Karyn Dwyer
Born
Karyn Elizabeth Dwyer

(1975-03-22)22 March 1975
Corner Brook, Newfoundland, Canada
Died25 September 2018(2018-09-25) (aged 43)
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
NationalityCanadian
OccupationActress
Years active1993–2018

Karyn Dwyer (born Karyn Elizabeth Dwyer; 22 March 1975 – 25 September 2018) was a Canadian actress, whose best known role was as Maggie in the 1999 film Better Than Chocolate.

Early life

Dwyer was the oldest of five children, three sons and two daughters, born into an Irish Catholic family in Corner Brook, Newfoundland, Canada, on 22 March 1975,[1][2] Her father died at the age of 38. Her brother died at the age of 24. All her brothers were named after the Boston Bruins: Brad (Park), Barry (Beck) and Paul (Hurley).

Dwyer studied acting with the Youth Theatre. She made her stage debut at the Arts and Culture Center at the age of 10, playing the title role in Theatre Newfoundland and Labrador's production of Alice in Wonderland and went on to become an accomplished child stage actress performing in various theatres throughout Newfoundland and Labrador. She also performed in her school productions, won awards for acting, public speaking, singing and instrumental performance and wrote for the school newspaper. She moved to Toronto, Ontario, to attend the George Brown Theatre School. Dwyer attended theatre school for one year and then began studying with David Rotenberg's on-camera acting class also in Toronto and later John Riven's Meisner.

Career

After moving to Toronto, Dwyer landed her first film role acting opposite David Cronenberg in the independent Canadian film Boozecan. She wrote and starred in her one-woman show Bad Girls at the Rivoli in Toronto. In 1994 she played Phoebe in As You Like It opposite Seana McKenna and Albert Schultz in the Du Maurier World Stage Theatre Festival.

In 1999 Dwyer starred as the 19-year-old Maggie in the lesbian-themed film Better Than Chocolate, winning the role over hundreds of others who auditioned in a cross Canada search. The film won numerous audience choice awards at film festivals all around the world, was ranked 31st on The Hollywood Reporter's Top 200 independent films list of 1999. It had one of Canada's highest international box office grosses and earned Dwyer a loyal cult following. Better Than Chocolate opened to rave reviews at both the Berlin Film Festival and the Vancouver International Film Festival. It was hailed by "Variety" as a terrifically entertaining romantic comedy. "The Hollywood Reporter" called Dwyer the film's heart and soul. Better Than Chocolate ranked 31 on "The Hollywood Reporter"'s list of best independent films. The "Chicago Tribune" review declared that the highlight of the movie is unquestionably Dwyer's performance as Maggie.

Also that year, Dwyer played Summer Falls in the bigger budget studio film Superstar, with Molly Shannon and Will Ferrell and produced by Lorne Michaels. Dwyer returned to the stage playing the title role in Native Earth's Romeo and Juliet, performance artist Sooze in Eric Bogosian's Suburbia and originated the role of Carrie, a junkie prostitute in the experimental play Exercises in Depravity, which featured R. H. Thomson.[3]

She also starred in award-winning short films adapted from plays: Pony, adapted from White Biting Dog by playwright Judith Thompson; Dying Like Ophelia, adapted from Lion in the Streets also by playwright Judith Thompson; Polished, adapted from Polished by playwright James Harkness. In 2005, Dwyer reunited with her Better Than Chocolate director Anne Wheeler, guest starring in the awarding winning Canadian series This Is Wonderland. True to her roots, Dwyer returned to Newfoundland and Labrador, where she studied filmmaking at NIFCO, guest starred on Republic of Doyle, and shared her talent at For the Love of Learning, Inc, a not-for-profit empowerment and creativity-based learning program, teaching theatre to Newfoundland and Labrador's youth to use their creativity to overcome social and / or economic obstacles. In 2006, Dwyer was voted one of the Top Ten Hottest Actresses and profiled as The Hottest Canadian on "The Hottest Canadian". She was also named a Newfoundland Entertainment Icon by "The Newfoundland Herald".

Death

Dwyer died on 25 September 2018 at the age of 43.[4][5]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1994 Boozecan Rosy
1994 The Paperboy Brenda
1996 Lethal Tender Sparky
1998 Tian shang ren jian Jenny
1999 Better Than Chocolate Maggie
1999 Superstar Summer Falls
2000 The List Kathy Miller
2001 An Intrigue of Manners Lady Emelia
2001 Dead by Monday Christine
2002 Polished Jo Short
2002 Dying Like Ophelia Joanne 'Ophelia' Short
2004 The Right Way Amy
2007 Last Call Before Sunset Morgan Video
2012 Monster Mountain Carrie Video
2013 The Art of the Steal Ginger
2014 A Trip to the Island Woman
2015 Burning, Burning The Woman
2017 Goodbye, Hello Woman Short

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1993 J.F.K.: Reckless Youth Sadie TV miniseries
1993 Family Pictures Stephanie TV film
1993 Class of '96 Julia "David Is Authorized", "See You in September"
1993 The Hidden Room Rhoda "Transfigured Night"
1994 Kung Fu: The Legend Continues Ginger Dawson "May I Ride with You"
1995 A Taste of Shakespeare Ophelia / Horatio "Hamlet"
1995 End of Summer Jenny Malone TV film
1995 Due South Mary Ann "Heaven and Earth"
1996 Due South Tiffany "Some Like It Red"
1996 Road to Avonlea Laura "Woman of Importance"
1996 Double Jeopardy Melanie Marks TV film
1996 A Husband, a Wife and a Lover Samantha TV film
1998 Psi Factor Karen Russell "The Labyrinth"
1998 The Fixer Irene TV film
1998 Thanks of a Grateful Nation Deeni TV miniseries
2000 Cheaters Angela Lam TV film
2000 The Stalking of Laurie Show Jennifer TV film
2000 Sailor Moon Besubesu (voice) 18 episodes
2002 Bliss Mitzi "The Footpath of Pink Roses"
2005 This Is Wonderland Tammy "2.7"
2010 Republic of Doyle Brooke "He Sleeps with the Chips"
2011 First World Problems Karyn TV series
2011 Rose Bud's Guide to Seduction Rose Bud "When to Jump a Feller's Bones", "Orgasm: Coming or Going"
2013 Shit Mainlanders Say to Newfoundlanders Mainlander TV series

References

  1. ↑ "Karyn Dwyer". Listal.com. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
  2. ↑ "Karyn Dwyer". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
  3. ↑ Suni, Glnn (25 May 2000). "Ed Gass-Donnelly: Hot young director dumps his career in the can". NOW Toronto. NOW Central Communications Inc. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
  4. ↑ "Obituary: Death of Sailor Moon actress Karyn Dwyer". 27 September 2018. Archived from the original on 21 October 2018. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
  5. ↑ Sherman, Jennifer (28 September 2018). "Actress, Voice Actress Karyn Dwyer Passes Away". Anime News Network. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
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