{{Short description|Canadian actress}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2023}} {{Infobox person | name = Liane Balaban | image = Liane Balaban 2011.jpeg | alt = | caption = Balaban in 2011 | birth_name = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1980|6|24}}<ref name="GlobeandMail7Questions"/> | birth_place = North York, Ontario, Canada | children = 1 | alma_mater = Concordia University <small>(BA)</small> | occupation = Actress | spouse = {{marriage|Patrick Costello<br />|November 2013}} | years_active = 1999–present }}
'''Liane Balaban''' (born June 24, 1980)<ref name="GlobeandMail7Questions">{{cite news|title=7 questions: Liane Balaban|work=The Globe and Mail|author=Sara Wilson|date=March 25, 2005|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/7-questions-for-liane-balaban/article20420778/|accessdate=May 31, 2017}}</ref> is a Canadian actress. Her film debut was in ''New Waterford Girl'' (1999) as Agnes-Marie "Mooney" Pottie. She has since appeared in the films ''Definitely, Maybe'' (2008), ''Last Chance Harvey'' (2008), and the independent drama ''One Week'' (2008). She has guest-starred on the television series ''NCIS: Los Angeles'', ''Covert Affairs'' and ''Alphas'', and joined the cast of ''Supernatural'' for its eighth season.
==Early life== Balaban was born in North York, Ontario, the daughter of a Catholic mother who worked as a medical secretary, and a Jewish father from the Uzbek SSR in the Soviet Union, who worked in real estate.<ref name="Paterson2007">{{cite news |title=Liane Balaban |first=Paterson |last=Jennifer |url=http://www.postcitymagazines.com/2007-09/story_200709_LianeBalaban.php |newspaper=Post City Magazines |date=September 2007 |accessdate=October 8, 2007 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081120101349/http://postcitymagazines.com/2007-09/story_200709_LianeBalaban.php |archivedate=November 20, 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> She grew up in the Willowdale neighbourhood of North York, now part of Toronto, and went to high school at Lawrence Park Collegiate Institute, where she was classmates with singer Henry Lau. She majored in journalism at Ryerson University but left to concentrate on acting. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Concordia University.<ref name="GlobeandMail7Questions"/>
==Career== Balaban made her feature film debut in ''New Waterford Girl'' (1999),<ref name=NYT>{{cite web|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9D0DEFD7103AF935A15754C0A9669C8B63|title=New Waterford Girl (1999) FILM REVIEW; Clueless And Angry In a Small 70's Town|authorlink=A. O. Scott|first=A. O.|last=Scott|date=July 26, 2000}}</ref> as a 15-year-old misfit longing to escape the Cape Breton coal-mining town of New Waterford. Set in the 1970s, the film was directed by Allan Moyle. Producer Julia Sereny, who knew Balaban through her aunt and uncle, asked her to audition for the film. Balaban had studied drama in high school, but did not intend to be an actor. After seven auditions, she landed the part that won a Special Jury Citation at the 1999 Toronto International Film Festival and a nomination for a Canadian Comedy Award.<ref name="kates">{{cite news|last=Kates|first=Kathryn|date=February 3, 2011|url=http://www.cjnews.com/news/film-star-liane-balaban-makes-stage-debut |title=Film star Liane Balaban makes her stage debut|work=Canadian Jewish News|accessdate=May 29, 2018}}</ref>
She made a follow-up with ''Saint Jude'' (2000), directed by John L'Ecuyer. She starred in the TV movie ''After the Harvest'' (2001), opposite Sam Shepard, and appeared in ''Happy Here and Now'' (2002), opposite David Arquette and Ally Sheedy. She also starred in the horror film ''Spliced'' (2002), co-starring Ron Silver. She was a member of the garage/electro/pop band We are Molecules, where she sang and played keyboards and drums.<ref name="GlobeandMail7Questions"/> She has also written for arts newspapers.<ref name="VancouverSun">{{cite news|last=Stone|first=Jay|date=January 8, 2009|url=https://vancouversun.com/entertainment/water+works+girl/1155234/story.html |title=New water works girl|work=The Vancouver Sun|accessdate=January 26, 2009}}</ref>
While previously unsure of acting as a career, Balaban committed to seriously pursuing acting around 2007. She appeared in her first mainstream Hollywood feature film, ''Definitely, Maybe'' in 2008, a romantic comedy starring Ryan Reynolds. She next appeared in ''Last Chance Harvey'', a romance starring Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson, which had a wide release in January 2009, in the supporting role of Susan, the estranged and soon-to-be-married daughter of Hoffman's character.<ref name="VancouverSun"/> She told ''The Globe and Mail'' that her time in London making the film was like "going to the best acting school in the world".<ref>{{cite news|last=Macdonald|first=Gayle|date=January 9, 2009|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/liane-balaban-the-undergraduate/article1146573/ |title=Liane Balaban: The Undergraduate|work=The Globe and Mail|accessdate=May 29, 2018}}</ref>
Balaban starred in the independent drama ''One Week'' (2008) as Samantha Pierce, a woman whose fiancé (Joshua Jackson) is diagnosed with terminal cancer and takes a motorcycle trip across Canada.<ref>{{cite news|last=Young|first=Robyn|date=February 27, 2009|url=http://www.metronews.ca/vancouver/entertainment/article/188625|title=Balaban's Week of grand Canadiana|work=Metro Canada|accessdate=March 2, 2009|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090615060724/http://www.metronews.ca/vancouver/entertainment/article/188625|archivedate=June 15, 2009}}</ref> Directed by Michael McGowan, Balaban was nominated for the Genie Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in 2010 for her performance.<ref name="genie-2010">{{cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/polytechnique-tops-genie-nominations-1.878967 |title=Polytechnique tops Genie nominations|work=CBC News|date=March 1, 2010 |accessdate=May 29, 2018}}</ref> She starred in the black comedy ''You Might as Well Live'' (2009) as a psychotic girl who is obsessed with explosives.
