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). We reserve the right to close comments at any time. 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. It didn't scare me at all. 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. Alberta Watson, pictured in an undated publicity photo. She won a Gemini Award in 2010. She balanced her work in La Femme Nikita with roles in Canadian films including The Life Before This (1999), Desire (2000), and Deeply (2000). 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 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. It didn't scare me at all. 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. The role was turned down by several actresses such as Susan Sarandon, Jessica Lange and others. She was a deeply disturbed woman with a roller coaster of emotions. And I'm not a name with an image to protect. Watson died at Torontos Kensington Hospice with her husband Ken at her side. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. - YouTube 0:00 / 1:49 Video unavailable This video contains content from Adrev Affiliate, who has blocked it in your country. She was 60. zh. :)Song: \"We build bridges\" by Liz DurrettWe build bridgesDon't weSometimes need a handDespite our best laid plansDon't weSometimes miss what we hadAnd we struggleDon't weSometimes lose the reasonsBut in the peaceful morningWe can clearly seeWhere we've beenOh, and the tide pulls us out, alrightOh, and the tide pulls us out, alrightOh, when the tide brings us backHow sweet it is In 2008, Alberta Watson received a Career Achievement Award from the Boston-based Chlotrudis Society for Independent Film. Death [ edit] 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). io. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Want to discuss? WARNING: Major spoilers for the Season 14 premiere of Heartland are ahead!. She was 60. [4], Among her well-known film roles are the bed-ridden mother Susan Aibelli in the 1994 American independent film Spanking the Monkey, Lauren Murphy (the mother of Jonny Lee Miller's character Dade, also called "Crash Override"/"Zero Cool") in the 1995 cult film Hackers, and Risa in the 1997 Academy Award-nominated Canadian film The Sweet Hereafter, directed by Atom Egoyan. .more .more Comments 405 Add a. 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. 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The Tony Award-nominated Broadway actor, 41, died in a hospital in Los Angeles after suffering severe medical complications after contracting the coronavirus. Alberta Watson, a Canadian actress who had roles in the 24 and Nikita dramas over a four-decade movie and TV career, has died. The subject was incest. Patrick Mullen is a writer, blogger, film critic, film festival programmer, and social media coordinator. "A Conversation with Alberta Watson". Actress Alberta Watson is photographed during the Toronto International Film Festival in 2006, in Toronto. "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. In 1998 Watson was diagnosed with lymphoma. [7], Watson got her first role at age 19 in a CBC movie called Honor Thy Father. She played Dr. Rebecca Myer in the 1980s Buck James TV series, and Erin Driscoll, the head of a counter-terrorist unit, in 24. Watson's agent Pam Winter says the La Femme Nikitastar died Saturday in Toronto. It is a priority for CBC to create products that are accessible to all in Canada including people with visual, hearing, motor and cognitive challenges. 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. She was 60. [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}. 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. [4], Watson took a workshop for the Hair musical. A year later she received the Best Actress award at the Yorkton Film Festival for "Exposure". I took it because it was a heck of a challenge. I think Im still in shock about @Alberta_Watsons death. [13] Watson wore wigs in the show when she lost her hair. Watsons list of credits includes 24, The Newsroom and The Border as well as movies like Away from Her and The Sweet Hereafter. RIP Alberta Watson. Died (60) Add to list Awards 3 wins & 6 nominations Photos 28 Known for Hedwig and the Angry Inch 7.7 Madeleine is the most badass character ever. Watson was diagnosed with lymphoma in 1998. 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. Best as Madeline in La Femme Nikita/Nikita. She underwent treatment but continued to act prolifically, often wearing wigs to conceal the effects of chemotherapy. Her Canadian TV series credits include roles in Heartland, The Newsroom, The Border and Show Me Yours. Many of Watsonspeers and fans took to Twitter to remember her. Updates? Her husband Ken was at her side. Box 500 Station A Toronto, ON Canada, M5W 1E6. 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. 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. Watson then played the grieving and lonely mother, Risa Walker, in Atom Egoyans critically acclaimed The Sweet Hereafter (1997). The Canadian Encyclopedia 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. When I had to talk to Alberta Watson on set of THE BORDER I was always nervous. