Karen Robinson (born February 29, 1968) is a British-Canadian film, television, and stage actress. She won the
Canadian Screen Award
The Canadian Screen Awards (french: link=no, Les prix Écrans canadiens) are awards given for artistic and technical merit in the film industry recognizing excellence in Canadian film, English-language television, and digital media (web series) p ...
for Best Performance in a Guest Role in a Drama Series at the
7th Canadian Screen Awards
The 7th annual Canadian Screen Awards were held on March 31, 2019, to honour achievements in Canadian film, television, and digital media production in 2018.
Schitt's Creek
''Schitt's Creek'' (stylized as ''Schitt$ Creek'') is a Canadian television sitcom created by Dan Levy and his father, Eugene Levy, that aired on CBC Television from 2015 to 2020. It consists of 80 episodes spread over six seasons. Produced by ...
'' cast.
Early life
Born in
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
,
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
and raised in
Jamaica
Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...
, Robinson moved to
Drumheller
Drumheller is a town on the Red Deer River in the badlands of Central Alberta, east-central Alberta, Canada. It is northeast of Calgary and south of Stettler, Alberta, Stettler. The Drumheller portion of the Red Deer River valley, often ref ...
,
Alberta
Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Ter ...
with her family as a teenager. She was active in the arts in childhood, including singing in choirs, acting in school plays and reciting at poetry readings, and studied communication and theatre at
Mount Royal College
Mount Royal University (MRU) is a public university in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
History
Mount Royal University was founded by Alberta provincial charter by the Arthur Sifton government on December 16, 1910 and officially opened on September 8 ...
in
Calgary
Calgary ( ) is the largest city in the western Canadian province of Alberta and the largest metro area of the three Prairie Provinces. As of 2021, the city proper had a population of 1,306,784 and a metropolitan population of 1,481,806, makin ...
before beginning to work as a professional actress in the early 1990s.
Theatrical work
On stage, she originated the role of
Marie-Joseph Angélique
Marie-Josèphe dite Angélique (died June 21, 1734) was the name given to a Portuguese-born black slave in New France (later the province of Quebec in Canada) by her last owners. She was tried and convicted of setting fire to her owner's home, bu ...
in
Lorena Gale
Lorena Gale (May 9, 1958 – June 21, 2009) was a Canadian actress, playwright and theatre director. She was active onstage and in films and television since the 1980s. She also authored two award-winning plays, ''Angélique'' and ''Je me so ...
's play ''Angélique'' in 1998, for which she received a
Betty Mitchell Award
Betty Mitchell Awards were created in 1998 to celebrate and honour outstanding achievement in Calgary's professional theatre community. It is commonly called the Betty Award and is named for Calgary theatre pioneer Dr. Betty Mitchell.
Awards
The ...
nomination for Best Actress in 1998."ATP leads awards parade". ''
Calgary Herald
The ''Calgary Herald'' is a daily newspaper published in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Publication began in 1883 as ''The Calgary Herald, Mining and Ranche Advocate, and General Advertiser''. It is owned by the Postmedia Network.
History
''The ...
'', July 18, 1998. In 2003, she originated the role of Lily in the
Stratford Festival
The Stratford Festival is a theatre festival which runs from April to October in the city of Stratford, Ontario, Canada. Founded by local journalist Tom Patterson in 1952, the festival was formerly known as the Stratford Shakespearean Festival ...
Clytemnestra
Clytemnestra (; grc-gre, Κλυταιμνήστρα, ''Klytaimnḗstrā'', ), in Greek mythology, was the wife of Agamemnon, king of Mycenae, and the twin sister of Helen of Troy. In Aeschylus' ''Oresteia'', she murders Agamemnon – said by Eu ...
in three concurrent plays,
Aeschylus
Aeschylus (, ; grc-gre, Αἰσχύλος ; c. 525/524 – c. 456/455 BC) was an ancient Greek tragedian, and is often described as the father of tragedy. Academic knowledge of the genre begins with his work, and understanding of earlier Greek ...
's ''
Agamemnon
In Greek mythology, Agamemnon (; grc-gre, Ἀγαμέμνων ''Agamémnōn'') was a king of Mycenae who commanded the Greeks during the Trojan War. He was the son, or grandson, of King Atreus and Queen Aerope, the brother of Menelaus, the husb ...
'',
Jean Giraudoux
Hippolyte Jean Giraudoux (; 29 October 1882 – 31 January 1944) was a French novelist, essayist, diplomat and playwright. He is considered among the most important French dramatists of the period between World War I and World War II.
His work ...
's ''
Electra
Electra (; grc, Ήλέκτρα) is one of the most popular mythological characters in tragedies.Evans (1970), p. 79 She is the main character in two Greek tragedies, '' Electra'' by Sophocles and '' Electra'' by Euripides. She is also the centra ...
