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Jo Vannicola

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Jo Vannicola
Born (1968-04-20) 20 April 1968 (age 56)
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Occupation(s)Actor, writer
Years active1982–present
Websitejoannevannicola.com Edit this at Wikidata

Jo Vannicola (born 20 April 1968), formerly known as Joanne Vannicola, is a Canadian actor.[1] They are most noted for their roles as Dr. Naadiah in Being Erica, Dr. Mia Stone in PSI Factor, Jerri in Love and Human Remains, Sam in Stonewall, Renee in Slasher: Guilty Party, Amber Ciotti in Slasher: Solstice and Slasher: Flesh and Blood, as well as voice roles in Crash Canyon and My Dad the Rock Star.

Vannicola came out as non-binary in their 2019 memoir All We Knew But Couldn't Say.[2]

Background

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Born in Montreal, Quebec,[3] Vannicola began their career as a child, and moved to Toronto, Ontario in their teens to attend the Toronto School for the Performing Arts.[4]

Career

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Vannicola had their first prominent role in the teen drama series 9B, for which they received a Gemini Award nomination for Best Actress in a Continuing Dramatic Role in 1989.[5] In 1991, they won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Performance in a Children's Special in Maggie's Secret,[6] and in 1994 they received a Genie Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for the film Love and Human Remains.[7]

Vannicola has also appeared in films and television series such as Common Ground, Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce, Rookie Blue, Slasher, Degrassi, Stardom,[8] Betrayal of Silence, The Ultimate Betrayal, Relic Hunter, Mutant X, Kung Fu: The Legend Continues, Night Heat and Derby.[3] In 2019, they appeared in the Street Legal reboot as Sam, a non-binary supporting character who was planned to have a more prominent storyline in the second season, although the reboot was cancelled after six episodes.[2]

Joanne received an ACTRA Award nomination for Best Voice Performance in 2009.[9]

They wrote and directed their first short film, SNIP, in 2017.[10]

In 2019, Vannicola published their memoir, All We Knew But Couldn't Say, with Dundurn Press.[2]

Personal life

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Vannicola founded a non-profit organization to raise awareness about child abuse, Youth Out Loud, in 2004.[11] An out lesbian prior to coming out as non-binary, Vannicola was a prominent campaigner for same-sex marriage in Canada[12] and is the current chair of outACTRAto, ACTRA's advocacy and support committee for LGBTQ performers.[2]

Vannicola holds a certificate from the creative writing program at University of Toronto, and was selected for the Diaspora Dialogues program in Toronto in 2013.[13]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1982 Hard Feelings Claudia Hergruder
1986 Toby McTeague Parker
1993 Love and Human Remains Jerri
1995 Iron Eagle on the Attack Wheeler
1997 Hysteria Blair
2000 Stardom Rosie
2013 The Animal Project Morag
2015 Stonewall Sam

