Sheila McCarthy
Known for: Acting
Sheila McCarthy (born January 1, 1956) is a Canadian stage, film and television actress, singer and dancer, best known for playing Polly Vandersma in the feature film I've Heard the Mermaids Singing, as well as supporting character Sarah Hamoudi (Cunningham) in the television series Little Mosque on the Prairie. She's a graduate in Theatre and Art History from the University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. In her career, she's won 2 Genie Awards (film), 2 Gemini Awards (television), and 2 Dora Awards (theater), along with multiple nominations.
Filmography
Series
The Good Doctor
Rose Babcock
2017
Series
Star Trek: Discovery
All-Mother
2017
Series
The Umbrella Academy
Agnes
2019
Series
Orphan Black
Connie Hendrix
2013
Series
Orphan Black
Connie Hendrix (voice)
2013
Series
Private Eyes
Shirl Glinski
2016
Film
Die Hard 2
Samantha 'Sam' Coleman
1990
Series
Rookie Blue
Leigh Senett
2010
Series
The New Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Debra (Sarah) Hollister
1985
Series
Saving Hope
Violet Devonshire
2012
Film
The Day After Tomorrow
Judith
2004
Series
Picket Fences
Sue Walsh
1992
Series
The Ray Bradbury Theater
Francine
1985
Series
This Is Wonderland
2004
Series
The Miniature Wife
2026
Series
Nurses
Phillis Bruner
2020
Series
The Hidden Room
1991
Series
Conviction
Dr. Jane Soto
2016
Series
Little Mosque on the Prairie
Sarah Hamoudi
2007
Film
Women Talking
Greta
2022
Film
Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen
Mrs. Gerard
2004
Film
Z-O-M-B-I-E-S 3
Hologram Alien Scout
2022
Film
Level 16
Mrs. Denison
2018
Series
The Detail
Helen Mailer
2018
Film
Pacific Heights
Liz Hamilton
1990
Series
Puppets Who Kill
2002
Series
Bad Dog
(voice)
1998
Film
Cow Belles
Fran Walker
2006
Film
The Broken Hearts Gallery
Cheryl Gulliver
2020
Series
More Tales of the City
Mildred
1998
Series
Too Rich: The Secret Life of Doris Duke
Tammy
1999
Film
A Fighting Man
Rose O'Connor
2014
Series
Haven
Eva
2001
Film
Anything for Jackson
Audrey Walsh
2020
Film
Being Julia
Grace Dexter
2004
Film
Antiviral
Dev Harvey
2012
Film
House Arrest
Gwenna Krupp
1996
Series
Emily of New Moon
Laura Murray
1998
Series
Marvin the Tap-Dancing Horse
Elizabeth the Emotional Pig (voice)
2000
Film
Ice Girls
Aunt Ginger
2016
Film
Shadow Zone: My Teacher Ate My Homework
Jesse's Mom
1997
Film
Still/Born
Sheila
2018
Film
The Voices of Our Mother
Harriet
2026
Series
A Woman of Independent Means
Totsie
1995
Film
Love & Larceny
Mary Bigley
1985
Film
Stepping Out
Andy
1991
Film
Paradise
Sally Pike
1991
Film
Breakfast with Scot
Miss Patterson (uncredited)
2007
Film
The Middle Man
Mrs. Stout
2021
Film
The Stone Angel
Doris
2007
Film
Rare Birds
Claire
2001
Film
Lathe of Heaven
Penny
2002
Film
Much Ado About Nothing
Margaret
1988
Film
Isabelle
Ann Pelway
2019
Film
Full-Court Miracle
Mrs. Klein
2003
Film
Year of the Carnivore
Mrs. Smalls
2009
Film
Happy Place
Joyce
2020
Series
Four on the Floor
1986
Film
You Know My Name
Mrs. Lynn
1999
Film
Bright Angel
Nina
1990
Film
Christmas 9 to 5
Rose Stark
2019
Film
All the Lost Ones
Dawn
2025
Film
Dear Viola
Peggy
2014
Film
Custody of the Heart
Alice
2000
Film
I Was a Rat
Mrs. Tapscrew
2001
Series
Super Rupert
Aunt Rhonda
2001
Film
The Rats
Miss Paige
2002
Film
Menendez: A Killing in Beverly Hills
Jill Lansing
1994
Film
The Well
Gabriel
2026
Film
Bailey's Billion$
Peggy Delaney
2005
Film
Haven
Eva
2001
Film
Brace for Impact
Faradee Gilchrist
2016
Film
The Possession of Michael D.
Jenny
1995
Film
I've Heard the Mermaids Singing
Polly Vandersma
1987
Film
Duct Tape Forever
Easterbrook (uncredited)
2002
Film
Liza Minnelli - Live from Radio City Music Hall
Self
1992
Film
Surfacing
Dawn
2026
Whatever, Linda
Sheila Hardy
2015
Film
The Christmas Club
Miss Maggie
2019
Film
Stroke of Fate
Shirley
2021
Film
Love Is the Monster
Margaret
2025
Film
Friends, Lovers, & Lunatics
Kathy
1989
Film
Like a House on Fire
Katherine
2021
Film
The Lotus Eaters
Diana Kingswood
1993
Film
Beautiful Dreamers
Molly Jessop
1990
Film
A Private Matter
Diane Callaghan
1992
Film
Milton's Secret
Luz
2016
Film
The Marriage Bed
Lynn Reailly
1986
Film
Cardinals
Valerie Walker
2017
Film
Weird Sex and Snowshoes: A Trek Through the Canadian Cinematic Psyche
Polly Vandersma (archive footage)
2004
Film
The Care and Handling of Roses
Carol Doster
1996
Film
George's Island
Miss Birdwood
1989
Film
White Room
Zelda
1990
Film
Geraldine's Fortune
Tina Larose
2004
Film
Really Weird Tales
Ellie Hutchins (segment "Cursed With Charisma")
1986
Film
Virtual Mom
Holly
2000
Film
A Nest of Singing Birds
Anna
1987
Film
Montreal Stories
Ann Stuart
1991
Film
An Assortment of Christmas Tales in No Particular Order
Ellen
2019
Film
Beethoven Lives Upstairs
Sophie
1992
Film
The Awakening
Nancy
1995
Back to the Beanstalk
Garbanza
1990
Film
Algonquin
Rita
2014
Film
Christmas in Rockwell
Juniper
2022
Film
Dead Husbands
Jane Armitage
1998
Film
Considering Love and Other Magic
Veronica
2017
Journey to the Planets
Oracle (voice)
1993
Film
9B
Heather
1986
Film
Dancing on the Elephant
Nora
2025
The Soulmates in the Gift of Light
(voice)
1991
Film
The Biggest Little Ticket
The Troll
1994