Katharine Isobel Murray (born 2 November 1981), known professionally as Katharine Isabelle, is a Canadian actress. She has been described as a scream queen due to her roles in various horror films. She started her acting career in 1989, playing a small role in the television series MacGyver. She gained fame for the role of Ginger Fitzgerald in the films Ginger Snaps, Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed, and Ginger Snaps Back: The Beginning.
In 2014, Isabelle was awarded the Fangoria Chainsaw Award for Best Actress for her role as Mary Mason in the Canadian body horror film American Mary.
Early life Katharine Isabelle Murray was born on 2 November 1981, in Vancouver, British Columbia. Her parents are Graeme Murray, an art director and production designer who has won two Emmy Awards for work on The X-Files, and Gail Johnson Murray, a writer and producer. Her paternal grandparents and maternal grandfather are from Scotland. Her paternal half-brother is Joshua Murray, a director and former actor.
Career Isabelle has been credited under several stage names during the course of her career.
She began her acting career at the age of eight as Katie Murray, playing an episodic role in the television series MacGyver in 1989. Then she continued to act in small episodic roles in television series and films such as: Cold Front, Immediate Family, The Last Winter, Burning Bridges, Children of the Dust, Salt Water Moose, and Married to a Stranger.
Isabelle has worked with her half-brother Joshua Murray in Cold Front and The Last Winter. In 1998, she worked with her father Graeme Murray on an episode of The X-Files titled "Schizogeny".
In 1998, she played Lindsay Clark in the film Disturbing Behavior, where Katie Holmes, James Marsden, and Nick Stahl were her film partners.
She first found fame in 2000 with the role of Ginger Fitzgerald in the film Ginger Snaps, directed by John Fawcett; actress Emily Perkins became her co-star in the film as sister, Brigitte Fitzgerald. Casting took place in Los Angeles, New York, Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver. Isabelle auditioned on the same day as Perkins at their agency in Vancouver, reading to one another off-camera. Screenwriter Karen Walton said that they were exactly as she had pictured the characters when their taped auditions had arrived. The film centers around two sisters who find themselves dealing with the effects after one of them is bitten by a werewolf.
What Culture said:
Obsessed with death and morbidity, and afraid of adulthood, Ginger Fitzgerald, portrayed by Katharine Isabelle of American Mary fame, only gets worse when she's bitten by a lycanthrope and the transformation into a wolf begins. She gradually becomes aggressive and over-sexualised, loses her relationship with her sister, grows pointy teeth and sprouts hair in really weird places. She even grows a tail that she actually attempts to cut off. It takes a big set of cojones to try to cut off any body part. Ultimately though, the film is interesting because it examines the dichotomy between Ginger's humanity and her animalistic side.
Jessica Roakes of The Toast also mentions the metaphorical nature of the character saying "Ginger's body has betrayed her by menstruating. This is a key tenet of the body-horror genre — the monstrous comes not just from the outside, but from within the human body, from infection or perversion or unwanted biological functions. In Ginger's case, it is her metamorphosis from girl to woman that renders her monstrous."
The actress also portrayed the character in the sequel Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed (2004) and the prequel Ginger Snaps Back: The Beginning.
Two years later, Isabelle appeared in the film Insomnia. In this detective thriller directed by Christopher Nolan, the actress played along with Al Pacino, Robin Williams and Hilary Swank. In 2012, Isabelle starred in the horror film American Mary from twins Jen and Sylvia Soska. American Mary premiered at the London FrightFest Film Festival on 27 August 2012. It received a limited theatrical run in the U.S. on 31 May 2013, and became available on video on demand on 16 May 2013. This role brought her many awards at various horror film festivals, including the "Fangoria Chainsaw Awards".
In 2008, Isabelle received the Gemini Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Supporting Role in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series for her role in The Englishman's Boy. She later reunited with Perkins in Another Cinderella Story where they played the daughters of Jane Lynch's character.
Cooperation with the gothic sisters continued in 2014 when Isabelle played a major role in their 2006 horror sequel, See No Evil 2. Later, she played a major role in the thriller Primate. In 2015, the film 88 starred Isabelle, after she played a cameo role in the film The Girl in the Photographs.
