Sheila McCarthy
Acting • Born 1956-01-01
Biography
Sheila McCarthy (born January 1, 1956) is a Canadian stage, film and television actress, singer and dancer, best known for playing Polly Vandersma in the feature film I've Heard the Mermaids Singing, as well as supporting character Sarah Hamoudi (Cunningham) in the television series Little Mosque on the Prairie. She's a graduate in Theatre and Art History from the University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. In her career, she's won 2 Genie Awards (film), 2 Gemini Awards (television), and 2 Dora Awards (theater), along with multiple nominations.
Filmography
106 credits
Die Hard 2
Movie • 1990
Samantha 'Sam' Coleman
Pacific Heights
Movie • 1990
Liz Hamilton
I Was a Rat
Movie • 2001
Mrs. Tapscrew
Cow Belles
Movie • 2006
Fran Walker
The Rats
Movie • 2002
Miss Paige
Stepping Out
Movie • 1991
Andy
Stroke of Fate
Movie • 2021
Shirley
Lathe of Heaven
Movie • 2002
Penny
Paradise
Movie • 1991
Sally Pike
Geraldine's Fortune
Movie • 2004
Tina Larose
George's Island
Movie • 1989
Miss Birdwood
Antiviral
Movie • 2012
Dev Harvey
A Private Matter
Movie • 1992
Diane Callaghan
Shadow Zone: My Teacher Ate My Homework
Movie • 1997
Jesse's Mom
Haven
Movie • 2001
Eva
The Biggest Little Ticket
Movie • 1994
The Troll
I've Heard the Mermaids Singing
Movie • 1987
Polly Vandersma
Love Is the Monster
Movie • 2025
Custody of the Heart
Movie • 2000
Alice
Friends, Lovers, & Lunatics
Movie • 1989
Kathy
White Room
Movie • 1990
Zelda
The Awakening
Movie • 1995
Nancy
The Lotus Eaters
Movie • 1993
Diana Kingswood
The Soulmates in the Gift of Light
Movie • 1991
(voice)
Algonquin
Movie • 2014
Rita
The Well
Movie • 2026
Gabriel
The Middle Man
Movie • 2021
Mrs. Stout
Christmas in Rockwell
Movie • 2022
Juniper
An Assortment of Christmas Tales in No Particular Order
Movie • 2019
Ellen
The Voices of Our Mother
Movie
Harriet
You Know My Name
Movie • 1999
Mrs. Lynn
Dancing on the Elephant
Movie • 2025
Nora
The Possession of Michael D.
Movie • 1995
Jenny
The Marriage Bed
Movie • 1986
Lynn Reailly
Surfacing
Movie
Dawn
A Fighting Man
Movie • 2014
Rose O'Connor
Brace for Impact
Movie • 2016
Faradee Gilchrist
Being Julia
Movie • 2004
Grace Dexter
All the Lost Ones
Movie • 2025
Dawn
Z-O-M-B-I-E-S 3
Movie • 2022
Hologram Alien Scout
Still/Born
Movie • 2018
Sheila
Journey to the Planets
Movie • 1993
Oracle (voice)
Cardinals
Movie • 2017
Valerie Walker
Dear Viola
Movie • 2014
Peggy
Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen
Movie • 2004
Mrs. Gerard
Beautiful Dreamers
Movie • 1990
Molly Jessop
Really Weird Tales
Movie • 1986
Ellie Hutchins (segment "Cursed With Charisma")
Weird Sex and Snowshoes: A Trek Through the Canadian Cinematic Psyche
Movie • 2004
Polly Vandersma (archive footage)
Isabelle
Movie • 2019
Ann Pelway
9B
Movie • 1986
Heather
Liza Minnelli - Live from Radio City Music Hall
Movie • 1992
Self
Bright Angel
Movie • 1990
Nina
Beethoven Lives Upstairs
Movie • 1992
Sophie
Menendez: A Killing in Beverly Hills
Movie • 1994
Jill Lansing
House Arrest
Movie • 1996
Gwenna Krupp
Rare Birds
Movie • 2001
Claire
Duct Tape Forever
Movie • 2002
Easterbrook (uncredited)
Full-Court Miracle
Movie • 2003
Mrs. Klein
The Day After Tomorrow
Movie • 2004
Judith
Bailey's Billion$
Movie • 2005
Peggy Delaney
Breakfast with Scot
Movie • 2007
Miss Patterson (uncredited)
The Stone Angel
Movie • 2007
Doris
Year of the Carnivore
Movie • 2009
Mrs. Smalls
Ice Girls
Movie • 2016
Aunt Ginger
Milton's Secret
Movie • 2016
Luz
Considering Love and Other Magic
Movie • 2017
Veronica
The Christmas Club
Movie • 2019
Miss Maggie
Dead Husbands
Movie • 1998
Jane Armitage
Christmas 9 to 5
Movie • 2019
Rose Stark
Level 16
Movie • 2018
Mrs. Denison
Anything for Jackson
Movie • 2020
Audrey Walsh
Happy Place
Movie • 2020
Joyce
The Broken Hearts Gallery
Movie • 2020
Cheryl Gulliver
Montreal Stories
Movie • 1991
Ann Stuart
Virtual Mom
Movie • 2000
Holly
Like a House on Fire
Movie • 2021
Katherine
Women Talking
Movie • 2022
Greta
The Care and Handling of Roses
Movie • 1996
Carol Doster
Much Ado About Nothing
Movie • 1988
Margaret
Back to the Beanstalk
Movie • 1990
Garbanza
Love & Larceny
Movie • 1985
Mary Bigley
The Good Doctor
TV • 2017
Rose Babcock
The New Alfred Hitchcock Presents
TV • 1985
Debra (Sarah) Hollister
Little Mosque on the Prairie
TV • 2007
Sarah Hamoudi
Puppets Who Kill
TV • 2002
The Ray Bradbury Theater
TV • 1985
Francine
The Umbrella Academy
TV • 2019
Agnes
Emily of New Moon
TV • 1998
Laura Murray
Whatever, Linda
TV • 2015
Sheila Hardy
Nurses
TV • 2020
Phillis Bruner
Orphan Black
TV • 2013
Connie Hendrix
Orphan Black
TV • 2013
Connie Hendrix (voice)
Too Rich: The Secret Life of Doris Duke
TV • 1999
Tammy
The Detail
TV • 2018
Helen Mailer
Bad Dog
TV • 1998
(voice)
Four on the Floor
TV • 1986
Star Trek: Discovery
TV • 2017
All-Mother
Saving Hope
TV • 2012
Violet Devonshire
A Woman of Independent Means
TV • 1995
Totsie
Private Eyes
TV • 2016
Shirl Glinski
More Tales of the City
TV • 1998
Mildred
Conviction
TV • 2016
Dr. Jane Soto
Rookie Blue
TV • 2010
Leigh Senett
This Is Wonderland
TV • 2004
Marvin the Tap-Dancing Horse
TV • 2000
Elizabeth the Emotional Pig (voice)
Picket Fences
TV • 1992
Sue Walsh