Home > Actresses > W > Winnick, Katheryn > Biography


Canadian-born actress Katheryn Winnick (born 1984) has always preferred taking the road less traveled. Avoiding the pitfalls of being typecast, she has intentionally pursued edgier, more complex roles. Her acting resume stands as a testament to her attraction to the unconventional.

In COLD SOULS, which premiered at Sundance in 2009, Katheryn has a supporting role opposite Academy Award nominees Paul Giamatti, David Strathairn and Emily Watson. As a Russian actress named Sveta, she takes on Giamatti's soul-seeking deeper truth in her being and in her work.

Katheryn just finished shooting the lead in the thriller CHOOSE, where she plays a graduate student studying investigative journalism who, with the help of her father (Kevin Pollack), tries to track down a killer. The film was directed by Rob Legato, the Academy Award-winning visual effects supervisor whose credits as a second-unit director include Titanic, The Aviator, The Departed, James Cameron's upcoming Avatar, and Martin Scorsese's upcoming Shutter Island. Another thriller set for release in 2009 is New Line Cinema's AMUSEMENT, in which Katheryn also has a starring role.

Katheryn recently appeared as a guest-lead on FOX's top-rated series, HOUSE, an episode that garnered among the highest ratings for any scripted drama in over a year. The interest that arose from this episode was astounding, and helped secure Katheryn an overall holding deal at FOX Network during the 2007/'08 Pilot Season.

In 2007, Katheryn played a young woman suffering from schizophrenia as the lead in the Lifetime TV drama TIPPING POINT. And in WHEN NIETZSCHE WEPT, starring Armand Assante and Ben Cross, she was able to reveal her diverse artistic abilities in the role of Lou Salome. Her talent has also landed her roles like Melissa, Matthew McConaughey's girlfriend, in Paramount's box-office hit FAILURE TO LAUNCH, showcasing her comedic side.

Other notable roles for Katheryn include the Oscar-nominated short OUR TIME IS UP, National Lampoon's teen road-trip comedy GOING THE DISTANCE, and the indie drama KISS ME AGAIN. She also portrayed a young Ivana Trump in ABC's highly-publicized biopic TRUMP UNAUTHORIZED, about which The Hollywood Reporter gushed that Katheryn "steals nearly every scene."

On the small screen, Katheryn has guest-starred on such hit shows as CSI: NY, LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT, and OZ, and will be appearing in the 2009 season-premiere episodes of both CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION and LAW & ORDER. After her teen debut as a recurring character on the popular Canadian TV series STUDENT BODIES, Katheryn was selected from among thousands of young actors to be documented in Bravo's groundbreaking show, THE 'IT' FACTOR.

But this rising star is not only an accomplished actress; she received her first Black Belt at the age of 13, competed nationally, then went on to become a licensed bodyguard. Katheryn currently holds a third-degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do and a second-degree Black Belt in Karate.

A native of Toronto, Ontario, fair-haired actress Katheryn Winnick began her movie career behind the camera, as a martial arts trainer for the stars. (She earned dual black belts in tae kwon do and karate, and received her bodyguard license at an early age.) Winnick soon parlayed her glamorous countenance into acting, but expressed a highly vocal interest in challenging and demanding roles, and resisted being pigeonholed as simply a pretty face. Audiences first gained exposure to Winnick on television, with her involvement in such series as PSI Factor, Student Bodies, The It Factor, and Oz. Around 2003, the actress segued smoothly into feature roles. These included bit parts in the Adam Sandler/Drew Barrymore romantic comedy 50 First Dates (2004), the Matthew McConaughey/Sarah Jessica Parker romantic comedy Failure to Launch (2006), and the slasher movie Amusement (2008). Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide

Browse More Actresses:
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z