(13-minute read)
Outstanding Performance – Gender Non-Conforming or Female Voice
Maria del Mar as Lunia in LEGO® DreamZzz, “Lunia”
Maria del Mar (she/her) has worked in the film, television, voice and theatre industries both north and south of the border for three decades. Her work has been critically acclaimed by The New York Times and featured in several publications across Canada and the United States. Fuelled by working with such pillars of the industry as Ed Zwick, David E. Kelley and DreamWorks, Maria’s extensive career has included featured roles in Star Trek: Discovery, Monk, 24, Frasier, The Practice, Lost Girl, Hannibal, Murdoch Mysteries, Call Me Fitz and Street Legal to name a few. As well as being a lead actor in three series, Maria has had films premiere at TIFF (the Toronto International Film Festival) and Cannes. Nominated for several awards, Maria del Mar won an ACTRA Award for “Outstanding Female Performance” for Terminal City, a Canadian Comedy Award for “Best Performance by a Female in a Film” for A Touch of Grey and has been an ensemble member of several Gemini Award-winning series.
Maria has also just made her directorial debut with the short film Pink Elephant.
Kamaia Fairburn as Layla Fletcher in Unicorn Academy, “Legendary Summer”
Kamaia Fairburn is an actress working in film and television. She has been working consistently since the age of 13 and has recently taken on a range of grounded, character-driven roles. She is known for her natural screen presence and emotionally honest performances, bringing a thoughtful, instinctive approach to her work.
Gabbi Kosmidis as Gracie in Night of the Zoopocalypse
Gabbi Kosmidis is a queer, multi-disciplinary performer, minstrel and clown. Their artistic practice is ever-changing, but it always stems from the same place: a childhood of running wild and scabby kneed by the sea, always trying to get back to that place of freedom and play. Gabbi feels grateful to work in many performance mediums and some of their recent credits include: Hamlet in Hamlet, Sweet Prince, Gracie in Night of the Zoopocalypse, Isabel in Unicorn Academy, Caroline Stewart in Fellow Travelers and Makira in Assassin’s Creed: Mirage. What an honour and privilege to be nominated again and I cannot wait to celebrate all the amazing work my fellow ACTRA members have created. Let’s PARTY <3
Morrissa Nicole as Lydia in Lyla in the Loop, “Jamaica Day”
Morrissa Nicole is an actress across voice, film/TV and theatre, and an award-winning recording artist recognized for her expressive nature, warm tone and even warmer heart. With a foundation in music and performance, she brings authenticity and precision to every role, delivering engaging performances whether behind the mic, in front of the camera or on stage. She continues to build a body of work that reflects both skill and heart, using her artistry to share stories that resonate with audiences of all ages. Known for her professionalism, deep care and strong work ethic, she is trusted for her consistency and creativity. Select credits include We Will Rock You (North American Tour), CBC News’s The National, Phoebe & Jay, Skillsville, Toying with the Holidays and Lyla in the Loop.
Susan Roman as Andromeda/Florence in LEGO® DreamZzz, “Lunia”
There’s no doubt that animation has been the mainstay of Susan Roman’s long career as a voiceover artist, having performed major roles in countless episodic series – including Sailor Jupiter in Sailor Moon, Champ in the original Care Bears, Melissa in The Raccoons, and Snowy the dog in The Adventures of TinTin… along with dozens of guest roles, such as Bella Donna in X-Men and Mega Man in Mega Man Legends 2. In a groundbreaking departure from children’s animation, she was cast as Angel (Debbie Harry’s speaking voice) in the animated musical film Rock & Rule, followed by ‘The Girl in the Harry Canyon Sequence’ in the cult classic, Heavy Metal. She recently appeared as Andromeda in LEGO® DreamZzz and has just finished directing her 50th audiobook for Penguin Random House Canada – where she’s constantly in awe of the brilliant talent and exceptional skill of her fellow ACTRA members.
Outstanding Performance – Gender Non-Conforming or Male Voice
Cory Doran as Speed Meister in Rubble & Crew, “Crew Builds a Skyscraper”
Cory is a proud ACTRA member and advocate for Canadian Performers. He has helped with the creation and guidance of both the ACTRA Toronto and ACTRA National Artificial Intelligence Committees with the goal of preserving and prioritizing the human workforce and by fighting to protect the artists’ VINL (Voice, Image, Name and Likeness). Cory has been an active performer in animation for many years and couldn’t be more honoured to be highlighted this year with such incredible fellow ACTRA Performers.
