Birthdate: Dec 19, 1986
Birthplace: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Annie Murphy (birthname: Anne Frances Murphy) is a beloved comic actor in television—best known as Alexis on the hit show, Schitt’s Creek--who has shifted into feature films. Murphy’s feature debut, however, preceded most of her TV work with a role in the Quebec/French-produced L’histoire de Jen (2008), with Laurence Leboeuf, Marina Hans, and Daniel Pilon.
Murphy was then cast in a supporting role in writer-director Chris Agoston’s Canadian comedy-drama, Lick (2010), starring Robert Higden. Murphy co-starred in writer-director Armand Garnet Ruffo’s First Nations-set Canadian drama, A Windigo Tale (2010), with Andrea Menard, Gary Farmer, and Jani Lauzon, a three-time winner at the American Indian Film Festival.
Murphy landed her first major Hollywood studio role in a voice performance as co-lead in Universal Pictures and DreamWorks Animation’s animated feature comedy-adventure, Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken (2023), with Lana Condor, Toni Collete, Colman Domingo, and Jane Fonda. With her star rising in features, Murphy then joined Jessie Buckley, Riz Ahmed, Jeremy Allen White, and Luke Wilson in the sci-fi drama by writer-director Christos Nikou, Fingernails (date to be announced).
Annie Murphy was born and raised in Ottawa, Canada by parents who were both teachers. Murphy fell in love with acting in high school, and after graduating attended Queen’s University based in Kingston, Ontario. Murphy transferred to Concordia University in Montreal, where she majored in theater. After graduation, Murphy continued her theater training at the Canadian Film Centre Actors’ Conservatory. At age 22, Murphy moved to Los Angeles to pursue her acting career. Murphy has been married to actor-producer-musician Menno Versteeg since August 2011. Murphy’s height is 5’ 7”.
Winner, Supporting Actress—Comedy Series, Emmy Awards (2020); Winner, Best Ensemble—Comedy Series, Screen Actors Guild Awards (2021); Nominee, Best Supporting Actress—TV, Golden Globe Awards (2021); Nominee, TV Musical Performance of the Year, MTV Movie + TV Awards (2021); Two-time Nominee, Best Ensemble/Best Female Actor—Comedy Series, Screen Actors Guild Awards (2020, 2021).
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AKA: Annie Murphy considered quitting acting after her house burned down, leaving her financially destitute. (Technically, she had $400 in her bank account.) Then she won the audition for a regular role in the TV series, Schitt’s Creek, in 2015.
Book Lover: Murphy is a book lover, and has noted that “being quite young and having this feeling of panic that you’ve only got one life. I think books are the first step to overcoming that because you can be a different person, live different lives in different places, and have different experiences all through books. And then acting is an extension of that…”