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. . Watson starred in four seasons of La Femme Nikita, along with a return appearance in its fifth season, and earned a Gemini nomination for season two. 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. Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered on CBC Gem. She was 60. geoff ewart (@geoffewart) March 23, 2015. Heyn, Christopher. In her final performance, Watson played Senator Madeline Pierce when La Femme Nikita was rebooted as Nikita in 2010. Watson re-teamed with La Femme Nikita co-creator Joel Surnow for season four of his hit action-drama 24. Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day. The Hollywood Reporter is a part of Penske Media Corporation. [About her portrayal of the mother in, Choice: The Henry Morgentaler Story (2005). I have such wonderful memories, and I cant believe shes gone. 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). Her Gary Goddard Agency . 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. 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. Watson earned a Gemini Award in 2011 for her guest role on Heartland. . CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices. TORONTO Canadian actress Alberta Watson passed away Saturday after a battle with cancer. 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. [5] While at the workshop she acted in Hamlet, which was directed by Ren Bonnire,[6] who later directed her in La Femme Nikita. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Watson died at Toronto's Kensington Hospice with her husband Ken at her side.. Lovely woman. 2023 The Hollywood Reporter, LLC. (Surnow was such a fan that he not only hired her again but also named a character in the series, Alberta Green, after her.) After a long battle with cancer, Watson died at the age of 60 from complications of the disease. Yeeeehaaaa! Her son visits for the summer and she's laid up with a broken leg and things get out of hand. [7] She then returned to Toronto and focused on finding roles in independent films. All Rights Reserved. Born in Toronto, Watson started out in acting with a local theater group, and by the 1970s had regular Canadian film and TV roles. The Tony Award-nominated Broadway actor, 41, died in a hospital in Los Angeles after suffering severe medical complications after contracting the coronavirus. 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. Winter says Watson "died in the arms of her beloved Ken after a long and incredibly courageous battle.". Alberta Watson, a Canadian actress who had roles in the 24 and Nikita dramas over a four-decade movie and TV career, has died. #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. I seized the character and made her something. 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. 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. Congrats, Alberta!! Watson played Erin Driscoll, head of the fictional intelligence agency that employs operative Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland). When search suggestions are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Please read our Commenting Policy first. [2] She grew up in Toronto with her mother Grace, a factory worker, and her brother. Youll be missed :'(, Dylan Matthews (@iHeyes) March 23, 2015. She amassed some devoted fans and engaged with them frequently on fan sites. Watson died on March 21, 2015 due to complications from cancer at Kensington Hospice in Toronto; she was 60 years old. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. legislature over commercialization of hard drugs, Milton man accused of murdering armed intruder released on bail. [1], Watson was born in Toronto, Ontario, in 1955. The Canadian actress, who also had roles in the 'La Femme Nikita' and 'Nikita' TV series, passed away after a long battle with cancer. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. [4], In Spanking the Monkey, Watson plays her favourite character,[12] a mother who has an incestuous relationship with her son. Get a roundup of the most important and intriguing national stories delivered to your inbox every weekday. And I'm not a name with an image to protect. Please note that CBC does not endorse the opinions expressed in comments. The original version of this entry was published by Watson gambled by playing the seductive mother in David O. Russells incest-tinged first feature, Spanking the Monkey (1994). Watson died on Saturday at age 60 after a long battle with cancer. Incredible char and actor. 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. (Carlo. Pseudonyms will no longer be permitted. During 2007 and 2008, Watson played a supporting role in the Canadian television series The Border as the Minister of Public Safety. 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. Her final film role was in the Vancouver-shot Helen (2009), starring Ashley Judd. The subject was incest. Outside acting, Watson championed more production in Canada and more opportunities for Canadian actors. Handout TORONTO Canadian actress Alberta Watson passed away Saturday after a battle with cancer. [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. Faith Susan Alberta Watson (March 6, 1955 March 21, 2015), better known as Alberta Watson, was a Canadian film and television actress. 