Famous Canadian Women

Best known for her comedic and romantic film roles, Canadian actress Rachel McAdams is a very popular figure in Hollywood. Rising to fame in the 2000s, she has worked in many critically acclaimed movies. A socially responsible person, she believes in leading a lifestyle that is eco-friendly and sustainable. She is actively involved with several charities.

Success came early to Canadian singer and songwriter Avril Lavigne. At fourteen, she performed with Canadian icon, Shania Twain, and at sixteen, bagged a two-album recording contract with Arista Records. Her debut album Let Go released soon, became a huge success, made her a teen idol and earned Grammy Award nominations. With subsequent albums, her popularity has only increased.

Nina Dobrev is one of the most popular Canadian actresses. Apart from her acting career, she is also known for her activism and charity work. She uses her fame to support several charitable causes, such as Puma’s Project Pink. Also an enthusiastic volunteer, Dobrev takes part in social movements like WE movement, Me to We, and We Day.

Celine Dion is a Canadian singer renowned for her powerful voice. Having sold more than 200 million records worldwide, Dion is one of the best-selling singers ever. Widely regarded as one of the most influential pop singers of her generation, Celine Dion's works have inspired other popular singers, such as Christina Aguilera, Rihanna, Jennifer Hudson, Katy Perry, and Ariana Grande.

Cobie Smulders is one of the most recognized celebrities across the world, thanks to her role as Robin Scherbatsky in one of the most popular TV series of all time - How I Met Your Mother. She also serves as an inspiration to people suffering from cancer as she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer when she was 25 years old.

Widely regarded as the Queen of Country Pop, Shania Twain is the best-selling female artist in the history of country music, having sold more than 100 million records worldwide. She is also one of the best-selling music artists ever. According to Billboard, Shania Twain is the 13th Greatest Music Video Female Solo Artist ever.

Primetime Emmy-winning Canadian-American actor and comedian Catherine O'Hara soared to fame with the sketch-comedy show SCTV. She is known for her frequent appearances in the films of Tim Burton and Christopher Guest. She is the sister of singer Mary Margaret O'Hara and is herself a fairly decent singer.

Shay Mitchell is a Canadian actress, entrepreneur, model, and author. She came into prominence after portraying Emily Fields in the teen drama TV series Pretty Little Liars. Also a philanthropist, Mitchell was an ardent supporter of the Somaly Mam Foundation until the non-profit organization ended its operations in 2014. She also works closely with organizations, such as The Trevor Project.

A Canadian-American actress of Asian descent, Sandra Oh became the first Asian actress to win two Golden Globe awards and the first Asian woman to host the award ceremony. She is also the third actress of Asian origin to host the TV show, Saturday Night Live. In 2019, she was named in Time magazine's 100 most influential people in the world list.

Neve Campbell impressed fans with her performance as Sidney in the Scream franchise. She is also known for her roles in the series Party of Five and House of Cards and the film Wild Things. A trained ballerina, Neve is mostly seen in films of the thriller or horror genre.

Evangeline Lilly is a Canadian actress who has played prominent roles in films like Ant-Man and the Wasp. Also a well-known humanitarian, Lilly has made numerous trips to Rwanda, where she has touched the lives of many, as part of her charity work. She has also worked with nonprofit organizations like GO Campaign and supports Task Brasil and Sierra Club.

Canadian actor Katheryn Winnick is best known for her multiple award-nominated performance as Lagertha in Vikings. Fans also loved her as Hannah Burley in Bones and as Christine "C.G." Gavin in Wu Assassins. She has guest-starred in numerous projects and has also appeared in many short films.

Alanis Morisette is a Canadian-American singer-songwriter and actress. Renowned for her mezzo-soprano voice, Morisette has been named by Rolling Stone as the Queen of Alt-Rock Angst. A recipient of 13 Juno Awards and seven Grammy Awards, Morisette has released several successful albums, including Jagged Little Pill, which was named in Rolling Stone magazine's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list.

Emily VanCamp is a Canadian actress best known for playing Sharon Carter / Agent 13 in superhero films like Captain America. Trained in tap dance, ballet, jazz, and hip-hop, VanCamp believes that she would have continued dancing had she not gone into acting. She also credits her training in dance with helping her through her action sequences in films.

In 2010, Sunny Leone was named among 12 top porn stars by Maxim magazine. After a flourishing career in the porn industry, Sunny Leone settled in India where she is currently popular as a film actress. Her journey from a porn actress to a successful Bollywood personality is viewed as an inspirational story by many young women across the world. 

Joni Mitchell is one of the most popular Canadian singer-songwriters. Widely regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, her songs reflect her feelings about joy, romance, disillusionment, and confusion. Apart from being a musician, Joni is also a visual artist who designs most of her album covers. In fact, she calls herself a painter derailed by circumstance.  

Popular as Samantha Jones from the hit series Sex and the City, Golden Globe-winning actor Kim Cattrall found it difficult to recreate the same magic on screen, barring her performance in the 2014 comedy Sensitive Skin. Her comeback with the Fox series Filthy Rich in 2020 was commendable.

Jennifer Tilly is an American actress whose performance as Tiffany Valentine in the popular horror slasher film series, Child's Play, established her as an icon within the horror film community. Also a popular poker player, Jennifer Tilly became the first celebrity to triumph in a World Series when she won the World Series of Poker bracelet.

Nora Fatehi is a popular figure in the Indian film industry. Although born and raised in Canada. Nora has worked in Malayalam, Telugu, and Hindi language films. She was part of one of the highest-grossing Indian films ever - Baahubali: The Beginning. Apart from appearing in films, she has also made a mark in the TV industry.