'' and
Jean-Paul Sartre
Jean-Paul Charles Aymard Sartre (, ; ; 21 June 1905 – 15 April 1980) was one of the key figures in the philosophy of existentialism (and phenomenology), a French playwright, novelist, screenwriter, political activist, biographer, and litera ...
's ''
The Flies
''The Flies'' (french: Les Mouches) is a play by Jean-Paul Sartre, produced in 1943. It is an adaptation of the Electra myth, previously used by the Greek playwrights Sophocles, Aeschylus and Euripides.
The play recounts the story of Orestes an ...
''. In 2006, she received a
Dora Mavor Moore Award
The Dora Mavor Moore Award (also known as the Dora Award) is an award presented annually by the Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts which honours theatre, dance and opera productions in Toronto. Named after Dora Mavor Moore, who helped estab ...
Trevor Rhone
Trevor Dave Rhone (24 March 1940 – 15 September 2009) was a Jamaican writer, playwright and film maker. He co-wrote, with director Perry Henzell, the internationally successful film '' The Harder They Come'' (1972).
Life
Trevor Rhone, w ...
's ''Two Can Play''.
In 2009, she played Prospera in a gender-flipped Dream in High Park production of
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...
Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Award
The Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Award (also known as the Sterling Award) is a local Edmonton, Alberta award presented annually which honours excellence in theatre. The award covers a number of categories, including production, performance, direction ...
for Best Supporting Actress in a Play for her performance as Mrs. Muller in the
Citadel Theatre
The Citadel Theatre is the major venue for theatre arts in the city of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, located in the city's downtown core on Churchill Square. It is the third largest regional theatre in Canada.
History
It began in a former Salvati ...
production of
John Patrick Shanley
John Patrick Shanley (born October 13, 1950) is an American playwright, screenwriter, and director. He won the 1988 Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for the film ''Moonstruck''. His play, '' Doubt: A Parable'', won the 2005 Pulitzer P ...
's ''Doubt''."Ovation for excellence in theatre". ''
Edmonton Journal
The ''Edmonton Journal'' is a daily newspaper in Edmonton, Alberta. It is part of the Postmedia Network.
History
The ''Journal'' was founded in 1903 by three local businessmen — John Macpherson, Arthur Moore and J.W. Cunningham — as ...
'', June 23, 2009.
She has also appeared in productions of
M. NourbeSe Philip
Marlene Nourbese Philip (born 3 February 1947), usually credited as M. NourbeSe Philip, is a Canadian poet, novelist, playwright, essayist and short story writer.
Life and works
Born in the Caribbean in Woodlands, Moriah, Trinidad and Tobago, W ...
's ''Coups and Calypsos'', George F. Walker's ''Problem Child'', Shakespeare's ''
A Midsummer Night's Dream
''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' is a comedy written by William Shakespeare 1595 or 1596. The play is set in Athens, and consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. One subplot involves a conflict amon ...
'',
Djanet Sears
Djanet Sears is a Canadian playwright, actor and director, nationally recognized for her work in African-Canadian theatre. Sears has many credits in writing and editing highly acclaimed dramas such as ''Afrika Solo'', the first stage play to be wr ...
's ''Harlem Duet'', Beth Graham's ''The Gravitational Pull of Bernice Trimble'' and
Oscar Wilde
Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde (16 October 185430 November 1900) was an Irish poet and playwright. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of the most popular playwrights in London in the early 1890s. He is ...
's ''
The Importance of Being Earnest
''The Importance of Being Earnest, A Trivial Comedy for Serious People'' is a play by Oscar Wilde. First performed on 14 February 1895 at the St James's Theatre in London, it is a farcical comedy in which the protagonists maintain fictitious ...
''.
Film and television
Her film appearances have included ''
Against the Ropes
''Against the Ropes'' is a 2004 American sports film, sports Drama (film and television), drama film directed by Charles S. Dutton (in his List of directorial debuts, feature film directorial debut) and starring Meg Ryan and Omar Epps. The story is ...
'', ''
Love, Sex and Eating the Bones
''Love, Sex and Eating the Bones'' is a 2003 Canadian romantic comedy film directed and written by Sudz Sutherland featuring a mostly African American and Black Canadian leading cast. It premiered and played twice at the 2003 Toronto Internationa ...
'', ''
Who Killed Atlanta's Children?
''Who Killed Atlanta's Children?'' (also known as ''Echo of Murder'' and ''Unanswered Questions'') is a TV movie about the Atlanta child murders starring James Belushi and Gregory Hines. It was directed by Charles Robert Carner and first aired o ...
'', ''
Owning Mahowny
''Owning Mahowny'' is a 2003 Canadian film about gambling addiction with a cast that includes Philip Seymour Hoffman, Minnie Driver, Maury Chaykin and John Hurt. Based on the true story of a Toronto bank employee who embezzled more than $10 millio ...
