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Wanda Cannon

Wanda Cannon (born January 12, 1960) is a Canadian and . Cannon began her career in before transitioning to film and television, where she gained recognition for dramatic roles. She received a Genie Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in the 1993 war drama For the Moment, directed by Aaron Kim Johnston, in which she portrayed a resilient mother during . Her film credits also include supporting roles in science fiction and thriller genres, such as The 6th Day (2000) alongside and The Final Cut (2004) with . On television, Cannon has appeared in numerous series and made-for-TV movies, often playing strong, multifaceted characters. She portrayed Stephanie Clements in the syndicated series (1988–1991) and had a recurring role as the competitive Val Stanton in the family drama (2007–2018), appearing in 47 episodes across multiple seasons. Additional TV highlights include guest spots in Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda (2000–2005), Mysterious Ways (2000–2002), holiday films like Angel of Christmas (2015) and (2016), as well as iZombie (2019), Christmas at the Plaza (2019), and Love in Winterland (2020). Throughout her career, Cannon has maintained involvement in , both as an actress and director, contributing to stage productions in , though specific directing credits remain less documented in public records. Her body of work spans over four decades, emphasizing versatile performances in independent , mainstream , and live .

Early life

Birth and family

Wanda Cannon was born on January 12, 1960, in , . Details about her parents and any siblings are limited in public sources, with no specific information available on their names, professions, or backgrounds. Cannon's Canadian heritage is evident from her birthplace, but no documented family connections to the performing arts have been reported. Her initial family environment centered in , where she spent her earliest years.

Upbringing in Canada

Cannon was raised primarily in .

Career

Theatre work

Wanda Cannon began her professional career in during the late , establishing herself as a versatile performer on stages. One of her earliest notable roles was in the production of Eight to the Bar, a musical with book by Stephen Witkin and music and lyrics by Joel Miller, where she appeared alongside actors including John Hamelin and . This performance marked her entry into the regional theatre scene, showcasing her skills in ensemble-driven musical narratives. Throughout the 1980s and beyond, Cannon continued to build her reputation in before expanding into dramatic works. She maintained an active presence in live performance, contributing to the vibrancy of Canadian repertory companies. In the early and , she took on prominent roles in high-profile productions, such as starring in the outdoor staging of Willy Russell's Blood Brothers as part of the Dream in High Park festival in , a longstanding summer series that draws large audiences to Shakespearean Garden Amphitheatre. Her portrayal emphasized the emotional intensity of the twins' tragic story, highlighting her ability to convey complex familial dynamics in an open-air setting. Cannon also excelled in classical drama, notably playing Abbie Putnam opposite David Fox's Ephraim Cabot in Eugene O'Neill's , a role that captured the raw passion and moral ambiguity central to the play's New England farm setting. This production underscored her depth in interpreting O'Neill's psychologically charged characters. Transitioning from acting to directing in parallel with her performance career, Cannon has helmed various projects, fostering new talent and interpretations within Canada's regional scenes. Her dual roles have enriched Toronto's theatre community, particularly through ensemble work at venues like Canadian Stage's Dream in High Park, where she helped sustain accessible, high-quality live theatre amid urban cultural landscapes. Overall, her contributions span decades, emphasizing collaborative storytelling and the enduring appeal of musical and dramatic forms in Saskatchewan-rooted and Toronto-based ensembles.

Screen acting

Cannon transitioned to screen acting in the late , leveraging her established background to secure her first major television role in the Canadian series (1988–1991), where she portrayed Stephanie Clements, the mother of the protagonist, across all 72 episodes. This early work marked her entry into scripted television, blending dramatic family dynamics with light elements as her character navigated life with her teenage son's secret superpowers. Her breakthrough in film came with the 1993 drama For the Moment, directed by Johnston, in which she played Betsy, a key supporting character opposite Russell Crowe's lead role as an Australian pilot training in wartime . The film, set against the backdrop of flight training in , highlighted Cannon's ability to convey emotional depth in ensemble-driven narratives, earning positive reviews for its authentic portrayal of rural Canadian life. Building on this momentum, she took on notable roles in science fiction cinema, including Katherine Weir, the wife of a cloning scientist, in the 2000 action-thriller starring , and Caroline Monroe in the 2004 dystopian drama The Final Cut with , where her character explored themes of memory and privacy in a surveillance-heavy society. On television, Cannon sustained a prolific presence with recurring roles that showcased her versatility across genres. In the long-running family drama (2007–2018), she appeared as Val Stanton, the competitive stable owner and mother figure, in 47 episodes, contributing to the series' depiction of rural life and challenges. Her genre diversity extended to holiday-themed television movies, such as Christmas at the Plaza (2019), where she played Lana, a supportive figure in a centered on City's festive traditions. These roles underscored Cannon's range from intense sci-fi explorations to warm, character-driven dramas and seasonal feel-good stories.

