Chelah Horsdal
Acting • Born 1973-06-19
Biography
Chelah Horsdal is a Canadian actress. She is known for her regular roles in the television series Hell on Wheels, When Calls the Heart, and The Man in the High Castle, recurring roles on Stargate SG-1, Level Up, Arrow, and Star Trek: Discovery, and for her roles in the films Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem and Rise of the Planet of the Apes. Horsdal was born in Vancouver, British Columbia. She says she "was born to hippie parents while surrounded by friends and family on the 'farm' Headacres." She is the daughter of mother Lindsay and folksinger father Valdy. She grew up with her mother in Kitsilano and attended Bayview Elementary followed by Lord Byng Secondary. She began modelling in locally shot TV shows and commercials at 18, and then lived in the Caribbean for a year. Horsdal began her acting career in 2002. She has since appeared in more than 75 commercials as well as in films and on television. She has played lead and supporting roles on Hell on Wheels, The Man In the High Castle, When Calls the Heart, Candiland, Patterson's Wager, Three Weeks, Three Kids, On Strike For Christmas, Marley & Me: The Puppy Years, and Lifetime's The Client List. She had lead roles in Lying To Be Perfect and Mrs. Miracle. Additional credits include leads on the feature Burning Mussolini, Nickelodeon's Gym Teacher: The Movie, co-starring Christopher Meloni and Amy Sedaris, Flirting with Forty with Heather Locklear and the FOX TV pilot The Virgin of Akron, Ohio. Supporting leads include Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem for 20th Century Fox and Possession alongside Sarah Michelle Gellar, as well as Elegy with Ben Kingsley and Penélope Cruz and Rise of the Planet of the Apes with John Lithgow and James Franco. Her performances in the short films Dark Room (2006) and The Hostage (2010) both earned Leo nominations for Best Performance. Recurring roles include Battlestar Galactica, Exes & Ohs, The L Word, Stargate: SG1, Saved, DaVinci's Inquest, Whistler, Blackstone, Clue and Cartoon Network's Level Up. The Hostage, for which Horsdal was nominated for Best Actress at the 2011 Leos, co-starred and was produced by Tahmoh Penikett and Aleks Paunovic. Horsdal was nominated for four more Leo Awards for her guest starring turn on Arctic Air (2013), for Hell on Wheels and When Calls the Heart, and for Patterson's Wager.
Filmography
98 credits
The Cabin in the Woods
Movie • 2012
Demo Girl
Elegy
Movie • 2008
Susan Reese
Possession
Movie • 2009
Miranda
Gym Teacher: The Movie
Movie • 2008
Winnie
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Movie • 2011
Irena - Charles' Nurse
Altitude
Movie • 2010
Mrs. Taylor
Burning Mussolini
Movie • 2009
Cheryll Witherspoon
The Tortured
Movie • 2010
Liane Strader
Pursued
Movie • 2004
Sharon
Prom Pact
Movie • 2023
Mrs. Lansing
Last Stand to Nowhere
Movie • 2019
Wylona Earp
Three Weeks, Three Kids
Movie • 2011
Mandy Norton
Kill for Me
Movie • 2013
Maria Klein
Midnight Stallion
Movie • 2013
Rita Shephard
Hunting Season
Movie • 2013
Nancy
Flirting with Forty
Movie • 2008
Anne
Passengers
Movie • 2008
Janice
Aliens vs Predator: Requiem
Movie • 2007
Darcy
Hollow Man II
Movie • 2006
Blind Secretary
If I Stay
Movie • 2014
Liddy
Past Lies
Movie • 2008
Danielle
Perfect Child
Movie • 2007
Jen
Lying to Be Perfect
Movie • 2010
Nancy
Sole Custody
Movie • 2014
Ann
Dreams in the Witch House
Movie • 2005
Frances Elwood
Helen
Movie • 2009
Kara
Mrs. Miracle
Movie • 2009
Kate Preston
Come Dance at My Wedding
Movie • 2009
Nancy Reed
The Client List
Movie • 2010
Doreen
Paycheck
Movie • 2003
Young Mother
Pretty Little Addict
Movie • 2016
Donna Phillips
Clue: A Movie Mystery Adventure
Movie • 2014
Headmistress Kroger
Patterson's Wager
Movie • 2015
Audrey
Candiland
Movie • 2016
Tess/The Queen
Gord's Brother
Movie • 2015
Amanda
Fallen
Movie • 2006
Lori Corbett
Alien Trespass
Movie • 2009
Betsy's Mother
The Grim Sleeper
Movie • 2014
Livi Vazquez
The Show
Movie • 2017
Elliot's Mom
A Decent Proposal
Movie • 2007
Cynthia Lewis
Crossroads - A Story of Forgiveness
Movie • 2007
Cindy
Boundaries
Movie • 2018
Therapist
X-Men: The Last Stand
Movie • 2006
Minivan Mother
Marley & Me: The Puppy Years
Movie • 2011
Carol Grogan
Noelle
Movie • 2019
Shelley Sussman
Ash
Movie • 2019
Gail Hurst
Spontaneous
Movie • 2020
Denise
It's Christmas, Carol!