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1986 9B Mary Neissbrkor TV film
1987 Taking Care of Terrific Enid / Cynthia TV film
1987 Street Legal Mrs. Flanigan Episode: "Mr. Nice Guy"
1988 Night Heat Ella Episode: "Forgive Me Father"
1988 No Blame Laura TV film
1988 Betrayal of Silence Karen TV film
1988 T. and T. Betty Episode: "And Baby Makes Nine"
1988 Street Legal Joanie Episode: "Cat and Mouse"
1989 Men Kimberly Episode: "Cupid Ms...Takes"
1989–90 My Secret Identity Cassie Martin Episode: "Secret Code", "Long Shot", "White Lies"
1990 T. and T. Martina Episode: "Cry Wolf"
1990 CBS Schoolbreak Special Maggie Kingston Episode: "Maggie's Secret"
1991 Katts and Dog Mariana Episode: "Desperate Hours"
1991 Tarzán Nikki Robinson Episode: "Tarzan and the Killer Lion"
1992–93 Street Legal Barbara Jacobson Episode: "Affairs of the Heart", "Hasta La Vista"
1994 Ultimate Betrayal Karla TV film
1994 To Save the Children Melanie Young TV film
1995 Derby Katie Woods TV film
1996 Kung Fu: The Legend Continues Claire Episode: "Phoenix"
1999–2000 Psi Factor Dr. Mia Stone Main role (season 4)
2000 Common Ground Max TV film
2000 The Stalking of Laurie Show Tabitha TV film
2001 The Wandering Soul Murders Mieka Kilbourn TV film
2001 What Makes a Family Melissa TV film
2002 Relic Hunter Zanda Wilkes Episode: "Warlock of the Nu Theta Phi"
2002 Mutant X Maddie Conlan Episode: "Double Vision"
2003 Train 48 Sue Episode: "1.13", "1.40"
2003 In the Dark Sadie Speller TV film
2003 Thoughtcrimes Terri Merriweather TV film
2009–2011 Being Erica Dr. Naadiah Recurring role
2014 Degrassi: The Next Generation Chef Kaz Episode: "How Bizarre", "My Hero"
2015 Rookie Blue Jasmine Episode: "Ninety Degrees"
2015 Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce Episode: "Don't Blow the Bubble"
2016 Slasher: The Executioner Debbie Episode: "Ill-Gotten Gains"
2017 Sea Change Nick Colley TV film
2017 Slasher: Guilty Party Renée Main role
2019 Slasher: Solstice Amber Ciotti Main role
2019 Street Legal Sam
2021–22 The Expanse Nico Sanjrani Recurring role (season 6)
2023 Slasher: Ripper Enid Jenkins Main role

Voice work

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Year Title Role Notes
1999 Medabots Koji Karakuchi TV series
2000–01 Timothy Goes to School Claude Recurring role
2000–2003 Seven Little Monsters One TV series
2001–2003 Beyblade Various TV series
2003 My Dad the Rock Star William 'Willy' Zilla Main role
2005 Gerald McBoing-Boing Jacob Main role
2006 Bigfoot Presents: Meteor and the Mighty Monster Trucks Hook "Race Relations"
2006 The Great Polar Bear Adventure Asak TV film
2007 Bakugan Battle Brawlers Marucho TV series
2007–2010 Busytown Mysteries (Hurray for Huckle!) Huckle Main role
2008–09 Toot & Puddle Toot Main role
2009 The Dating Guy Stephanie Stephanie "Captain Petard"
2010–2012 The Adventures of Chuck & Friends Biggs TV series
2011–2013 Crash Canyon Jake Wendell / Emily Butane Main role
2011–2016 Super Why! Woofster Main role (seasons 2–3)

References

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  1. ^ "Vannicola says role as female jockey good for girls". Canadian Press, 14 June 1995.
  2. ^ a b c d Norman Wilner, "Joanne Vannicola wants to push Canadian film beyond gender binaries". Now, 18 June 2019.
  3. ^ a b "Montreal native keeps her seat in Derby movie". Ottawa Citizen, 15 June 1995.
  4. ^ "Joanne Vannicola is a winner: The Montreal-born actress, who stars in ABC-TV's Derby, has more than 30 roles to her credit and that ultimate TV calling card, an Emmy Award". The Globe and Mail, 17 June 1995.
  5. ^ "Going for Gemini glory". The Globe and Mail, 26 October 1989.
  6. ^ "Daytime winners : Hughes, Bergman are winners Lucci loses again". Waterloo Region Record, 28 June 1991.
  7. ^ "Exotica dominates Genie nominations". Montreal Gazette, 20 October 1994.
  8. ^ "Actor's 15 Moments with Arcand not up". Toronto Star, 25 June 1999.
  9. ^ "ACTRA unveils nominees for performance awards". The Globe and Mail, 28 January 2009.
  10. ^ "SNIP: A disturbing and empowering short film on the topic of sexual assault!". The Buzz, August 2017.
  11. ^ "Walk is answer to stigma of abuse". Toronto Star, 24 May 2008.
  12. ^ "Same sex marriage demonstration at Liberal Party convention". Canada NewsWire, 13 November 2003.
  13. ^ "Emerging Author of the Month: Joanne Vannicola". Diaspora Dialogues, 6 January 2014.
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