Balaban's other films in 2009 included ''Not Since You'', a drama about a group of college friends; and ''The Trotsky'' by Jacob Tierney. She also shot the CBC TV movie ''Abroad'', based on the love life of Leah McLaren, a Toronto columnist for ''The Globe and Mail''. Balaban was nominated for the Gemini Award for best lead actress in a dramatic program or miniseries for the role.<ref name="gemini-2010">{{cite news|url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/flashpoint-leads-gemini-pack-with-15-nominations-1.547935 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021224658/http://www.ctvnews.ca/flashpoint-leads-gemini-pack-with-15-nominations-1.547935 |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 21, 2012 |title='Flashpoint' leads Gemini pack with 15 nominations|work=CTV News|date=August 31, 2010 |accessdate=May 29, 2018}}</ref> She then starred in ''The New Tenants'' with Vincent D'Onofrio, a short film entered in the CFC Worldwide Short Film Festival,<ref>{{cite news|last=Leong|first=Melissa|date=May 11, 2010|url=https://nationalpost.com/arts/short-films-come-to-the-big-screens-in-toronto|title=Short films come to the big screens in Toronto|work=National Post|access-date=May 29, 2018}}</ref> which also won the 2010 Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film.<ref>{{cite web|last=Larnick|first=Eric|date=March 7, 2010|url=http://news.moviefone.com/2010/03/07/the-new-tenants-short-film/|title=What Is 'The New Tenants'? All About the Oscar-Winning Short Film|publisher=Moviefone.com|accessdate=August 7, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140831111937/http://news.moviefone.com/2010/03/07/the-new-tenants-short-film/|archive-date=August 31, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Balaban starred in the 2010 comedy/drama ''Coach'', directed by Will Frears, as an emergency room doctor who falls for an inner city soccer coach (Hugh Dancy).<ref>{{cite web|last=Longsdorf|first=Amy|date=June 11, 2010|url=http://www.northjersey.com/arts_entertainment/96120949_New_on_DVD_this_week.html |title=New on DVD this week|publisher=NorthJersey.com|accessdate=June 13, 2010}}</ref> She appeared in the "Communication Breakdown" episode of the TV series ''Covert Affairs'' as Natasha Petrova, a Russian computer hacker, the character Auggie (Chris Gorham)'s ex-girlfriend.<ref>{{cite magazine|authorlink=Michael Ausiello|last=Ausiello|first=Michael|date=August 12, 2010|url=http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2010/08/12/video-covert-affairs-chris-gorham-sex/|title=Exclusive Video: 'Covert Affairs' hottie Chris Gorham hops the sex-press train!|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|accessdate=August 15, 2010|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100814165144/http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2010/08/12/video-covert-affairs-chris-gorham-sex/|archivedate=August 14, 2010}}</ref> She also voiced Lucrezia Borgia in the video game ''Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood''. She played a journalist opposite Paul Ahmarani in ''The Future is Now!'', a docudrama by Gary Burns.<ref>{{cite news|last=Volmers|first=Eric|date=January 21, 2010|url=https://windsorstar.com/entertainment/movie-guide/Burns+brightens+documentary/2469934/story.html |title=Burns brightens up on new documentary|work=The Windsor Star|accessdate=January 24, 2010}}</ref>
Balaban made her stage debut in February 2011 starring as Claire in ''Divisadero: A Performance'' at the Theatre Passe Muraille in Toronto.<ref>{{cite news |last=Kaplan |first=Jon |author-link=Jon Kaplan (theatre critic) |date=January 6, 2011 |title=Get your tickets now... |work=Now |url=http://www.nowtoronto.com/stage/story.cfm?content=178598 |accessdate=January 9, 2011}}</ref> Directed by Daniel Brooks, it was an adaptation of a Governor General’s Award-winning novel by Michael Ondaatje, with music by Justin Rutledge.<ref name="kates"/> It was restaged in February 2012.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.torontolife.com/daily/hype/to-do-list/2012/02/10/toronto-events-february-10-2012/ |title=Today in Toronto: Divisadero, Hanson, War Horse and more|work=Toronto Life|date=February 10, 2012 |accessdate=February 12, 2012}}</ref>
