Canada's Tate McRae is an undeniable triple threat whose talent as an actress, dancer and singer is beyond astonishing, and she's not even a teenager yet. McRae began her career in the spotlight as a dancer at the age of 6, and since then her ability to command the stage and her audiences' attention has led her around the world performing in a long list of shows and competitions.

The extraordinarily talented performer won the Junior Best Dancer Award at the 2015 Dance Awards in NYC in July, and was also named the Silver Medal Solo Winner at the YGAP NYC Finals in April. She is also one of a select few of Capezio's sponsored dancers!
 
Her skill as a dancer undoubtedly helped put her on the map in the highly competitive entertainment world, but it's the vast nature of her talent that has propelled her to the top of the industry in such a short amount of time.
 
Over the last few years McRae has acted in several television and film productions as the voice of the character Spot Splatter Splash in the hit series Lalaloopsy, the film Lalaloopsy: The Big Show and the video Lalaloopsy: Band Together, and Princess Nutmeg in the 2013 video Lala-Oopsies: A Sew Magical Tale.
 
It doesn't hurt that McRae is also incredibly cute. The way that she is able to work her magic on the camera has been a major factor for her gaining traction in the modeling world. Over the years she's been featured in Dance Spirit Magazine, as well as print ads for clothing companies including Capezio, Miss Behave Girls, Schatzi, Twear, and more.
 
To find out more about this phenomenal performer make sure to check out our interview below. You can also find out more about Tate McRae through her website: http://www.tatemcrae.com/
 
Where are you from and how old are you?
 
TM: I am from Calgary, Canada and I'm 12 years old.
 
When and how did you get into acting?
 
TM: I got into acting through my dancing and singing. I love musical theater and had to learn to develop characters for my songs. Then, the same day I got an agent I booked a job doing voice overs for the show Lalaloopsy!
 
What is it like having such a successful career at such a young age?
 
TM: I do not really think of myself as having a career yet. I am learning and getting amazing opportunities that I can hopefully turn into a career when I am older!
 
Can you tell us a little bit about some of the television shows you've been in?
 
TM: I was in 17 Episodes of the show Lalaloopsy where I play Spot Splatter Splash. I also played Spot Splatter Splash in the video Lalaloopsy: Band Together and Lalaloopsy Ponies: The Big Show.
 
I loved playing Spot! She was carefree and creative and had a lot of energy. It was so fun! Spot was one of the main characters so I had a lot of lines. It is hard recording voice-overs. You are the only one in the recording booth and there are lots of people online from the states directing you. I usually got a 30-page script 1 to 2 days before we recorded, so you have to go through it and figure out how your expression is going to be. A few times I had to play 2 characters in one episode. So I had to sound different. In one I had to sing badly as Spot and then have a beautiful voice as Harmony.
 
I also played Nutmeg in the video Lala-Oopsies: A Sew Magical Tale and Holly Sleighbells in the episode of the Lalaloopsy series It’s A Wrap.
 
I played Harmony in the Lalaloopsy DS Game. It was so fun recording this, but even more fun playing the game and hearing your voice!
 
You get approached all the time to work on projects with people, what makes you pick one role over another?
 
TM: Sometimes it is timing. I still go to school full time and attend a professional ballet school. Those are important to me and sometimes I just cannot miss too much time there.
 
Have you done any theatre productions yet?
 
TM: I was in "Camp Rock The Musical" when I was 8 and loved the experience.
 
Is it overwhelming at times to be receiving so much recognition for your work so early on? How do you balance being a kid with having a career?
 
TM: Not really, I love everything I do and I believe it is important to stay grounded and appreciate every opportunity. I know that there are many talented kids out there and as many jobs as you may book, there are even more you get turned down for. Even in my spare time I chose to do something that has to do with the arts. I am always singing or dancing around or listening to music! I have been like that since I was a little girl. Even before I took lessons I was always putting on shows!
 
What has been your favorite role so far and why?
 
TM: My favorite role was Harmony, because I got to combine my singing and my acting in one! It was so fun.
 
Which actors do you look up to, and why?
 
