Christopher Gaze is an English–Canadian actor, host, artist, theatre and opera director residing in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Early life and education Born in Guildford, Surrey, England, Gaze trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School before coming to Canada in 1975, spending three seasons at the Shaw Festival. He met his first wife, Merrilyn Gann, in 1978 at the Northern Lights Theatre in Edmonton, Alberta, while performing lunchtime theatre.
Career Gaze moved to Vancouver in 1983 and in 1990 founded Bard on the Beach which in 2014 achieved attendance exceeding 100,000. In addition to performing and directing for Bard, Gaze's voice is heard regularly in cartoon series, commercials and on the radio. He also hosts Vancouver Symphony's popular Tea and Trumpets series and their annual Christmas concerts. His many honours include induction into the BC Entertainment Hall of Fame, Canada's Meritorious Service Medal (2004), Honorary Doctorates from UBC & SFU, the BC Community Achievement Award (2007), the Gold Medallion from the Children's Theatre Foundation of America (2007), a Jessie Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Equus at The Playhouse, the Vancouver Mayor's Arts Award for Theatre (2011), the Order of British Columbia (2012), The King Charles III Coronation Medal (2025), the Order of Canada (2026), and Member of the Order of the British Empire (2026).
As an Olympic ambassador, Gaze was honored to run with the Olympic flame for the 2010 Games. A public speaker with the National Speakers Bureau, Gaze frequently shares his insights on Shakespeare and theatre with students, service organizations and businesses.
Gaze also narrated season 3 of Emmy Award-winning animation series Madeline (after Christopher Plummer stepped down).
Additionally, he has also performed voiceover roles for animation, most notably as Turaga Vakama in the first three Bionicle movies, as well as Diagnostic Drone in Beast Machines and Major Mint in Barbie in the Nutcracker.
His memoir, The Road to Bard, was published by Harbour Publishing in May 2026.
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes 1983 Running Brave Aussie Sportscaster 1990 Deep Sleep Grey-Haired Man 1993 Cool Runnings British Official 1997 The Fearless Four Narrator English version 1998 Mummies Alive! The Legend Begins Voice, direct-to-video 2000 Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer Quincy 2001 Barbie in the Nutcracker Major Mint 2002 Barbie as Rapunzel King Wilhelm 2003 Bionicle: Mask of Light Turaga Vakama 2004 Bionicle 2: Legends of Metru Nui Turaga Vakama(Narrator) 2005 Bionicle 3: Web of Shadows 2006 Barbie Fairytopia: Mermaidia Fungus Maximus Barbie in the 12 Dancing Princesses King Randolph Voice 2007 Barbie Fairytopia: Magic of the Rainbow Fungus Maximus Barbie as the Island Princess Sagi Voice The Ten Commandments Aaron 2009 Stranger with My Face Henry Sing Along with Barbie Additional voices Voice 2014 Hattie's Heist Archie 2025 LOOT: A Story of Crime and Redemption Douglas Latchford Voice
Television Action Man - additional voices Beast Machines - Diagnostic Drone Captain N: The Game Master - additional voices Class of the Titans - Zeus The Fearless Four - The Narrator Hero: 108 - Fox King Kid vs. Kat - Mr. Cheeks The Little Prince - The Aviator (episode: "The New Mission") Los Luchadores - Rupert (episode: "Anxiety Attacks") MacGyver - Phil Sternwise (episode: "The Visitor") Madeline - The Narrator Milo's Bug Quest - The Narrator My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic - General Seaspray Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation - Dragon Lord Pocket Dragon Adventures - The Wizard ReBoot - Hue Branch (episode: "Firewall") Sabrina's Secret Life - additional voices Spider-Man Unlimited - Bromley Stargate SG-1 - Tevaris (episode: "The Shroud") Super Team Canada - Mr. Redgwell
Video games Barbie as the Island Princess - Sagi Dragon Tales: Learn & Fly With Dragons - Mr. Dustfree Marvel Nemesis: Rise of the Imperfects - voice of Magneto
References
External links
Interview with THECOMMENTARY.CA