Martha Burns (born 1958) is a Canadian actress known for her stage work and youth outreach in Ontario and her leading role as Ellen Fanshaw in the TV dramedy series Slings and Arrows.
Burns was born in Chicago, Illinois, USA, but was raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. She studied at the University of Alberta and the Vancouver Playhouse’s Acting School.
Career
Burns has had a long career as a character and supporting actress. Her most notable television roles being Shakespearean diva Ellen Fanshaw in Slings and Arrows, for which she won two Gemini Awards, Jasmina Hart on Michael, Tuesdays and Thursdays and Rebecca Baker on Remedy.
Some of her notable film work includes Long Day's Journey into Night and for Love and Savagery, both resulting in Genie Awards for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role.
Theatre
Burns is a founding member and a former associate director of Toronto's Soulpepper Theatre Company., Burns headed up Soulpepper's extensive youth outreach program. She founded the Toronto Arts for Youth Award, and has worked as an instructor for the theatre program at George Brown College.
In 2005 she was honoured for her career in the theatre with the Barbara Hamilton Award.
In 2016 Burns was awarded ACTRA’s Leslie Yeo Award, an award honouring actors for their volunteer work. She donated her cash prize to the Qaggiq Performing Arts Teacher Training Workshop, a program that works on developing Inuit-specific performing arts programming for children and youth.
Personal life
Burns is married to director, actor Paul Gross, and they have two children, Hannah and Jack.
Filmography
Actress
2022
Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities (TV Series) as
Agatha
- Lot 36 (2022) - Agatha
2021
We're All in This Together as
Kate Parker
2018
Moon Dog (Short) as
Anne
2017
Alias Grace (TV Mini Series) as
Mrs. Parkinson
- Part 3 (2017) - Mrs. Parkinson
- Part 2 (2017) - Mrs. Parkinson
- Part 1 (2017) - Mrs. Parkinson
2016
A False Sense of Security (Short) as
Debra
2015
Boxing (Short) as
Janet
2014
Remedy (TV Series) as
Rebecca Baker
- Day One (2015) - Rebecca Baker
- Fight or Flight (2015) - Rebecca Baker
- Life in Technicolour (2015) - Rebecca Baker
- Our Friend, Chaos (2015) - Rebecca Baker
- The Little Things (2014) - Rebecca Baker
- Tomorrow the Green Grass (2014) - Rebecca Baker
- Testing, Testing (2014) - Rebecca Baker
- Bad Blood (2014) - Rebecca Baker
2014
Darknet (TV Mini Series) as
Mother
- Darknet 3 (2014) - Mother
2013
Hardsell (Short) as
Sandra Hipps
2013
Cracked (TV Series) as
Alice Kelly
- The Valley (2013) - Alice Kelly
2013
After All These Years (TV Movie) as
Phyllis Dietrichson
2013
Mad Ship as
Judith Cameron
2012
The Samaritan as
Gretchen
2011
Michael: Every Day (TV Series) as
Jasmina Hart
- Failure (2011) - Jasmina Hart
- Sweating (2011) - Jasmina Hart
- Ridicule (2011) - Jasmina Hart
- Heights (2011) - Jasmina Hart
- Unscripted Conversation (2011) - Jasmina Hart
- Small Talk (2011) - Jasmina Hart
2011
French Immersion as
Cathy
2011
Republic of Doyle (TV Series) as
Joyce
- Something Old, Someone New (2011) - Joyce
2010
Hot Water (Video short) as
Woman
2010
The Reception (Short) as
Debra
2009
The Foundation (TV Series) as
Selena Selkirk
- Springing Jett (2009) - Selena Selkirk
- The African Prince (2009) - Selena Selkirk
- The Face of Hope (2009) - Selena Selkirk
2009
A Wake as
Sabina
2009
Love & Savagery as
Mother Superior
2009
Dinner at Lucy's (Short) as
Lucy
2009
Murdoch Mysteries (TV Series) as
Mrs. Burgess