TM: I really look up to a lot of actors. I like Angelina Jolie, just because she is so good in so many different roles and is so versatile! I also love Shay Mitchell. She does so many different TV and movie roles and is quite young and also has a great personality off screen. Blake Lively is also amazing! She is so classy and beautiful on screen!
 
What separates you from other actors?
 
TM: I think what separates me is that I am a dancer and a singer also. I’m always performing and incorporating my other passions into my acting. I feel that dancing, singing, and acting define me as a person.
 
 When did you first begin dancing?
 
TM: I first began when I was 6... I was not really serious about it until I was 8. That is when I decided that I loved it and wanted to take it to the next level.
 
How has dancing helped you in your career as an actor?
 
TM: Dancing has helped me with my career as an actor because I have made so many more connections through dance. The 2 worlds really do cross over. Dance has given me lots of confidence and has made me really comfortable performing. I do not get nervous when I am asked to recite lines or play a character.
 
Can you list some of the people you’ve worked with that our readers might know?
 
TM: I have mainly worked with big names in the dance industry. Travis Wall from Shaping Sound and So You Think You Can Dance, who just won an Emmy. I have assisted his classes many times. I also love working with Will Lofts who is in Teen Beach Movie. He gives me lots of advice on what I should do and how I can become more versatile! Blake McGarth recently choreographed a video for the band Walk Off The Earth, where I was a lead dancer. He is a huge supporter of mine. He is also a singer and has been on some TV shows so he's a great connection for me to have!

​What projects do you have coming up, or have you recently finished filming? 
 
TM: I am currently working on a video series that is incorporating my dancing and acting. I recently filmed “Downtown,” a hip-hop video with Jake McWilliams the CEO of Dance Studio Heroes. I have also recently finished a video called “Stranded,” which incorporated my dancing and acting, and was produced by Jayna Photography in NYC. I will be releasing a new one shortly. I am also releasing an Ebook in the New Year.
 
What kind of training have you done?
 
TM: I have trained in all forms of dance-- jazz, tap, contemporary, classical, pointe, and musical theater, and taken voice training for classical, pop and musical theater, as well some acting and improvisation classes.
 
Why are you passionate about acting?
 
TM: I love expressing myself in any way! When I am dancing I am acting, when I am singing I am acting. Everything I do seems to bring out my acting!
 
If you weren't an actor, what other profession do you think you would like to have in the future?
 
TM: I would either like to be a professional singer or dancer!
 
What are your hobbies outside of performing?
 
TM: I do not have a lot of time outside all of my performing classes and school, but I do love to hang out with my family and friends and watch movies. I also like to write songs and make videos in my free time... In the summer I like to go to the lake and wake surf!
 
You've also had a lot of success as a model and commercial actress, can you tell us about some of the projects you've done in these fields so far?
 
TM: I have modeled for a few lines. My first one was a clothing line called Schatzi. That is when I knew I loved the camera! I have also modeled for Capezio, Miss Behave Girls and the dance clothing companies Twear and Triple Flip.
 ​

Making his mark on the Hollywood entertainment industry alongside the likes of Seth Rogan, Jim Carry, and the late John Candy, actor Dwayne Hill is one of the funniest breaths of fresh air to come out of Canada in recent years. This man lives and breaths laughter, it is plain and simple-- comedy is just a part of his soul.

Hill has done everything from acting on camera in the films Mean Girls, Tangled, The Safety of Objects, and Meet Prince Charming to working as the writer of the hit television shows Uh-Oh!, Captain Flamingo, The Shakespeare Comedy Show, What It's Like Being Alone and Dex Hamilton: Alien Entomologists.

He has also amassed an incredible repertoire of voice over roles over the years, which includes over 493 titles and episodes spanning the past two decades.

Having received a Gemini Award for his work on the show Atomic Betty, as well as an ACTRA Nomination for Best Voice for his work on the show Crash Canyon, and several other career defining accolades, Dwayne Hill is surprisingly down to earth for someone who has reached the level of success that he has.

