Personality Profile: TATIANA MASLANY

Tatiana Maslany

Tatiana Maslany

Tatiana Gabrielle Maslany (born September 22, 1985) is a Canadian actress.
She has starred in television series such as The Nativity, Being Erica , Heartland, and Orphan Black. In 2013, she won an ACTRA for her role as Claire in the film Picture Day, and a Phillip Borsos Award for her performance in the film Cas & Dylan.

Since March 2013, Maslany has played the lead in the Canadian science-fiction thriller series

Orphan Black , for which she has received widespread critical acclaim, winning two Critics' Choice Television Awards , a TCA Award, and two Canadian Screen Awards , in addition to receiving Emmy , Golden Globe and SAG nominations.

Early life

Maslany was born in Regina, Saskatchewan, the daughter of Dan, a woodworker, and Renate, a translator. She has two younger brothers, Daniel and Michael. She has Austrian, German, Polish , Romanian, and Ukrainian ancestry. For elementary school, Maslany was in French immersion , and was taught to be fluent in German by her mother before learning English. She also speaks some Spanish.  She has danced since age four and started community theatre and musicals at the age of nine.

Maslany attended Dr. Martin LeBoldus High School , where she participated in school productions and improvisation, and graduated in 2003. While attending high school, she found paying acting jobs that allowed her to travel all over Canada with her parents' approval. She would work for a few months at a time and then return to school in Regina. She stated, "It wasn't an easy transition. I felt a little outside of it. Outside of both experiences, really." After completing high school, she spent some time doing theatre performances and travelling before settling in Toronto, Ontario at the age of 20.

Career

Maslany Maslany was one of the stars of the 2002 Canadian TV series 2030 CE. She appeared as the character Ghost in the 2004 film Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed . Maslany performed comedic improvisation for ten years. She participated in improvisational theatre , including the Canadian Improv Games, and has since become a member of the General Fools Improvisational Theatre. She is now a certified improvisation trainer.

In 2007, Maslany appeared in The Messengers as Lindsay Rollins. She also starred in the CBC series Heartland where she plays a barrel racer, Kit Bailey, with her horse Daisy. During 2008, she had a recurring role in the Instant Star TV series. She had a lead role in the Hallmark Channel movie, An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving . In September 2008, she portrayed Penny, a kidnapping victim in the Canadian series

Maslany as Cosima in ORPHAN BLACK

Maslany currently stars in the BBC America and

Space original series Orphan Black. She plays the lead character, Sarah Manning, as well as Sarah's cohort of clones: Cosima Niehaus, Alison Hendrix, Helena, Rachel Duncan, Elizabeth Childs, Katja Obinger, Janika Zingler, Aryanna Giordano, Danielle Fournier, Jennifer Fitzsimmons, Krystal Goderitch, and Tony Sawicki. Maslany won two Critics' Choice Television Award and TCA Award for her performance in the series. She was also nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress for these roles, but lost to Robin Wright of House of Cards . In 2015, Maslany was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her performance. She submitted the episode “Certain Agony of the Battlefield” for Emmy voting.

In 2015, Maslany provided the voice for the character Dodge in the audio drama adaptation of Joe Hill's graphic novel, Locke & Key . The audio adaptation encompasses all six books in the series and is 13-hours long in total. As of October 10, 2015, Maslany is in talks to play the second female lead in Star Wars Episode VIII , alongside Gugu Mbatha-Raw ; as well as the character of Erin Hurley, the female lead in the film Stronger, alongside Jake Gyllenhaal who will play Jeff Bauman, a victim of the Boston Marathon bombing and Erin's boyfriend.

Personal life

Maslany resides in Toronto, Ontario. Maslany has been dating Welsh actor Tom Cullen since 2011.  The two met while filming the Channel 4 miniseries World Without End.

Films that Maslany has been involved in:

The Recital                                                                                   

Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed Ghost                                     

Eastern Promises                                                                       

Diary of the Dead                                                           

Late Fragment India

Flash of Genius Older Kathy

Defendor Olga

Grown Up Movie Star Ruby

Hardwired Punk Red

Up & Down Girl Short film

In Redemption Margaret

Toilet Lisa

Darla Friend Short film

The Entitled

Jenna

Violet & Daisy April

Waiting for You Short film

Vow, The The Vow Lily

Picture Day Claire

Blood Pressure Kat

Woman in Gold

Two Lovers and a Bear Lucy In post-production

The Other Half Emily

2013–present Orphan Black as Sarah Manning / Elizabeth Childs / Alison Hendrix / Cosima Niehaus /Helena / Rachel Duncan / Tony Sawicki / Jennifer Fitzsimmons / Katja Obinger / Pupok (Scorpion, voice) / Krystal Goderitch

Tatiana Maslany 

as Sarah Mannin in ORPHAN BLACK

Awards and nominations

The 2013 Juno Award ceremonies were held in Regina, Maslany's home town, and Maslany was chosen as one of the presenters.

2005 Gemini Awards

Best Performance in a Children's or Youth Program or Series 2009

Best Performance by an Actress in a Guest Role, Dramatic Series 2010 Sundance Film Festival

Special Jury Prize, World Cinema – Dramatic 2010 Gemini Awards

Best Performance by an Actress in a Guest Role, Dramatic Series 2011 Genie Awards

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role 2012 Whistler Film Festival

Best Actor in a Borsos Film Award 2013 ACTRA Awards

Outstanding Performance – Female 2013

Critics' Choice Television Awards Best Lead Actress in a Drama Series 2013

TCA Awards Individual Achievement in Drama 2013

Young Hollywood Awards Breakthrough Performance – Female

2013 EWwy Awards Best Actress in a Drama Series

2013 Hamptons International Film Festival

Breakthrough Performer

2013 Whistler Film Festival Best Actor in a Borsos Film Award

2014 People's Choice Awards, Favorite Sci-Fi/Fantasy Actress

2014 Golden Globe Awards

Best Actress – Television Series Drama

2015 Screen Actors Guild

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series

2015 ACTRA Awards

Outstanding Performance – Female 2015

Canadian Screen Awards

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Dramatic Role 2015

Primetime Emmy Awards

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series 2015

It sure is amazing how Maslany could make acting seem easier than it really is. You are a real role model!

Tatiana Maslany

the Heartbeat of ORPHAN BLACK