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. U.K. agency missed chance to stop attack at Ariana Grandes Manchester concert: report, Travis Scott accused of assaulting nightclub worker, calls incident a misunderstanding. 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. (Theatre House of God),[3] of the Bathurst Street United Church, at age 15. 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. TV Actresses. [13] When her hair started to regrow, she sported the short haircut in her role as Madeline in the show's third season.[13]. Corrections? 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. Alberta Watson, congrats on your Gemini win 2011, for Heartland! Watson eventually returned to Canada and landed a leading role in La Femme Nikita, which ran from 1997 to 2001. 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. 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. Watson began acting at age 15 with the Theater House of God at the Bathurst Street United Church in Toronto. 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. Her first major credit was in Robert Lantos and Claude Hrouxs In Praise of Older Women (1978). https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alberta-Watson, The Canadian Encyclopedia - Biography of Alberta Watson. Omissions? No details are available on a memorial service for Watson. [4] She moved to Los Angeles, California, and later to New York City. She was 60. 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). heartland actor dies alberta watson. 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). Id loved her in so many things, I was star struck. RIP #AlbertaWatson. 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. Oh! Born in Toronto, Watson began performing in theatre and on television while still in her teens. She began performing with a local Toronto theatre group, T.H.O.G. A decade later, she had a recurring role as a different character (with the same first name) on the seriesNikita. Watson shared the National Board of Review award for Best Ensemble and helped bring the film international recognition. Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter. I seized the character and made her something. lp Audience Relations, CBC P.O. [12][13] Producers at La Femme Nikita worked around her treatment and limited her appearances. Watson died on March 21, 2015, due to complications from cancer at Kensington Hospice in Toronto fifteen days after her 60th birthday.[14]. She moved to Los Angeles and landed her first Hollywood role in Michael Manns 1983 horror film, The Keep. Watson's first name inspired the character Alberta Green in the first season of 24. Comments on this story are moderated according to our Submission Guidelines. 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. 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 . Comments are welcome while open. She worked with director Colleen Murphy on the film Shoemaker (1996), for which she received a second Genie nomination for Best Actress. Courtesy of Everett Collection. To read more: http://cbc.ca/1.5638577\r\r Subscribe to CBC News to watch more videos: http://bit.ly/1RreYWS\r\rConnect with CBC News Online:\r\rFor breaking news, video, audio and in-depth coverage: http://bit.ly/1Z0m6iX\rFind CBC News on Facebook: http://bit.ly/1WjG36m\rFollow CBC News on Twitter: http://bit.ly/1sA5P9H\rFor breaking news on Twitter: http://bit.ly/1WjDyks\rFollow CBC News on Instagram: http://bit.ly/1Z0iE7O\r\rDownload the CBC News app for iOS: http://apple.co/25mpsUz\rDownload the CBC News app for Android: http://bit.ly/1XxuozZ\r\r\rFor more than 75 years, CBC News has been the source Canadians turn to, to keep them informed about their communities, their country and their world. [citation needed] In 2005, Watson joined the cast of 24, playing CTU Director Erin Driscoll for 12 episodes of the show's fourth season. Alberta Watson, Canadian actress, dies after battle with cancer | CBC News Loaded. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. 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). She was a deeply disturbed woman with a roller coaster of emotions. 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). This page was last edited on 15 January 2023, at 21:52. 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. Her son visits for the summer and she's laid up in a cast with a broken leg and things get out of hand. [10], Watson lived in New Jersey for eight years[11] with her husband until they divorced. Watson found additional strong TV work playing Detective Denise McGoohan in Chasing Cain (2001) and Chasing Cain: Face (2002). Alberta Watson, well known to television audiences for her Gemini Deeply saddened to hear the wonderful @Alberta_Watson has died. She was nominated for Genie Awards for her work in 1978s In Praise of Older Women and 1996s Shoemaker. She moved south and worked for many years in New York and Los Angeles. She was 60. Canadian actress Alberta Watson has died after a long battle with cancer. I had the pleasure of working with her. Alternate titles: Faith Susan Alberta Watson.