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Katharine Isabelle

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Katharine Isabelle
Isabelle in 2014
Born
Katharine Isobel Murray

(1981-11-02) 2 November 1981 (age 43)
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
OccupationActress
Years active1989–present

Katharine Isobel Murray (born 2 November 1981), known professionally as Katharine Isabelle, is a Canadian actress. She has been described as a scream queen due to her roles in various horror films. She started her acting career in 1989, playing a small role in the television series MacGyver. She gained fame for the role of Ginger Fitzgerald in the films Ginger Snaps, Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed, and Ginger Snaps Back: The Beginning.

In 2014, Isabelle was awarded the Fangoria Chainsaw Award for Best Actress for her role as Mary Mason in the Canadian body horror film American Mary.

Early life

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Katharine Isabelle Murray was born on 2 November 1981,[1] in Vancouver, British Columbia. Her parents are Graeme Murray, a production designer who has won two Emmy Awards for work on The X-Files, and Gail Johnson Murray, a writer and producer. Her paternal grandparents and maternal grandfather are from Scotland.[1][2][3] Her paternal half-brother is Joshua Murray, a director and former actor.[4][1][5]

Career

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Isabelle has been credited under several stage names during the course of her career.

She began her acting career at the age of eight as Katie Murray, playing an episodic role in the television series MacGyver in 1989. Then she continued to act in small episodic roles in television series and films such as: Cold Front, Immediate Family, The Last Winter, Burning Bridges,[6] Children of the Dust, Salt Water Moose,[7] and Married to a Stranger.[1]

Isabelle has worked with her half-brother Joshua Murray in Cold Front and The Last Winter.[5] In 1998, she worked with her father Graeme Murray on an episode of The X-Files titled "Schizogeny".[1]

In 1998, she played Lindsay Clark in the film Disturbing Behavior, where Katie Holmes, James Marsden, and Nick Stahl were her film partners.[4]

She first found fame with the role of Ginger Fitzgerald in the film Ginger Snaps,[8] directed by John Fawcett; actress Emily Perkins became her co-star in the film as Brigitte Fitzgerald. Casting took place in Los Angeles, New York, Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver. Isabelle auditioned on the same day as Perkins at their agency in Vancouver, reading to one another off-camera. Screenwriter Karen Walton said that they were exactly as she had pictured the characters when their taped auditions had arrived.[9] The film tells how during the filming of an amateur horror film, the two sisters find themselves being hunted by a monster. One of the sisters is bitten, but her wounds heal incredibly fast leaving the sisters suspicious of what it is that's hunting them.[10][11]

What Culture said:

Obsessed with death and morbidity, and afraid of adulthood, Ginger Fitzgerald, portrayed by Katharine Isabelle of American Mary fame, only gets worse when she's bitten by a lycanthrope and the transformation into a wolf begins. She gradually becomes aggressive and over-sexualised, loses her relationship with her sister, grows pointy teeth and sprouts hair in really weird places. She even grows a tail that she actually attempts to cut off. It takes a big set of cojones to try to cut off any body part. Ultimately though, the film is interesting because it examines the dichotomy between Ginger's humanity and her animalistic side.[12]

Jessica Roakes of The Toast also mentions the metaphorical nature of the character saying "Ginger’s body has betrayed her by menstruating. This is a key tenet of the body-horror genre — the monstrous comes not just from the outside, but from within the human body, from infection or perversion or unwanted biological functions. In Ginger’s case, it is her metamorphosis from girl to woman that renders her monstrous."[13]

Isabelle with Syvash Yoriko at the premiere of the short film Favorite People List, 27 January 2009.

