Kari Matchett is a Canadian actress. She is known for her roles as Colleen Blessed on Power Play, Joan Campbell on Covert Affairs, Kate Filmore in the science fiction movie Cube 2: Hypercube, and U.S. president Michelle Travers on The Night Agent. She has also appeared in films such as Apartment Hunting (2000), Angel Eyes (2001), Men with Brooms (2002), Cypher (2002), Civic Duty (2006), The Tree of Life (2011), and Maudie (2016).
Early life and education Matchett was born in Spalding, Saskatchewan."The Saskatchewan connection" by Cam Fuller, Regina Leader-Post (7 April, 2007) [Final Edition] Retrieved from She attended high school at Lethbridge Collegiate Institute in Lethbridge, Alberta. She attended Red Deer Polytechnic (then Red Deer College) in the Theatre program and received her first professional experience in RDP's Summer Stock productions. She attended the National Theatre School in Montreal and the Moscow Theatre School."Power Players: hockey & hookey" by Colin McConnell, Toronto Star (3 Jan, 1999) Retrieved from
Matchett performed on stage for three years at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Ontario.
Career In Canada, her first major role was on The Rez, and her first starring role was as Colleen Blessed in Power Play (1998–2000). Matchett was a cast member on the A&E Network TV series A Nero Wolfe Mystery (2001–2002), with Timothy Hutton in which she played several characters, including a recurring role as Lily Rowan. On Wonderfalls, she played Beth, the bisexual love interest of the main character's lesbian sister.
In 2001, she played Candace in the drama film Angel Eyes."Mix & Matchett: Versatile actress loves trying new roles" by Valerie Fortney, Calgary Herald (13 March, 2003) [Final Edition] Retrieved from In 2002, she played Kate Filmore in the science fiction horror thriller Cube 2: Hypercube.
In 2003, she starred with Timothy Hutton in the Syfy miniseries Five Days to Midnight. Her next role was as Detective Elaine Bender in Blue Murder in 2004."Blue Murder’s Lucas happy to be competitive" by James Careless at playbackonline.ca She previously guest starred on Blue Murder in 2001 as a suspect in a murder investigation, for which she won a Gemini Award."Aliens made her a star: Canada's Kari Matchett hits Hollywood's A-list with Invasion" by Bill Rankin, Edmonton Journal (4 Jan, 2006) [Final Edition] Retrieved from
In 2005, Matchett starred in the ABC series Invasion, about aliens taking the form of humans. She also appeared in Plague City: SARS in Toronto. She also appeared as Mary Tate on Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. She appeared in both Shark and Wild Card. She played a single mother stalked by her boyfriend in Intimate Stranger, in 2006."Onda gets Intimate in Moose Jaw" by Distin Dinoff at playbackonline.ca In the same year she starred with Peter Krause in Civic Duty.
In 2007, Matchett joined the cast of 24, as Lisa Miller. In June 2007, she played Kate Armstrong in the TNT series Heartland.Heartland review by Brian Lowry at variety.com In 2007 and 2008, she was cast as ER chief Skye Wexler on ER. In 2008 and 2009, she played Dennis Hopper's character's daughter, Jules, in the critically acclaimed Starz series Crash. She had a recurring role in the TNT series Leverage, reuniting with Nero Wolfe co-star Timothy Hutton, portraying Maggie Collins, the ex-wife of Hutton's character, Nathan "Nate" Ford. Matchett starred as Joan Campbell in the USA Network series Covert Affairs (2010–2014)."Kari Matchett finally has a role in a U.S. series that's renewed for a second season" by Mike Bell, Montreal Gazette (8 Jan, 2011) Retrieved from
In 2016, Matchett appeared as Sandra in Maudie with Ethan Hawke."Film Review: 'Maudie'" by Peter Debruge at variety.com She also played a supporting role in Terrence Malick's The Tree of Life, with Sean Penn and Brad Pitt. Shot in 2008, the film premiered in competition at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2011 and received the Palme d'Or.
