Watson began acting at age 15 with the Theater House of God at the Bathurst Street United Church in Toronto. It didn't scare me at all. 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). In her final performance, Watson played Senator Madeline Pierce when La Femme Nikita was rebooted as Nikita in 2010. 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. Audience Relations, CBC P.O. And I'm not a name with an image to protect. . Canadian actress Alberta Watson has died after a long battle with cancer. 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. 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. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Corrections? RIP #AlbertaWatson. I think Im still in shock about @Alberta_Watsons death. Courtesy of Everett Collection. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Watson gambled by playing the seductive mother in David O. Russells incest-tinged first feature, Spanking the Monkey (1994). Alternate titles: Faith Susan Alberta Watson. Watson was diagnosed with lymphoma in 1998. She was 60. When search suggestions are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Youll be missed :'(, Dylan Matthews (@iHeyes) March 23, 2015. Watson shared the National Board of Review award for Best Ensemble and helped bring the film international recognition. Died (60) Add to list Awards 3 wins & 6 nominations Photos 28 Known for Hedwig and the Angry Inch 7.7 "A Conversation with Alberta Watson". 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 died at Torontos Kensington Hospice with her husband Ken at her side. Watson then played the grieving and lonely mother, Risa Walker, in Atom Egoyans critically acclaimed The Sweet Hereafter (1997). She began performing with a local Toronto theatre group, T.H.O.G. [12][13] Producers at La Femme Nikita worked around her treatment and limited her appearances. [3][8] Early in her career she portrayed the role of Mitzi in George Kaczender's[9] In Praise of Older Women (1978), for which she received a Genie nomination. Congrats, Alberta!! Watson's agent Pam Winter says the La Femme Nikitastar died Saturday in Toronto. [4], In Spanking the Monkey, Watson plays her favourite character,[12] a mother who has an incestuous relationship with her son. legislature over commercialization of hard drugs, Milton man accused of murdering armed intruder released on bail. When I had to talk to Alberta Watson on set of THE BORDER I was always nervous. Alberta Watson, well known to television audiences for her Gemini Her Canadian TV series credits include roles in Heartland, The Newsroom, The Border and Show Me Yours. 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. No details are available on a memorial service for Watson. 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. She was a deeply disturbed woman with a roller coaster of emotions. This page was last edited on 15 January 2023, at 21:52. 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. [4], Watson took a workshop for the Hair musical. [10], Watson lived in New Jersey for eight years[11] with her husband until they divorced. 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. I seized the character and made her something. A decade later, she had a recurring role as a different character (with the same first name) on the seriesNikita. I had the pleasure of working with her. [citation needed] In 2005, Watson joined the cast of 24, playing CTU Director Erin Driscoll for 12 episodes of the show's fourth season. Canadian actor, director, writer, and producer. I took it because it was a heck of a challenge. 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The role was turned down by several actresses such as Susan Sarandon, Jessica Lange and others. Death [ edit] Watson died on Saturday at age 60 after a long battle with cancer. Watson found additional strong TV work playing Detective Denise McGoohan in Chasing Cain (2001) and Chasing Cain: Face (2002). Want to discuss? [7], Watson got her first role at age 19 in a CBC movie called Honor Thy Father. Renowned for her consistency and reliability, Watson was perhaps best known for the TV series La Femme Nikita (1997-2001) and 24 (2004-05), but she also gave memorable performances in David O . Watson's first name inspired the character Alberta Green in the first season of 24. [2] Watson said:[7].mw-parser-output .templatequote{overflow:hidden;margin:1em 0;padding:0 40px}.mw-parser-output .templatequote .templatequotecite{line-height:1.5em;text-align:left;padding-left:1.6em;margin-top:0}. 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. 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. 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. Oh! (Carlo. Her husband Ken was at her side. street, Chinese Canadian parliamentarians among greater targets for interference: Trudeau, Markham caregiver plans to travel, possibly buy new home after $60M lottery win, RCMP believe Slave Lake toddler Jeffrey Dupres, missing for 43 years, is still alive, Survivor of B.C. She won a Gemini Award in 2010. (Surnow was such a fan that he not only hired her again but also named a character in the series, Alberta Green, after her.) Comments are welcome while open. Deeply saddened to hear the wonderful @Alberta_Watson has died. [13] When her hair started to regrow, she sported the short haircut in her role as Madeline in the show's third season.[13]. She was 60. She was 60. 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. 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. 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). Comments on this story are moderated according to our Submission Guidelines. [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. She worked with director Colleen Murphy on the film Shoemaker (1996), for which she received a second Genie nomination for Best Actress. [1], Watson was born in Toronto, Ontario, in 1955. [13] Watson wore wigs in the show when she lost her hair. Patrick Mullen is a writer, blogger, film critic, film festival programmer, and social media coordinator. She amassed some devoted fans and engaged with them frequently on fan sites. The provocative film was controversial when it premiered at the Toronto Festival of Festivals (now the Toronto International Film Festival), but it earned 10 Canadian Film Award nominations, including one for Watson for Best Supporting Actress. Yeeeehaaaa! After a long battle with cancer, Watson died at the age of 60 from complications of the disease. Alberta Watson, a Canadian actress who had roles in the 24 and Nikita dramas over a four-decade movie and TV career, has died. And I'm not a name with an image to protect. Watsons list of credits includes 24, The Newsroom and The Border as well as movies like Away from Her and The Sweet Hereafter. Incredible char and actor. Box 500 Station A Toronto, ON Canada, M5W 1E6. heartland actor dies alberta watson. Watson died on March 21, 2015, due to complications from cancer at Kensington Hospice in Toronto fifteen days after her 60th birthday.[14]. 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). 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). Alberta Watson, Canadian actress, dies after battle with cancer | CBC News Loaded. Her final film role was in the Vancouver-shot Helen (2009), starring Ashley Judd. During 2007 and 2008, Watson played a supporting role in the Canadian television series The Border as the Minister of Public Safety. WARNING: Major spoilers for the Season 14 premiere of Heartland are ahead!. Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered on CBC Gem. CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices. Canadian actress Alberta Watson dies at 60, Ex-husband of Edmonton soldier who tried to kill their children plans to sue Canadian military on Facebook, Ex-husband of Edmonton soldier who tried to kill their children plans to sue Canadian military on Twitter. - YouTube 0:00 / 1:49 Video unavailable This video contains content from Adrev Affiliate, who has blocked it in your country. 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. Her first major credit was in Robert Lantos and Claude Hrouxs In Praise of Older Women (1978). She moved to Los Angeles and landed her first Hollywood role in Michael Manns 1983 horror film, The Keep. The Canadian Encyclopedia 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. Please note that CBC does not endorse the opinions expressed in comments. Born in Toronto, Watson started out in acting with a local theater group, and by the 1970s had regular Canadian film and TV roles. Watson came closer to fame with the role of Madeline, the cunning force on the Canadian syndicated spy series La Femme Nikita, adapted from the 1990 Luc Besson film. It didn't scare me at all. Best as Madeline in La Femme Nikita/Nikita. Alberta Watson, pictured in an undated publicity photo. The Hollywood Reporter is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Pseudonyms will no longer be permitted. [4] She moved to Los Angeles, California, and later to New York City.