{{Short description|Canadian actress, screenwriter, and producer}} {{Infobox person | name = Samantha Wan | image = SWAN Director Shot.jpg | caption = Wan in 2023 | education = | alma_mater = | occupation = {{hlist|Actress|film director|screenwriter|film producer|web series creator}} | years_active = 2010–present | known_for = Jen Wu on ''Second Jen''<br/>Zoe Chow in ''Private Eyes''<br/>Cathy Tan on ''Run the Burbs'' | website = www.samanthawan.com }}
'''Samantha Wan''' is a Canadian actress, screenwriter, producer, and web series creator. She is known for co-creating, writing, and starring in the City television series ''Second Jen''.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://www.insidetoronto.com/news-story/6931509-shot-and-set-in-toronto-second-jen-airs-thursdays-on-city/| title=Shot and set in Toronto, Second Jen airs Thursdays on City| website=www.insidetoronto.com| access-date=2016-11-03}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=http://globalnation.inquirer.net/141683/second-gen-fil-canadian-gets-ready-for-prime-time-tv|title=Second-gen Fil-Canadian gets ready for prime time TV|last=Roque|first=Marisa|website=globalnation.inquirer.net|access-date=2016-11-03}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/television/2016/08/09/second-jen-breaks-sitcom-ground-with-two-asian-women-in-lead-roles.html|title=Second Jen breaks sitcom ground with two Asian women in lead roles |work=Toronto Star| access-date=2016-11-03}}</ref> Since 2017, she has starred in the Global Television Network series ''Private Eyes'',<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.tv-eh.com/2017/06/21/private-eyes-gets-ghostly-in-episode-5/|title=Private Eyes gets ghostly in Episode 5|date=2017-06-21|work=TV, eh?|access-date=2017-10-01|language=en-US}}</ref> and in 2022 CBC's ''Run the Burbs''.
== Career == Wan began her career in the early 2010s, playing supporting roles in several low-budget productions, including a recurring role on the popular web series ''Out with Dad''.
=== ''Second Jen'' === {{Main|Second Jen}} left|thumb|311x311px|Wan in 2023 Wan garnered further attention in 2016, when she co-created, co-wrote, and starred in the Canadian sitcom ''Second Jen'', alongside Amanda Joy. The series follows two young Asian Canadian women experiencing the ups and downs of being independent after moving out of their parents' homes for the first time.<ref>[https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/television/2016/08/09/second-jen-breaks-sitcom-ground-with-two-asian-women-in-lead-roles.html "Second Jen breaks sitcom ground with two Asian women in lead roles"]. ''Toronto Star'', August 9, 2016.</ref>
The series received mixed reviews from critics upon release; Brad Wheeler of ''The Globe and Mail'' hailed the show as "A Laverne & Shirley for the Digital Age" as it stars "two sparky second-generation Asian-Canadian millennial women coming of age in an era so economically challenging that Laverne and Shirley would be crying in their beers instead of merrily goofing off at the bottling plant."<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/television/second-jen-a-laverne-shirley-for-the-digital-age/article32548177/|title=Second Jen: A Laverne & Shirley for the digital age|newspaper=The Globe and Mail|access-date=October 31, 2016}}</ref> In contrast, John Doyle, also of ''The Globe and Mail'', panned the show, calling it "light, slight, silly and only occasionally outright funny." However, he also called it "mediocre," writing: "''Second Jen'' is notable for having two female Asian lead characters but it is not notable, nor funny, as a comedy."<ref name=":43">{{Cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/television/john-doyle-diversity-good-comedy-mild-and-mediocre-on-second-jen/article32537055/|title=John Doyle: Second Jen's diversity is good, but its comedy is mediocre|newspaper=The Globe and Mail|access-date=October 31, 2016}}</ref>
Nevertheless, it was renewed for a second season in late 2017.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.straight.com/movies/989576/omni-renews-canadian-multicultural-tv-series-blood-and-water-second-jen-mangoes|title=Omni renews Canadian multicultural TV series Blood and Water, Second Jen, Mangoes|date=2017-11-01|work=Georgia Straight Vancouver's News & Entertainment Weekly|access-date=2018-07-30|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://mediaincanada.com/2018/07/25/rogers-sets-second-jen-return/|title=Rogers sets Second Jen return|website=mediaincanada.com|access-date=2018-07-30}}</ref> The second season premiered on August 4, 2018.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.tv-eh.com/2018/08/03/second-jen-returns-for-long-awaited-second-season/|title=Second Jen returns for long-awaited second season|date=2018-08-03|work=TV, eh?|access-date=2018-08-13|language=en-CA}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://vancouversun.com/entertainment/television/second-jen-is-back-and-taking-aim-at-hot-topics|title=Second Jen is back and taking aim at hot topics|date=2018-08-02|work=Vancouver Sun|access-date=2018-08-13|language=en-US}}</ref>
''Second Jen'' was cancelled after its third season in 2021.<ref>{{Cite web |last=David |first=Greg |date=2021-03-24 |title=Second Jen ends after three seasons on Omni |url=https://www.tv-eh.com/2021/03/24/second-jen-ends-after-three-seasons-on-omni/ |access-date=2025-10-22 |website=TV, eh? |language=en-CA}}</ref>
=== Other work === In addition to her work on ''Second Jen'', Wan is also the creator, writer, and star of ''Sudden Master'', which is a female-centric web series that focuses on Chinese martial arts.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.omnitv.ca/on/en/shows/suddenmaster/|title=Sudden Master {{!}} Shows {{!}} OMNI Ontario English|website=OMNI Ontario English|access-date=2016-11-04}}</ref> It was funded and produced with OMNI and has won several awards, including Best Action Series at the Vancouver Web Series Festival in 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.vancouverwebfest.com/past_winners_2016.html|title=Vancouver Web Fest|website=www.vancouverwebfest.com|access-date=2016-11-04}}{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> The series was released on YouTube via the KindaTV channel, which is run by Smokebomb Entertainment.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.suddenmaster.com|title=Sudden Master {{!}} Kung Fu Series|website=Sudden Master {{!}} Kung Fu Series|access-date=2016-11-04}}</ref>
As of 2022, she has a recurring role in the CBC Television sitcom ''Run the Burbs''.<ref>Alexandra Del Rosario, [https://deadline.com/2021/09/run-the-burbs-cbc-rakhee-morzaria-zoriah-wong-roman-pesino-main-cast-andrew-phung-family-comedy-1234844824/ "‘Run The Burbs’: Rakhee Morzaria, Zoriah Wong, Roman Pesino & More Set As Main Cast Of CBC Family Comedy From Andrew Phung"]. ''Deadline Hollywood'', September 27, 2021.</ref>
== Personal life == Wan is of Chinese descent.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.tv-eh.com/tag/samantha-wan/|title=Samantha Wan {{!}} TV, eh?|website=www.tv-eh.com|language=en-CA|access-date=2018-08-15}}</ref> In interviews, Wan has been outspoken about the need for more diversity and accurate Asian representation on television and in the media.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2016/10/27/second-jen_n_12661818.html|title=No, 'Second Jen' Isn't Just An 'Asian Show'|website=The Huffington Post|access-date=2016-11-03}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
== External links == *[http://www.samanthawan.com/ Official website] *{{IMDb name|4575960}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Wan, Samantha}} Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Living people Category:Canadian television actresses Category:Canadian film actresses Category:Canadian actresses of Chinese descent Category:Canadian women screenwriters Category:21st-century Canadian actresses