Kathryn Emily Douglas (born October 19, 1998) is a Canadian actress. Her roles in horror and thriller projects with Shudder have gained her recognition as a modern day scream queen.
Douglas's career started in 2013 with roles in the television series Spooksville (2013–2014) and the film Compulsion (2013). Subsequent television roles included Defiance (2013–2015), Raising Expectations (2016–2018), Mary Kills People (2017–2019), and Pretty Hard Cases (2021–2023). After her first leading film role in the thriller Level 16 (2018), Douglas's breakthrough came with roles in the true crime television films Believe Me: The Abduction of Lisa McVey (2018) and The Girl Who Escaped: The Kara Robinson Story (2023); the latter won her the Canadian Screen Award.
Douglas gained wider recognition for her starring role as Abby in the Netflix comedy drama series Ginny & Georgia (2021–present). She has since acted in The Walk (2022), Lazareth (2024), and Clown in a Cornfield (2025).
Early life and career Douglas was born into a family with three siblings on October 19, 1998, in Burlington, Ontario, in Canada. Douglas started acting at the age of six at the Great Big Theatre Company in Burlington, Ontario. She starred in a number of productions, including a Christmas play involving penguins, and as Tinkerbell, at the summer camp of the Burlington Dance Academy. Douglas attended Nelson High School in Burlington. Throughout her early acting career, Douglas completed her education through the use of a travelling tutor.
Career Douglas began her screen acting career at the age of six in F2: Forensic Factor. Douglas later played Sally Wilcox on Discovery Family’s fantasy action TV show Spooksville in 2013, but it only lasted one season. Douglas starred as Young Irisa on the science fiction action TV series Defiance: The Lost Ones which premiered on SyFy in March 2014. At the age of 15, Douglas was nominated for Outstanding Performer in a Children’s Series at the 41st Daytime Creative Arts Emmy Awards held in Los Angeles in 2014, for her role as Sally Wilcox in Spooksville.
Douglas starred as Naomi Malik from 2017 to 2019 in the Global Network Canadian comedy and drama TV series Mary Kills People, working alongside Caroline Dhavernas. Douglas played a lead role as Vivien in Danishka Esterhazy's 2018 thriller film Level 16. For her work on Level 16, she won a Bloodie Award for Best Actress.
In 2019, Douglas was the protagonist in the drama film Believe Me: The Abduction of Lisa McVey, which recounts the true story of Lisa McVey. McVey was 17 years old and suicidal in 1984 when she was abducted, and raped multiple times over 26 hours, by serial killer Bobby Joe Long, before talking her way to freedom. Douglas received an ACTRA Award nomination for her performance, eventually losing out to Amybeth McNulty.
In 2021, she starred as Abby, a friend of Ginny and part of the MANG group (Max, Abby, Norah and Ginny), in the Netflix comedy series Ginny and Georgia, alongside Brianne Howey, Antonia Gentry, Sara Waisglass, and Chelsea Clark. After the Season 2 release, Ginny & Georgia was the most-watched title from January to June 2023 on Netflix, with a combined 967.2M hours viewed between Seasons 1 and 2. In May 2023, the series was renewed for a third and fourth season, the former of which was released on June 5, 2025.
Douglas starred in a main role as 18-year-old Jackie Sullivan, in the first two seasons of the CBC Television female police comedy-drama television series Pretty Hard Cases from 2021 to 2022.
In 2022, Douglas stars as Kate Coughlin, in the Daniel Adams-directed police protection film The Walk, among a cast which includes Justin Chatwin, Terrence Howard and Malcolm McDowell.
In 2023, she was the titular role in the film The Girl Who Escaped: The Kara Robinson Story, which portrays the true story of how a 15 year-old girl survived the trauma of abduction, incarceration and sexual assault for over 18 hours until an opportunity to escape arose.
In 2024, Douglas starred in the thriller film by Alec Tibaldi titled Lazareth opposite Ashley Judd and Sarah Pidgeon, which was released on May 10, 2024. Her performance in the 2025 film adaptation of the 2020 horror novel Clown in a Cornfield was met with positive reviews, with a writer from Slashershack writing that she possesses "scream queen potential".
Filmography Film YearTitleRoleNotes 2013 Compulsion Young Saffron2018 Level 16 Vivien Every Day Megan / A 2022 The Walk Kate Coughlin2024 Lazareth Imogen This Too Shall PassMaxwell Jenkins, Katie Douglas, & Jeremy Ray Taylor Star in Comedy Movie This Too Shall Pass Trailer | Exclusive Misty 2025 Clown in a Cornfield Quinn Maybrook
Television film YearTitleRole 2011 Stay with Me Lucy 2012 Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town Rose Leacock 2013 Defiance: The Lost Ones Young Irisa 2018 Believe Me: The Abduction of Lisa McVey Lisa McVey 2019 Thicker Than Water Addie Decker 2023 The Girl Who Escaped: The Kara Robinson Story Kara Robinson
Television series YearTitleRoleNotes 2007 F2: Forensic Factor Brenda Episode: "Dead Man's Hollow" 2009 Flashpoint Jennifer Sabiston Episode: "The Fortress" 2012 Less Than Kind Brenda 3 episodes 2012 Alphas Teenage Nina Episode: "When Push Comes to Shove" 2013–2014 Spooksville Sally Wilcox Main role, 22 episodes 2014 Saving Hope Tatum Episode: "The Heartbreak Kid" 2013–2015Defiance Young Irisa / Irzu / Little Girl Recurring role, 10 episodes 2015–2016 Max & Shred Melanie 2 episodes 2016 Eyewitness Bella Milonkovic 4 episodes 2016-2018 Raising Expectations Connor Wayney Main role, 26 episodes 2018 Creeped Out Indigo Episodes: "Side Show, Parts 1 & 2" 2018 Burden of Truth Amanda Parson 2 episodes: "Witch Hunt", "Devil in the Desert" 2017–2019 Mary Kills People Naomi Malik Main role, 18 episode 2020 Nurses Sasha Episode: "Lifeboat" 2021–2023 Pretty Hard Cases Jackie Sullivan Main role, 15 episodes 2021–present Ginny & Georgia Abby Littman Main role, 30 episodes 2024 Ghosting with Luke Hutchie and Matthew Finlan Herself 2026 Sterling Point Clem Episode: "I'm Not a Shots Girl Either"
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Nominated work Result Ref.2014 41st Daytime Creative Arts Emmy Awards Outstanding Performer in a Children’s SeriesSpooksville 35th Young Artist Awards Best Performance – TV Series – Leading Young Actress 2018 Blood in the Snow Awards Best ActressLevel 16 2019 17th Annual ACTRA Awards, Toronto Outstanding Performance – FemaleBelieve Me: The Abduction of Lisa McVey 2020 Canadian Screen Awards, Toronto Best Lead Performance, TV Movie 2021 Hollywood Blood Horror Festival Best Young ActressDouble Edged Independent Horror Movie Awards Best Actress 2022 IndieFEST Film Awards Humanitarian Award of Excellence Actress: Leading The Walk Rome International Movie Awards Best Young Actress Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival Best Supporting Actress Moscow Indie Film Festival Best Actress in Supporting Role 2024 12th Canadian Screen Awards Best Lead Performer, TV Movie The Girl Who Escaped: The Kara Robinson Story Etan Vlessing, "Canadian Screen Awards Gets New Date, Venue Change" . The Hollywood Reporter, February 8, 2024.
References
External links
Katie Douglas at the 41st Daytime Creative Arts Emmy Awards in 2014 Double-Edged film trailer 2020