Watson continued acting with the hit CBC TV series The King of Kensington and such tax shelter films as Stone Cold Dead (1979), Dirty Tricks (1981), and The Soldier (1982). Canadian actor, director, writer, and producer. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Several high-profile actresses declined the role, including Susan Sarandon, Faye Dunaway, Jessica Lange, and Isabella Rossellini, but Watson relished it, later calling it her best performance and her favourite role. She followed this with The Prince and Me (2004) and recurring roles in such TV series as Show Me Yours (2004) and Ken Finklemans The Newsroom (2004). Renowned for her consistency and reliability, Watson was perhaps best known for the TV series La Femme Nikita (19972001) and 24 (200405), but she also gave memorable performances in David O. Russells Spanking the Monkey (1994), Atom Egoyans The Sweet Hereafter (1997), and John Cameron Mitchells Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001). During the show's second season (in 1998), Watson was diagnosed with lymphoma, for which she had to undergo chemotherapy treatment which caused her to lose her hair. Pseudonyms will no longer be permitted. Her son visits for the summer and she's laid up in a cast with a broken leg and things get out of hand. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Her Gary Goddard Agency . Watson shared the National Board of Review award for Best Ensemble and helped bring the film international recognition. Alberta Watson, well known to television audiences for her Gemini The Canadian actress, who also had roles in the 'La Femme Nikita' and 'Nikita' TV series, passed away after a long battle with cancer. 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Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. TV Actresses. It didn't scare me at all. Although the film received mostly negative reviews, Watsons performance led to appearances on such American television series as Hill Street Blues, The Equalizer, and Law & Order and a continuing role on the short-lived ABC drama Buck James. Madeleine is the most badass character ever. In 2010, Watson guest-starred in Heartland, a series on CBC Television, and she won a 2011 Gemini Award for her portrayal of Sarah Craven. By submitting a comment, you accept that CBC has the right to reproduce and publish that comment in whole or in part, in any manner CBC chooses. WARNING: Major spoilers for the Season 14 premiere of Heartland are ahead!. Alternate titles: Faith Susan Alberta Watson. Watson died on March 21, 2015 due to complications from cancer at Kensington Hospice in Toronto; she was 60 years old. She played the role of Madeline in La Femme Nikita for four seasons from 1997 to 2001 (with guest appearances in the short fifth season). Her Gary Goddard Agency rep, Pam Winter, confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter that Watson passed away on Saturday at Torontos Kensington Hospice after a long battle with cancer. Please note that CBC does not endorse the opinions expressed in comments. We reserve the right to close comments at any time. She was a deeply disturbed woman with a roller coaster of emotions. [12][13] Producers at La Femme Nikita worked around her treatment and limited her appearances. Watson later expressed disappointment with her early television work, but these roles inevitably shaped her career, pushing her to pursue strong, complex characters in projects that challenged her. Alberta Watson, a Canadian actress who had roles in the 24 and Nikita dramas over a four-decade movie and TV career, has died. She was 60. Yeeeehaaaa! Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Canadian actress Alberta Watson has died after a long battle with cancer. Watson died on Saturday at age 60 after a long battle with cancer. Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day. Actress Alberta Watson is photographed during the Toronto International Film Festival in 2006, in Toronto. Watsons list of credits includes 24, The Newsroom and The Border as well as movies like Away from Her and The Sweet Hereafter. I think Im still in shock about @Alberta_Watsons death. Want to discuss? [10], Watson lived in New Jersey for eight years[11] with her husband until they divorced. .more .more Comments 405 Add a. avalanche lost father, brother-in-law, family friend in slide, Trudeau says probes into foreign election interference ongoing, Alex Murdaugh sentenced to life in prison for murder of wife, son, Heated debate in B.C. After performing the lead role of Madelaine on the Canadian-made La Femme Nikita series between 1997 and 2001, Watson later played the recurring role of Senator Madeline Pierce on the CWs follow-up Nikita series, also shot in Toronto. Watson's first name inspired the character Alberta Green in the first season of 24. And I'm not a name with an image to protect. . Courtesy of Everett Collection. She amassed some devoted fans and engaged with them frequently on fan sites. award-nominated role as Madeline on, Her name was the basis for the