SOPHIE

Natalie Brown has enjoyed success in all areas of the entertainment industry for over 15 years.

Born and raised in Timmins, Ontario, Canada, she began her career dancing, choreographing, and acting in high school productions. A modeling career soon ensued, landing her first international cosmetic campaign, and the very high profile national commercial as "the Heinz ketchup girl", in her early teens. Immediately following her high school graduation, modeling took her abroad to many parts of Asia and the U.S., raising money for tuition at York University where she studied fine arts.

Natalie has appeared in numerous Canadian and American magazines, including Cosmopolitan, Mademoiselle, Seventeen, Fashion, Chatelaine, and Wish, and has been hailed, "Canada's 'IT' Girl." To date, Natalie has starred in over 60 T.V. commercials, many of which were award-winning, in- cluding the internationally successful Bailey's campaign. Her voice is distinct and can be heard co-hosting and narrating award shows, animated series, numerous radio and television spots. Her television credits include guest spots on many American and Canadian television series, such as 1-800-Missing, Wild Card, ReGenesis, and Showcase's Naked Josh.

Amongst her early film credits are the Hollywood features, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, and Welcome to Mooseport. She has since landed lead roles in the Lifetime movies, Black Widower, and A Woman Scorned, starred with David Carradine in the feature film The Last Sect, and co-starred with Frank Langella and Dean Cain in the NBC mini-series 10.5 Apocalypse. Immediately after shooting the lead role in the sci-fi movie Something Beneath, Natalie landed the title role in the much talked about Sophie, a CBC television comedy inspired by the popular French series, Les hauts et les bas de Sophie Paquin. She is currently shooting the series in Montréal.

Sebastian Spence has come a long way from his theatrical roots in St. John's, Newfoundland. Whether playing a stoic, aggressive, yet compassionate alien hunter in First Wave, The Lone Ranger's brother, a cocky young race car driver in Fast Track or a socially gregarious, gay college professor in WB's hit series, Dawson's Creek, Sebastian's talent and far-reaching range continue to shine.

Recent television highlights include the lead role on Hallmark's Daniel's Daughter, a recurring guest star role on USA/SciFi's Battlestar Galactica, guest starring roles in PAX's Young Blades, CHUM's The Collector, WB's Supernatural, lead roles in Lifetime's Obsession and To Have and To Hold, and a series regular role on Movie Central/W Network's G Spot, and a current CBC shoot, the comedy series Sophie.

He had guest appearances in such notable television series as The X-Files and Outer Limits. He was also in a starring role alongside Charles Bronson in CBS movies Family of Cops 1, 2, and 3 and played the lead role of Cade Foster.

In his three years starring in First Wave, producers, critics, and fans all agree that Spence's performance is clearly what made the show a huge success and raised it to a whole new level.

In his first film, the award-winning Boys of St. Vincent, Spence won high praise for his outstanding portrayal of Kevin Reevey, a tortured young man trying to live a normal life, yet forced to confront his past of childhood sexual abuse in an orphanage. Spence was tagged by acclaimed Canadian indie filmmaker Mina Shum to co-star in her dark comedy Drive She Said. This was certainly a far cry from the elite, smoke-jumping firefighter Spence plays in 20th Century Fox's Firestorm, or his portrayal of a cross-dressing Mob boss's son in the feature film Crossing, which won silver at Cinequest in the Emerging Maverick/First Feature category.

Amy Lalonde originates from Fenwick, Ontario farm country, and now calls Toronto home. This drama major and high school arts teacher traded in her hall pass for a headshot, and the dream of working in front of the camera. Amy's television credits include: Battlestar Galactica (Sci-Fi), Queer as Folk (Showtime), Beautiful People (ABC Family), LoveBites (TBS), Murder in the Hamptons (Lifetime), Kevin Hill (UPN), and a supporting role in the MOW Nature Of The Beast, for ABC Family. Most recently, Amy was seen in a starring role in the film Diary of The Dead, directed by the legendary George A. Romero. She is currently filming a new series for CBC: Sophie. In between episodes of Sophie, Amy went to Calgary to film another pilot for the CBC, Cowgirls, which brought her back to her farm country roots.

Since graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Honours degree from York University's prestigious theatre school, in a class of just six, Jeff has been very busy. Ironically, however, it hasn't been on stage.

His breakout movie role of Mike Nesmith in VH1's Daydream Believers: The Monkees Story earned heavy praise and helped pave the way for an interesting variety of film and television assignments. Be it a quirky young accountant opposite Daphne Zuniga in ABC's Beautiful People or a struggling musician in Showtime's Bleacher Bums with Wayne Knight and Brad Garrett, Jeff welcomes every career challenge with enthusiasm.

Recent projects include the highly successful Sophie for CBC television, now back in its second season, three seasons of the global hit The Latest Buzz for Family Channel, and the hockumentary comedy feature film Puck Hogs. Jeff has also been hard at work voicing an extreme surfer in the upcoming animated series Stoked.

