Laura Dianne Vandervoort[1] (born September 22, 1984)[1] is a Canadian actress. She is best known for her roles as Sadie Harrison in the CTV teen drama series Instant Star, Arla "The Bolt-Gun Killer" Cogan in the Syfy supernatural drama series Haven, Kara Zor-El (Supergirl) in The CW serial drama series Smallville,[2][3][4][5] and as Lisa in the ABC science fiction series V (2009).[2][4][5] In 2014, she starred in the Space channel drama series Bitten, a television adaptation of Kelley Armstrong's book series Women of the Otherworld as Elena Michaels.[5][6][7][8]

Laura Vandervoort
Vandervoort in 2016
Born
Laura Dianne Vandervoort

(1984-09-22) September 22, 1984 (age 40)
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
OccupationActress
Years active1997–present
Websitelauravandervoort.com

Early life

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Vandervoort was born and raised in Toronto, Ontario.[1][2] She is the daughter of a Canadian mother and a Dutch father. In the first weeks of her life, she contracted meningitis, resulting in a severe sickness that lasted a few months. Her parents were initially told she was not going to survive.[9][10] Growing up, Vandervoort was involved in several sports such as football, karate (where she is a second-degree black belt),[1][2][8] basketball, tennis, gymnastics and baseball. She has an older sister, Sarah[1][5] and she is related to Canadian actor Gordon Pinsent.[11]

Career

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Laura Vandervoort in 2008

In 1997, she made her acting debut at age 13.[2] After taking several classes and doing background work on Canadian shows such as Road to Avonlea and Harriet the Spy, she got her first speaking role in the Canadian children's horror anthology series Goosebumps and Are You Afraid of the Dark?, both series were aired on YTV.[2]

After commercials and guest starring roles in Mutant X, Prom Queen: The Marc Hall Story, Goosebumps, Twice in a Lifetime, Doc, Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye, Troubled Waters, The Dresden Files, and a few Disney Channel original films (Mom's Got a Date with a Vampire and Alley Cats Strike), at age 19, while attending York University[12] where she studied Psychology and English,[1] Vandervoort landed a lead role as Sadie Harrison in the CTV teen drama series Instant Star, which ran for four seasons.[2][12]

In 2006, Vandervoort starred in her first feature film titled The Lookout alongside Jeff Daniels, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Matthew Goode, and Isla Fisher. Several other television appearances such as CSI: Crime Scene Investigation led Vandervoort to the role of Clark Kent's Kryptonian cousin "Kara Kent" (the woman destined to become Supergirl) in The CW serial drama series Smallville.[2][3][5][8] She was a regular in season seven, and appeared in the "Bloodline" episode for season eight.[3] She then returned for another two episodes in the tenth and final season of Smallville.[4]

 
Vandervoort at San Diego Comic-Con in July 2010
 
Laura Vandervoort at the 2012 Chicago Wizard World

Following The CW and Smallville, Vandervoort then shot the sequel to the feature film Into the Blue titled Into the Blue 2: The Reef.[3] She next filmed an independent production titled The Jazzman, which also starred Canadian stars Michael Ironside (who appeared in the second V miniseries as well as the 1984 V regular series) and Corey Sevier.[3]

Vandervoort portrayed "Lisa", an extraterrestrial Visitor, in the 2009 ABC science fiction series V, a reboot of the 1980s science fiction franchise of the same name.[2][4][5][8]

In 2010, Vandervoort appeared in the two-part miniseries Riverworld in which she plays Jessie Machalan, the fiancée of war correspondent Matt Ellman who wakes up after death on a planet populated by everyone who has ever lived on Earth.[13] In 2011, she starred in the suspense film The Entitled, alongside Ray Liotta and Kevin Zegers.[2][14]

In October 2011, she posed for PETA as part of the "Exotic Skins" campaign[15] and in 2014, she appeared nude again for an ad that protested against the keeping of marine mammals in captivity.[16] In 2012, she had a small role in Seth MacFarlane's comedy film Ted, playing Mark Wahlberg's coworker Tanya.[2][5]

In 2014, she appeared in the TV adaptation of the Kelley Armstrong novel Bitten, which premiered on January 13, 2014.[5][6][7][17]

In 2016, Vandervoort appeared as the supervillain Indigo/Brainiac 8 in three episodes of season one of the CBS action-adventure series Supergirl.