character Alberta Green, played by, I took it because it was a heck of a challenge. RIP Alberta Watson. Watson died at Toronto's Kensington Hospice with her husband Ken at her side.. Audience Relations, CBC P.O. In a nod to her La Femme Nikita role, Alberta played a recurring character Madeline Pierce in Nikita, the CW's 20102013 reboot of the film and TV series. "Young Actress Is Behind Bars -- For A Movie", "Three Hours On A Plane Is All She Can Stand: Great Escapes - Alberta Watson", "Alberta Watson: The Toughest Woman on Television", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Alberta_Watson&oldid=1133861902, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from October 2009, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. [4] She moved to Los Angeles, California, and later to New York City. Outside acting, Watson championed more production in Canada and more opportunities for Canadian actors. And I'm not a name with an image to protect. She followed La Femme Nikita with a string of notable independent films, including The Art of Woo (2001), John Cameron Mitchells Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001), Thom Fitzgeralds The Wild Dogs, (2002) and Jeremy Podeswas TV movie, After the Harvest (2001), which brought her another Gemini nomination. Colorectal cancer cases rising among younger adults in Canada and U.S. Ex-husband of Edmonton soldier who tried to kill their children plans to sue Canadian military, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle evicted from their U.K. home by King Charles, Angry parents speak out on their daughter who froze to death on N.S. [4], Watson took a workshop for the Hair musical. Get a roundup of the most important and intriguing national stories delivered to your inbox every weekday. The subject was incest. She was a deeply disturbed woman with a roller coaster of emotions. Watson then played the grieving and lonely mother, Risa Walker, in Atom Egoyans critically acclaimed The Sweet Hereafter (1997). Through regional and national programming on multiple platforms, including CBC Television, CBC News Network, CBC Radio, CBCNews.ca, mobile and on-demand, CBC News and its internationally recognized team of award-winning journalists deliver the breaking stories, the issues, the analyses and the personalities that matter to Canadians. The original version of this entry was published by Watsons final credits included such Canadian and independent films as Some Things That Stay (2004), Citizen Duane (2006), A Lobster Tale (2006), and Sarah Polleys Genie-winning Away from Her (2006) opposite Gordon Pinsent, with whom she performed in Chris Landreths Genie-nominated animated short The Spine (2009). In 2010, Watson guest-starred in Heartland, a series on CBC Television, and she won a 2011 Gemini Award for her portrayal of Sarah Craven. Omissions? geoff ewart (@geoffewart) March 23, 2015. - YouTube 0:00 / 1:49 Video unavailable This video contains content from Adrev Affiliate, who has blocked it in your country. Incredible char and actor. It didn't scare me at all. Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered on CBC Gem. (Surnow was such a fan that he not only hired her again but also named a character in the series, Alberta Green, after her.) Watson played Erin Driscoll, head of the fictional intelligence agency that employs operative Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland). Id loved her in so many things, I was star struck. Patrick Mullen is a writer, blogger, film critic, film festival programmer, and social media coordinator. Watson's agent Pam Winter says the La Femme Nikitastar died Saturday in Toronto. She balanced her work in La Femme Nikita with roles in Canadian films including The Life Before This (1999), Desire (2000), and Deeply (2000). Watson found additional strong TV work playing Detective Denise McGoohan in Chasing Cain (2001) and Chasing Cain: Face (2002). Alberta Watson, in full Faith Susan Alberta Watson, (born March 6, 1955, Toronto, Canadadied March 21, 2015, Toronto), Canadian film and television actress whose career spanned four decades. The subject was incest. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Deeply saddened to hear the wonderful @Alberta_Watson has died. 2023 The Hollywood Reporter, LLC. [About her portrayal of the mother in, Choice: The Henry Morgentaler Story (2005). In a nod to her La Femme Nikita role, Alberta played a recurring character Madeline Pierce in Nikita, the CW's 2010-2013 reboot of the film and TV series. He has used his social media skills to transform his past interest in blogging about Canadian film Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. [citation needed] In 2005, Watson joined the cast of 24, playing CTU Director Erin Driscoll for 12 episodes of the show's fourth season. Watson began acting at age 15 with the Theater House of God at the Bathurst Street United Church in Toronto. She underwent treatment but continued to act prolifically, often wearing wigs to conceal the effects of chemotherapy. CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices. She was 60. Born in Toronto, Watson began performing in theatre and on television while still in her teens. