Montreal, June 15, 2026 – On June 12th, ACTRA Montreal unveiled the winners of the 15th edition of the ACTRA Awards in Montreal at Theatre Gesu. This ceremony which takes place every two years, recognizes outstanding performances by ACTRA Montreal members and highlights accomplishments and excellence in our film, television and video game industry.
More than 400 guests joined this celebration of ACTRA Montreal talent, hosted by standup comedian and ACTRA Montreal member Wassim El-Mounzer. Thirty nominees were recognized for their outstanding work across five performance categories – Film, Television, Stunts, Dubbing, and Video Games – along with 3 special awards recipients.
Here are the winners of the 15th Edition of the ACTRA Awards in Montreal
Outstanding Performance in TV
François Arnaud for his moving portrayal of Scott Hunter in Heated Rivalry.
Outstanding Performance in Film
Kaniehtiio Horn for her performance as Ziggy in her labour of love feature “Seeds” which she also wrote and directed.
Outstanding Stunt Performance
Maxime Savaria, for his 55-foot descender fall from a helicopter in –12 in Apple’s The Last Frontier. The Award Sponsor ‘’Climbing Sutra” is offering Maxime their safety Hero set, valued at $3,000.
‘Outstanding Performance in a Video Game
Olivia Lepore, for her role as Swann Holloway in “Lost Records: Bloom & Rage”, an award presented by Red Barrels.
‘Outstanding Performance in Dubbing
Xiao-Yi Hernan, for his work in “10Dance”; an Award presented by Difuze.
SPECIAL AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS
Amongst the Special Awardees this year is Jacob Tierney with the Award of Excellence. The Award is presented to recognize the outstanding achievements of a member in the Canadian entertainment industry that has made an impact in Quebec for the English Production community. Jacob, who is himself an ACTRA Montreal member, has consistently uplifted Canadian stories and performers, and most recently with the hit show Heated Rivalry, has made Canadian culture and creatively an international household name.
Duy Nguyen is this year’s Walter Massey Breakthrough Artist Awardee. A distinction that shines a light on a performer who has made a name for themselves through hard work and commitment to their craft. Duy did just that in his breakout role as Man in HBO’s The Sympathizer.
“But it all started with this dream to be part of ACTRA, to be here with all of you. You are all my inspiration. I am reminded of your talent every time I turn on my TV or play a video game. You showed me that if you can do it, then maybe I can do it too. And if I can do it… trust me, there is hope for all of us. This award will forever be my reminder of the incredible community we have here, and that dreams do come true. I promise I will keep working even harder to forever be worthy of your trust in me.” – Duy Nguyen
Kirwan Cox is this year’s Victor Knight Community Builder Awardee. A tribute acknowledging an extraordinary individual for their selfless efforts to better our cultural community, someone whose activism and/or charity work goes far beyond ACTRA, impacting a much larger slice of Montreal society. As the Executive Director of the Quebec English Language Production Council, Kirwan has worked tirelessly to open opportunities and lobby the federal government to fight back against the decline of English Production in the province.
“We are struggling now, but we may well have gone extinct by now without Kirwan’s continued interventions. If you have worked on an English language Canadian Production in Montreal you probably have Kirwan to thank.” – Simon Peaock – ACTRA Montreal President
Heather White is named the ACTRA Montreal Woman of the Year. A celebrated actor, educator, and devoted mom, Heather has been breaking boundaries and challenging societal norms from the get-go. Heather’s experience introduced her to the best of two worlds, creating a sense of duality that shaped both her personal perception and that of the larger world beyond her communities. This award was announced to mark International Women’s Day on March 8th.
In his speech, ACTRA Montreal President Simon Peacock made a call to celebrate, support, and elevate the exceptional talent within ACTRA Montreal. He emphasized the vital contributions of ACTRA members to the province’s cultural and creative success, noting that: “English is an integral part of Quebec Culture. We have the right to exist and flourish and to tell our own stories. The truth is that many French crews and Artists wouldn’t survive without work in the English sector as well – if you want to protect French Culture in Quebec – protect ALL culture in Quebec.”
THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNERS
The 15th edition of the ACTRA Awards is presented by its Platinum Sponsor, AFBS.
This year’s edition has received a special outpouring support from industry partners: ACTRA National, the QFTC (Quebec Film and Television Council), the QEPC and ELAN (English Language Arts Network) are supporting this edition as community partners. Red Barrels, Difuze and Climbing Sutra are Award sponsors. Muse Entertainment, CBS Studios, The William Gray Hotel and Red Barrels are joining as event sponsors.
About ACTRA Montreal
ACTRA Montreal (Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists) is a union representing over 4,000 performers and stunt professionals, part of a nationwide network of over 30,000 members, who work in English-language recorded media.
A champion of Canadian culture since 1943, ACTRA Montreal promotes and protects the economic, professional and social interests of its members.
About the organizers
The ACTRA Awards in Montreal are organized by the Honours Committee to promote Community building among the ACTRA Membership and the recognition of talent, in the ACTRA Montreal Membership, and of the quality in Montreal-based productions.