Movie • 2012
Tanya
Even Lambs Have Teeth
Movie • 2015
Abby
The Exorcism of Emily Rose
Movie • 2005
Asst. DA #3
The Pink Panther
Movie • 2006
Security Guard
Vice
Movie • 2008
Woman in Elevator
Ashes Fall
Movie • 2007
Joanna
Betwixt
Movie • 2010
Vanessa
When Calls the Heart: The Dance
Movie • 2014
Cat Montgomery
When Calls the Heart: A Telling Silence
Movie • 2014
Cat Montgomery
The Ambassador
Movie
Mrs. Spencer
The Evidence
TV • 2006
The Dead Zone
TV • 2002
Janet Miller
Reunion
TV • 2005
Battlestar Galactica
TV • 2004
Didi Cassidy
Whistler
TV • 2006
Masters of Horror
TV • 2005
Frances Elwood
Andromeda
TV • 2000
Misabo Ahm
Robson Arms
TV • 2005
Criminal Minds
TV • 2005
Heather Woodland
Smallville
TV • 2001
Dr. McCann
Hallmark Hall of Fame
TV • 1951
Cindy
The 100
TV • 2014
Simone Lightbourne
Exes & Ohs
TV • 2007
Lauren Brooks
The Guard
TV • 2008
Level Up
TV • 2012
Barbara
The 4400
TV • 2004
Jeanine
Firefly Lane
TV • 2021
Margie
Hell on Wheels
TV • 2011
Margaret Palmer
Psych
TV • 2006
Beth
Life Unexpected
TV • 2010
Prosecutor
Tru Calling
TV • 2003
Admissions Officer
Motive
TV • 2013
Deana Mitchell
Arrow
TV • 2012
Kate Spencer
Stargate SG-1
TV • 1997
Lt. Catherine Womack
Eureka
TV • 2006
Mary-Beth Curtis
Star Trek: Discovery
TV • 2017
UFP President Laira Rillak
UnREAL
TV • 2015
Louise
Supernatural
TV • 2005
Cute Librarian
Stargate SG-1
TV • 1997
Lt. Womack
Supernatural
TV • 2005
Bobby's Mother
Stargate Atlantis
TV • 2004
Erran
Fairly Legal
TV • 2011
Brooke Keller
The Returned
TV • 2015
Kris
R. L. Stine's The Haunting Hour
TV • 2010
Chris' Mom
The Good Doctor
TV • 2017
Tessa
The Man in the High Castle
TV • 2015
Helen Smith
Emily Owens, M.D.
TV • 2012
Marian Kramden
When Calls the Heart
TV • 2014
Cat Montgomery
Men in Trees
TV • 2006
Pretty Redhead
The Hat Squad
TV • 1992
Young Woman
Bionic Woman
TV • 2007
Suicidal Woman