When asked about his birthplace, Hill says, " I was born in Port Credit, Ontario, Canada, in one of those small towns that is almost too familiar, 'Word is, you’re a bed wetter.' That being said, it was the perfect place to grow up. Polite, clean, inoffensive. If the color beige were a town, that would be it."

Hill's comedic disposition is evident whether he is in character, or just being himself; and if you need proof just check out the video below where he is being interviewed by Ashley Harrington at the 2014 Emmy Awards Nominee Party where he received a nomination for Outstanding Performer in an Animated Series for his performance as Cat on the show Peg + Cat.

In the hit Canadian comedy film Phil the Alien, Hill took on the role of Agent Blue, a member of a secret government agency stationed beneath Niagara Falls.  Decked out in a blue fur coat Agent Blue and his partner Agent Orange (Jason Jones) are assigned the tricky mission of reactivating a drunken agent by the name of Jones (Bruce Hunter). The two forcibly coerce Jones to set out on a hunt for Phil the alien; however, when Jones fails, Agent Blue steps in and captures Phil. 

Hill also played the role of Detective Denny Nagle in the twisted thriller film Tangled where he co-starred alongside Rachel Leigh Cook from the films She's All That, Josie and the Pussycats, Blonde Ambition and 29 Palms, and Shawn Hatosy from Alpha Dog, The Cooler, and Public Enemies. 

In the film Hill's character and his partner, Detective Andersle (Lorraine Bracco), find themselves immersed in a complex missing person case with their only source being the missing girl's boyfriend, David, who is confined to a hospital bed with little memory of the events that led him there. As the detectives narrow in on the truth an unforeseen love triangle between several of the main characters is revealed and the plot continues to thicken.

While Hill's reputation throughout the industry has become synonymous with comedy, he shows a completely different side of his craft in the film Tangled, further proving the vast range of his talent.

Viewers can currently catch Hill in the animated television series The Day My Butt Went Psycho!, which is based on the Scholastic best-selling novel series by Andy Griffiths and received a Canadian Screen Award earlier this year. 

About one of his various roles on the show Hill says,  "In a land of bums, I play The Flicker, a crusty old Scottish guy who towel snaps all the bums in town."

In the show Hill adds his voice to a well-rounded cast that includes Degrassi star and Young Artist Award winner Laura Collins, Bryn McAuley (Anne of Green Gables: The Animated Series), Joe Pingue (The Book of Eli, Pacific Rim), Mark Robert Edwards (Rocket Monkeys) and many other well-known stars. 

The series, which was created by Andy Griffiths and Mark Steinberg (The Dating Guy, Papillion, Jimmy Two-Shoes), premiered on Netflix on June 30, in addition to airing on Canada's Teletoon and Télétoon, Australia's Nine Network and Okto in Singapore.

You can check out Teletoon's promo for the series below:

About working on animated productions, Hill says, "It allows you to play like no other medium. I can be several characters in a single episode... When I do a series like Scaredy Squirrel, which airs in over 100 countries, I like to think a kid somewhere far off is laughing at my characters, and is hopefully inspiring them to try it themselves. Because I know the joy I felt as a kid watching a cartoon and mimicking the voices."

Hill's plethora of accomplishments as a voice over actor place him in the upper echelon of the entertainment industry's best talents; but the command he has over his voice has also made him a key talent for massive advertising clients as well. His voice has been featured in thousands of commercials to date for clients like Toyota, Vonage, Mastercard, Bud light, General Electric, 7-11 and others. 

In the end, Hill just loves what he does, and his passion for his work shines through in every project he takes on whether he is in front of the camera or bringing animated characters to life from inside the sound booth. 

Alan Morell, Hill's manager at Creative Management Partners, says, "I feel as many do at the networks, Dwayne is ready for work in the U.S. within the comedy sitcom television series arena and were seeking out the best Agents in this sector to facilitate for Dwayne's future endeavors." 

A supremely talented actor, Canadian-born star Evan Williams has accomplished more in the entertainment industry internationally in the last few years than most do in a lifetime.

In addition to his roles in the films Ride, Paradise Club, The Fortune Series and Lloyd the Conqueror, many viewers will recognize Williams from his leading role as Kelly Ashoona on seasons eight and nine of the hit television series Degrassi: The Next Generation.

