Helen Shaver facts for kids

Helen Shaver (born February 24, 1951) is a talented Canadian actress and director. She has starred in many movies and TV shows. Helen won a Canadian Screen Award for Best Actress for her role in the movie In Praise of Older Women (1978). She also appeared in popular films like The Amityville Horror (1979) and The Craft (1996).

Later, Helen started directing TV shows and movies. She has directed over 50 different shows! She has won many awards for her directing, including three Directors Guild of Canada Awards. In 2004, Helen Shaver was honored with a spot on Canada's Walk of Fame.

Helen Shaver's Early Life and Education

Helen Shaver was born and grew up in St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada. She has five sisters. When she was a child, Helen had a health condition called rheumatic fever. Because of this, she spent six months of every year in bed or in hospitals from age five to twelve. She said this time helped her think deeply about things.

As a teenager, Helen studied acting at the Banff School of Fine Arts. She also went to the University of Victoria in British Columbia to continue her acting studies.

Helen Shaver's Acting Career Highlights

Helen Shaver started her acting career in Canadian movies. Some of her early films include Outrageous! (1977) and Starship Invasions (1977). In 1978, she won a Canadian Film Award for Best Lead Actress. This was for her role as Ann MacDonald in In Praise of Older Women.

Helen also starred in The Osterman Weekend (1983). In 1985, she played a university professor in Desert Hearts. Her performance in this movie was highly praised. She even won the Bronze Leopard Award at the Locarno International Film Festival.

Helen appeared in many TV shows too. In 1980, she starred with Beau Bridges in the TV series United States. A year later, she had the main role in Jessica Novak. She also appeared in popular shows like Hill Street Blues and T. J. Hooker. From 1996 to 1999, Helen was a main star in the horror series Poltergeist: The Legacy. She played Dr. Rachel Corrigan and was nominated for a Saturn Award.

Helen Shaver's Directing Work

In the late 1990s, Helen Shaver began working as a director for television. Her first full-length directing job was the TV movie Summer's End in 1999. This movie won an Emmy award, and Helen was nominated for her directing.

She has directed episodes for many well-known TV shows. These include The Outer Limits, Judging Amy, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Orphan Black, Vikings (2013 TV series), 13 Reasons Why, and Westworld. In 2003, she won a Gemini award for directing an episode of Just Cause.

In 2020, Helen directed her first movie for the big screen, a drama called Happy Place. In 2023, she won a DGA award for directing an episode of Station Eleven.

Helen Shaver's star on Canada's Walk of Fame

Filmography

Film Roles

Television Roles

Directing Work

Awards and Nominations

Helen Shaver has received many awards and nominations for her work.

See also

In Spanish: Helen Shaver para niños