- Convalescence (2009) - Mrs. Burgess
2009
You Might as Well Live as
Dr. Elizabeth
2008
Blindness as
Woman with Insomnia
2008
The Trojan Horse (TV Mini Series) as
Mary Miller
- Part One (2008) - Mary Miller
2008
Rewind (Short) as
Heather Beckett
2007
Silk as
Mme. Joncour
2006
I Am an Apartment Building (TV Short) as
Mother
2006
Screening (Short) as
Helen Thompson
2003
Slings and Arrows (TV Series) as
Ellen Fanshaw
- The Promised End (2006) - Ellen Fanshaw
- All Blessed Secrets (2006) - Ellen Fanshaw
- Every Inch a King (2006) - Ellen Fanshaw
- That Way Madness Lies (2006) - Ellen Fanshaw
- Vex Not His Ghost (2006) - Ellen Fanshaw
- Divided Kingdom (2006) - Ellen Fanshaw
- Birnam Wood (2005) - Ellen Fanshaw
- Steeped in Blood (2005) - Ellen Fanshaw
- Fair Is Foul and Foul Is Fair (2005) - Ellen Fanshaw
- Rarer Monsters (2005) - Ellen Fanshaw
- Fallow Time (2005) - Ellen Fanshaw
- Season's End (2005) - Ellen Fanshaw
- Playing the Swan (2003) - Ellen Fanshaw
- Mirror up to Nature (2003) - Ellen Fanshaw
- Outrageous Fortune (2003) - Ellen Fanshaw
- Madness in Great Ones (2003) - Ellen Fanshaw
- Geoffrey Returns (2003) - Ellen Fanshaw
- Oliver's Dream (2003) - Ellen Fanshaw
2004
The Porcelain Pussy (Short)
2004
Siblings as
Miss Bradford
2004
The Skulls III (Video) as
Swim Coach
2003
Profoundly Normal (TV Movie) as
Dr. Maswell
2000
Harry's Case (TV Movie)
2000
Hindsight (Short) as
Trina
1999
What Katy Did (TV Movie) as
Aunt Izzie
1999
Murder Most Likely (TV Movie) as
Alice Malinson
1999
Emily of New Moon (TV Series) as
Eve Kinch Murray / Eve Kinch
- Bridge of Dreams: Part 2 (1999) - Eve Kinch Murray
- Under the Wishing Moon: Part 1 (1999) - Eve Kinch
1999
The Life Before This as
Gwen Maclean
1999
Justice (TV Movie)
1997
Due South (TV Series) as
Caroline Fraser / Nadia
- Call of the Wild: Part 2 (1999) - Caroline Fraser
- Spy vs. Spy (1997) - Nadia
1999
Storm of the Century (TV Mini Series) as
Counselor
- Episode #1.3 (1999) - Counselor
1998
Traders (TV Series) as
Rita Hutchison
- Two Steps Forward (1998) - Rita Hutchison
1998
Traces of Insanity (TV Movie)
1998
Thanks of a Grateful Nation (TV Movie) as
Dr. Rosemary Dove
1998
Witness to Yesterday (TV Series) as
Amelia Earhart
- Amelia Earhart (1998) - Amelia Earhart
1997
Marie Curie: More Than Meets the Eye (TV Movie) as
Lisette Boudreau
1996
The Boys Next Door (TV Movie)
1996
Side Effects (TV Series) as
Andrea Burrows
- Sex, Death and Rock 'N' Roll (1996) - Andrea Burrows
1995
Great Performances (TV Series) as
Cathleen
- Long Day's Journey Into Night (1995) - Cathleen
1995
Never Talk to Strangers as
Maura
1994
Paint Cans as
Melda
1992
Passage of the Heart as
Kate Ward
1991
Diary of a Teenage Smoker: Why Girls Start Smoking and How They Quit (Video short) as
Tobacco Executive (Restaurant Scene)
1991
E.N.G. (TV Series) as
Joanna Miles
- Tyger, Tyger (1991) - Joanna Miles
1991
The Hidden Room (TV Series) as
Jane's Mother
- A Friend in Need (1991) - Jane's Mother
1990
The Last Best Year (TV Movie) as
Sally
1989
The Private Capital (TV Movie) as
Agnes Scott
1987
Street Legal (TV Series) as
Margaret
- Take My Jokes, Please (1987) - Margaret
1983
Backstretch (TV Series) as
Kelly
1982
For the Record (TV Series)
- Blind Faith (1982)
Producer
2016
Robin & Mark & Richard III (TV Movie documentary) (producer)
2010
Little Films About Big Moments (TV Movie) (producer)
2010
Happy Pills (Short) (producer)
2010
The Day I Thought I Died (Documentary short) (producer)
2010
Big Moments in Little Films (TV Movie documentary) (producer)
