Helen Shaver

Helen Shaver (born February 24, 1951) is a Canadian actress and film and television director. After appearing in a number of Canadian movies, she received a Canadian Screen Award for Best Actress for her performance in the romantic drama In Praise of Older Women. She later appeared in the films The Amityville Horror (1979), The Osterman Weekend (1983), Desert Hearts (1985), The Color of Money (1986), The Believers (1987), The Craft (1996), Tremors 2: Aftershocks (1996) and Down River (2013). She received another Canadian Screen Award for Best Actress nomination for the 1986 drama film Lost!, and won a Best Supporting Actress for We All Fall Down (2000). Shaver also starred in some short-lived television series, including United States (1980) and Jessica Novak (1981), and from 1996 to 1999 starred in the Showtime horror series, Poltergeist: The Legacy, for which she received a Saturn Award for Best Actress on Television nomination.

In the mid-1990s, Shaver began working as a television director, directing more than 50 shows. She won three Directors Guild of Canada Awards, one Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing – Miniseries or TV Film, two Canadian Screen Awards, and three Women's Image Network Awards. She was nominated for an Emmy Award for directing the 1999 television movie Summer's End and in 2020 made her big screen debut with the drama film Happy Place. In 2004, Shaver was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame. Her performance, with co-star Patricia Charbonneau, drew critical praise and Shaver won the Bronze Leopard Award at the Locarno International Film Festival. Another prominent film performance during that time came in 1986 as the love interest of Paul Newman in his Oscar-winning portrayal of "Fast" Eddie Felson in Martin Scorsese's The Color of Money, a sequel to 1961's The Hustler.

In 1980, Shaver starred with Beau Bridges in the short-lived NBC television series United States developed by Larry Gelbart. A year later she starred in the short-lived drama series Jessica Novak. She was in the 1984 Canadian-made Countdown to Looking Glass. She subsequently appeared on such television shows as Hill Street Blues and T. J. Hooker. In 1990, she guest-starred as the murderer in Rest in Peace, Mrs. Columbo, and later that year co-starred on the short-lived series WIOU, playing a television journalist (as she also did on Jessica Novak). From 1996-1999, Shaver co-starred on the television series Poltergeist: The Legacy, playing Dr. Rachel Corrigan, a widowed psychiatrist with an eight-year-old daughter who is helped by the Legacy in the pilot episode; her performance earned a Saturn Award nomination. In 2000, she won a Genie Award for her portrayal of a drug-addicted prostitute in the independent feature We All Fall Down.

Shaver made her feature-length directorial debut in 1999 with the television film Summer's End, which won an Emmy and earned her a directorial nomination. Shaver has also directed a number of television shows and cable movies, including The Outer Limits, Judging Amy, Joan of Arcadia, Medium, The O.C., Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, The L Word, Jericho, Journeyman, Private Practice, The Unit, Crusoe, Orphan Black, Vikings, 13 Reasons Why, and Westworld. In 2003, she won a Gemini award for Best Direction in a Dramatic Series for the Just Cause television series episode "Death's Details".

In 2004, Shaver was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame.

Happy Place, her first theatrical feature film after directing for television, premiered at the Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival, and was screened at the 2020 Vancouver International Film Festival.

In 2021, Shaver picked up The Living Legend Tribute at the 23rd Women's Image Network Awards with fellow honoree JoJo Siwa its Rising Musical Star recipient.