'', ''
Short Hymn, Silent War
''Short Hymn, Silent War'' is a Canadian short drama film, directed by Charles Officer and released in 2002. The film centres on four Black Canadian women coping with an epidemic of gun violence in their community.
The film's cast includes Ngozi ...
'', ''
Lars and the Real Girl
''Lars and the Real Girl'' is a 2007 romantic comedy-drama film written by Nancy Oliver and directed by Craig Gillespie. It stars Ryan Gosling, Emily Mortimer, Paul Schneider, Kelli Garner, and Patricia Clarkson. The film follows Lars (Gosling) ...
'', '' Final Jeopardy'' and '' Defund''. My Louisiana Sky(2001)
On television, she has had regular roles as Carlos's mother in ''
The Line
Line most often refers to:
* Line (geometry), object with zero thickness and curvature that stretches to infinity
* Telephone line, a single-user circuit on a telephone communication system
Line, lines, The Line, or LINE may also refer to:
Arts ...
'', Ingrid Evans in ''
King
King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king.
*In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the tit ...
'', Hani Suleman in ''
Shoot the Messenger
"Shooting the messenger" is a metaphoric phrase used to describe the act of blaming the Porter (carrier), bearer of bad news.
Until the advent of modern telecommunication, messages were usually delivered by human envoys. For example, in war, a ...
'', Mildred Clarke in ''
Frankie Drake Mysteries
''Frankie Drake Mysteries'' is a Canadian drama that ran on CBC from November 6, 2017 to March 8, 2021. The series starred Lauren Lee Smith and Chantel Riley as Frankie Drake and her partner Trudy who ran an all female private detective service ...
'' and Ronnie Lee in ''
Schitt's Creek
''Schitt's Creek'' (stylized as ''Schitt$ Creek'') is a Canadian television sitcom created by Dan Levy and his father, Eugene Levy, that aired on CBC Television from 2015 to 2020. It consists of 80 episodes spread over six seasons. Produced by ...
''. She also has a recurring role as Cassandra Shaw in the Hallmark Movie & Mystery Channel's series ''
Morning Show Mysteries
''Morning Show Mysteries'' is a series which airs on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries channel. Hallmark announced its first mystery series starring people of color on July 31, 2017. The episodes are based on the Billy Blessing novels by Al Roker. They s ...
'' based on the books by
Al Roker
Albert Lincoln Roker Jr. (born August 20, 1954) is an American weather presenter, journalist, television personality, and author. He is the current weather anchor on NBC's ''Today'', and occasionally co-hosts '' 3rd Hour Today''. He has an ina ...
. She received a
Gemini Award
The Gemini Awards were awards given by the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television between 1986–2011 to recognize the achievements of Canada's television industry. The Gemini Awards are analogous to the Emmy Awards given in the United States ...
nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Television Film or Miniseries at the
26th Gemini Awards
The 26th Gemini Awards was held on September 7, 2011 to honour achievements in Canadian television. The ceremony was broadcast live from the Canadian Broadcasting Centre in Toronto, and aired on CBC Television. The show was hosted by Russell Pe ...
in 2011 for her performance as Cherlene in ''
The Gospel According to the Blues
''The Gospel According to the Blues'' is a Canadian television drama film, directed by Thom Fitzgerald and released in 2010."Halifax filmmaker Thom Fitzgerald examines urban decay in VisionTV drama". Canadian Press, May 10, 2010. Adapted from Ge ...
Toronto Life
''Toronto Life'' is a monthly magazine about entertainment, politics and life in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. ''Toronto Life'' also publishes a number of annual special interest guides about the city, including ''Real Estate'', ''Stylebook'', ''Eatin ...
'', August 4, 2011. In 2020, she appeared on '' Star Trek: Discovery'' as well as ''
Tiny Pretty Things
''Tiny Pretty Things'' is an American drama streaming television series based on the novel of the same name by Sona Charaipotra and Dhonielle Clayton, created by Michael MacLennan. It premiered on Netflix on December 14, 2020, and has aired for ...
'', and in the drama series ''
Pretty Hard Cases
''Pretty Hard Cases'' is a Canadian police comedy-drama television series that premiered on CBC Television on February 3, 2021. Originally announced with the working title ''Lady Dicks'', the series was created by Tassie Cameron and Sherry White. ...
''. She also has a recurring role in season 3 of ''
A Million Little Things
''A Million Little Things'' is an American family drama television series created by DJ Nash for ABC. Produced by ABC Signature and Kapital Entertainment, it features an ensemble cast including David Giuntoli, Grace Park, Romany Malco, Christi ...
''. In 2021 she had a recurring role as Margarita Vee in the
Titans
In Greek mythology, the Titans ( grc, οἱ Τῑτᾶνες, ''hoi Tītânes'', , ''ho Tītân'') were the pre-Olympian gods. According to the ''Theogony'' of Hesiod, they were the twelve children of the primordial parents Uranus (Sky) and Ga ...