---
name: "Sheila McCarthy"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/sheila-mccarthy"
fi1m_id: "sheila-mccarthy"
imdb_id: "nm0565319"
tmdb_id: 29384
wikidata_id: "Q434844"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "1 January 1956"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 3
average_fi1m_score: 68
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 3
updated: "2026-09-22T21:47:38.041272+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Sheila McCarthy

## Identity

Sheila McCarthy

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/sheila-mccarthy
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** sheila-mccarthy
- **IMDb ID:** nm0565319
- **TMDB ID:** 29384
- **Wikidata ID:** Q434844
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheila_McCarthy, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q434844, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0565319/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/29384

Actor. Born 1 January 1956 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 1 January 1956, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- **Active:** 1990–present
- **Also known as:** Sheila Catherine McCarthy,  Sheila McCartney, 쉘리아 맥카시
- **Average Fi1m score:** 68, as actor, over 3 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1990s 70 (1), 2000s 57 (1), 2020s 76 (1)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 68 to 69 across 3 titles
- **Score spread:** 0 at 80+, 2 at 60–79, 1 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 0 of 2 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Thriller 2, Action 1, Adventure 1, Drama 1, Science Fiction 1
- **Screen time:** 6 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $800m across 3 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheila_McCarthy, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q434844, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0565319/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/29384

## Streaming the US now

- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Women Talking*](https://film.one/film/women-talking.md) (76)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Sheila McCarthy

> A small, watchful actor who is funniest when she is being most serious. Sheila McCarthy has spent four decades playing the awkward, the bookish and the quietly certain, mostly in Canada, and in *Women Talking* she is the reason the hayloft is bearable.

In *Women Talking* (2022), Sheila McCarthy's Greta has two horses, Ruth and Cheryl, and explains almost everything by way of them. The women in the hayloft are deciding, over two days, what to do about the men, and Greta keeps coming back to what her horses would make of it. It ought to be maddening. McCarthy makes it the sanest voice in the loft, because she says it quietly and with no sign that she knows she is being charming. We laughed more than we expected to at those horses, and then someone would say plainly what had been done to a child, and we stopped, and the laugh made the silence worse.

That is the thing she does, and she has been doing it since the start. She came up through Canadian theatre and television in the early 1980s, and Patricia Rozema's *I've Heard the Mermaids Singing* (1987) gave her a lead, Polly Vandersma, and a type: the awkward, bookish woman who is funny without meaning to be. Rozema would work with her again. The type followed her to *The Lotus Eaters* (1993), as Diane Kingswood, and to Hollywood, where she played a news reporter, Samantha Coleman, in *Die Hard 2* (1990). Hollywood did not keep her. The hopes raised by *Mermaids* were not met there and the career stayed largely Canadian, which is usually written up as a shortfall. We are not sure it was.

Television took much of the middle stretch: Sarah Hamoudi in *Little Mosque on the Prairie* (2007–2012), then parts in *Orphan Black*, *The Umbrella Academy* and *Star Trek: Discovery*. These are not roles a critic dwells on. They kept her working and kept her in view, and then Sarah Polley cast her as Greta and sat Judith Ivey's Agata beside her.

What she does that other actors do not is decline to push. Ivey's Agata has the authority of a woman who has buried people; McCarthy's Greta has none of that weight and gets her way anyway, by patience. She said of the part that "Greta’s magic is like that of a good grade school teacher. She speaks quietly and gently and you lean in", and that is an exact description of what happens on screen. Polley's film is better acted than it is shot, Luc Montpellier's drained colour being a fault we have already set out, and McCarthy and Ivey are a good part of why the acting carries it.

The limitation is in what she has been offered rather than in her. Her two leads that matter came before 1994. Since then she has been the woman to the side of the frame, and *Women Talking* shows how much she can do from there. Somebody should write her another lead. She has been carrying other people's films from the edge for thirty years.

## Biography

Sheila McCarthy is a Canadian actress and singer. Born in Toronto, Ontario, on 1 January 1956, she began performing on stage as a child and has worked extensively in theatre, film and television.

She received a Genie Award for her leading role as Polly Vandersma in the 1987 film *I've Heard the Mermaids Singing*. Other film roles include Samantha Coleman in *Die Hard 2* (1990), Judith in *The Day After Tomorrow* (2004) and Greta in *Women Talking* (2022). On television she has appeared in *Little Mosque on the Prairie* as Sarah Hamoudi and in *The Umbrella Academy* as Agnes.