In 2023, Shaver won the DGA award for directing episode 8 ("Who's There?") of Station Eleven.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 1976 The Supreme Kid Girl Hitch-Hiker Make-up Shoot Paula 1977 Outrageous! Jo Starship Invasions Betty Duncan Who Has Seen the Wind Ruth Thompson 1978 High-Ballin' "Pickup" In Praise of Older Women Ann MacDonald Canadian Screen Award for Best Actress 1979 Carolyn 1980 Coming Out Alive Isobel 1981 Gas Rhonda 1982 Harry Tracy, Desperado Catherine Tuttle 1983 Virginia Tremayne 1984 Best Defense Clair Lewis Body Double Voice of Gloria Revelle (uncredited) 1985 Desert Hearts Vivian Bell Locarno International Film Festival Bronze Leopard Maria 1986 Lost! Linda Nominated — Canadian Screen Award for Best Actress Sarah Janelle 1987 Jessica Halliday 1988 Littlefoot's Mother 1989 Tree of Hands Benet Archdale 1990 Bethune: The Making of a Hero Veronica Dowd 1991 The Devil 1992 Zebrahead Diane That Night Ann O'Connor 1993 Morning Glory Lula Peak 1995 Open Season Rachel Rowen Born to Be Wild Margaret Heller 1996 Grace Downs Rowing Through "Slim" Tremors 2: Aftershocks Dr. Kate Riley Egg Salad Gladys Short 1999 The Wishing Tree Wallis Caldwell 2000 Bear with Me Sara Bradley We All Fall Down Sherry Canadian Screen Award for Best Supporting Actress 2004 Ruthie 2007 Numb Audrey Milbank 2013 Birthday Cake Judith Ferguson Down River Pearl Nominated — Leo Award for Best Lead Performance by a Female in a Motion PictureNominated — ACTRA Award for Outstanding Performance - Female 2018 Souls of Totality Shepherd One Short

Television Year Title Role Notes 1974 The Beachcombers "Affairs of the Heart" Police Surgeon Gloria "The Killer" 1975 Police Surgeon Bonnie "Web of Guilt" 1977 Search and Rescue: The Alpha Team Dr. Liz Warren TV film 1978 Lovey: A Circle of Children, Part II Patty TV film 1979 Overlanders Mrs. O'Mara TV film 1980 United States Libby Chapin Main role 1981 Jessica Novak Jessica Novak Main role 1982 Between Two Brothers Susan Frazer TV film Off Your Rocker Miss Beecher TV film Hill Street Blues Teresa Hyler4 episodes 1983 T. J. Hooker Lisa Jericho "The Shadow of Truth" 1984 Countdown to Looking Glass Dorian Waldorf TV film 1985 Valery TV film 1986 Amazing Stories Karen "Mirror, Mirror" Philip Marlowe, Private Eye Belle Delaguerra "Spanish Blood" Phyllis Dayton "The Case of the Friendly Fugitive", "Gems and Jelly Beans", "The Maharajah of Weston" Many Happy Returns Sally Robinson TV film 1987 The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson Herself TV talk show, June 25, 1987 1988 Miss Haight "The Emissary" No Blame Amy Donaldson TV filmNominated — Gemini Award for Best Performance by a Lead Actress in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series 1989 B.L. Stryker Diane Decker "The Dancer's Touch" Mothers, Daughters and Lovers Claire Nichols TV film 1990 Pair of Aces Rose TV film Columbo Vivian Dimitri "Rest in Peace, Mrs. Columbo" 1990–1991 WIOU Kelby Robinson Main role 1992 E.N.G. Sandra Brady "Child's Play" Fatal Memories Elaine Tipton TV film 1993 Survive the Night Stacy TV film Poisoned by Love: The Kern County Murders Edie Ballew TV film Trial & Error Katherine Woodfield TV film 1994 Monique TV film Ride with the Wind Katherine Barnes TV film Without Consent Nora Fields TV film Janek: The Silent Betrayal Monique Dessier TV film 1995 Falling for You Mary TV film Cathy Kress "The Sandkings"Nominated — CableACE Award for Actress in a Dramatic Series 1996–1999 Poltergeist: The Legacy Dr. Rachel Corrigan Main roleNominated — Saturn Award for Best Actress on Television 1997 Dead Man's Gun Dianna McKinney "Next of Kin" 1998 Mrs. Martin TV film 1999 Marjorie Litchfield TV film 2000 Common Ground Janet TV film 2001–2002 Erica Bettis Main role 2003 Lynn ToddTV film D.C. Sniper: 23 Days of Fear Sandy Moose TV film 2004 Faye Buckley "Luck, Next Time", "Liberally" Barbara Yates "Becoming", "Trial by Fire" 2008 Rose TV film 2010 Iris Expanding Iris's Mom TV film

