REBECCA JENKINS
Date of Birth: 1959
Though she was born in Innisfail, Alberta, Rebecca spent a couple of her growing up years in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and one year in New York. She studied theater at the Vancouver Playhouse Acting School and also attended the University of Waterloo in Ontario. Before her acting career got rolling, however, she toured as a backup singer with Parachute Club and Jane Siberry.
A small role in the 1987 music video The Bird in the Gravel, directed by Siberry, was Jenkins' first onscreen acting job, and appearances in Canadian film and television quickly followed. She played Caitlin in Family Reunion and Lucy in Cowboys Don't Cry (both 1988) as well as making a guest appearance on the hit TV series Katts and Dog (known as Rin Tin Tin, K-9 Cop in the States). In 1989 she hit the jackpot with a starring role in Bye Bye Blues (1989), for which she won a Best Actress Genie Award (Canadian equivalent of an Academy Award).
For the most part, Jenkins has been happy to work in Canadian productions, only once venturing south to shoot the U.S. feature film Bob Roberts (1992), starring Tim Robbins. Other Canadian features include South of Wawa (1991); Marion Bridge (2002), for which she received a second Genie nomination; Wilby Wonderful (2004) and Fathers & Sons (2010).
TV appearances include mini-series such as Nuremberg (2000), Guilty Hearts (2002), 10.5 (2004) and regular roles in Destiny Ridge (1993) and Black Harbour (1996 to 1999), for which she received a 1999 Gemini nomination. Guest appearances include TV shows such as Road to Avonlea, Street Legal, The Associates, Nero Wolfe, The Outer Limits, Reunion and Search and Rescue. She also provided the voice for Godiva for the 2005-2006 series Godiva's.
Jenkins lives in Toronto. She is married to author/screenwriter Joel Bakan and has a daughter, Sadie Jenkins-Wade, born in February 1996. She still makes occasional singing appearances.