The actress also portrayed the character in the sequel Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed (2004) and the prequel Ginger Snaps Back: The Beginning.[14]

Two years later, Isabelle appeared in the film Insomnia.[15] In this detective thriller directed by Christopher Nolan, the actress played along with Al Pacino, Robin Williams and Hilary Swank. In 2012, Isabelle starred in the horror film twins Jen and Sylvia Soska American Mary.[16] American Mary premiered at the London FrightFest Film Festival on 27 August 2012. It received a limited theatrical run in the U.S. on 31 May 2013, and became available on video on demand on 16 May 2013.[17] This role brought her many awards at various horror film festivals, including the "Fangoria Chainsaw Awards".[15]

In 2008, Isabelle received the Gemini Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Supporting Role in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series for her role in The Englishman's Boy.[18] She later reunited with Perkins in Another Cinderella Story where they played the daughters of Jane Lynch's character.

Cooperation with the gothic sisters continued in 2014 when Isabelle played a major role in their 2006 horror sequel, See No Evil 2. Later, she played a major role in the thriller Primate. In 2015, the film 88 starred Isabelle, after she played a cameo role in the film The Girl in the Photographs.

Also, she played a small role in the short film Iteration 1 and one of the main roles in the action film Countdown in 2016. In 2019, Isabelle was cast as Vera Stone in the Netflix horror-drama series, The Order.[19]

Personal life

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Despite acting in a large number of gory films and television productions, Isabelle is uneasy with the sight of real blood.[1]

In 2003, Isabelle almost died from a viral infection, which caused one of her lungs to collapse, as well as kidney failure. She fell into a coma and had to be put on a ventilator. Isabelle made this revelation in 2020, on her Instagram account.[20]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1989 Cousins Chloe Hardy as Katie Murray[21][5]
1989 Cold Front Katie McKenzie as Katie Murray[5]
1989 Immediate Family Birthday Girl Carrie as Katie Murray[5]
1989 The Last Winter Winnie Jamison as Katie Murray[22][5]
1992 Knight Moves Erica Sanderson as Katharine Isabelle[23]
1996 Salt Water Moose Josephine 'Jo' Parnell as Katharine Isabelle[7]
1998 Disturbing Behavior Lindsay Clark
2000 Snow Day Marla
2000 Ginger Snaps Ginger Fitzgerald
2001 A Shot in the Face Erin
2001 Josie and the Pussycats Laughing Girl
2001 Bones Tia Peet
2001 Turning Paige Paige Fleming
2002 Insomnia Tanya Francke
2002 Spooky House Mona
2003 Freddy vs. Jason Gibb Smith
2003 Falling Angels Lou Field
2003 On the Corner Stacey Lee
2004 Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed Ginger Fitzgerald
2004 Ginger Snaps Back: The Beginning Ginger Fitzgerald
2004 Show Me Jenna
2006 Everything's Gone Green Heather
2008 Another Cinderella Story Bree Blatt Direct-to-video film
2009 Favorite People List Denise Moynahan Short film
2009 Rampage Beauty Staff #2
2010 Frankie & Alice Paige
2010 Hard Ride to Hell Kerry Direct-to-video film
2010 30 Days of Night: Dark Days Stacey Direct-to-video film
2012 American Mary Mary Mason
2012 The Movie Out Here Danielle
2013 13 Eerie Megan
2013 Torment Sarah
2013 Lawrence & Holloman Zooey
2014 See No Evil 2 Tamara Direct-to-video film
2014 Primary Andrea
2015 88 Gwen / Flamingo
2015 The Girl in the Photographs Janet
2015 How to Plan an Orgy in a Small Town Alice Solomon
2016 Countdown Julia Baker Direct-to-video film
2016 A.R.C.H.I.E. Brooke Direct-to-video film
2018 Bad Times at the El Royale Auntie Ruth
2021 Night of the Animated Dead Barbara (voice)
2021 The Green Sea Simone
2023 It's a Wonderful Knife Gale Prescott