Jeff's previous experiences have been equally exciting: MTV's Shotgun Love Dolls with Rachel McAdams and Malin Akerman and Monster Island with Adam West, Disney's 'Twas the Night opposite Bryan Cranston, Showtime's Odyssey 5 with Peter Weller, and the feature film Crime Spree with Gerard Depardieu and Harvey Keitel. Other credits include: Jason X: Friday the 13th part 10, Murder Among Friends, Twice in a Lifetime, Tkaronto, Crash Course, The Famous Jett Jackson, and Psi Factor.

In addition to acting, Jeff has completed a novel and several screenplays with his writing partner. They are currently in development with Electric Entertainment on a horror entitled The Gingerbread House and Nomadic Pictures on a romantic comedy entitled Before I Do.

When he's not on set pretending to be someone else or typing away on his laptop keyboard, Jeff can be found playing Canada's favorite sport. And, yes, he does wear a visor.

One of Canada's most highly regarded actors, Mimi Kuzyk is well known to both film and television audiences. Her more recent film credits include Camille opposite Sienna Miller and James Franco, Miramax's The Human Stain based on the novel by Philip Roth, and starring Anthony Hopkins, Nicole Kidman, Ed Harris and Gary Sinise; the sci-fi thrillers Final Cut with Robin Williams, Jim Caveziel and Mira Sorvino, and The Day After Tomorrow featuring Dennis Quaid and Jake Gyllenhal; The Last Sign, which was shot in Montréal and stars Andie Mac-Dowell; and A Different Loyalty, a romantic drama starring Sharon Stone and Rupert Everett. Her extensive body of film work also Chris Philpott's independent feature, Fairytales And Pornography; Bryan Goeres' Phase IV, opposite Dean Cain; Lea Pool's Lost And Delirious, which earned Ms. Kuzyk a Genie nomination for Best Supporting Actress; The Defenders with Beau Bridges; Waking The Dead with Hal Holbrook; Cruel Justice with A. Martinez; Strange Justice with Mandy Patinken; and, one of her personal favorites, My Date With The President's Daughter, in which she played the first lady to Dabney Coleman's president. Most recently, Ms. Kuzyk finished shooting XIII, opposite Stephen Dorff and Val Kilmer.

On Television Ms. Kuzyk has recently been seen in guest-starring roles on such hit shows as CBS' Ghost Whisperer and NCIS. She is well-recognized for her role as "Detective Patsy Mayo" on Hill Street Blues, and as Jimmy Smits' potential love interest on L.A. Law. She is also well known to Canadian audiences for her regular role in the CBC sitcom Our Hero. Her performances as "Rita Kapeli" in the CBC drama Little Criminals, and as "Deputy Chief Kay Barrow" in Blue Murder earned her Gemini nominations for Best Supporting Actress. The Winnipeg, Manitoba native also performed recurring roles in Global TV's Traders as well as guest-starring roles on The Chris Isaak Show and The L Word.

Mimi Kuzyk is currently shooting a regular role in the CBC comedy Sophie.

Sara hails from a small mining village in northern Canada, where her first exposure to theatre was at age six, playing the Virgin Mary, cast because she owned the only boy doll in town. From that auspicious beginning, she went on to study theatre at York University in Toronto. Since then, she has worked on stage, in television and in film in both Canada and the United States, as an actress, producer, director and writer.

In 1973, she joined the Stratford Festival for two seasons. Theatre highlights include being directed by: Mike Nichols in The Real Thing, (Broadway and National Tour), Sir Peter Hall in Romeo and Juliet, (Ahmandson Theatre, L.A.), Max Stafford Clark in Top Girls (Public Theatre, NY), Brian Bedford in Private Lives (Citadel, Edmonton and Present Laughter Stratford Festival), and Susan Stroman in The Royal Family (McCarter Theatre, Princeton); acting opposite Jeremy Irons, Brian Bedford, David Hyde Pearce, and William Hutt.

On film, she has tried to kill Meryl Streep, divorced both Robert Redford and Jon Voight, bedded Kevin Costner and Richard Chamberlain, debated Christopher Plummer, was done in by Roy Scheider and wrestled giant underground worm-like things in Tremors 4.

Television highlights include Sophie, the CBC comedy currently airing, the long running Canadian series E.N.G, as Ann Hildebrandt, Norma, in the AMC series The Lot, the highly acclaimed Canadian mini series, The Arrow, with Dan Akyroyd, Trudeau, as well as a myriad of MOW's and guest stars on U.S. prime time.

Sara has won an Obie Award for Top Girls, at the New York Shakespeare Festival, a Gemini for best actress, for E.N.G, and been nominated for a Genie, best actress for the film By Design, a Gemini for best supporting actress in The Arrow and a DVD Exclusive, best actress in Tremors 4.

In 1996, Sara directed the feature film Dead Innocent, starring Genevieve Bujold and Graeme Greene.

Most recently she has been directing plays in Los Angeles and Vancouver, including Summer and Smoke, Zen and the Art of Mourning A Mother, Dorothy Parker, The Cover of Life, and The History of Bowling, which opened March 21, 2008 at the NOHO Arts Center in Los Angeles.