Jeremy Harris as Ika Inkblot in Mermicorno: Starfall, “Singer Wrong Writer”
Jeremy’s career spans stage, television, film and commercials. As the promo voice announcer for CBC Radio One across Canada and North America on SiriusXM, his voice has become a familiar companion to listeners everywhere. Passionate about animation, Jeremy has brought a wide-range of characters to life and earned recognition for his work in the field. He received a Gemini Award nomination for his ensemble performance in Ruby Gloom, a 2023 ACTRA Award nomination for Outstanding Performance – Male Voice for his role as Phil in Big Blue and, now, another ACTRA nomination for his portrayal of Ika Inkblot in Mermicorno: Starfall. Playing Ika on Mermicorno was especially rewarding, collaborating with such a stellar cast and creative team on a character he’s proud to call one of his favourites. Jeremy also gives 110 per cent as a hard-working winger on the ice who’s not afraid to muck it up in the corners.
Deven Mack as Nokt in Ninjago: Dragons Rising, “Chaos Unchained”
From the shyest kid in school to one of Toronto and Vancouver’s most in-demand animation voice performers, Deven Mack made the unexpected leap from online cartoons to the television world in 2006. A Mississauga native of Caribbean descent, Deven began his professional career as Lab Rat in YTV’s Grossology series at age 17. His numerous roles to date include Chef Hatchet in Total Drama Island, Thanos in LEGO Marvel’s Avengers, Falcon in Marvel Super Hero Adventures, Chuck in Angry Birds: Summer Madness, and Durant, Joachim and Volk in Nintendo’s Dragalia Lost. Also an accomplished voice director, Deven cast and directed 2012’s award-winning indie game, Dust: an Elysian Tail. Assembling a cast of 40 actors from six different countries, he helped pioneer large-scale remote voice records in the pre-pandemic era. He has most recently directed Builder Brothers: Dream Factory and PBS Kids’ Lyla in the Loop. When not performing, directing or mentoring younger talents, Deven has gained notoriety as a pie-baking, basketball and raccoon enthusiast.
Pierre Simpson as Xavier in Night of the Zoopocalypse
Pierre Simpson is a Tkaronto-based bilingual performer working in voice, stage, film and TV. His voice work includes Night of the Zoopocalypse, Red Ketchup, Let’s Go Luna, Zoé Fusée, Globies and Les copains carlins as well as Ubisoft’s Hyper Scape. Notable TV roles include Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent, Three Pines, Paris-Paris, Transplant, Hannibal and Murdoch Mysteries. Films include Rosie (Gail Maurice), Mother! (Darren Aronofsky) and Let the Daylight into the Swamp (Jeffrey St. Jules). Stage appearances include Mechanically Inclined (Foster Festival), La cantatrice chauve, Dom Juan, Le dîner de cons (Théâtre français de Toronto), When It Rains (2b theatre, Edinburgh Festival) and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Canadian Stage). Previous recognition includes three nominations for a Prix Gémeaux for his work on Makinium, Mehdi & Val and Improtéine Expose (Radio-Canada), and Dora Award nomination and Prix Rideau Award for Les Médecins de Molière (Théâtre français de Toronto).
Scott Thompson as Ash in Night of the Zoopocalypse
Scott Thompson is perhaps best known to fans as a member of the iconic sketch comedy group The Kids in the Hall, his groundbreaking lounge lizard character Buddy Cole, and for playing Hank Kingsley’s assistant Brian on The Larry Sanders Show. A new reboot of The Kids in the Hall premiered in May 2022 on Amazon along with a feature documentary series about the group The Kids in the Hall: Comedy Punks. Scott currently stars in the hit Netflix show Fubar starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. He was a series regular on the cult-hit Hannibal on NBC and has also made appearances in the hit series Sort Of (CBC, MAX), Shoresy (Hulu) and American Gods (Starz). He has appeared in feature films Brain Candy, Ron Ronnie Run, The Pacifier and Mickey Blue Eyes and such television series as Reno 911!, Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Man Seeking Woman.
Outstanding Performance – Videogame Voice
Patrick Kwok-Choon as Nor in Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora – From the Ashes
Patrick Kwok-Choon is a versatile actor with a dynamic career spanning television, film, theatre, voiceover and videogames. He is best known for his five-season run on the hit CBS/Paramount+ series Star Trek: Discovery. On stage, he captivated audiences with over 450 performances in the National Theatre of London/Mirvish production of War Horse. In the world of gaming, he played Nor in James Cameron’s Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora. A skilled voiceover artist, his work has been featured in campaigns for major brands such as American Express, Kia and the CBC. Outside of acting, he holds a black belt in Krav Maga, is an avid home chef and a dedicated father of two.