The show, which began airing on Canada's CTV back in 2001, is currently on its 14th season and has received an impressive six awards from the Directors Guild of Canada and nine Gemini Awards, as well as three Primetime Emmy nominations and countless others.

In the show, Williams demonstrates his sweet and lovable side as Kelly, a boy-next-door character who becomes the love interest of the show's leading lady Emma Nelson played by Miriam McDonald (Wolves, Lost Girl, Pecola, Devil's Diary, Blue Murder, She's Too Young).

Williams took on the role of Kelly Ashoona once again in the 2009 film Degrassi Goes Hollywood, which followed the show's leading cast members to Los Angeles where several of them attempt to fulfill their dreams of stardom.

After making his name and face known to fans of the hit teen drama series set in the "Degrassi" universe, Williams went on to be cast in the starring role of Baxter McNab, the title character in the series Baxter.

A half-hour live action comedy series that was produced by Shaftesbury Films (Murdoch Mysteries, The Listener, Life with Derek, Dark Oracle) and aired on Canada's Family Channel, Baxter followed Williams' character and the show's supporting cast members as they attended the unique Northern Star School of the Arts, a high school where only the most talented individuals from various areas of the performing arts are accepted.

While the students at Northern Star School of the Arts portray a very different version of teen life on screen than most of us are used to with their over-the-top productions and the constant pressure to perform, Baxter McNab's talent isn't always enough to keep him out of trouble with his teachers. While McNab's irreverent style continually ruffled feathers, his comedic and light-hearted approach to life made the show a hilarious must watch.

"Being the title character of a television show was a challenge which I was happy to accept but one that I also had to work very hard to live up to, and I don’t mind saying it was difficult," recalls Williams. "It forced me to grow very quickly to deal with the added pressures of being the face of an enterprise of that size."

Although his extraordinary talent continues to turn heads, Williams remains a humble player in an industry that is, for the most part, dominated by oversized egos. For him, fame has been a mere side effect of doing something that he is passionate about, and doing it well.

He says, "I believe actors are instrumental in the dismantling of the colluded lie that we are all inherently alone. By telling stories that are effective at breaking through the chatter, we can make an audience feel themselves in the experience of others, and can awaken the empathy and a questioning of the status quo that is necessary to make the world a better place to live and to make our lives richer and more connected to each other."

Since the initial release of Baxter back in 2010, Williams' range and unparalleled skill as an actor has brought him to the forefront of the television industry.

 Last year he took on the lead role of Luke on the fourth season of the People's Choice Award and Teen Choice Award winning MTV series Awkward, a teen comedy series that revolves around Jenna Hamilton, a high school outcast who rises in popularity after she gets into a fluke accident that is perceived as a suicide attempt.

Williams' character Luke enters the show as a highly intelligent older boy that Jenna meets during an overnight visit to a potential college. The two soon realize that their literary interests, along with many other things, are in line, and as the series progresses, so does Luke and Jenna's love story.

You can catch Evan Williams playing Luke in the fifth season of Awkward, which will begin airing on MTV on August 31 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. The actor also just finished shooting the first season of the upcoming series Versailles, in Paris, France. The show, which is slated to air later this year, features Williams in the starring role of Chevalier.  

A Long Way from Home was chosen as an Official Selection at The Audience Awards in the Live Action Shorts category, as well as an Official Selection of the Short of the Month Online Film Festival earlier this year.

At 8 years old, Alexander Davis has already procured a reputation synonymous with success, and his recent award win at the 2015 Young Artists Awards proves that this actor is here to stay. Davis received his Young Artist Award for his unparalleled performance as Randy in the acclaimed theatre production of A Christmas Story.

Over the course of the production's 48-show run at the Neptune Theatre in Halifax, Nova Scotia last year, Davis captured the hearts of audiences with his spot-on portrayal of Randy, the younger brother of the Red Ryder BB gun obsessed Ralphie.

