Joanne Wilson's early childhood was marked by frequent moves within Ontario, Canada, before her family relocated to Edmonton, where her acting career began with a professional theatre role as a Victorian-era teenage prostitute. This marked the start of her extensive journey in Canadian regional theatres, where she performed a wide range of roles, from Shakespeare to the iconic Amanda Wingfield in Tennessee Williams' classic "The Glass Menagerie". During this time, Joanne skillfully juggled her stage career with broadcasting, often rushing from the theatre to a radio station to work an all-night shift as a DJ.
Joanne's film and television career has been equally impressive, with appearances in supporting and principal roles for prominent networks and streaming platforms, including Hallmark, Lifetime, GAC Family, NBC Universal/E!, Disney, and many feature films and TV series. She has also demonstrated her versatility in small independent films and as an accomplished voice actor in animation, documentaries, and hundreds of commercials.
In the broadcast field, Joanne has made a lasting impact. During the 1980s, she was one of Canada's first female rock radio DJs, a groundbreaking achievement at the time. This led her to return to Ontario and Toronto's top rock station, Q107, where she became an accomplished interviewer, writer, and producer of radio programs syndicated across Canada, the United States, and parts of Europe. Her business partner and late husband, Greg Mason, collaborated with her on these productions. Joanne's curiosity has led to interviews with hundreds of experts in various fields, as well as with renowned artists such as Sting, David Bowie, AC/DC, Bruce Cockburn, Bryan Adams, and many others. She has also worked as a television host and reporter.
In addition to her acting and broadcasting career, Joanne is a Certified Mindfulness Instructor, sharing this practice with her acting students. She is a strong believer in giving back and frequently volunteers her time with environmental groups, as well as teaching mindfulness practices to women experiencing intimate partner violence and those in addiction recovery. Joanne is a proud mother of three, with two surviving children, one a physician and the other a theatre actor with the world-renowned Stratford Festival.