McCarthy has won two Genie Awards for film, two Gemini Awards for television and two Dora Awards for theatre, along with an ACTRA Award.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (3)

- *Women Talking* (2022), Fi1m 76, as Greta — [page](https://film.one/film/women-talking.md)
- *The Day After Tomorrow* (2004), Fi1m 57, as Judith — [page](https://film.one/film/the-day-after-tomorrow.md)
- *Die Hard 2* (1990), Fi1m 70, as Samantha 'Sam' Coleman — [page](https://film.one/film/die-hard-2.md)

## Complete filmography (112)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *The Voices of Our Mother* (2026), as Harriet
- *The Miniature Wife* (2026), series, Actor
- *Surfacing* (2026), as Dawn
- *The Well* (2026), as Gabriel
- *Love Is the Monster* (2025), as Margaret
- *Dancing on the Elephant* (2025), as Nora
- *All the Lost Ones* (2025), as Dawn
- *Women Talking* (2022), as Greta — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/film/women-talking.md)
- *Christmas in Rockwell* (2022), as Juniper
- *Z-O-M-B-I-E-S 3* (2022), as Hologram Alien Scout
- *The Middle Man* (2021), as Mrs. Stout
- *Stroke of Fate* (2021), as Shirley
- *Like a House on Fire* (2021), as Katherine
- *Happy Place* (2020), as Joyce
- *The Broken Hearts Gallery* (2020), as Cheryl Gulliver
- *Anything for Jackson* (2020), as Audrey Walsh
- *Nurses* (2020), series, as Phillis Bruner
- *The Christmas Club* (2019), as Miss Maggie
- *Christmas 9 to 5* (2019), as Rose Stark
- *An Assortment of Christmas Tales in No Particular Order* (2019), as Ellen
- *Isabelle* (2019), as Ann Pelway
- *The Umbrella Academy* (2019), series, as Agnes
- *The Detail* (2018), series, as Helen Mailer
- *Level 16* (2018), as Mrs. Denison
- *Still/Born* (2018), as Sheila
- *Considering Love and Other Magic* (2017), as Veronica
- *The Good Doctor* (2017), series, as Rose Babcock
- *Star Trek: Discovery* (2017), series, as All-Mother
- *Cardinals* (2017), as Valerie Walker
- *The Definites* (2017), Executive Producer
- *Russet Season* (2017), Director
- *Conviction* (2016), series, as Dr. Jane Soto
- *Milton's Secret* (2016), as Luz
- *Private Eyes* (2016), series, as Shirl Glinski
- *Brace for Impact* (2016), as Faradee Gilchrist
- *Ice Girls* (2016), as Aunt Ginger
- *The Curse of Clara: A Holiday Tale* (2015), as Narrator (voice)
- *Whatever, Linda* (2015), series, as Sheila Hardy
- *A Fighting Man* (2014), as Rose O'Connor
- *Algonquin* (2014), as Rita
- *Dear Viola* (2014), as Peggy
- *Orphan Black* (2013), series, as Connie Hendrix, Connie Hendrix (voice) — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/tv/orphan-black.md)
- *Antiviral* (2012), as Dev Harvey
- *Saving Hope* (2012), series, as Violet Devonshire
- *Rookie Blue* (2010), series, as Leigh Senett
- *Year of the Carnivore* (2009), as Mrs. Smalls
- *Breakfast with Scot* (2007), as Miss Patterson (uncredited)
- *The Stone Angel* (2007), as Doris
- *Little Mosque on the Prairie* (2007), series, as Sarah Hamoudi
- *Cow Belles* (2006), as Fran Walker
- *Bailey's Billion$* (2005), as Peggy Delaney
- *Geraldine's Fortune* (2004), as Tina Larose
- *Being Julia* (2004), as Grace Dexter
- *The Day After Tomorrow* (2004), as Judith — Fi1m 57, [page](https://film.one/film/the-day-after-tomorrow.md)
- *Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen* (2004), as Mrs. Gerard
- *This Is Wonderland* (2004), series, Actor
- *Weird Sex and Snowshoes: A Trek Through the Canadian Cinematic Psyche* (2004), as Polly Vandersma (archive footage)
- *Full-Court Miracle* (2003), as Mrs. Klein
- *Puppets Who Kill* (2002), series, Actor
- *The Rats* (2002), as Miss Paige
- *Lathe of Heaven* (2002), as Penny
- *Duct Tape Forever* (2002), as Easterbrook (uncredited)
- *I Was a Rat* (2001), as Mrs. Tapscrew
- *Rare Birds* (2001), as Claire
- *Haven* (2001), as Eva
- *Haven* (2001), series, as Eva
- *Super Rupert* (2001), series, as Aunt Rhonda
- *Marvin the Tap-Dancing Horse* (2000), series, as Elizabeth the Emotional Pig (voice)
- *Custody of the Heart* (2000), as Alice
- *Virtual Mom* (2000), as Holly · Teleplay, Executive Producer
- *You Know My Name* (1999), as Mrs. Lynn
- *Too Rich: The Secret Life of Doris Duke* (1999), series, as Tammy
- *Dead Husbands* (1998), as Jane Armitage
- *Bad Dog* (1998), series, as (voice)
- *More Tales of the City* (1998), series, as Mildred
- *Emily of New Moon* (1998), series, as Laura Murray
- *Shadow Zone: My Teacher Ate My Homework* (1997), as Jesse's Mom
- *The Care and Handling of Roses* (1996), as Carol Doster
- *House Arrest* (1996), as Gwenna Krupp
- *The Awakening* (1995), as Nancy
- *The Possession of Michael D.* (1995), as Jenny
- *A Woman of Independent Means* (1995), series, as Totsie
- *Menendez: A Killing in Beverly Hills* (1994), as Jill Lansing
- *The Biggest Little Ticket* (1994), as The Troll
- *The Lotus Eaters* (1993), as Diana Kingswood
- *Journey to the Planets* (1993), as Oracle (voice)
- *Beethoven Lives Upstairs* (1992), as Sophie
- *Picket Fences* (1992), series, as Sue Walsh
- *A Private Matter* (1992), as Diane Callaghan
- *Montreal Stories* (1991), as Ann Stuart
- *Stepping Out* (1991), as Andy
- *Paradise* (1991), as Sally Pike
- *The Hidden Room* (1991), series, Actor
- *The Soulmates in the Gift of Light* (1991), as (voice)
- *Back to the Beanstalk* (1990), as Garbanza
- *Bright Angel* (1990), as Nina
- *Pacific Heights* (1990), as Liz Hamilton
- *White Room* (1990), as Zelda
- *Die Hard 2* (1990), as Samantha 'Sam' Coleman — Fi1m 70, [page](https://film.one/film/die-hard-2.md)
- *Beautiful Dreamers* (1990), as Molly Jessop
- *Friends, Lovers, & Lunatics* (1989), as Kathy
- *George's Island* (1989), as Miss Birdwood
- *Much Ado About Nothing* (1988), as Margaret
- *I've Heard the Mermaids Singing* (1987), as Polly Vandersma
- *A Nest of Singing Birds* (1987), as Anna
- *The Marriage Bed* (1986), as Lynn Reailly
- *Really Weird Tales* (1986), as Ellie Hutchins (segment "Cursed With Charisma")
- *9B* (1986), as Heather
- *Four on the Floor* (1986), series, Actor
- *Love & Larceny* (1985), as Mary Bigley
- *The New Alfred Hitchcock Presents* (1985), series, as Debra (Sarah) Hollister
- *The Ray Bradbury Theater* (1985), series, as Francine

