Jackie English is a Canadian television host, actress, dancer, choreographer, director, filmmaker and performer.
Early life English was born in Toronto, Ontario. English later moved to Montreal where she graduated from McGill University in mechanical engineering . After university she worked for a year at Capgemini in Montreal as a consultant before becoming a full time performing artist
Career After leaving the corporate world, English became a host of TVOKids, TVOntario's after school block of children's programs, alongside Milton Barns, Mark Sykes and Nicole Stamp, and later Ryan Fields. English appeared in live interstitial breaks between shows such as Art Attack, Arthur, Dino Dan and The Magic School Bus. During these segments she would perform original characters including Jigsaw Jill and interview noteworthy Canadians including Robert Munsch and Perdita Felician. English also appeared in number of original TVO Kids series BOD TV, as Artbot in Artbot, Nifty Girl in Super Citizens, the mayor in The Reading Rangers, and was the in-house choreographer for music videos. Later English became the on-location host to in-studio hosts Kara Harun and Dalmar Abuzeid, where she reported on kids news including interviewing Chris Bosh, visiting Cirque du Soleil and the ROM. Best known was her 40 episodes of the series Jackie's School of Dance which was nominated for two A.C.T. Awards.
In 2011, English wrote and directed her first film, a one-minute short film called NIMBY which won first prize at the Toronto Urban Film Festival where judge Atom Egoyan called it "extraordinary." She then started a film collective called The Splinter Unit which produced 8 films, including Out directed by Jeremy Lalonde, which premiered at TIFF.
In 2017 English's first feature film Becoming Burlesque, starring Shiva Negar with the support of Telefilm, premiered at Whistler Film Festival. The film was the opening film at the Canadian Film Festival and won Best Film at the Tryon Film Festival in North Carolina before its Canadian and American Theatrical release, followed by digital distribution in North America. English was declared a Canadian Director To Watch by Broadway World.
As an actress, English has appeared in TV series CBC's Frankie Drake Mysteries, new Netflix Series Dare Me, Rookie Blue, Beauty and the Beast, The Handmaid's Tale, The Accused and feature film You Gotta Believe.
As a choreographer, English created 60 episodes of TFO series Minivers, dances for Second City MainStage, I, Martin Short, Goes Home.
Filmography
FilmYearFilmRoleNotes2011Christmas MagicNurseHallmark2011NIMBYWriter/DirectorWinner of TUFF2012AnitviralWaitressDirected by Brandon Cronenberg2015Duty CallsDirector / ProducerFunded by BravoFact!2017Becoming BurlesqueWriter / DirectorProduced by Telefilm2019BuffaloedDrunk WomanDirected by Tanya Wexler2020FlashbackVioletDirected by Christopher MacBride2024You Gotta BelieveDitsy AttendantDirected by Ty Roberts2023Out of My MindMaria's MomProduced by Disney
TelevisionSeriesRoleNotesDare MeDeena DiazProduced by NetflixGrand ArmyShopkeeperProduced by NetflixFrankie Drake MysteriesVera JeanProduced by Shaftesbury CrackedPassengerProduced by CBCBeauty and the BeastJanieAired on CBSRookie BlueBrooke SloaneAired on Global, ABCTVO KidsSelfProduced by TVOThe Reading RangersThe Mayor of DocvilleProduced by TVOSuper CitizensNifty GirlProduced by TVOBodTVVariousProduced by TVOTumbletown TalesVariousProduced by TVOArtbotArbotProduced by TVOJackie's School of DanceSelf / ChoreographerProduced by TVOMartin Short Goes HomeChoreographerProduced by Second CityMiniversChoreographerProduced by TFO
Awards, festivals and nominations YearNominated workRoleAssociationCategoryResult2008Tumbletown Tales (TVO)Voice actorGemini AwardsBest Children's or Youth Fiction Program or SeriesNominated2009Jackie's School of Dance (TVO)ChoreographerAlliance of Children's Television AwardsBest Children's TV SeriesNominated2011NIMBYDirectorToronto Urban Film Festival (TUFF)Best FilmWinner2014Out (written by Jeremy Lalonde)ProducerDirectors Guild of CanadaBest Short FilmNominated2016Duty Calls (written by Sean Cullen)Director/producerCanadian Film Festival Best Actress in a ShortWinnerBravoFACT! $30,000 grantWinner2017Becoming BurlesqueDirector/writerTryon International Film FestivalBest FilmWinnerAudience Choice AwardWinnerStar Ranch Texas Nudist Film FestivalAudience Choice Award WinnerCanadian Film FestivalOfficial Selection Opening Film2019Diamonds in the RoughDirectorToronto International Short FestivalOfficial Selection
References