Chelah Horsdal
Born: 1973-06-19 in Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
Known For: Acting
Biography
Chelah Horsdal is a Canadian actress. She is known for her regular roles in the television series Hell on Wheels, When Calls the Heart, and The Man in the High Castle, recurring roles on Stargate SG-1, Level Up, Arrow, and Star Trek: Discovery, and for her roles in the films Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem and Rise of the Planet of the Apes. Horsdal was born in Vancouver, British Columbia. She says she "was born to hippie parents while surrounded by friends and family on the 'farm' Headacres." She is the daughter of mother Lindsay and folksinger father Valdy. She grew up with her mother in Kitsilano and attended Bayview Elementary followed by Lord Byng Secondary. She began modelling in locally shot TV shows and commercials at 18, and then lived in the Caribbean for a year. Horsdal began her acting career in 2002. She has since appeared in more than 75 commercials as well as in films and on television. She has played lead and supporting roles on Hell on Wheels, The Man In the High Castle, When Calls the Heart, Candiland, Patterson's Wager, Three Weeks, Three Kids, On Strike For Christmas, Marley & Me: The Puppy Years, and Lifetime's The Client List. She had lead roles in Lying To Be Perfect and Mrs. Miracle. Additional credits include leads on the feature Burning Mussolini, Nickelodeon's Gym Teacher: The Movie, co-starring Christopher Meloni and Amy Sedaris, Flirting with Forty with Heather Locklear and the FOX TV pilot The Virgin of Akron, Ohio. Supporting leads include Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem for 20th Century Fox and Possession alongside Sarah Michelle Gellar, as well as Elegy with Ben Kingsley and Penélope Cruz and Rise of the Planet of the Apes with John Lithgow and James Franco. Her performances in the short films Dark Room (2006) and The Hostage (2010) both earned Leo nominations for Best Performance. Recurring roles include Battlestar Galactica, Exes & Ohs, The L Word, Stargate: SG1, Saved, DaVinci's Inquest, Whistler, Blackstone, Clue and Cartoon Network's Level Up. The Hostage, for which Horsdal was nominated for Best Actress at the 2011 Leos, co-starred and was produced by Tahmoh Penikett and Aleks Paunovic. Horsdal was nominated for four more Leo Awards for her guest starring turn on Arctic Air (2013), for Hell on Wheels and When Calls the Heart, and for Patterson's Wager.
Filmography
2026
- Off Campus as Carrie Wells
2025
- Sheriff Country as Judge Merry MacRae
2023
- Prom Pact as Mrs. Lansing
2021
- Firefly Lane as Margie
2020
- Spontaneous as Denise
2019
- Noelle as Shelley Sussman
- Ash as Gail Hurst
- Last Stand to Nowhere as Wylona Earp
2018
- Boundaries as Therapist
2017
- The Good Doctor as Tessa
- Star Trek: Discovery as UFP President Laira Rillak
- The Show as Elliot's Mom
2016
- Candiland as Tess/The Queen
- Pretty Little Addict as Donna Phillips
2015
- The Man in the High Castle as Helen Smith
- UnREAL as Louise
- The Returned as Kris
- Even Lambs Have Teeth as Abby
- Gord's Brother as Amanda
- Patterson's Wager as Audrey
2014
- The 100 as Simone Lightbourne
- When Calls the Heart as Cat Montgomery
- If I Stay as Liddy
- The Grim Sleeper as Livi Vazquez
- Clue: A Movie Mystery Adventure as Headmistress Kroger
- Sole Custody as Ann
- When Calls the Heart: The Dance as Cat Montgomery
- When Calls the Heart: A Telling Silence as Cat Montgomery
2013
- Motive as Deana Mitchell
- Kill for Me as Maria Klein
- Midnight Stallion as Rita Shephard
- Hunting Season as Nancy
2012
- Arrow as Kate Spencer
- The Cabin in the Woods as Demo Girl
- Emily Owens, M.D. as Marian Kramden
- Level Up as Barbara
- It's Christmas, Carol! as Tanya
2011
- Hell on Wheels as Margaret Palmer
- Rise of the Planet of the Apes as Irena - Charles' Nurse
- Fairly Legal as Brooke Keller
- Marley & Me: The Puppy Years as Carol Grogan
- Three Weeks, Three Kids as Mandy Norton
2010
- R. L. Stine's The Haunting Hour as Chris' Mom
- Life Unexpected as Prosecutor
- The Client List as Doreen
- Altitude as Mrs. Taylor
- Lying to Be Perfect as Nancy
- The Tortured as Liane Strader
- Betwixt as Vanessa
2009
- Helen as Kara
- Possession as Miranda
- Come Dance at My Wedding as Nancy Reed
- Alien Trespass as Betsy's Mother
- Mrs. Miracle as Kate Preston
- Burning Mussolini as Cheryll Witherspoon
2008
- The Guard
- Passengers as Janice
- Elegy as Susan Reese
- Flirting with Forty as Anne
- Vice as Woman in Elevator
- Gym Teacher: The Movie as Winnie
- Past Lies as Danielle
2007
- Aliens vs Predator: Requiem as Darcy
- Bionic Woman as Suicidal Woman
- Exes & Ohs as Lauren Brooks
- Perfect Child as Jen
- A Decent Proposal as Cynthia Lewis
- Crossroads - A Story of Forgiveness as Cindy
- Ashes Fall as Joanna
2006
- Psych as Beth
- Eureka as Mary-Beth Curtis
- Men in Trees as Pretty Redhead
- The Pink Panther as Security Guard
- Whistler
- Hollow Man II as Blind Secretary
- The Evidence
- Fallen as Lori Corbett
- X-Men: The Last Stand as Minivan Mother
2005
- Supernatural as Cute Librarian
- Criminal Minds as Heather Woodland
- Masters of Horror as Frances Elwood
- The Exorcism of Emily Rose as Asst. DA #3
- Robson Arms
- Reunion
- Dreams in the Witch House as Frances Elwood
2004
- Stargate Atlantis as Erran
- Battlestar Galactica as Didi Cassidy
- The 4400 as Jeanine
- Pursued as Sharon
2003
- Tru Calling as Admissions Officer
- Paycheck as Young Mother
2002
- The Dead Zone as Janet Miller
2001
- Smallville as Dr. McCann
2000
- Andromeda as Misabo Ahm
1997
- Stargate SG-1 as Lt. Catherine Womack
1992
- The Hat Squad as Young Woman
1951
- Hallmark Hall of Fame as Cindy