Jodi Balfour
Balfour in 2019
Born (1986-10-29) October 29, 1986 (age 37)
Cape Town, South Africa
EducationUniversity of Cape Town
Occupation(s)Film and television actress
Years active2009–present
Known for
SpouseAbbi Jacobson (m. 2023)[1]

Jodi Balfour (born October 29, 1986) is a South African actress. She won a Canadian Screen Award for her performance as Gladys Witham in the series Bomb Girls (2012–2013). She has since starred as Ellen Waverly Wilson in the Apple TV+ series For All Mankind (2019–2023).

Early life and education

Balfour grew up in Cape Town, South Africa. She was the co-host of the South African youth television series Bling in the early 2000s. She later studied drama at the University of Cape Town[2] and competed in the Miss South Africa 2008 pageant.[3]

Career

Since her graduation in 2009, she has worked as an actor primarily in British and Canadian film and television productions.[3]

She was cast as Gladys Witham in the Canadian television drama series Bomb Girls in 2013.[4] She won a Canadian Screen Award for Best Lead Actress in a Television Film or Miniseries at the 3rd Canadian Screen Awards in 2015 for her performance in the series' follow-up television film Bomb Girls: Facing the Enemy.[5]

In February 2015, she was cast in the Cinemax series Quarry.[6] Since 2019, she has starred in the Apple TV+ space drama series For All Mankind.

In April 2022, she was cast in the Apple TV+ football sitcom Ted Lasso.[7]

Personal life

Balfour was based in Vancouver, British Columbia, where in addition to her acting she is co-owner of Nelson the Seagull, a coffeehouse and bake shop in the city's Gastown neighbourhood.[8]

On 30 June 2021, she announced on Instagram that she identifies as queer, stating that she found it freeing to "finally embrace and explore [her] queerness."[9] On 24 October 2021, Balfour announced on Instagram that she and Abbi Jacobson had been romantically involved for a year.[10] As of August 2022, Balfour and Jacobson are engaged.[11]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2011 Vampire Michaela
2011 Final Destination 5 Woman
2013 A Ghost Within Hanna / Abby Short
2013 The Husband Claire
2013 Afterparty Karen Also producer
2013 Waterloo Molly Mckenzie Short
2014 Valentines Day Molly Short
2015 Unearthing Fisher Hart
2015 Eadweard Mary
2015 Almost Anything Beans Also executive producer
2019 The Rest of Us Rachel
2023 Freud's Last Session Dorothy Burlingham [12]

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2009 The Philanthropist Concierge Episode: "San Diego"
2010 Kongo [de] Johanna Wenz TV film
2010 Tower Prep Emily Wright 2 episodes
2011 The Sinking of the Laconia Sarah Fullwood TV miniseries
2011 R. L. Stine's The Haunting Hour: The Series Priscilla Episode: "Nightmare Inn"
2011 Supernatural Melissa Episode: "Like a Virgin"
2011 V V Greeter Episode: "Uneasy Lies the Head"
2011 Sanctuary Terry Episode: "Icebreaker"
2012–13 Primeval: New World Samantha Sedaris 3 episodes
2012–13 Bomb Girls Gladys Witham Main role
2014 The Best Laid Plans Lindsay Dewar TV miniseries
2014 Bomb Girls: Facing the Enemy Gladys Witham TV film
2016 Quarry Joni Conway Main role
2017 Rellik DI Elaine Shepard Main role
2017 The Crown Jackie Kennedy Episode: "Dear Mrs. Kennedy"[13]
2019 True Detective Lori 3 episodes
2019–2023 For All Mankind Ellen Waverly[14] Main role (seasons 1–3), guest (season 4)
2023 Ted Lasso Jack Danvers 4 episodes

Awards and nominations

Year Association Category Nominated work Result
2013 Leo Awards Best Lead Performance by a Female in a Dramatic Series[15] Bomb Girls Nominated
2014 Canadian Filmmakers' Festival Best Ensemble (shared with Graham Coffeng, Ali Liebert, Nicholas Carella, Peter Benson, David Milchard, Erica Carroll, Christina Sicoli, and Emma Lahana) Afterparty Won
2015 Canadian Screen Awards Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series[16] Bomb Girls: Facing the Enemy Won

References

  1. ^ "J.Hannah Instagram post".
  2. ^ "Bomb Girl loves the 'practicality' of her Kia Rio". The Globe and Mail, 31 January 2013.
  3. ^ a b "Bomb Girls' Jodi Balfour talks dancing, acting like a woman in the 1940s and playing the ukulele" Archived 5 October 2017 at the Wayback Machine. ANDPOP, 26 January 2013.
  4. ^ "Bomb Girls: Meg Tilly, Jodi Balfour return for Season 2 on 2 Jan.". Toronto Star, 2 January 2013.
  5. ^ "'Bomb Girls,' 'Vikings' early winners at Canadian Screen Awards". Global News, 1 March 2015.
  6. ^ "Cinemax Orders Drama 'Quarry' to Series". Variety, 2 February 2015.
  7. ^ https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/ted-lasso-season-3-casts-jodi-balfour-75005/
  8. ^ "Guest: Jodi Balfour". George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight. Archived from the original on 4 November 2021. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
  9. ^ Callahan, Chrissy (27 October 2021). "'Broad City' star Abbi Jacobson reveals she's been dating Jodi Balfour for 1 year". Today. Archived from the original on 3 March 2022. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
  10. ^ Rude, Mey (25 October 2021). "Abbi Jacobson Just Revealed She's Been Dating Jodi Balfour For a Year". Out. Archived from the original on 26 October 2021. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
  11. ^ Soloski, Alexis (5 August 2022). "In 'A League of Their Own,' Abbi Jacobson Makes the Team". The New York Times. Retrieved 6 August 2022.
  12. ^ Damante, Becca (8 June 2023). "Jodi Balfour and the Power of Queer Storytelling". The Advocate – via Yahoo! News.
  13. ^ "The Crown Adds Michael C. Hall & Jodi Balfour as Jack & Jackie Kennedy". Deadline, 9 February 2017.
  14. ^ "'For All Mankind' to launch alternate space race on Apple TV+". collectSPACE. 28 October 2019. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  15. ^ "2013 nominees" (PDF). leoawards.com. Retrieved 13 November 2016.
  16. ^ "awards database". academy.ca. Archived from the original on 14 November 2016. Retrieved 13 November 2016.

External links

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