Sonja Bennett (born August 24, 1980) is a Canadian actress and screenwriter. Her film debut was in the Canadian feature film Punch (2002), for which she won the Vancouver Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress in a Canadian Film. She has since starred in the films Donovan's Echo, Cole, Control Alt Delete, Young People Fucking, and Fido as well as the television series Godiva's and Cold Squad. In 2014, Bennett made her screenwriting debut with Preggoland, in which she also starred.
Early life and education Born in Vancouver, British Columbia on August 24, 1980, Bennett is the daughter of director and writer Guy Bennett and Anna Hart. She was raised mainly by her mother, living in several locations. She is a graduate of Garibaldi Secondary School in Maple Ridge, British Columbia. She attended the University of British Columbia for two years on an academic scholarship. Following that, she attended Studio 58 at Langara College in Vancouver. During her final year at Studio 58, a course requiring students to write and perform their own solo show gave Bennett her first experience writing material for herself, which she has described as foundational to her later screenwriting career.
Career
Television work On the small screen, Bennett played recurring roles on the NBC series Battlestar Galactica, Warner Brothers' Traveler, New Line television series Blade as well as Eureka, Dead Zone and Cold Squad."Groundbreaking cop series takes final bow" by Ian Edwards at playbackonline.ca She has played guest starring roles on the series Supernatural, Stargate Atlantis, Psych, Painkiller Jane, John Doe.John Doe, season 1, episode 15: "Psychic Connection": Credits & Summary at www.radiotimes.com Bennett also had a recurring role as the character Vivian Adams in Mistresses (2015), and starred in the Bravo!/CityTV series, Godiva's from 2005-2006.
Film work Bennett starred in the 2002 film Punch, which her father, Guy Bennett, wrote and directed. The movie was her feature film debut, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, and led to her being awarded Best Actress by the Vancouver Film Critics Circle. Following the film's release, Bennett was approached by Fox Television. She has since appeared in the films Donovan's Echo,"Cliffe lands Glover and Greenwood for Donovan’s Echo" by Brendan Christie at playbackonline.ca Cole,Cole review by John Anderson at variety.com Control Alt Delete,"Canada First!: Newbie films run gamut from animation to computer love" at playbackonline.ca Young People Fucking,"A sex comedy for people with experience" by Marise Strauss at playbackonline.ca and Fido.Fido review by Dennis Harvey at variety.com She wrote the screenplay, her first, for the 2014 film Preggoland, in which she also starred. Following the film's release, Bennett chose to pursue television writing rather than capitalize on the film's profile in Los Angeles, describing the decision as a deliberate shift in her career ambitions. Encouraged by Vancouver writer Robert Chomiak to move from feature films into television, she began writing for the series Kim's Convenience.
Personal life Bennett was previously married to Canadian actor Stephen Lobo, with whom she has two children. The two first worked together as co-stars on Godiva's (2005–2006), in which Lobo played head chef Ramir opposite Bennett's Daisy, and the two later appeared together in the film In No Particular Order (2012). Lobo also served as an editor on Preggoland (2014). Bennett had a ten-month-old and a three-year-old during the filming of Preggoland.
Awards and nominations In 2002 she got a 'Special Citation' in the Women In Film And Video Vancouver Artistic Merit Award category at the Vancouver International Film Festival for Punch (2002). In 2003 she won the Best Canadian Actress in a Lead Role of the Vancouver Film Critics Circle for Punch (2002). In 2005 she was nominated for a Leo Award, for Best Supporting Performance by a Female for Dramatic Series for the Godiva's episode, Having Her Cake,Past Nominees & Winners 2005 at www.leoawards.com and for a Gemini Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Supporting Role in a Dramatic Series for Cold Squad,"Weathering the Winter with Sunnyhearts and Sonja Bennett" by Greg David at www.tv-eh.com for the episode Righteous. In 2006 she was twice nominated for the Leo at the Leo Awards for Best Supporting Performance by a Female in a Dramatic Series for Godiva's (2005) for episodes Dead Flowers and Out the Door.Past Nominees & Winners 2006 at www.leoawards.com In 2008 she won the award for Best Supporting Actress in a Canadian Film of the Vancouver Film Critics Circle for Young People Fucking (2007).8th Annual Award Winners at vancouverfilmcritics.com In 2010 she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress in a Feature Film at the Leo Awards for Cole (2009). Retrieved on 08 August 2010.
