Lisa Ryder (born 26 October 1970) is a

Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...

actress, who portrayed the role of Beka Valentine on the science fiction television series '' Andromeda''.

Life and career

Ryder was born in

Edmonton Edmonton ( ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Alberta. Edmonton is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Alberta's central region. The city ancho ...

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 ...

and attended the

University of Toronto The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution ...

, where she began acting. She formed a local theatre group, Bald Ego Productions, in

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...

after graduation and landed her first film and television roles in the mid-1990s. She starred in many theatre productions, including "Put Me Away," a one-woman show which she wrote. She gained a following as Detective Tracy Vetter on the final season of the vampire drama ''

Forever Knight ''Forever Knight'' is a Canadian television series about Nick Knight, an 800-year-old vampire working as a police detective in modern-day Toronto, Ontario. Wracked with guilt for centuries of killing others, he seeks redemption by working as a ho ...

'' in 1995–1996 and was cast on the syndicated science-fiction series '' Andromeda'' in 2000; the series ended in 2005 after 110 episodes. She also co-starred, as android Kay-Em 14, in the 2001 film ''

Jason X ''Jason X'' is a 2001 American science fiction slasher film directed by Jim Isaac, written by Todd Farmer and starring Lexa Doig, Lisa Ryder, Chuck Campbell, and Kane Hodder in his fourth and final cinematic appearance as Jason Voorhees. It is ...

'', starring Andromeda

alumnus Alumni (singular: alumnus (masculine) or alumna (feminine)) are former students of a school, college, or university who have either attended or graduated in some fashion from the institution. The feminine plural alumnae is sometimes used for grou ...

Lexa Doig Alexandra Doig (born June 8, 1973) is a Canadian actress. She played the title role in the science fiction television series '' Andromeda'' (2000–2005). She also played the lead female role of Rowan in the science fiction-action horror film ...

(notable is the role reversal). Ryder guest-starred in

Gene Roddenberry Eugene Wesley Roddenberry Sr. (August 19, 1921 – October 24, 1991) was an American television screenwriter, producer, and creator of ''Star Trek: The Original Series'', its sequel spin-off series ''Star Trek: The Animated Series,'' and ''Sta ...

's '' Earth: Final Conflict,'' ''

Total Recall 2070 ''Total Recall 2070'' is a science fiction television series influenced by the work of Philip K. Dick. It was first broadcast in 1999 on the Canadian television channel CHCH-TV and later the same year on the American Showtime channel. It was late ...

'', '' Kung Fu: The Legend Continues,'' ''

Wind at My Back ''Wind at My Back'' is a television series which aired in Canada on CBC Television between 1996 and 2001. It was created and produced by Kevin Sullivan, best known for his adaptation of ''Anne of Green Gables'' and ''Road to Avonlea''. The ser ...

'' and '' Psi Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal''. She also had a recurring role on '' The Newsroom.'' Her other movie roles include the critically acclaimed

indie film ''Stolen Heart'', the thriller ''Blackheart'' and the short films ''Strands'' and ''Lemon''. She also wrote, produced and starred in the film ''SF Seeks'', featuring

Michael Shanks Michael Garrett Shanks (born December 15, 1970) is a Canadian actor, writer and director. He is best known for his role as Daniel Jackson in the long-running military science fiction television series ''Stargate SG-1'' and as Charles Harris on ...

Gordon Michael Woolvett Gordon Michael Woolvett (born 1970) is a Canadian actor from Hamilton, Ontario. Career Woolvett's most enduring role was as Seamus Zelazny Harper on the television series '' Andromeda'' (2000–2005). Prior to ''Andromeda'' he starred in anoth ...

Keith Hamilton Cobb Keith Hamilton Cobb (born January 28, 1962) is an American actor. Career He is best known for his roles as the ruthless Nietzschean mercenary Tyr Anasazi in the science-fiction series '' Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda'' from 2000 to 2005 and as N ...

and

. She appeared in a television advert for Cheer laundry detergent in the late 80s – early 90s. In 2014, Ryder starred in the

Canadian Stage Canadian Stage is a non-profit contemporary performance arts company based in Toronto, Ontario, ''Canada''. About Canadian Stage Canadian Stage is one of Canada's largest not-for-profit contemporary theatre companies, based in Toronto, Ontari ...

co-production of '' Helen Lawrence''. In 2019, Ryder's play ''A Blow in the Face'' premiered with

Nightwood Theatre Nightwood Theatre is Canada's oldest professional women's theatre and is based in Toronto. It was founded in 1979 by Cynthia Grant, Kim Renders, Mary Vingoe, and Maureen White and was originally a collective. Though it was not the founders' ori ...

and Bald Ego Theatre in Toronto, Ontario. The play was inspired by her personal experiences with

postpartum depression Postpartum depression (PPD), also called postnatal depression, is a type of mood disorder associated with childbirth, which can affect both sexes. Symptoms may include extreme sadness, low energy, anxiety, crying episodes, irritability, and chan ...

after the birth of her first child. In the premiere, Ryder played the roofer Cloudy.

Filmography

Film

Television

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Ryder, Lisa 1970 births Actresses from Edmonton Canadian film actresses Canadian television actresses Living people University of Toronto alumni