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. She was 60. zh. Comments are welcome while open. Handout TORONTO Canadian actress Alberta Watson passed away Saturday after a battle with cancer. Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter. Besides her turn as the operative Madeline Pierce on La Femme Nikita,Watson became known to TV audiences through roles on 24,The Newsroom,Heartlandand The Border. To encourage thoughtful and respectful conversations, first and last names will appear with each submission to CBC/Radio-Canada's online communities (except in children and youth-oriented communities). After living in the New YorkNew Jersey area for eight years, she returned to Canada and starred in Shoemaker (1996), an early production for the Canadian Film Centres Feature Film Project, which earned her a Genie Award nomination. She also appeared in The Lookout (2007) with Joseph Gordon-Levitt, as well as in the TV series Angelas Eyes (2006), The Border (2008), and Heartland (2010), for which she won a Gemini Award. Her final film role was in the Vancouver-shot Helen (2009), starring Ashley Judd. I seized the character and made her something. Watson died at Torontos Kensington Hospice with her husband Ken at her side. Faith Susan Alberta Watson (March 6, 1955 March 21, 2015), better known as Alberta Watson, was a Canadian film and television actress. Alberta Watson, well known to television audiences for her Gemini award-nominated role as Madeline on La Femme Nikita (1997), enjoys a long and diverse career in television and film. lp Watson earned a Gemini Award in 2011 for her guest role on Heartland. In her final performance, Watson played Senator Madeline Pierce when La Femme Nikita was rebooted as Nikita in 2010. Oh! [4], In Spanking the Monkey, Watson plays her favourite character,[12] a mother who has an incestuous relationship with her son. She was 60. Box 500 Station A Toronto, ON Canada, M5W 1E6. Watson died on March 21, 2015, due to complications from cancer at Kensington Hospice in Toronto fifteen days after her 60th birthday.[14]. The Tony Award-nominated Broadway actor, 41, died in a hospital in Los Angeles after suffering severe medical complications after contracting the coronavirus. Her film credits include Atom Egoyan's The Sweet Hereafter,Sarah Polley's Away from Her,David O. Russell's Spanking the Monkeyand George Kaczender's In Praise of Older Women. legislature over commercialization of hard drugs, Milton man accused of murdering armed intruder released on bail. Her husband Ken was at her side. I have such wonderful memories, and I cant believe shes gone. Corrections? Watson was diagnosed with lymphoma in 1998. [1], Watson was born in Toronto, Ontario, in 1955. A year later she received the Best Actress award at the Yorkton Film Festival for "Exposure". Best as Madeline in La Femme Nikita/Nikita. Born in Toronto, Watson started out in acting with a local theater group, and by the 1970s had regular Canadian film and TV roles. [2] She grew up in Toronto with her mother Grace, a factory worker, and her brother. Alberta Watson, pictured in an undated publicity photo. She briefly lived on a communal farm outside the city with other actors before returning to Toronto to act professionally, landing her first role in the CBC TV movie Honour Thy Father (1974). Alberta Watson, in full Faith Susan Alberta Watson, (born March 6, 1955, Toronto, Canadadied March 21, 2015, Toronto), Canadian film and television actress whose career spanned four decades. She moved to Los Angeles and landed her first Hollywood role in Michael Manns 1983 horror film, The Keep. [5] While at the workshop she acted in Hamlet, which was directed by Ren Bonnire,[6] who later directed her in La Femme Nikita. Watson then appeared in several notable projects, including the early Angelina Jolie vehicle Hackers (1995) and the Golden Globe-nominated, Emmy-winning TV movie Gotti (1996), playing the wife of infamous New York mobster John Gotti. The offbeat black comedy proved to be a defining moment in her career; the film won the Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival and drew largely positive reviews. ALBERTA WATSON won a Gemini (pretty much, a Canadian Emmy) to Best Performance by an Actress, Guest Role in a Dramatic Series, for her portrayal of Sarah Craven ('Where the Truth Lies', S4 E05, CBC's series Heartland). (Theatre House of God),[3] of the Bathurst Street United Church, at age 15. Watson gambled by playing the seductive mother in David O. Russells incest-tinged first feature, Spanking the Monkey (1994). The Hollywood Reporter is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Congrats, Alberta!! #cdntv, Denis McGrath (@DMcWriterboy) March 23, 2015, I had the pleasure of working with @albertawatson on my first film #alobstertale rent the movie on iTunes to see Albertas great performance, Adam Massey (@lee_adam_massey) March 23, 2015.