Filmography

Film roles

Cannon's early film appearances included supporting roles in science fiction and drama. Her first feature film role came in the 1989 Canadian drama The Last Winter, directed by Aaron Kim Johnston, in which she played Audrey Jamison, a mother grappling with her family's relocation from a rural farm amid economic hardship. In the mid-1990s, Cannon transitioned to more prominent supporting parts in period pieces and genre films. She appeared as Betsy, a resilient local woman, in the 1993 romantic drama For the Moment, also directed by Aaron Kim Johnston, set against the backdrop of Royal Canadian Air Force training during World War II and co-starring a young Russell Crowe; the performance earned her a Genie Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Later that decade, she took on Katherine Weir, the wife of a bio-technician entangled in illegal cloning experiments, in the 2000 science fiction action thriller The 6th Day, directed by Roger Spottiswoode and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, which critiqued advancements in genetic engineering through high-stakes chases and ethical dilemmas. Cannon continued with science fiction themes in the 2000s before shifting to thrillers. In The Final Cut (2004), a dystopian directed by Omar Naim, she played Caroline Monroe, a colleague navigating the moral complexities of neural implants that record personal memories, alongside as a documentary filmmaker exposing corporate overreach. Her later film work included the role of Mrs. Narn, a concerned authority figure, in the 2010 teen Triple Dog, directed by Pascal Franchot, which follows high school girls pushed to extremes through a series of dares leading to psychological tension.

Television roles

Cannon's early television appearance was in the anthology series , where she portrayed Felicia Varley/Lola in the episode "Overdrawn at the Memory Bank" in 1983. She gained prominence with a recurring role as Stephanie Clements, the divorced mother of the teenage protagonist Andrew Clements, in the Canadian-American series from 1988 to 1991, appearing in all 72 episodes across three seasons. In this family-oriented sci-fi , her character provided emotional support and navigated single parenthood amid her son's secret superpowers. Cannon guest-starred as the Ch'kadau Leader in the science fiction series in the 2003 episode "Conduit to Destiny," depicting an ancient alien figure seeking aid to save her planet. One of her most notable recurring roles was as Val Stanton in the long-running Canadian drama , spanning 2007 to 2018, where she appeared in 47 episodes. As the widowed owner of the rival Briar Ridge Stables and mother to and , Val embodied traditional values, often clashing with the Fleming family's progressive methods while contributing to themes of community and rivalry in the ranching world. In later years, Cannon took on supporting roles in several Hallmark-style television movies and guest spots. She played Ellen Gray in the 2016 holiday film , a story of family reconciliation during the festive season. In 2019, she appeared as Lana in , a romantic comedy about holiday magic at a historic hotel, and as the antagonistic Gayle Spano in the iZombie episode "The Fresh Princess," portraying a scheming figure in a zombie-infused procedural. Her most recent credit was as Molly Wilson in the 2020 TV movie Love in Winterland, centering on themes of love and second chances in a winter setting.