## Gallery

- ![Sheila McCarthy](https://film.one/media/person/21795/gallery-1c689db6d2cd.jpg) Sheila McCarthy — https://www.flickr.com/photos/alan-langford/, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7e/Sheila_McCarthy_at_the_2012_Genie_Awards.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Sent wirelessly from my BlackBerry device on the Bell network. Envoyé sans fil par mon terminal mobile BlackBerry sur le réseau de Bell. (2011)](https://film.one/media/person/21795/gallery-29cbb77cfdfc.jpg) Sent wirelessly from my BlackBerry device on the Bell network. Envoyé sans fil par mon terminal mobile BlackBerry sur le réseau de Bell. (2011) — Canadian Film Centre from Toronto, Canada, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3b/Gregory_Smith_%26_Sheila_McCarthy_presenting_the_nominees_%40TheGeminiAwards_%286005519442%29.jpg/500px-Gregory_Smith_%26_Sheila_McCarthy_presenting_the_nominees_%40TheGeminiAwards_%286005519442%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Actresses Sheila McCarthy & Debra McGrath This year, the CFC Annual Gala & Auction took guests on a spectacular journey through film with MUSIC & MO (2014)](https://film.one/media/person/21795/gallery-7ec3d71e9676.jpg) Actresses Sheila McCarthy & Debra McGrath This year, the CFC Annual Gala & Auction took guests on a spectacular journey through film with MUSIC & MO (2014) — Canadian Film Centre, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dd/Sheila_McCarthy_%26_Debra_McGrath_at_Music_%26_Movies_CFC_Gala_%26_Auction_Fundraiser_2014.jpg/1280px-Sheila_McCarthy_%26_Debra_McGrath_at_Music_%26_Movies_CFC_Gala_%26_Auction_Fundraiser_2014.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Sheila McCarthy](https://film.one/media/person/21795/gallery-bbda0c51ca6c.jpg) Sheila McCarthy — Image via TMDB

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/sheila-mccarthy