com. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
  7. ^ "MsLabelled | Cast Bios - Rebecca Liddiard, Sara Hennessey, Richard Young, Spencer Robson, Shawn Ahmed, Sydney Kondruss, Barbara Mamabolo, Marni van Dyk, Nykeem Provo, Adamo Ruggiero, Xander Vintage & Jeanne Beker". Slice.ca. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
  8. ^ "History • Obsidian Theatre Company". Obsidiantheatre.com. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
  9. ^ Capcom Production Studio 2. The Misadventures of Tron Bonne. Capcom. Scene: Ending credits, 7:08:18 in, CAST.
  10. ^ "The Houses". Theharoldawards.ca. December 11, 2010. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
  11. ^ "Reel World Film Festival" (PDF). Docs.wixstatic.com. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
  12. ^ "Independent Leaders". VFF. Retrieved August 6, 2022.
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