Davis added leagues of hilarity to the stage production as he suited up night after night in the obscenely cumbersome snowsuit, a costume that undoubtedly engrained the Randy character in the minds of viewers upon the release of the film back in 1983.

As stated by his older brother Ralphie in the narration of the story, Davis's character Randy is known for his aversion to the act of eating; and so, in an effort to keep her child from starving, Mother Parker coaxes Randy to engage in some rather odd dinner table rituals that make for great comedy.

In contrast to his character, Davis admitted, "I loved eating oatmeal every show!... the thicker the better!  For those of you who don't know about Randy, he makes piggy noises with his food, loves to hang out under the kitchen sink, and can’t put his arms down with his big snowsuit."

The show received rave reviews, which in addition to his Young Artists Award, have since led Davis to be regarded as a theatre star with the kind of talent that just doesn't quit.

However, what is probably the most surprising facet of Davis's talent is that his ability to enthrall audiences is equally as evident in his performances in the theatre as it is in film and television productions. 

Over the years he has successfully taken on a staggering range of roles solidifying the fact that, beyond the appeal of genres and character traits, this kid just loves to act! 

"I just love acting.  I love being able to become another character.  I act all the time, even when I’m not being paid to act.  One day, I was barking and whimpering like a puppy and getting our dog to bark.  My dog, Bella was convinced that there was another dog in the house," recalled Davis laughingly.

Although Davis's at home impersonations of a puppy got on the nerves of his older brother Richard, who happens to be a well-known actor as well, they turned out to be the perfect preparation for an upcoming role. 

Shortly after, Davis landed roles as the voices of Brownie and Checkers, two guest starring characters (who are puppies) on the third season of the PBS children's series Super Why!, which will premiere in August. 

The highly watched series not only marked O'Connell's first reoccurring role in a television series, but it catapulted Jai to the top of the television world as well.

She would go on to star in the television shows Pillars of Freedom, Medabots, Monster Force, The Magic School Bus, The Busy World of Richard Scary, Trail Mix, Stickn' Around, Little Rosey and many others.

Jai also starred as Jasmine Matsumuto alongside Oscar and Golden Globe nominated actor Mako (Memoirs of a Geisha, Seven Years in Tibet, Pearl Harbor, RoboCop 3, Rising Sun, The Sand Pebbles), Billy Blanks (Kiss the Girls, Jack and Jill, Assault on Devil's Island) and Adrian Hough (X-Men: The Last Stand, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, The Fog, Underworld: Evolution) in the film Balance of Power.

An action packed fight film Balance of Power centers on the story of Niko (Billy Blanks), a fighter who runs a dojo for underprivileged kids, and Todo Matsumoto (Mako), a martial arts expert who trains Niko to go up against an evil gang that is determined to destroy the dojo.

Jai's sweet face and innocent approach to her character Jasmine, Todo's granddaughter and a constant fixture throughout the film, adds incredible amounts of cuteness to Balance of Power, a key component in making the film fit for a family oriented audience.

For example, after Jai's character takes Niko to meet her grandfather to help him mend his wounds after being beaten to a pulp in an alley, she fixates her eyes on his sculpted abs and says, "May I?" and subsequently punches him in the stomach. In one of the film's most memorable moments audiences see Niko doing push-up as the small-framed Jasmine sits comfortably on his back nonchalantly reading a book.

A difficult and almost impossible task for many adult actors, Jai has managed to bring that same child-like innocence that we see in Balance of Power to many of her roles during adulthood when necessary.

Adding incredible emotional depth and vulnerability to Birdie, one of the leading characters in the theater production of "What of the Night," Jai gave a standout performance that received rave reviews.

Directed by Caitlin Hart, the play follows Birdie as she grapples with the decision to leave her poverty-ridden family at the age of 14 in order to create a better life for herself; a decision which means leaving everything she knows behind and heading out into the cold cruel world.

A Pulitzer Prize nominated play written by Maria Irene Fornes, "What of the Night" follows Birdie on a 60-year long journey of self-realization, love, betrayal and sorrow. Jai powerfully displays her capacity as an actress as she transforms from the young 14-year-old Birdie who is dead set on escaping poverty to the fragile elderly woman she becomes as years pass before the audience's very eyes. 