Television films

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Year Title Role Notes
1990 The Last Train Home Sarah Bradshaw
1990 Burning Bridges Emily Morgan
1991 Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus Virginia O'Hanlon
1996 Prisoner of Zenda, Inc. Fiona
1997 Married to a Stranger Lacey Potter
1998 Voyage of Terror Aly Tauber
2002 Due East Reba
2002 The Secret Life of Zoey Kayla
2002 Carrie Tina Blake
2004 The Life Amber Reilly
2004 Earthsea Yarrow
2004 The Last Casino Elyse
2006 Eight Days To Live Lucinda Klunn
2006 Engaged to Kill Maddy Lord
2006 Rapid Fire Amber
2008 Ogre Jessica
2008 Mail Order Bride Jen
2009 Killer Hair Cherise Smithsonian
2009 Hostile Makeover Cherise Smithsonian
2009 Beyond Sherwood Forest Alina
2010 Sins of the Mother Ivy
2010 Smoke Screen Wife
2012 Goodnight for Justice: Queen of Hearts Lucy Truffaut
2017 Undercover Angel Robin Bladen
2021 The Long Island Serial Killer: A Mother's Hunt for Justice Shannan Gilbert

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1989 MacGyver Violet Episode: "The Madonna"; as Katie Murray[24]
1990 Neon Rider Maxine 'Max' Forrest Episode: "Running Man"
1992 The Ray Bradbury Theater Mink Episode: "Zero Hour"
1995 Children of the Dust Young Rachel Television miniseries
1995 Lonesome Dove: The Series Francis Maitland Episode: "Rebellion"
1996 Goosebumps Kat Merton Episode: "It Came from Beneath the Sink"
1996 Titanic Ophelia Jack Television miniseries
1997 Madison Allysia Long 4 episodes
1998 The X-Files Lisa Baiocchi Episode: "Schizogeny"; worked with father Graeme Murray[1]
1998 Da Vinci's Inquest Audrey Episodes: "Little Sister: Part 2", "Little Sister: Part 3"
1998 First Wave Elizabeth Episode: "Book of Shadows"
1999 First Wave Denise Episode: "The Channel"
1999 Da Vinci's Inquest Madeline Marquetti Episodes: "A Cinderella Story: Parts 1 & 2"
1999 The Net Malika Episode: "In Dreams"
2000 The Fearing Mind Josie Hogan Episode: "Good Harvest"
2001 The Immortal Taurez Episode: "Wired"
2001 The Chris Isaak Show Melissa Episode: "Smackdown"
2001 Night Visions Vicki Episode: "Rest Stop"
2002 The Outer Limits Tammy Sinclair Episode: "Dark Child"
2002 Mentors Anne Sullivan Episode: "Breakthrough"
2002 John Doe Shayne Pickford Episode: "Blood Lines"
2003 Smallville Sara Conroy Episode: "Slumber"
2004 The Eleventh Hour Petrel Episode: "Stormy Peterel"
2005 Young Blades Celeste La Rue Episode: "To Heir is Human"
2006 Stargate SG-1 Valencia Episode: "Camelot"
2006 Reunion Courtney Episode: "1998"
2007 Supernatural Ava Wilson Episodes: "Hunted", "All Hell Breaks Loose: Part 1"
2008 Psych Sigrid Episode: "Black and Tan: A Crime of Fashion"
2008 The Englishman's Boy Norma Carlyle Television miniseries
2008 Sanctuary Sophie Episode: "Nubbins"
2009 Heartland Mindy Fanshaw Episode: "Starstruck!"
2009 The L Word Marci Salvatore Episode: "Leaving Los Angeles"
2009 The Assistants Paulette Reubin Episode: "The Bully"
2009 The Good Wife Cindy Lewis Episode: "Pilot"
2011 Health Nutz Jennifer Episodes: "The Local Hero", "The Sponsor"
2011 Endgame Danni Main role, 13 episodes
2012 Flashpoint Madelyn 'Maddie' Episode "Run To Me"
2013–2014 Being Human Susanna Waite Recurring role; seasons 3–4
2013 Motive Liane Healey Episode: "Pushover"
2013 Eve of Destruction Calla Television miniseries
2013 Cedar Cove Cecilia Rendall Episode: "Pilot"
2014 Psych Priscilla Morganstern Episode: "Cloudy with a Chance of Improvement"
2014–2015 Hannibal Margot Verger Recurring role; seasons 2–3
2015 Rookie Blue Detective Frankie Anderson Episodes: "Integrity Test", "Ninety Degrees", "74 Epiphanies"
2017 Rosewood Naomi Episode: "Puffer Fish & Personal History"
2017–2018 The Arrangement Hope Recurring role; 8 episodes
2018–present Little Dog Ginny Ross Main role
2019–2020 The Order Vera Stone Main role
2021 Ghosts Liz Episode: "The Vault"
2023 Transplant Marissa Episode: "Sinkhole"
2024 Tracker Mallory Banks Episode: "St. Louis"
2025 Sight Unseen Gina Mathison Episode: "Episode 2.1"