Also, she played the lead role in the short film Iteration 1 and one of the main roles in the action film Countdown in 2016. In 2019, Isabelle was cast as Vera Stone in the Netflix horror-drama series, The Order.
Personal life Despite acting in a large number of gory films and television productions, Isabelle is uneasy with the sight of real blood.
In 2003, Isabelle almost died from a viral infection, which caused one of her lungs to collapse, as well as kidney failure. She fell into a coma and had to be put on a ventilator. Isabelle made this revelation in 2020, on her Instagram account.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1989 Cousins Chloe Hardy as Katie Murray 1989 Cold Front Katie McKenzie as Katie Murray 1989 Immediate Family Birthday Girl Carrie as Katie Murray 1989 Winnie Jamison as Katie Murray 1992 Knight Moves Erica Sanderson as Katharine Isabelle 1996 Salt Water Moose Josephine 'Jo' Parnell as Katharine Isabelle 1998 Disturbing Behavior Lindsay Clark 2000 Snow Day Marla 2000 Ginger Snaps Ginger Fitzgerald 2001 Erin 2001 Josie and the Pussycats Laughing Girl 2001 Bones Tia Peet 2001 Turning Paige Paige Fleming 2002 Insomnia Tanya Francke 2002 Spooky House Mona 2003 Freddy vs. Jason Gibb Smith 2003 Falling Angels Lou Field 2003 On the Corner Stacey Lee 2004 Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed Ginger Fitzgerald 2004 Ginger Snaps Back: The Beginning Ginger Fitzgerald Direct-to-video film 2004 Show Me Jenna 2006 Everything's Gone Green Heather 2008 Another Cinderella Story Bree Blatt Direct-to-video film 2009 Favorite People List Denise Moynahan Short film 2009 Rampage Beauty Staff #2 2010 Frankie & Alice Paige 2010 Hard Ride to Hell Kerry Direct-to-video film 2010 30 Days of Night: Dark Days Stacey Direct-to-video film 2012 American Mary Mary Mason 2012 The Movie Out Here Danielle 2013 13 Eerie Megan 2013 Torment Sarah 2013 Lawrence & Holloman Zooey 2014 See No Evil 2 Tamara Direct-to-video film 2014 Primary Andrea 2015 88 Gwen / Flamingo 2015 The Girl in the Photographs Janet 2015 How to Plan an Orgy in a Small Town Alice Solomon 2016 Countdown Julia Baker Direct-to-video film 2016 A.R.C.H.I.E. Brooke Direct-to-video film 2018 Bad Times at the El Royale Auntie Ruth 2019 Iteration 1 Anna YouTube Short 2021 Night of the Animated Dead Barbara (voice) Direct-to-video film 2021 The Green Sea Simone 2023 It's a Wonderful Knife Gale Prescott 2025 Tron: Ares Marcia Lee Hadlow 2026 Prank Night Joyce 2026 Backrooms Robin 2026 Lockbox Vahna Minter
Television films Year Title Role Notes 1990 The Last Train Home Sarah Bradshaw 1990 Burning Bridges Emily Morgan 1991 Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus Virginia O'Hanlon 1996 The Prisoner of Zenda, Inc. Fiona 1997 Married to a Stranger Lacey Potter 1998 Voyage of Terror Aly Tauber 2002 Due East Reba 2002 The Secret Life of Zoey Kayla 2002 Carrie Tina Blake 2004 The Life Amber Reilly 2004 Earthsea Yarrow 2004 The Last Casino Elyse 2006 Eight Days To Live Lucinda Klunn 2006 Engaged to Kill Maddy Lord 2006 Rapid Fire Amber 2008 Ogre Jessica 2008 Mail Order Bride Jen 2009 Killer Hair Cherise Smithsonian 2009 Hostile Makeover Cherise Smithsonian 2009 Beyond Sherwood Forest Alina 2010 Sins of the Mother Ivy 2010 Smoke Screen Wife 2012 Goodnight for Justice: Queen of Hearts Lucy Truffaut 2017 Undercover Angel Robin Bladen 2021 The Long Island Serial Killer: A Mother's Hunt for Justice Shannan Gilbert 2022 The Gift of Peace Joyce 2023Christmas on Cherry Lane Olivia Sawyer