References

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    Wanda Cannon - IMDb
    Wanda Cannon was born on 12 January 1960 in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. She is an actress, known for The 6th Day (2000), The Final Cut (2004) and My Secret ...
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    Wanda Cannon - Actress, Theater Director - TV Insider
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    Wanda Cannon - Age, Family, Bio | Famous Birthdays
    Cannon got her start as a musical theatre actress, and she has continued to act and direct theatre throughout her career. Trivia. She was in films such as ...
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    Awards - Wanda Cannon - IMDb
    1994 Nominee Genie. Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role. For the Moment · Contribute to this page. Suggest an edit or add missing content.
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    Wanda Cannon | TVSA
    Wanda Cannon is a Canadian actress best known for her recurring role as Val Stanton in the family drama television series Heartland, since 2007.
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    Eight to the Bar. Music & Lyrics by Joel Miller, Book by Stephen Witkin. Past Production. Overview. Cast and Creative Team. Wanda Cannon. John Hamelin. Rick ...
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    Jul 17, 2014 · Wanda Cannon, one of the stars of Blood Brothers, the annual outdoor Dream in High Park production, scored 12 out of 15 on our quiz.
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    Nov 15, 2021 · David Fox as Ephraim Cabot and Wanda Cannon as Abbie Putnam in Eugene O'Neill's Desire Under the Elms.Nir Bareket.
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    Wanda Cannon (born January 12, 1960) is a Canadian actress and theatre director. She is most noted for her performance in the 1993 film For the Moment.
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    Rating 6/10 (1,038) For the Moment: Directed by Aaron Kim Johnston. With Russell Crowe, Christianne Hirt, Wanda Cannon, Scott Kraft. The story of airmen training in rural ...
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    Rating 72% (17) An Australian pilot (Russell Crowe) training in 1942 Manitoba has an affair with a local farm girl (Christianne Hirt) whose husband is away at war.
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    Christmas at the Plaza (TV Movie 2019) - IMDb
    Rating 6.5/10 (3,950) An archival historian is hired to create a Christmas display at the Plaza Hotel and is paired with a handsome Christmas decorator to bring it to life.Full cast & crew · Company credits · Release info · User reviews
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    Wanda Cannon Movies & TV Shows List | Rotten Tomatoes
    Wanda Cannon was an actress who had a successful Hollywood career. At the start of her acting career, Cannon starred in dramas like The Last Winter (1990)
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    Overdrawn at the Memory Bank - IMDb
    Rating 2.3/10 (2,606) Overdrawn at the Memory Bank: Directed by Douglas Williams. With Arnie ... Wanda Cannon · Felicia… Helen Carscallen · Dr. Darwin · Maury ...
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    The Last Winter (1989) - IMDb
    Rating 6.4/10 (142) The Last Winter: Directed by Aaron Kim Johnston. With Gerard Parkes, Joshua Murray, David Ferry, Wanda Cannon. Young William resists family's decision to ...The Last Winter · Full cast & crew · Plot
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    The Final Cut (2004) - IMDb
    Rating 6.1/10 (35,592) Robin Williams in The Final Cut (2004). Home Video Trailer from ... Wanda Cannon · Caroline Monroe · Chaka White · Pregnant Woman On Bus.Full cast & crew · Plot · User reviews · The Final Cut
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    Triple Dog (2010) - IMDb
    Rating 5.7/10 (5,171) Wanda Cannon · Mrs. Narn · Avan Jogia · Teenage Boy ... This is because with a title like Triple Dog (I Triple Dog Dare You), you ...Full cast & crew · Plot · Parents guide · User reviews
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    "Andromeda" Conduit to Destiny (TV Episode 2003) - IMDb
    Rating 6.8/10 (178) Andromeda receives a distress call from a Commonwealth prison ... Wanda Cannon · Ch'kadau Leader · Michael Jonsson.
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    Heartland (TV Series 2007– ) - Wanda Cannon as Val Stanton.
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    Val Stanton - Heartland Wiki - Fandom
    Wanda Cannon. More. Valerie "Val" Stanton is the widowed mother of Ashley and ... Career. Owns and runs Briar Ridge Stables. Trivia. She has appeared in ...
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    Christmas List (TV Movie 2016) - IMDb
    Rating 6.2/10 (2,317) Isobel plans a storybook Christmas with her boyfriend, including a cottage in the Northwest and a bucket list of holiday traditions.Missing: diversity sci- fi
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    Love in Winterland (TV Movie 2020) - IMDb
    Rating 6.4/10 (1,660) Love in Winterland: Directed by Pat Williams. With Italia Ricci, Chad ... Wanda Cannon · Molly Wilson · Michael Kopsa · Tom ...Love in Winterland · Wanda Cannon as Molly Wilson · Filming & production · Plot