Awards and nominations

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Award nominations for Katharine Isabelle
Year Title Award Category Result Ref(s)
2002 Ginger Snaps
Turning Paige 		Vancouver Film Critics Circle Best Actress in a Canadian Film Nominated [25][26]
2004 Falling Angels Leo Awards Best Lead Performance by a Female - Feature Length Drama Nominated [27]
2008 The Englishman's Boy Gemini Awards Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Supporting Role in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series Won [28]
2011 Endgame Gemini Awards Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Supporting Role in a Dramatic Series Nominated [29]
2012 American Mary Fantastic Fest Special Mention in Horror Features Won [30]
2012 Screamfest Horror Film Festival Best Actress Won [31]
2012 Toronto After Dark Film Festival Best Leading Actress Won [32]
Best Antihero (Mary Mason, played by Isabelle) Won
2013 Fright Meter Awards Best Actress in a Leading Role Won [33]
2014 Fangoria Chainsaw Awards Best Actress Won [34]
2014 See No Evil 2 Fright Meter Awards Best Supporting Actress Nominated [35]
2014 Lawrence & Holloman Leo Awards Best Supporting Performance by a Female – Motion Picture Nominated [36]
Motive Best Guest Performance by a Female – Dramatic Series Won [36]
2015 Primary Leo Awards Best Lead Performance by a Female – Motion Picture Nominated [36]
2016 How to Plan an Orgy
in a Small Town 		Canadian Film Festival Best Ensemble Cast Won [37]
2019 The Order Leo Awards Best Supporting Performance Female – Dramatic Series Nominated [36]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g Millar, John (6 January 2013). "Revealed: Horror queen Katharine Isabelle says she's terrified of blood". Entertainment. Daily Record. Retrieved 28 April 2019.
  2. ^ Reid, Michael D. (6 November 1998). "Behind the Screen: Spooked in Rockland". Life & Arts. Times Colonist. p. C1. Retrieved 28 April 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Ginger Snaps II : Unleashed". ginger-snaps.com (Press release). 11 May 2001. Retrieved 28 April 2019.
  4. ^ a b Kirst, Brian (16 November 2009). "Flashback Weekend 2009 Recap". Horror Society. Retrieved 28 April 2019.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Inwood, Damian (19 July 1990). "Siblings share movie stardom". Entertainment. The Province. Retrieved 30 April 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ Gardella, Kay (6 May 1990). "ABC's 'Burning Bridges' lacks fire". TV Week. Daily News. New York. p. 2. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
  7. ^ a b Stone, Jay (19 April 1996). "Apple-eating moose steals the show". Entertainment. Ottawa Citizen. p. C14. Retrieved 30 April 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Katharine Isabelle - GINGER SNAPS - the movie". Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  9. ^ Taylor, Charles (26 October 2001). "Ginger Snaps". Salon. Archived from the original on 4 December 2008. Retrieved 30 November 2006.
  10. ^ "Ginger Snaps (2001)". Pop Matters. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  11. ^ "Ginger Snaps | Movie | 2001". Hollywood.com. 4 February 2015. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  12. ^ "10 Badass Female Horror Villains". What Culture. 18 July 2014. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  13. ^ "Ginger Snaps: The Menstrual Horror Movie Of Your Dreams". The Toast. 29 October 2014. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  14. ^ "Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed - Movie Review". Common Sense Media. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  15. ^ a b "Katharine Isabelle". Filmbug. Retrieved 17 July 2014.