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes2002Dents in the SkySueShort The Water GameGradPunchAriel2003My Life Without MeSarahFerry TaleVickyShort2004The Perfect ScorePregnant Girl2005Where the Truth LiesBonnieThe FogMandi2006Nostalgia BoyConnie GoldenShort FidoTammyCatch and ReleaseCaterer2007he CabinetLizzieShort The Sandlot: Heading HomePearlVideoShutterAuroraShort Young People FuckingMia2008ElegyBethControl Alt DeleteJaneGold! Gold! Gold!TrinaShort 2009ColeMaybelline2010StainedJenniferSmokin' Aces 2: Assassins' BallJules ScottVideoFathers & SonsSonja2011Pleased to Meet YouTracyShort Rise of the Planet of the ApesMother on SidewalkDonovan's EchoSarah2012Random Acts of RomanceLynnIn No Particular OrderClaire2014PreggolandRuth"What to expect when you're not expecting" by Brendan Kelly at montrealgazette.com2017Kayak to KlemtuCory
Television Year Title Role Notes2003John DoeDelphine YoungEpisode: "Psychic Connection"PeacemakersGeorgiaEpisode: "No Excuse"2004Tru CallingBethEpisode: "The Getaway"The Dead ZoneRachel CaldwellEpisodes: "Finding Rachel: Parts 1 & 2", "Tipping Point"2004–2005Cold SquadDet. Samantha WaltersMain role 2005Confessions of a Sociopathic Social ClimberElizaTV filmMarkerKimThe Dead ZoneRachel CaldwellEpisode: "Broken Circle"Masters of HorrorDanaEpisode: "Deer Woman"2005–2006Godiva'sDaisyMain role 2006Killer InstinctDarlaEpisode: "While You Were Sleeping"Stargate AtlantisDahlia RadimEpisode: "Coup D'etat"Blade: The SeriesVanessaEpisodes: "Descent", "The Evil Within", "Delivery"WhistlerKate JudsonEpisode: "Meltdown"SupernaturalPamela ClaytonEpisode: "Croatoan"2007This Space for RentApril MelnykEpisodes: "Stain'd", "Elvis Kwan Blows"TravelerMayaEpisodes: "The Out", "The Tells", "The Trader"Masters of Science FictionJudge PomfreyEpisode: "Jerry Was a Man"Painkiller JaneStaceyEpisode: "Jane 113"EurekaCallie CurieEpisodes: "Sight Unseen", "Maneater", "All That Glitters"2008Fear ItselfRuthieEpisode: "In Sickness and in Health"Love to Kill (aka Fatal Kiss)TeresaTV filmCrime StoriesVickiEpisode: "The Slave Master"Battlestar GalacticaSpecialist 2nd Class Marcie BraskoEpisode: "Revelations"2009Episodes: "Sometimes a Great Notion", "Someone to Watch Over Me"Exes and OhsKateEpisodes: "The Roads Previously Not Taken", "I Do. Do I?", "2.5"What Color Is Love?Marsha BarclayTV filmPsychAnnieEpisode: "Tuesday the 17th"Held HostageSandi ClarkTV filmA Dog Named ChristmasHannah McCray2010The Client ListDee2011HellcatsVickyEpisode: "Fancy Dan"GoneLiz CookTV filmPast ObsessionsEstelle2013Arctic AirMirandaEpisode: "Fool Me Once"2015Motive Chelsea RichmondEpisode: "Pilot Error"MistressesVivian AdamsRecurring role2016 Supernatural Deputy Jan Harris Episode: "Don't Call Me Shurley"Conversations with My 2-Year Old Lindsey's Mom 2 episodesSunnyheart's Community CentreBerniceRecurring role2017When We RiseEllenEpisode: "Night II: Parts II and III"Android Employed Sarah MorrisEpisode: "The Family Unit""The robots are coming: 'Android Employed' imagines a near future where robots join the workforce" by Sabrina Furminger at www.vancouverisawesome.comGhost WarsKarla Kowalski-JonesRecurring role2019The InBetweenTaylor HallEpisode: "While the Song Remains the Same"CharmedAmelia Episode: "Past Is Present"SurveillanceLinda ShortUnsold CBS pilot2024Law and Order Toronto: Criminal IntentEve KinwoodEpisode: "The Real Eve"
References
Further reading Leo Awards compilations, covering the actress and years in question.
External links Biography of Bennett on Tribute.ca