Gord Rand grew up surrounded by the lush scenery of Niagara on the Lake, where he spent his childhood on a peach farm with two older brothers. His parents, both scientists, instilled in him a sense of curiosity and exploration.
As a young man, Gord was known for his beloved pet pig, Percy, who weighed a whopping 300 pounds and had a penchant for escaping his pen to wreak havoc on the neighborhood dogs. Despite the chaos Percy caused, Gord was fiercely protective of his porcine companion.
Gord's academic pursuits took him to the University of Toronto, where he was fortunate enough to study under the guidance of renowned theatre professionals Ken Gass, Dean Gilmour, Marc Christmann, and Herbert Olshok. During his time at university, Gord developed a passion for guerrilla theatre, and he went on to perform a memorable production of Michael Hollingsworth's play Strawberry Fields in an actual field, lit by car headlights.
This unorthodox approach to theatre caught the attention of the Shaw Festival Theatre, where Gord went on to work for seven seasons, gradually rising from the ranks of spear-carrier to lead. Some of his most notable roles during this period included Christy Mahon in The Playboy of the Western World and Dick Dudgeon in The Devil's Disciple.
After leaving the Shaw Festival in 1999, Gord made his way to Manhattan, where he won a role in the American premiere of Tom Stoppard's The Invention of Love. This production was a significant milestone in Gord's career, as it allowed him to work alongside the esteemed playwright himself, as well as Carey Perloff and James Cromwell.
Gord's travels took him to Edinburgh, New York, and Kigali, where he played the lead role in Volcano Theatre's production of Michael Redhill's play Goodness. This experience was so transformative that Gord went on to create a critically acclaimed documentary about the journey, titled Goodness in Rwanda.
Gord's impressive body of work has earned him numerous accolades, including a Dora award for his portrayal of Uri, a naked Ukrainian plutonium dealer in Michael Healey's The Innocent Eye Test. He has also had the privilege of playing the title roles in Hamlet for World Stage and Oedipus Rex at the Stratford Festival.
In addition to his work as an actor, Gord is also a talented playwright. His dark comedies, such as Orgy in the Lighthouse, Pond Life, The Trial of Thumbelina, and The Trouble with Mr Adams, have been met with both critical acclaim and controversy. As he so aptly put it, "Better angry than bored..." is a philosophy that guides his creative endeavors.
Gord's most recent project was adapting his play Pond Life into a feature film, which premiered in 2017. Despite the demands of his career, Gord remains committed to his family, and he currently resides in Toronto with his wife Jeanie Calleja and their two sons.