Balaban filmed the independent comedy, ''Finding Joy'', in Fort Lauderdale, Florida in mid-2011.<ref>{{cite news|last=Dussault|first=Sarah |date=June 20, 2011|url=http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2011-06-20/news/fl-filming-on-broward-20110620_1_independent-film-federal-courthouse-sundance-film-festival |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110628074235/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2011-06-20/news/fl-filming-on-broward-20110620_1_independent-film-federal-courthouse-sundance-film-festival |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 28, 2011 |title=Independent film 'Finding Joy' being made in downtown Fort Lauderdale|work=Sun Sentinel|accessdate=August 5, 2011}}</ref> She signed on to a recurring role in the CW drama ''Supernatural'' in 2012, as Amelia, a young doctor with tragedy in her past.<ref>{{cite news|last=Stanhope|first=Kate|date=July 9, 2012|url=http://www.seattlepi.com/ae/tv/tvguide/article/Supernatural-Casts-a-Spell-on-Liane-Balaban-for-3694333.php |title=Supernatural Casts a Spell on Liane Balaban for Season 8|work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer. |accessdate=July 30, 2012}}</ref> In August she was in Newfoundland filming ''The Grand Seduction'', an English-language version of the 2003 Québécois comedy ''Seducing Doctor Lewis'' (French: ''La grande séduction''), in which she plays the love interest, opposite Taylor Kitsch, directed by Don McKellar.<ref name="paterson">{{cite news |last=Paterson |first=David |date=September 1, 2012 |url=http://www.postcity.com/Post-City-Magazines/September-2012/Liane-Balaban-is-back-in-the-spotlight |title=Liane Balaban is back in the spotlight |publisher=Post City Magazines |accessdate=September 3, 2012}}</ref> She will also appear in the independent film ''The People Garden'', starring Pamela Anderson and written and directed by Nadia Litz.<ref>{{cite news |last=Vlessing |first=Etan |date=December 9, 2014 |url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/pamela-anderson-joins-canadian-indie-755474 |title=Pamela Anderson Joins Canadian Indie 'The People Garden' |magazine=The Hollywood Reporter |accessdate=September 7, 2015}}</ref>
==Personal life== In 2007, Balaban lived in Mile End, Montreal. She described Montreal as "not a city that revolves around acting, so you stay very grounded here" to ''Hour'' magazine.<ref name="hour"/> She enjoys reading, writing, going to art galleries, and hearing music.<ref name="hour">{{cite news|last=Koepke|first=Melora|date=January 8, 2009|url=http://www.hour.ca/film/film.aspx?iIDArticle=16369|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130115192616/http://www.hour.ca/film/film.aspx?iIDArticle=16369|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 15, 2013|title=Last Chance Harvey|work=Hour|accessdate=January 26, 2009}}</ref> She told Toronto's ''Now'' magazine in January 2009 that she was often mistaken for actress Natalie Portman.<ref>{{cite news|last=Hooper|first=Barrett|date=January 14, 2009|url=https://nowtoronto.com/movies/features/q-and-a-liane-balaban/ |title=Q&A: Liane Balaban|work=Now |accessdate=May 29, 2018}}</ref> She moved to Los Angeles in 2010.<ref name="paterson"/> {{As of |2013}}, she resides in both Los Angeles and Toronto. She married Patrick Costello in November 2013<ref>{{Cite news |title=Actress Liane Balaban shows how glamour can also be personal |first=Kate |last=Rae |newspaper=The Globe and Mail |date=September 7, 2013 |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/fashion-and-beauty/fashion/actress-liane-balaban-shows-how-glamour-can-also-be-personal/article14083357/ |accessdate=February 17, 2014}}</ref> and gave birth to a son on March 1, 2016.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Canadian Performers Unite To Improve Benefits for New Moms |publisher=shedoesthecity.com |date=March 16, 2016 |url=http://www.shedoesthecity.com/canadian-performers-unite-to-improve-benefits-for-new-moms |accessdate=March 29, 2016}}</ref>