  16. ^ "American Mary - A modern Horror Masterpiece". Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  17. ^ Barton, Steve (29 May 2013). "Exclusive American Mary Clip Gets Bloody Revenge". Dread Central. Retrieved 16 November 2013.
  18. ^ "Katharine Isabelle: Talented Actress Dedicated to Her Art".
  19. ^ Liszewski, Bridget (7 February 2019). "Little Dog's Katharine Isabelle on what Ginny may be trying to hide". The TV Junkies. Archived from the original on 14 November 2020. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
  20. ^ "Katharine Isabelle on Instagram". Instagram. Archived from the original on 24 December 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  21. ^ Bunke, Joan (12 February 1989). "Kissable 'Cousins'". At the Movies. Des Moines Sunday Register. p. 1F. Retrieved 28 April 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ^ Carroll, Liz (1 October 1989). "On Location: Clips". Entertainment. The Sunday News. British Columbia. pp. A-9. Retrieved 28 April 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ^ Griffin, John (31 January 1993). "Gorey thriller Knight Moves will haunt you in the night". The Gazette. Montreal. p. F3. Retrieved 30 April 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ^ Carroll, Liz (29 October 1989). "On Location: Early Christmas". Entertainment. The Sunday News. British Columbia. pp. A-9. Retrieved 28 April 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  25. ^ Schaefer, Glen (31 January 2002). "Memento tops with local critics". The Province. Vancouver, B.C. p. C2. ProQuest 269312708. Retrieved 10 June 2020 – via ProQuest.
  26. ^ Monk, Katherine (31 January 2002). "Much more to the year in film than Harry Potter and hobbits". The Vancouver Sun. Vancouver, B.C. p. C27. ProQuest 242515494. Retrieved 10 June 2020 – via ProQuest.
  27. ^ Past Nominees & Winners 2004 at www.leoawards.com
  28. ^ Strachan, Alex (29 November 2008). "The Englishman's Boy, Durham County top winners at Geminis". Ottawa Citizen. Canwest News Service. p. F4. Retrieved 9 June 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  29. ^ "Nominee List" (PDF) (Press release). Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. 3 August 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 October 2011. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  30. ^ Borders, Meredith (25 September 2012). "The Fantastic Fest 2012 Awards!". Fantastic Fest (Press release). Archived from the original on 15 February 2022. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  31. ^ "2012 Screamfest Awards" (Press release). Screamfest. Archived from the original on 16 April 2014. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  32. ^ "Award Winners Announced for Toronto After Dark 2012! Cockneys vs Zombies and American Mary Win Big!" (Press release). Toronto After Dark Film Festival. 2 November 2012. Archived from the original on 14 November 2012. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  33. ^ "2013 Fright Meter Award Winners" (Press release). Fright Meter Awards. Archived from the original on 11 May 2015. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  34. ^ Gingold, Michael (29 May 2014). "The 2014 FANGORIA Chainsaw Awards Results!". FANGORIA® (Press release). Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  35. ^ "2014 Fright Meter Award Winners" (Press release). Fright Meter Awards. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  36. ^ a b c d "Leo Awards, Past Nominees & Winners". Leo Awards. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  37. ^ "How to Plan an Orgy in a Small Town & Winter Hymns Take Top Prizes at the 2016 Canadian Film Fest" (Press release). Canadian Film Fest. Archived from the original on 1 May 2016. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
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