In 2019, Vandervoort appeared in the Netflix adaptation of the Jonathan Maberry book series V Wars alongside Ian Somerhalder, Adrian Holmes, and Peter Outerbridge, premiered on December 5, 2019.[18]

Personal life

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Vandervoort resides in Toronto, Ontario.[2][5][19] In 2013, she was engaged to actor Oliver Trevena, but the engagement was called off in 2015. In 2023, she became engaged to Adam Coates, chief revenue officer of the Decibel Cannabis Company.[20][21]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1999 Penny's Odyssey Tanya Television film
2000 Alley Cats Strike Lauren Television film (Disney Channel Original Movie)
Mom's Got a Date with a Vampire Chelsea Hansen Television film (Disney Channel Original Movie)
Nominated — Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a TV Movie (Comedy): Leading Young Actress
2004 Prom Queen: The Marc Hall Story Young Girl Television film; uncredited
2005 Falcon Beach Ashley Television film
2006 Troubled Waters Carolyn
2007 The Lookout Kelly
2009 Out of Control Marcie Cutler Television film
Into the Blue 2: The Reef Dani White Direct-to-video
The Jazzman Sara
Damage Frankie Direct-to-video
2010 Riverworld Jessie Machalan Television film
2011 The Entitled Hailey Jones
Desperately Seeking Santa Jennifer Walker Television film
2012 This Means War Britta
Broken Trust Sophie Television film
Ted Tanya
Finding Mrs. Claus Noelle Television film
2013 Cubicle Warriors Jessica
Life of the Party Bea
2014 Coffee Shop Donavan Turner Television film
2017 Jigsaw Anna [22]
2019 Rabid Rose Miller
2021 Trigger Point Fiona Snow
See for Me Debra

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1997–1998 Goosebumps Nadine Platt / Sheena Deep "The Haunted House Game" (season 3; episode 10)
"Deep Trouble: Part 1" (season 4; episode 7)
"Deep Trouble: Part 2" (season 4; episode 8)
2000 Are You Afraid of the Dark? Ashley Fox "The Tale of the Laser Maze" (season 7; episode 11)
Twice in a Lifetime Misty Reynolds "Even Steven" (season 2; episode 15)
2001 Mutant X Tina "Russian Roulette" (season 1; episode 3)
2002 The Gavin Crawford Show The Girl 1 episode
2004–2008 Instant Star Sadie Harrison Main role; 49 episodes
2004 Doc Annis Bennington "The Family Tree" (season 5; episode 6)
2005 72 Hours: True Crime Leanne "Head in a Bucket" (season 2; episode 10)
Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye Gabbie "Bad Girls" (season 3; episode 18)
2007 The Dresden Files Natalie "Bad Blood" (season 1; episode 5)
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Miss Tangiers "Big Shots" (season 7; episode 19)
2007–2011 Smallville Kara Zor-El 23 episodes
Main role (season 7)
Guest star (season 8 and season 10)
2009–2011 V Lisa Main role; 22 episodes
2011 Family Guy Jenny / Third Bully Girl (voices) "Friends of Peter G." (season 9; episode 10)
"Trading Places" (season 9; episode 13)
2012 White Collar Sophie Covington "Parting Shots" (season 4; episode 4)
Finding Mrs. Claus Noelle Television film
2013 Haven Arla Cogan "Reunion" (season 3; episode 12)
"Thanks for the Memories" (season 3; episode 13)
CSI: NY Marcy Sullivan "Nine Thirteen" (season 9; episode 13)
2014–2016 Bitten Elena Michaels Main role
2016 Supergirl Indigo / Brainiac 8 Recurring role; 3 episodes[23]
2016–2018 Ice Tessa Recurring role; 5 episodes
2017 Frankie Drake Mysteries Sophia Devoe "Out of Focus" (season 1; episode 5)
2018–2019 Private Eyes Dana Edson "Shadow of a Doubt" (season 2; episode 18) and "Catch Me If You Can" (season 3; episode 1)
2019 V Wars Mila Dubov 6 episodes
2020 A Christmas Exchange Molly Television film
2021 Playing Cupid Ms Kerri Fox Television film
The Handmaid's Tale Daisy "Nightshade" (season 4; episode 2)
Romance in the Wilds Roma Thompson Television film
Christmas in the Wilds Roma Thompson Television film
A Christmas Together with You Megan Television film
2023 Black Bags Sara Television film

