7.8
Movie
Acting
Sarah Polley
- Born
- (age 47)
- Birthplace
- Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Credits
- 79 titles
Biography
Sarah Ellen Polley OC (born January 8, 1979) is a Canadian filmmaker, political activist and retired actress. She first garnered attention as a child actress for her role as Ramona Quimby in the television series Ramona, based on Beverly Cleary's books. This subsequently led to her role as Sara Stanley in the Canadian television series Road to Avonlea (1990–1996). She has starred in many feature films, including The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988), Exotica (1994), The Sweet Hereafter (1997), Guinevere (1999), Go (1999), The Weight of Water (2000), No Such Thing (2001), My Life Without Me (2003), Dawn of the Dead (2004), Splice (2009), and Mr. Nobody (2009).
Polley made her feature film directorial debut with Away from Her (2006), for which she won the Canadian Screen Award for Best Director and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. Polley's second film, Take This Waltz (2011), premiered at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival, followed by her first documentary film, Stories We Tell (2012). She also wrote the miniseries Alias Grace, based on the 1996 novel of the same name by Margaret Atwood. In 2022, Polley wrote and directed the film Women Talking, based on the 2018 novel of the same name by Miriam Toews, for which she won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.
Description above from the Wikipedia article Sarah Polley, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Signature work
Known For
7.8
Movie
7.1
Movie
Dawn of the Dead
5.9
Movie
Splice
6.8
Movie
eXistenZ
7.0
Movie
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen
7.0
Movie
Go
6.8
Movie
Women Talking
6.1
Movie
My Life Without Me
6.9
Movie
The Sweet Hereafter
7.8
TV
The Studio
6.4
Movie
Take This Waltz
6.6
Movie
Exotica
7.2
TV
Alias Grace
7.7
TV
John Adams
5.9
Movie
The I Inside
5.6
Movie
Beowulf & Grendel
7.0
Movie
Away from Her
7.0
Movie
The Secret Life of Words
Acting credits 65
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | The Studio TV | Sarah Polley (1 ep) |
| 2021 | Directors on Directors TV | Self (1 ep) |
| 2019 | Margaret Atwood: A Word After a Word After a Word Is Power Film | Self - Filmmaker |
| 2015 | The Late Show with Stephen Colbert TV | Self (1 ep) |
| 2014 | Reel Herstory: The Real Story of Reel Women Film | Self |
| 2012 | Stories We Tell Film | Self (uncredited) |
| 2010 | Trigger Film | Hillary |
| 2010 | Splice Film | Elsa Kast |
| 2009 | Mr. Nobody Film | Adult Elise |
| 2008 | The Madness and Misadventures of Munchausen Film | Self - 'Sally Salt' |
| 2008 | John Adams TV | Abigail Adams Smith (7 ep) |
| 2007 | Wrath of Gods Film | Self |
| 2005 | The Secret Life of Words Film | Hanna |
| 2005 | Beowulf & Grendel Film | Selma |
| 2005 | Don't Come Knocking Film | Sky |
| 2004 | Siblings Film | Tabby |
| 2004 | Sugar Film | Pregnant Girl |
| 2004 | Luck Film | Margaret |
| 2004 | The I Inside Film | Clair |
| 2004 | Dawn of the Dead Film | Ana |
| 2003 | Slings & Arrows TV | Sophie (6 ep) |
| 2003 | My Life Without Me Film | Ann |
| 2003 | Dermott's Quest Film | Gwen |
| 2003 | The Event Film | Dana Shapiro |
| 2002 | No Such Thing Film | Beatrice |
| 2001 | The Weight of Water Film | Maren Hontvedt |
| 2000 | The Claim Film | Hope Burn |
| 2000 | Preludes Film | |
| 2000 | The Law of Enclosures Film | Beatty 'Beatrice' |
| 2000 | This Might Be Good Film | |
| 2000 | Love Come Down Film | Sister Sarah |
| 1999 | The Life Before This Film | Connie |
| 1999 | Guinevere Film | Harper Sloane |
| 1999 | Teen Choice Awards TV | Self (1 ep) |
| 1999 | eXistenZ Film | Merle |
| 1999 | Go Film | Ronna Martin |
| 1998 | Jerry and Tom Film | Deb |
| 1998 | Last Night Film | Jennifer Wheeler |
| 1998 | White Lies Film | Catherine |
| 1997 | The Sweet Hereafter Film | Nicole Burnell |
| 1997 | The Planet of Junior Brown Film | Butter |
| 1997 | The Hanging Garden Film | Teen Rosemary |
| 1997 | Joe's So Mean to Josephine Film | Josephine |
| 1996 | Children First! Film | Host |
| 1994 | Exotica Film | Tracey |
| 1992 | Johann's Gift to Christmas Film | The Angel |
| 1991 | The Hidden Room TV | Alice (1 ep) |
| 1990 | Road to Avonlea TV | Sara Stanley (91 ep) |
| 1990 | Road to Avonlea: The Movie Film | |
| 1989 | Lantern Hill Film | Jody Turner |
| 1989 | Babar: The Movie Film | Young Celeste |
| 1988 | The Adventures of Baron Munchausen Film | Sally Salt |
| 1988 | Ramona TV | Ramona (10 ep) |
| 1987 | Friday the 13th: The Series TV | Mary (1 ep) |
| 1987 | Blue Monkey Film | Ellen |
| 1987 | The Big Town Film | Christy Donaldson |
| 1987 | Hands of a Stranger Film | Suzie Hearn |
| 1987 | Pretty Kill Film | Karla |
| 1987 | Heaven On Earth Film | Becky Hawthorne |
| 1986 | The Incredible Time-Travels of Henry Osgood Film |
Crew credits 15
| Year | Title | Job |
|---|---|---|
| TBA | The Best Kind of People Film | Screenplay, Director, Producer |
| TBA | The Bell Jar Film | Director, Screenplay |
| 2026 | & Sons Film | Screenplay |
| 2025 | Seven Veils Film | Thanks |
| 2024 | Beethoven's Nine: Ode to Humanity Film | Executive Producer |
| 2022 | Women Talking Film | Screenplay, Director |
| 2020 | Hey Lady! TV | Director, Executive Producer (8 ep) |
| 2017 | Alias Grace TV | Producer, Executive Producer, Teleplay, Writer, Creator (6 ep) |
| 2016 | The Secret Path Film | Executive Producer |
| 2012 | Stories We Tell Film | Director, Writer |
| 2011 | Take This Waltz Film | Producer, Director, Writer |
| 2007 | Away from Her Film | Director, Writer |
| 2002 | I Shout Love Film | Director, Writer |
| 1999 | Don't Think Twice Film | Director, Producer, Writer |
| 1999 | The Best Day of My Life Film | Screenplay, Director |