Actors’ union honours Jayne Eastwood
She started her career in a classic Canadian movie and became a comedy mainstay with roles in shows like SCTV and The King of Kensington. Now Jayne Eastwood is receiving recognition for her fivedecade career with ACTRA Toronto’s Award of Excellence.
“Throughout her stellar career, Jayne has moved effortlessly from comedy to drama, but comedy remains her magnetic north,” ACTRA Toronto president Theresa Tova said in a news release.
The Toronto-born Eastwood had her first screen role in the landmark 1970 drama Goin’ Down the Road. Eastwood reprised the role of Betty in the sequel Down the Road Again in 2011and famously appeared in a parody of the original movie on SCTV.
Eastwood has hundreds of screen roles to her credit, including movies like Chicago, Hairspray-and My Big Fat Greek Wedding, and TV series including Night Heat, This Is Wonderland, Little Mosque on the Prairie and Haven. She won a Gemini Award in 1998 for the TV movie Dangerous Offender: The Marlene Moore Story as well as the Earle Grey Award for lifetime achievement in 1999.
In a news release, Eastwood said, “This is such a beautiful award because it comes from my union, my fellow actors, who I can honestly say I love. I want to thank ACTRA for having worked so hard over many years to create a film and television industry that is a great place for us Canadian actors to work.”
The award will be presented on Feb. 23.