Video games

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Year Title Voice role Notes
2011 Spider-Man: Edge of Time Mary Jane Watson

Music videos

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Year Title Artist Role Notes
2015 "Ruthless Love" Alexz Johnson Ballerina

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Work Result Reference
2001 Young Artist Awards Best Performance in a TV Movie (Comedy) – Leading Young Actress Mom's Got a Date with a Vampire Nominated [24]
2016 Golden Maple Awards Best actress in a TV series broadcast in the U.S. Bitten [25]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f "Laura Vandervoort Biography, Celebrity Facts and Awards". TV Guide. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Laura Vandervoort – The Bees Knees". ThisNeedstoStop.com. July 25, 2011. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  3. ^ a b c d e Mitovich, Matt (November 6, 2008). "Smallville's Supergirl Returns! (But She's Feeling Not-So-Super)". TV Guide. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
  4. ^ a b c d Abrams, Natalie (July 13, 2010). "Supergirl Laura Vandervoort Returns to Smallville". TV Guide. Retrieved November 1, 2018.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i Rapp, Ilana (May 29, 2013). "Actress Laura Vandervoort Talks About Being Starstruck". HuffPost. Retrieved May 6, 2018.
  6. ^ a b "Laura Vandervoort Gets BITTEN: Canadian-Born Actress to Star in New Space Original Series". Bell Media. March 9, 2013. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
  7. ^ a b Prudom, Laura (May 30, 2014). "Syfy Acquires 'Bitten' for Season 2". Variety. Retrieved April 27, 2015.
  8. ^ a b c d Radish, Christina (January 12, 2014). "Laura Vandervoort Talks BITTEN, Joining the Show, Gaining Insight from the Kelley Armstrong Novels, Changing into a Werewolf and the Shocking Finale". Collider. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  9. ^ Edwards, Michael (May 20, 2012). "Esquire Presents Me in My Place with Laura Vandervoort". Esquire. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  10. ^ "Me In My Place with Supergirl Laura Vandervoort". SupergirlHomepage.net. May 21, 2012. Archived from the original on June 26, 2015. Retrieved April 17, 2015.
  11. ^ Laura Vandervoort on YouTube
  12. ^ a b "Laura Vandervoort Actress: ABOUT". LauraVandervoort.com. Archived from the original on April 17, 2015. Retrieved April 17, 2015.
  13. ^ "Riverworld (2010): TV Movie". IMDb. April 18, 2010. Retrieved April 23, 2015.
  14. ^ "The Entitled (2011): Thriller". IMDb. September 6, 2011. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  15. ^ Lloyd, Lauren (October 20, 2011). "Laura Vandervoort Gets Naked Then Painted in PETA's 'Exotic Skins' Ad". Laist.com. Archived from the original on January 18, 2017. Retrieved April 23, 2015.
  16. ^ Jancelewicz, Chris (April 29, 2014). "Laura Vandervoort Naked For PETA: Actress Goes Nude For Anti-SeaWorld Campaign". HuffPost Canada. Retrieved May 6, 2018.
  17. ^ Mitovich, Matt Webb (November 22, 2013). "Syfy Sets Return Dates for Lost Girl, Being Human, Plus the Premieres of Helix and Bitten". TVLine. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  18. ^ Petski, Denise (July 18, 2018). "'V-Wars': Laura Vandervoort, Kyle Breitkopf & Kimberly-Sue Murray Join Netflix Vampire Drama Series". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 16, 2019.
  19. ^ Edwards, Michael (May 20, 2012). "Esquire Presents Me in My Place with Laura Vandervoort". Esquire. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  20. ^ "'Smallville's' Laura Vandervoort Says There's 'No One I'd Rather do Life With' in Engagement Post".
  21. ^ "What We Know About Hallmark Star Laura Vandervoort's Relationship with Adam Coates". November 8, 2023.
  22. ^ McNary, Dave (January 25, 2017). "Laura Vandervoort, Hannah Anderson Join 'Saw: Legacy' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on January 26, 2017. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
  23. ^ Ching, Albert (January 11, 2016). ""Smallville" Alum Laura Vandervoort Joins "Supergirl"". CBR.com. Retrieved February 5, 2019.
  24. ^ "22nd Annual Awards". Young Artist Awards. Archived from the original on November 17, 2012. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
  25. ^ Vlessing, Etan (May 16, 2016). "Golden Maple Awards Nominees Unveiled". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 19, 2019.
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