Director Caitlin Hart says, "Lisa Jai is an exceptionally professional and talented actor. I’ve had the pleasure of working with her on two shows in Los Angeles and I hope to cast her in all my shows to come! Her talent is limitless and her unique generosity onstage is a rare find. Los Angeles is lucky to have Lisa Jai!"

Staged at the Vagrancy theatre in Los Angeles in 2014, "What of the Night" received an Ovation Recommendation from LA STAGE Alliance, a coveted recognition that serves as a huge testament to the performances given by Jai and her costars.

Considered by many to be the Tony Awards of the Los Angeles theater world, the LA STAGE Alliance Ovation Awards provide a prestigious level of distinction awarding the best plays in LA, which is voted on by 250 professionals currently working in the theater industry.

As an Ovation Recommended play "What of the Night" is now in the running as a possible nominee for the upcoming awards, which are usually held at the end of the year.

 

Since landing his first big role in a national commercial for Mr. Big candy bars nearly a decade ago, actor James Preston Rogers has gone on to star in a long list of critically acclaimed films and television shows.

James is currently working on several films including Pixels, a sci-fi comedy starring Young Hollywood Award winner Ashley Benson (Pretty Little Liars, How I Met Your Mother, Spring Breakers, Time Warrior, Eastwick, Supernatural), Golden Globe nominee Michelle Monaghan (True Detective, American Dad, Expecting, Due Date, Made of Honor, Source Code, Eagle Eye) and multi-award winning actor Adam Sandler (Happy Gilmore, Grow Ups, Big Daddy, Spanglish, 50 First Dates, Mr. Deeds).

Scheduled for release in 2015, James plays the role of Seal in Pixels, a film that follows a group of video game experts who are recruited by the military to fight a team of 1980s era video game characters who attack New York. Pixels is being produced by Columbia Pictures and Adam Sandler’s company Happy Madison Productions.

Some of James Preston Rogers’ past work includes the films Defendor, Outlander, Max Payne, You Might as Well Live, Ultra, Degrassi Goes Hollywood, Death Warrior, Unrivaled, and the television shows Flashpoint, Love Bites, Cra$h & Burn, Lost Girl, King and Alphas.

James showed his unparalleled abilities as an actor in the role of Big Mitch in the hit film A Beginner’s Guide to Endings, where he starred alongside Leo Award winner Tricia Helfer (TRON: Uprising, Community, Killer Women, 37, Dangerous Intuition, Spun Out, Criminal Minds), seven-time Gemini Award winner Wendy Crewson (The Bridge, Endgame, Crimes of Passion, The Vow, Revenge), and Oscar nominee Harvey Keitel (The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Piano, Reservoir Dogs, From Dusk til Dawn, Inglorious Bastards).

The film, which received three awards at the Newport Beach Film Festival and was nominated for a Director’s Guild of Canada Award, follows three brothers who, in the wake of discovering that they only have a few days to live, set off on a journey to reverse a lifetime of mistakes.

With a naturally tall and muscular physique James Preston Rogers is an actor who is most often cast in tough and dominating roles like those of the villain and the superhero, but beneath it all James is a dedicated actor who maintains utilitarian goals when it comes to his work.

“I hope to evoke emotion in others, help them escape for even just a little while into different worlds and different times and different thoughts,” explained James. “I feel that I’ve reached success whenever I can lend my name to a worthy cause, and am able to try and change this world for the better.”

As for James Preston Rogers’ other upcoming projects, he is currently working on the film Love, Guns and Christmas, and the television series Man Seeking Woman, and he is also slated to star in the role of Hercules in the upcoming feature film Jason and the Necronauts. 

Over the course of his career James has proven time and time again that he has what it takes to act alongside some of the biggest actors in the world, and with the high level of acclaim that literally all of his projects have received it is clear that audiences around the world look forward to seeing what’s next for this actor. Although it is not set in stone just yet, audiences may have the opportunity to see James in a Disney show in 2015 as the actor has been in talks with the mass media giant and the future looks promising.