Director Year Title Note(s) 1996–1999 Poltergeist: The Legacy 2 episodes 1997–2000 The Outer Limits 6 episodes 1998 Dead Man's Gun Episode: "Stage Coach Marty" The Net Episode: "Bulls and Bears" 1999 Summer's End TV movie 2000–2001 Beggars and Choosers 2 episodes 2001 The Associates Unknown episodes Soul Food Episode: "This Crazy Life" 2001–2005 Judging Amy 11 episodes 2002 The District Episode: "Shell Game" Due East TV movie 2003 Just Cause Episode: "Death's Details" Dead Like Me Episode: "Rest in Peace" Joan of Arcadia Episode: "The Uncertainty Principle" 2004 The O.C. Episode: "The Proposal" The 4400 Episode: "The New and Improved Carl Morrissey" 2005 Close to Home Episode: "Divine Directions" The Stranger I Married TV movie 2006 Medium Episode: "Doctor's Orders" 2006–2007 The Unit 3 episodes 2006 Vanished Episode: "The Feed" Standoff Episode: "Borderline" Ultra TV movie 2007 Jericho Episode: "Black Jack" Journeyman Episode: "Winterland" 2008–2011 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit 9 episodes 2008–2009 Crusoe 2 episodes Private Practice 2 episodes 2009 Castle Episode: "One Man's Treasure" 2010 Make It or Break It Episode: "Save the Last Dance" The Bridge 2 episodes Shattered 2 episodes 2011 Flashpoint Episode: "I'd Do Anything" Stargate Universe Episode: "Seizure" Law & Order: LA Episode: "Big Rock Mesa" Combat Hospital 2 episodes 2012 The Firm 5 episodes 2012–2015 Person of Interest 3 episodes 2013 Republic of Doyle Episode: "Firecracker" 2013–2014 Revolution 3 episodes 2014 Reign Episode: "For King and Country" Elementary Episode: "Dead Clade Walking" 2014–2017 Orphan Black 3 episodes 2015–2019 Vikings 6 episodes 2016 Heartbeat Episode: "100,000 Heartbeats" Travelers 2 episodes 2017–2018 Anne with an E 2 episodes 2017 13 Reasons Why 2 episodes 2018 Sneaky Pete Episode: "The Reluctant Taxidermist" Impulse Episode: "The Eagle and the Bee" Dietland 2 episodes 2020 Westworld Episode: "Passed Pawn" Snowpiercer 2 episodes Lovecraft Country Episode: "Meet Me in Daegu" Happy Place Feature film 2021–2022 Station Eleven 3 episodes 2022 Quantum Leap Episode: "What a Disaster!" 2023 The New Look 4 episodes 2024 The Penguin Episodes: "Cent'Anni" and "Homecoming" 2026 Matlock Episode: "The Greater Good"

Awards and nominations Year Award Category Work Result 1999 Leo Awards Best Direction: Dramatic Series The Outer Limits, episode: "Lithia" 2001 Genie Awards Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role We All Fall Down Leo Awards Best Performance by a Female: Feature Length Drama We All Fall Down 2014 Leo Awards Best Lead Performance by a Female: Motion Picture Down River 2017 DGC Awards Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series Vikings, episode: "Promised" 2018 Canadian Screen Awards Best Direction: Dramatic series Anne With an E, episode: "I Am No Bird, And No Net Ensnares Me" 2019 Leo Awards Best Direction: Dramatic Series Anne With an E, episode: "Youth Is The Season Of Hope" 2022 DGC Awards Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series Maid, episode: "String Cheese" Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television and Mini-Series Station Eleven, episode: "Who's There?" 2025 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Directing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie The Penguin, episode: "Cent'anni"