Kristin Kreuk is one of the most popular actresses from Canada. After establishing herself as a successful actress in both American and Canadian entertainment industries, Kristin Kreuk was made the spokesmodel for Neutrogena's new worldwide advertising campaign.

Stana Katic is a Canadian-American actress known for playing Kate Beckett on the crime-comedy-drama TV series Castle. Apart from acting in films and TV series, Katic also works toward protecting the environment; in 2010, she established the Alternative Travel Project, which encourages people to abandon personal vehicles for a day to reduce the impact of personal vehicles on the environment.

Canadian actress Tatiana Maslany began her career as a child star and continued acting throughout high school. By the time she turned 20, she already had a decade of acting experience and found it easy to bag good roles in major TV shows. She also acts in films but is more popular as a TV actress.

Margaret Atwood is a Canadian poet and novelist. Her works encompass themes, such as religion and myth, climate change, and gender and identity. An award-winning writer, many of Atwood's works have been made into films and television series; her work, The Handmaid's Tale, has had several adaptations. Perhaps, Margaret Atwood's most important contribution is her invention of the LongPen device.

Actress and model, Pamela Anderson, is known as a sex symbol. She featured regularly in the Playboy magazine and acted in television series Home Improvement, Baywatch and VIP. Baywatch was hugely popular and gave her international recognition. Pamela Anderson has also acted in several films. She is an active member of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), the animal rights organisation.

Margot Kidder is best remembered for her roles as Lois Lane in the Superman movie franchise and as Kathy Lutz in The Amityville Horror. Fans also loved her in the hit Broadway play The Vagina Monologues. She was a vocal anti-war and pro-environment activist. She eventually died by suicide.

Nelly Furtado is a Portuguese-Canadian record producer and singer-songwriter. Known for her constant reinvention and musical versatility, Furtado is one of the most successful musical artists from Canada, having sold more than 40 million records. Her work has also inspired fellow musicians like Dua Lipa and Bridgit Mendler. Also a philanthropist, Furtado is a member of Artists Against Racism charity.

Canadian singer, songwriter, and actress Carly Rae Jepsen has been active in show business since 2007. Interested in music from an early age, she pursued musical theatre at the Canadian College of Performing Arts. She held a series of odd jobs before getting a break as a singer and actress. She is the winner of three Juno Awards.

Emmanuelle Chriqui is a Canadian model and actress. She is known for portraying important roles in films like You Don't Mess with the Zohan. Also known for her good looks, Emmanuelle Chriqui was voted the Most Desirable Women of 2010 in a poll conducted by a free online men's web portal called AskMen.

Canadian-American actress, dancer, and singer, Yvonne De Carlo, was an internationally known Hollywood film star in the 1940s and 1950s. Born to an ambitious mother, she was groomed for a career in the show business from her childhood. She began her career as a dancer and eventually started acting. She had an extensive career spanning over five decades.

Winnie Harlow is a Canadian model and spokeswoman on vitiligo. After gaining prominence as one of the contestants of America's Next Top Model in 2014, Harlow went on to model for clothing brands. An inspiration to people living with vitiligo, Winnie Harlow was honored with the Role Model award at the Portuguese GQ Men of The Year event in 2015.

Pokimane is an award-winning Twitch streamer and an important member of an online social entertainment group called OfflineTV. An inspiration to gamers across the world, Pokimane is part of an online gaming revolution which is likely to have a major impact in future. Her popularity as a Twitch streamer and YouTuber earned her a cameo in the film Free Guy.

A.J. Cook is a Canadian actress best known for playing Jennifer Jareau in the popular crime drama TV series, Criminal Minds. A multi-talented personality, Cook is also a tap dancer. Also known for her good looks, Cook became a spokeswoman for the popular skin-care brand, Proactiv, in 2013 and was named in the Maxim Hot 100 list in 2014.

Mackenzie Davis is a Canadian actress who made headlines after being cast in the popular science-fiction film Terminator: Dark Fate. In the film, she played a super soldier from the future. Mackenzie Davis serves as an inspiration to many young aspiring actors and actresses from Canada.

Canadian YouTuber, comedian, and talk show host, Lilly Singh, is one of the world's highest-earning YouTubers. The recipient of four Streamy Awards and two Teen Choice Awards, she is an icon for women of Asian descent across the globe. She is also the author of a best-selling book. The multifaceted personality is also an actress.

Canadian fitness model and former wrestler Trish Stratus is known for her stint with WWF (later renamed WWE). The Diva of the Decade and three-time WWE Babe of the Year has also been a WWE Hardcore Champion. She also became the first female to earn the Lou Thesz Award.

Emily Hampshire is one of the most popular actresses from Canada. During Telefilm Canada's maiden Tribute To Canadian Talent event in 2012, Emily was honored with the first Birks Canadian Diamond award. Identifying herself as pansexual, Emily Hampshire got engaged to transwoman Teddy Geiger, only to end their engagement after seven months. In 2014, she became a naturalized US citizen.

Tricia Helfer is a Canadian actress and model. She gained international fame after portraying the enigmatic Cylon model Number Six in the Battlestar Galactica TV series. She began her career as a model and won the Ford Models' Supermodel of the World contest in 1992. Later on, she quit modeling to pursue a full-time acting career. 

Canadian actor Italia Ricci is best known for her Golden Maple Award-nominated performance as April Carver in the series Chasing Life. Fans also loved her as Emily Rhodes in the political drama Designated Survivor and as Maggie Winnock in Unnatural History. She has also appeared in many Hallmark TV movies.

Canadian comedian Katherine Ryan initially worked at a restaurant to support her education and then stepped into open mic and comedy nights. She has performed across Canada and the UK and even at the LA-based Comedy Store. Now an actor, too, she is also a 2-time skin cancer survivor.