Nicole Law as Rebecca in Hell Is Us
Nicole Law is a Toronto actress whose nuanced, grounded performances have earned her recognition across more than a decade of film and television. From early roles in Warrior and 12 Monkeys to her recurring turn as May in Amazon Prime Video’s Tales from the Loop, which earned her an ACTRA Award nomination for Outstanding Performance in 2021, she has built a body of work defined by range and quiet authority. She returns to the ACTRA Awards this year with her second Outstanding Performance nomination, recognized for her work on Hell is Us. Most recently, she can be seen recurring in Netflix’s Finding Her Edge (2026).
Dalal Sabra as Nentuk in Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora – From the Ashes
Dalal Sabra is an award-nominated, trilingual voice actor of Lebanese descent, raised in Montreal and based in Toronto. Her work spans videogames, animation and commercial projects. Moving from the bright, youthful Pirouette in Woolly Woolly to the grounded Na’vi native Nentuk in Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora for Ubisoft, to Netflix productions in Arabic, to bilingual live announcing for the DGC Awards, she continues to work through a cross-cultural lens, connecting stories across audiences and mediums. She is also the founder of Warm Hug Productions where she produces children’s audiobooks.
Outstanding Performance – Youth Voice
Athan Giazitzidis as Pants in Mittens & Pants, “Puppy Detective and the Case of the Smelly Smell”
Athan is very honoured and beyond excited for his second ACTRA Awards nomination as Pants on the CBC Gem series Mittens & Pants. He loves voicing the adorable, energetic pup and is grateful to be part of the multi-talented cast and crew of this incredible series. Athan has voiced characters in several animated series, specials and video games, such as Mittens & Pants (CBC Gem), Elinor Wonders Why (PBS Kids), Vida the Vet (Treehouse/StackTV), PJ Masks (Hasbro/Disney+), Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum (PBS), Blue’s Clues & You! (Nickelodoen) and Reverse 1999 (One Line). He has appeared in Film/TV in Accused (Fox). His professional stage debut came in 2023, as Jimmy Bean in the world premiere of Pollyanna The Musical at Theatre Aquarius and he recently played Ivar in the 2026 Canadian Stage production of A Doll’s House. Athan lives in Toronto with his parents and older sister. A sports enthusiast, Athan enjoys basketball, baseball, golf, pickleball and skateboarding, and plays soccer on a rep team. He sends his love to his family for their continued support and extends a special note of gratitude to Sandie and Yanick for every opportunity and their endless encouragement.
Ellora Lopez as Rosie in Rosie’s Rules, “Gatita Day”
Twelve-year-old Ellora Lopez is a Mexican/Canadian actress. She lives with her family in Toronto. Beyond voice acting, Ellora is a dedicated grade 7 student who loves French, art and music. Ellora’s acting journey began at age six with two shorts for Sesame Street. At age seven, she secured the lead role of Rosie in the popular PBS series Rosie’s Rules. Other credits include a principal voice on an upcoming Apple TV show, Wild Kratts, Super Why’s Comic Book Adventures and The Fabulous Show with Fay and Fluffy. Additionally, Ellora enjoys performing in musical theatre productions with the Randolph Kids and Spotlight Academy. In recognition of her talent, Ellora was nominated for Best Youth Performer at the 2025 Youth Media Alliance Awards of Excellence. She also won a 2025 Nova Star Award for Best Performance in a TV Series for Rosie’s Rules.
Grace Nicolaou-Wood as Apple Banana in Let’s Go, Bananas!, “The Fast and the Furriest”
Grace is 10 years old and a grade 5 student. Grace recently guest-starred on the CBS drama Watson playing opposite Morris Chesnut. She will also be appearing in the upcoming KindaTV series Pioneer Girl as Leila. Next up she will be playing Young Elsa in Yellow Door Theatre Project’s summer production of Frozen Jr. Grace is also an avid hockey player and plays left wing for the U11A Brock Jr Badgers. She also enjoys track and field and running cross country. Grace loves playing Apple Banana on Let’s go, Bananas! and is thankful to everyone involved!
Mia SwamiNathan as Mittens in Mittens & Pants, “Captain Mittens”
Mia SwamiNathan as Zadie in Work It Out Wombats!, “Zadie’s Horrible Haircut”
Mia SwamiNathan is an actress and voice actress known for her dynamic work in television and film. She gained recognition for voicing Zadie in Work It Out Wombats! and Roxi in PAW Patrol, along with leading roles as Vida in the series Vida the Vet and Mittens in the popular show, Mittens & Pants. Her screen credits also include appearances in Wordsville, Children Ruin Everything, Ivy & Bean, and The Last Frontier with Jason Clarke. In addition to her voice and television work, she appeared in the feature film Sight alongside Greg Kinnear and Terry Chen. Outside of acting, Mia plays high level rep soccer in the Ontario Player Development League (OPDL).