==Filmography== {| class="wikitable sortable" |+ List of acting performances in film and television ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- | 1999 | ''New Waterford Girl'' | Mooney Pottie | Film debut, Nominated – Canadian Comedy Award<ref name="kates"/> |- | 2000 | data-sort-value="City, The" | ''The City'' | Alison | TV series, episode: "Blindside!" |- | 2000 | ''Saint Jude'' | Jude | |- | 2001 | ''Full'' | Meryl | |- | 2001 | ''After the Harvest'' | Lind Archer | TV film |- | 2001 | ''World Traveler'' | Meg | |- | 2002 | ''Happy Here and Now'' | Amelia | |- | 2002 | data-sort-value="Annual Crafts & Arts Contest, The" | ''The Annual Crafts & Arts Contest'' | Neilburt | |- | 2002 | ''Spliced'' | Mary | |- | 2004 | ''Seven Times Lucky'' | Fiona | |- | 2004 | ''Eternal'' | Lisa | |- | 2005 | ''Anniversary Present'' | Sandra Dobbs | TV film |- | 2005 | ''Leo'' | Ameilia | |- | 2005 | ''Burnt Toast'' | Woman | TV film |- | 2006 | ''Above and Beyond'' | Shelagh Emberly | TV miniseries |- | 2007 | data-sort-value="Canadian Shield, The" | ''The Canadian Shield'' | Genvieve | |- | 2007 | ''St. Urbain's Horseman'' | Jenny | TV miniseries |- | 2008 | ''Definitely, Maybe'' | Kelly | |- | 2008 | ''Beware of Dog'' | | |- | 2008 | ''One Week'' | Samantha Pierce | Nominated – Genie Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role<ref name="genie-2010"/> |- | 2008 | ''Heartless Disappearance Into Labrador Seas'' | Lily | |- | 2008 | ''Last Chance Harvey'' | Susan | |- | 2008 | data-sort-value="Valentine Haircut, A" | ''A Valentine Haircut'' | Clare | Short film |- | 2009 | ''You Might as Well Live'' | Edna Kemperton | |- | 2009 | ''Numb3rs'' | Jessie Robertson | TV series, episode: "First Law" |- | 2009 | data-sort-value="Trotsky, The" | ''The Trotsky'' | Nadza | |- | 2009 | ''Not Since You'' | Heather | |- | 2009 | data-sort-value="New Tenants, The" | ''The New Tenants'' | Irene | Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film |- | 2010 | ''Abroad'' | Amy Pearce | TV film; Nominated – Gemini Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series<ref name="gemini-2010"/> |- | 2010 | ''Coach'' | Gabrielle | |- | 2010; 2014 | ''Covert Affairs'' | Natasha Petrova | TV series, recurring, 1 episode in Season 1, 5 episodes in season 4, and 2 episodes in season 5 |- | 2010 | ''NCIS: Los Angeles'' | Emma Mastin | TV series, episode: "Black Widow" |- | 2011 | data-sort-value="Future is Now!, The" | ''The Future is Now!'' | Woman of Tomorrow | |- | 2011 | ''Rise of the Damned'' | Jesse | |- | 2011–2012 | ''Alphas'' | Anna | TV series, 3 episodes: "Rosetta", "Original Sin", "Gaslight" |- | 2012 | ''Maniac'' | Judy | |- | 2012–2013 | ''Supernatural'' | Amelia Richardson | TV series |- | 2013 | ''Motive'' | Sarah Muller | TV series, episode: "Against All Odds" |- | 2013 | ''Finding Joy'' | Joy | |- | 2013 | data-sort-value="Grand Seduction, The" | ''The Grand Seduction'' | Kathleen | |- | 2013 | ''Played'' | Lida Simenko | TV series, episode: "Untouchables" |- | 2013 | ''Rookie Blue'' | Kelly Harrison | TV series, episode: "Two Truths and a Lie" |- | 2014 | ''Saving Hope'' | Abigail/Kayla Bradly | TV series, episode: "Don't Poke the Bear" |- | 2014 | ''Republic of Doyle'' | Ruby Rennette | TV series, 2 episodes |- | 2015 | ''Man Seeking Woman'' | Claire | TV series, episode: "Feather" |- | 2017 | ''Meditation Park'' |Dylan | |- | 2021 | ''Woman in Car'' | Safiye | |- | 2021 | data-sort-value="Small Fortune, A" | ''A Small Fortune'' | Sam | |- | 2022 | ''You Can Live Forever'' | Beth | |}
==References== {{reflist|30em}}
==External links== {{Commons category|Liane Balaban}} *{{IMDb name|49313|Liane Balaban}} *{{Twitter}} *[https://myspace.com/moleculesmusic We Are Molecules] on Myspace
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Balaban, Liane}} Category:1980 births Category:Actresses from Toronto Category:Canadian film actresses Category:Canadian television actresses Category:Canadian people of Uzbekistani-Jewish descent Category:Concordia University alumni Category:Living people Category:People from North York Category:Toronto Metropolitan University alumni Category:Jewish Canadian actresses