UBCP/ACTRA Announces the Sam Payne Awards Winners for 2014

Each year UBCP/ACTRA presents two Sam Payne Awards to local members: the Sam Payne Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes a person with an accumulative outstanding body of work in the performing arts industry, while the Sam Payne Award recognizes a performer whose personal attributes mirror those of Sam Payne. The winners for 2014 are Gabrielle Rose and Veena Sood.

Gabrielle Rose, winner of the Sam Payne Lifetime Achievement Award, is one of Canada`s critically acclaimed Film, Stage, and Television actresses.  She has worked repeatedly with some of Canada’s most notable directors including Atom Egoyan (The Adjuster, Where the Truth Lies, The Sweet Hereafter), Bruce Sweeney (Excited, Dick Knost, The Crimes of Mike Recket) and Carl Bessai (Sisters & Brothers, Repeaters, Mothers and Daughter and Normal). 

The Sam Payne Committee is thrilled to celebrate the accomplishments of this Vancouver-based award-winning performer.  Gabrielle’s awards include a UBCP/ACTRA Award for Best Actress, five Leo’s, two Atlantic Film Festival Awards, and a National Board of Review (NY) Award. She has also been nominated five times for a Gemini and four times for a Genie.     

Veena Sood, winner of the Sam Payne Award, was born in Nairobi Kenya and schooled in England and Calgary. By age 20 Veena had graduated from University of Calgary with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, and had co-founded & developed Calgary’s Loose Moose Theatre Company. 

An award-winning actress of Punjabi descent, Veena’s wide and varied career includes theatre, film, television, cartoon voices, improv comedy, and emceeing gala events.  She developed The Vancouver Theatresports League, co-hosted her own CBC TV talk show In the Company of Women, has acted in over 100 plays, been a series regular on numerous TV series, appeared in TV movies and feature films. Veena has been a three-time Jessie Richardson nominee and has won both a Jessie and a Leo Award for her acting work.