Kimberley Ann Roberts is a Canadian actress best known for her roles
as Christine in The Handmaids Tale (2017), Regina from Cloudy with a
Chance of Meatballs (2017), Marnie in Schitt's Creek (2015), Neeva in
The Strain (2014), Gloria in Lucky Seven (2013), Camilla in Being
Erica (2010), Mazz in The Doodlebops (2004â€"05), Mrs. Arvin in I'm
Not There (2007), Deborah in Saw III (2006) and Saw IV (2007) and Mrs.
Bosco in The Cheetah Girls (2003).[1][2][3]Roberts' parents are from
the Caribbean. Her mother, Josephine (née Charles), 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 television 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. Her friendships with acting and scholastic alumni Rachael
Crawford and Louis Ferreira were formed during these years.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, 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 for 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 Benalyn
cough syrup.[6][7] Since then, Roberts' resume has grown to include
leading and recurring roles in over 100 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, 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]
as Christine in The Handmaids Tale (2017), Regina from Cloudy with a
Chance of Meatballs (2017), Marnie in Schitt's Creek (2015), Neeva in
The Strain (2014), Gloria in Lucky Seven (2013), Camilla in Being
Erica (2010), Mazz in The Doodlebops (2004â€"05), Mrs. Arvin in I'm
Not There (2007), Deborah in Saw III (2006) and Saw IV (2007) and Mrs.
Bosco in The Cheetah Girls (2003).[1][2][3]Roberts' parents are from
the Caribbean. Her mother, Josephine (née Charles), 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 television 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. Her friendships with acting and scholastic alumni Rachael
Crawford and Louis Ferreira were formed during these years.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, 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 for 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 Benalyn
cough syrup.[6][7] Since then, Roberts' resume has grown to include
leading and recurring roles in over 100 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, 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]
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