Since founding 49th Parallel Theatre, Sara has co-produced and co-directed The Good Life, by Daniel Brooks, the critically acclaimed, Palace of the End, by Judith Thompson, and has co-produced The Drawer Boy, by Michael Healy. Her production of Zastrozzi, by George F. Walker opens July 10th at the NOHO Arts Center in Los Angeles.

In 2007, Sara wrote the half hour comedy pilot CANOOKS, which she co-directed and produced with her partner CB Brown, for Those Damn Canadians LTD. The series is currently being developed. More information can be found at: www.canooks.com.

Sara continues to teach and coach in Los Angeles. The film adaptation of Tis Pity, which she co wrote with Chris Brown is currently in development.

49TH PARALLEL is her first theatre company.

Fifteen year-old Chantelle Chung began her acting career several years ago after a talent agent, who happened to be a patient of Chantelle's Optometrist parents, suggested that she would do well in the world of commercials and film. An avid circus enthusiast, Chantelle trains at the The Toronto School of Circus Arts and her favourite apparatus is silks. She is a grade ten student who gained her early acting experience appearing in television commercials and was recently featured as Kimmy Song in episodes of Global's The Best Years. The role of Ophelia in Sophie is Chantelle's first major role and she has worked hard to balance the commute to Montréal to shoot the series with the busy life of an honours high school student in her home town of Toronto.

Born and raised in Chambly, a lovely town on the south shore of Montréal, Catherine discovered an interest for theatre early in high school; however, it did not develop until several years later, when an exceptional teacher, opened her eyes to the possibility of an acting career. She then decided to pursue her studies in theatre at Dawson College, graduated from the Professional Theatre program in 2004, and started a fully bilingual career.

Geordie Theater Productions was the first company to hire Catherine professionally, giving her the opportunity to perform for young audiences across Quebec, New Brunswick and Ontario. She then quickly leapt into Montréal's acting community, with performances in numerous theatrical works: Shakespeare's As You Like It and Much Ado About Nothing, Mainline Theater's Hedda Gabler, Johnny Canuck and the Last Burlesque and a french children's play Capitaine Grosnez et le Secret Précieux (of which she is both co-producer and artistic director).

As for television, with only four years of professional experience, Catherine has already landed roles in two mini-series, Durham County 401 (dir. Holly Dale) and Human Trafficking (dir. Christian Duguay), two television series, CBC's Sophie and SRC's Pendant ce temps devant la télé as well as in television and radio commercials.

Moreover, she appeared in the movie La vie secr�ète des gens heureux (dir. StŽphane Lapointe), and you will soon be able to enjoy her performance in the next Recon 2023 (dir. Christian Viel), the third of a sci-fi trilogy.

After graduating college with high honors, Lyriq Bent originally began his career as a Computer Graphic Technician. Bent's plans, however, were short-lived as he decided to take up acting on a dare. Since then, his career has gained considerable momentum with numerous film and television appearances already under his belt. Bent's eclectic mix of roles and rising popularity has earned kudos in both his native Canada and the U.S. Accordingly, Playback Magazine has gone so far as to even nominate Bent as one of Canada's top rising stars.

Prior to landing a co-starring role on Lifetime's recent drama series Angela's Eyes from the producers of Crash, Bent guest starred on the UPN series Kevin Hill opposite Taye Diggs and USA Network's Kojak opposite Ving Rhames. Additionally, the versatile actor had recurring roles on the CBS/zoetrope series Platinum and the ESPN/Disney series Playmakers. He has since been featured in Columbia/TriStar's series Street Time as well as the Canadian series Blue Murder. Bent also appeared in Robert Townsend's multi-award winning television movie 10,000 Black Men Named George and the telefilm Jane Doe alongside Teri Hatcher.

Bent's success in film has also been burgeoning. His film credits include starring opposite Mark Wahlberg and Andrè� 3000 in the John Singleton film Four Brothers and Take the Lead with Antonio Banderas and Alfre Woodard. Bent also co-starred in the smash horror films Saw II and Saw III and starred as a central character in Saw IV. He also appeared in Honey alongside Jessica Alba and Mekhi Phifer and Crime Spree with Gerard Depardieu. Furthermore, Bent has starred in director Michael Mabbott's critically acclaimed debut feature film, The Life and Hard Times of Guy Terrifico, which premiered at the 2005 Toronto International Film Festival, winning the award for Best First Canadian Feature Film. Most recently, Bent co-starred in Lion's Gate horror film, Skinwalkers, with Jason Behr and Rhona Mitra, which is due for release this summer. Currently, Bent is filming the CBC mini-series Guns opposite Elisha Cuthbert and Colm Fiore. This project lies close to his heart since it shows the grim consequences that ensue from gun violence - something that Bent knows all too well from his tough childhood. It reminds the young actor how grateful he is to have stayed away from that unsavory influence during his formative years. It is that kind of single-minded focus which undoubtedly plays into Bent's success.