In 2023, Matchett was cast in a recurring role as U.S. president Michelle Travers in the Netflix drama television series The Night Agent."Kari Matchett Joins Netflix's 'The Night Agent'..." by Denise Petski at deadline.com
Filmography Film
Year Film Role Notes 1998 Papertrail Alison Enola 2000 Apartment Hunting Sarah 2001 Angel Eyes Candace 2002 Men with Brooms Linda Bucyk "CBC okays Men with Brooms" by Etan Vlessing at playbackonline.ca Cube 2: Hypercube Kate Filmore 19 Months Page Cypher Diane 2006 Civic Duty Marla Allen Goose on the Loose Donna Archer 2011 The Tree of Life Jack's ex 2015 Lead With Your Heart Maura McCabe Walker 2016 Maudie Sandra 2018 Into Invisible Light Lydia 2019 Code 8 Mary Reed "Code 8 rolls in Toronto" by Regan Reid at playbackonline.ca 2020 2 Hearts Grace 2023 Hailey Rose Olga 2024 Code 8: Part II Connor's mom "BANFF ’21: Netflix acquires global rights to Code 8 sequel" by Amber Dowling at playbackonline.ca
Television Year Title Role Notes 1996 The Rez Tanya Nanibush Beakhert Main role Forever Knight Alyss de Brabant Episode: "Dead of Knight" Undue Influence Marcie Reed Television film 1996–1997 Ready or Not Sheila Ramone Recurring role (seasons 4–5) 1997 Psi Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal Mary O'Brien Episode: "The Curse / Angel on a Plane" What Happened to Bobby Earl? Nicki Corlis Television film; also known as Murder in a College Town Breach of Faith: A Family of Cops 2 Marina Television film Viper Beatrice Episode: "Triple Cross" 1998 Once a Thief Claire Holland Episode: "Wedding Bell Blues" Poltergeist: The Legacy Caroline Crane Episode: "The Human Vessel" A Marriage of Convenience Elizabeth Television film Earth: Final Conflict Siobhan Beckett Recurring role (seasons 1–2) Rho'ha 2 episodes 1998–2000 Power Play Colleen Blessed Main role; Gemini Award nominee (2000) 1999 Rembrandt: Fathers & Sons Saskia van Rijn Television film 2000 Task Force: Caviar Linda Television film 2001 A Colder Kind of Death Maureen Gault Television film; Gemini Award nominee (2001) All Souls Stefani Volette Episode: "Spineless" Blue Murder Christina Kondeatis / Carol Clark Episode: "Intensive Care"; Gemini Award A Nero Wolfe Mystery Lily Rowan / various Recurring role 2002 The Glow Allison Television film 2003 Betrayed Judy Bryce Television film 2004 5ive Days to Midnight Claudia Whitey Television miniseries Blue Murder Elaine Bender Main role (season 4) Wonderfalls Beth 3 episodes A Very Married Christmas Donna Television film 2005 The Eleventh Hour Carrina Mallett Episode: "Zugzwang" Puppets Who Kill Laura Episode: "Dan and the New Neighbour" Plague City: SARS in Toronto Amy Television film Wild Card Gigi Germain Episode: "My Boyfriend is an Axe Murderer" 2005–2006 Invasion Mariel Underlay Main role 2006 Intimate Stranger Karen Reese Television film Shark Monica Tanner Episode: "Dial M for Monica" 2007 24 Lisa Miller Recurring role (season 6) Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip Mary Tate Recurring role Heartland Kate Armstrong Main role ER Skye Wexler Recurring role (season 14) 2008 Ugly Betty Dr. Wallace Episode: "Betty's Baby Bump" The Cleaner Shelly Mullins Episode: "Lie with Me" Criminal Minds Amy Bridges Episode: "The Instincts" Crash Jules Recurring role 2009 Flashpoint Delia Semple Episode: "Clean Hands" The Philanthropist Renee Adams Episode: "San Diego" The National Tree Faith Television filmThe National Tree review by Brian Lowry at variety.com Leverage Maggie Collins 4 episodes 2010 Meteor Storm Michelle Television film Miami Medical Helena Sable 2 episodes 2010–2014 Covert Affairs Joan Campbell Main role 2012 Saving Hope Kendra Watt Episode: "A New Beginning" The Riverbank Kate Mason Television film The Horses of McBride Avril Davidson Television film"Production begins on Horses of McBride" by Danielle Ng See Quan at playbackonline.ca 2013 Elementary Kathryn Drummand Episode: "The Deductionist" 2015 Murdoch Mysteries Miss Heloise Episode: "The Devil Wears Whalebone" 2017 The Good Doctor Liam's mother Episode: "22 Steps" 2018 Return to Christmas Creek Pamela Television film 2018 The Detail Diane Taylor Episode: "The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea" 2019 Mad Mom Jill Jones Television film;"Cameras roll on Incendo’s Mad Mom" by Lauren Malyk at playbackonline.ca also known as Psycho Mother-in-Law 2020 Fortunate Son Mary Howard Main role"Seven24, Lark roll on Fortunate Son" by Lauren Malyk at playbackonline.ca Hudson & Rex Lisa Bunting Episode: "Grave Matters" 2021 Charmed Lori Brewster Episode: "O, The Tangled Web" Supergirl Jean Rankin 2 episodes 2023–2025 The Night Agent Michelle Travers Main role (season 1); guest (season 2) 2023 Fargo Linda Tillman Episode: "Linda" (season 5) 2025–2026 The Hunting Party Eve Lazarus Recurring (seasons 1–2) 2026 Vladimir Lynn 2 episodes
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Nominated work Result 2000 Gemini Awards Best Performance by an Actress in a Continuing Leading Role in a Dramatic Series Power Play "Gemini Nominations" at the Toronto Star (29 Oct, 2000) [Ontario Edition] Retrieved from 2001 Gemini Awards Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Supporting Role in a Dramatic Program or Miniseries Best Performance by an Actress in a Guest Role in a Dramatic Series Blue Murder "2001 Gemini Winners" at playbackonline.ca 2003 Outstanding Performance – Female A Nero Wolfe Mystery 2017 ACTRA Toronto Awards Outstanding Performance – Female Maudie "In brief: Letterkenny preps for Paddy’s Day; Peppa Pig nabs prize" by Jordan Pinto at playbackonline.ca 2021 ACTRA Toronto Awards Outstanding Performance – Female Fortunate Son "Baroness, Murdoch among ACTRA Toronto ensemble nominees" by Lauren Malyk at playbackonline.ca
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