Television YearTitle Role Notes 1989 MacGyver Violet Episode: "The Madonna"; as Katie Murray 1990 Neon Rider Maxine 'Max' Forrest Episode: "Running Man" 1992 Mink Episode: "Zero Hour" 1995 Children of the Dust Young Rachel Television miniseries 1995 Lonesome Dove: The Series Francis Maitland Episode: "Rebellion" 1996 Goosebumps Kat Merton Episode: "It Came from Beneath the Sink" 1996 Titanic Ophelia Jack Television miniseries 1997 Madison Allysia Long 4 episodes 1998 The X-Files Lisa Baiocchi Episode: "Schizogeny"; worked with father Graeme Murray 1998 Da Vinci's Inquest Audrey Episodes: "Little Sister: Part 2", "Little Sister: Part 3" 1998 First Wave Elizabeth Episode: "Book of Shadows" 1999 First Wave Denise Episode: "The Channel" 1999 Da Vinci's Inquest Madeline Marquetti Episodes: "A Cinderella Story: Parts 1 & 2" 1999 Malika Episode: "In Dreams" 2000 Josie Hogan Episode: "Good Harvest" 2001 Taurez Episode: "Wired" 2001 Melissa Episode: "Smackdown" 2001 Night Visions Vicki Episode: "Rest Stop" 2002 Tammy Sinclair Episode: "Dark Child" 2002 Mentors Anne Sullivan Episode: "Breakthrough" 2002 John Doe Shayne Pickford Episode: "Blood Lines" 2003 Smallville Sara Conroy Episode: "Slumber" 2004 Petrel Episode: "Stormy Peterel" 2005 Young Blades Celeste La Rue Episode: "To Heir is Human" 2006 Stargate SG-1 Valencia Episode: "Camelot" 2006 Reunion Courtney Episode: "1998" 2007 Supernatural Ava Wilson Episodes: "Hunted", "All Hell Breaks Loose: Part 1" 2008 Psych Sigrid Episode: "Black and Tan: A Crime of Fashion" 2008 Norma Carlyle Television miniseries 2008 Sanctuary Sophie Episode: "Nubbins" 2009 Heartland Mindy Fanshaw Episode: "Starstruck!" 2009 Marci Salvatore Episode: "Leaving Los Angeles" 2009 Paulette Reubin Episode: "The Bully" 2009 Cindy Lewis Episode: "Pilot" 2011 Health Nutz Jennifer Episodes: "The Local Hero", "The Sponsor" 2011 Endgame Danni Main role, 13 episodes 2012 Flashpoint Madelyn 'Maddie' Episode "Run To Me" 2013–2014 Being Human Susanna Waite Recurring role; seasons 3–4 2013 Motive Liane Healey Episode: "Pushover" 2013 Eve of Destruction Calla Television miniseries 2013 Cedar Cove Cecilia Rendall Episode: "Pilot" 2014 Psych Priscilla Morganstern Episode: "Cloudy with a Chance of Improvement" 2014–2015 Hannibal Margot Verger Recurring role; seasons 2–3 2015 Rookie Blue Detective Frankie Anderson Episodes: "Integrity Test", "Ninety Degrees", "74 Epiphanies" 2017 Rosewood Naomi Episode: "Puffer Fish & Personal History" 2017–2018 The Arrangement Hope Recurring role; 8 episodes 2018–present Little Dog Ginny Ross Main role 2019–2020 The Order Vera Stone Main role 2021 Ghosts Liz Episode: "The Vault" 2023 Transplant Marissa Episode: "Sinkhole" 2024 Tracker Mallory Banks Episode: "St. Louis" 2025 Sight Unseen Gina Mathison Episode: "Episode 2.1"
Awards and nominations