Person biography:
Emily Schooley is a multi-talented individual who has made a name for herself in the entertainment industry as an actor, filmmaker, and director. She is the founder of Laughing Cat Productions, a Toronto-based production company that focuses on creating intelligent, women-driven stories.
Early Life and Education:
Emily began her acting career at a young age, appearing in her first lead role as the Country Mouse in Aesop's Fables at the age of five. She continued to perform on stage throughout elementary and high school, and began her formal acting training at the University of Windsor's theatre program.
Early Career:
Emily's first short film role was in Viktor, a student production by William Yeung, which won best picture and earned her a nomination for best actress at the school's film festival. She continued her studies in dramatic arts at the University of Waterloo, graduating with honors in 2007.
Notable Roles:
Emily's notable early film roles include the titular character in Orange Girl, which gained her international fans when it screened at the Portobello Film Festival in the UK, and the ethereal and malicious Spook in the short horror film The Ticket, which earned her a reputation as a scream queen.
Career Highlights:
Emily made her feature film debut in 2010 with the film Black Eve, which won the Audience Choice Award at the Bare Bones International Film Festival. She has since appeared in hundreds of screen, stage, and web productions, including the webseries Clutch, the transmedia series Spy Slutz, and the X-Files spoof.
Awards and Recognition:
Emily has won numerous awards for her work, including the Performance Innovation Award at the Toronto Fringe Festival for her role in Zed.TO and the Audience Choice Award at the Bare Bones International Film Festival for her role in Black Eve.
Philanthropy:
Outside of her creative work, Emily is an activist and animal enthusiast. She is a strong supporter of gender equality and women's rights, and frequently speaks out against police misconduct and for LGBTQ rights. She also fosters rescue cats with Team Cat Rescue, an organization that focuses on saving animals from high-kill shelters.
