Sarah Polley facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sarah Polley OC
Polley at the 2009 Venice International Film Festival
Born	Sarah Ellen Polley (1979-01-08) January 8, 1979 (age 46) Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Occupation	Actor writer director producer political activist
Years active	1985–present
Spouse(s)	David Wharnsby ​ ​ (m. 2003; div. 2008)​ David Sandomierski ​ ​ (m. 2011)​
Children	3
Parent(s)	Harry Gulkin (biological father)

Sarah Ellen Polley (born January 8, 1979) is a Canadian filmmaker, writer, and actress. She became famous as a child for playing Ramona Quimby in the TV show Ramona. She also starred as Sara Stanley in the popular Canadian series Road to Avonlea from 1990 to 1996.

As an adult, Polley acted in many movies, including The Sweet Hereafter (1997), Go (1999), and Dawn of the Dead (2004).

Later, she began directing films. Her first movie was Away from Her (2006), which earned her an Academy Award nomination for its screenplay. She also directed the documentary Stories We Tell (2012), which was about her own family's history. In 2022, she wrote and directed Women Talking. For this film, she won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.

Early Life and Family

Sarah Polley was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She was the youngest of five children. Her mother, Diane Polley, was an actress and casting director. Her father, Michael Polley, was also an actor. Sadly, her mother passed away from cancer when Polley was 11 years old.

As a child, Polley had severe scoliosis, a condition that curves the spine. At age 15, she had an operation and had to spend a year in bed recovering.

For many years, Polley believed Michael Polley was her biological father. As an adult, she learned that her biological father was actually a film producer named Harry Gulkin. Her mother had met him years earlier. Polley explored this family secret in her documentary film, Stories We Tell.

Polley attended Earl Haig Secondary School but left at age 15. She became involved in activism and credits the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty for helping her during this time.

Career as an Actress

Child Star

Polley's first movie role was at age four in One Magic Christmas. When she was eight, she was cast as the lead character in the TV series Ramona, based on the popular books by Beverly Cleary.

In 1990, she began starring as Sara Stanley in the CBC series Road to Avonlea. The show was a huge success in Canada and the United States, making Polley a well-known star. She was sometimes called "Canada's Sweetheart."

While on the show, a 12-year-old Polley attended an awards ceremony wearing a peace sign to protest the first Gulf War. Executives from Disney, which aired the show in the U.S., asked her to remove it, but she refused. She continued on Road to Avonlea until 1994.

Adult Roles

After Road to Avonlea, Polley took on more mature roles. She starred in the 1997 film The Sweet Hereafter, which brought her a lot of praise. She even sang on the film's soundtrack.

She appeared in many other films, including the thriller Go and the horror remake Dawn of the Dead. In 2005, she starred in The Secret Life of Words with Tim Robbins and Julie Christie.

Her last major acting role for many years was in the 2009 film Mr. Nobody. After 2010, she focused more on writing and directing. She made a guest appearance as herself in the TV series The Studio in 2025.

Career as a Director and Writer

Early Films

Polley began making short films in 1999. In 2001, she studied directing at the Canadian Film Centre. Her short film I Shout Love won a Genie Award in 2003.

Her first full-length movie as a director was Away from Her (2006). The film received excellent reviews, and Polley was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. She also won a Genie Award for Best Achievement in Direction.

Her next film was Take This Waltz (2011), starring Michelle Williams and Seth Rogen.

Major Successes

In 2012, Polley released the documentary Stories We Tell. In the film, she interviews her family members to uncover the truth about her parents and her own life. The film won many awards, including Best Canadian Film of the Year from the Toronto Film Critics Association.

She also wrote and produced the 2017 miniseries Alias Grace, based on the novel by Margaret Atwood.

In 2022, Polley wrote and directed Women Talking. The film was a huge critical success. At the 95th Academy Awards, Polley won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay, and the film was nominated for Best Picture.

Writing

In 2022, Polley published her first book, a collection of essays called Run Towards the Danger. In the book, she writes about her life and her experiences as an actress on stage and in films like The Adventures of Baron Munchausen and Road to Avonlea.

Political Activism

Ever since her protest at age 12, Polley has been involved in political and social causes. She was an active member of the Ontario New Democratic Party.

In 1995, she was injured at a protest at Queen's Park in Toronto. She has also been involved with groups like the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty.

In 2009, Polley directed a short film for the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. She later withdrew her name from the project when she learned it was also being used to promote a brand of margarine, stating that she does not promote corporate brands.

Personal Life

Polley was married to film editor David Wharnsby from 2003 to 2008. In 2011, she married David Sandomierski. They have three children together.

The discovery that her biological father was producer Harry Gulkin, not Michael Polley, was a major event in her life, which she explored in her film Stories We Tell.

Images for kids

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  Polley on September 11, 2009

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  Polley at the premiere of Mr. Nobody at the 2009 Toronto Film Festival

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  Polley at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival

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  Polley at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival.

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  Polley in 2009

Filmography

Film production

Short

Feature

Film acting

Television production

Executive producer

• Secret Path (2016) (TV movie)
• Better Man, AA Better Man (2017) (Documentary)

Television acting

Awards and nominations

On October 16, 2010, it was announced that Polley would receive a star on Canada's Walk of Fame. In June 2013, she received the National Arts Centre Award recognizing achievement over the past performance year at the Governor General's Performing Arts Awards. She was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada on December 30, 2013.

See also

In Spanish: Sarah Polley para niños