Lauren Lee Smith
Template:Short description Template:Use Canadian English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox person
Lauren Lee Smith (born June 19, 1980<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>) is a Canadian actress. She is known for her television roles, including Emma DeLauro in the syndicated science fiction drama Mutant X, Riley Adams in the CBS forensics drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, police Sergeant Michelle McCluskey in the CTV fantasy drama The Listener and Frankie Drake in the CBC detective series Frankie Drake Mysteries.
Early life
Smith was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.<ref name="past">Template:Cite web</ref> When she was 14, her family moved to Los Angeles, California. There, she began a modelling career.<ref name="past"/>
Career
At the age of 19, Smith was cast in the remake of Get Carter. Later that year, Smith was cast in the starring role of Christy Huddleston in the television film Christy: The Movie,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and its follow-up two-part miniseries Christy, Choices of the Heart.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> She starred in the show Mutant X, where she played the character of Emma deLauro from 2001 to 2003.
Throughout the 2000s, she guest-starred in episodes of The Dead Zone, The Twilight Zone, and Blade: The Series, among others. Smith was also a recurring character in the Showtime drama series The L Word, playing sous chef Lara Perkins. In 2005, Smith filmed the sexually explicit movie Lie with Me,<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> where she played the character of Leila.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> The same year, she was cast in the 2006 romance film The Last Kiss.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
In 2006, she had a recurring part on the Canadian drama Intelligence. In early 2007, she played Kath in the CBC miniseries Dragon Boys. The same year, Smith was cast in starring roles in the 2008 thriller film Pathology,<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> and in the 2009 drama film Helen with Ashley Judd.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
In 2008, Smith became a series regular in the ninth season on the long-running CBS forensics drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation playing Riley Adams (originally named Bryce Adams), "a smart, flirtatious, and witty non-conformist who entered law enforcement to rebel against her judgmental psychiatrist father", who joins Grissom's team,<ref name="THR-CSI">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="CSI">Template:Cite press release</ref> to fill the void left by the departure of Jorja Fox's Sara Sidle.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> She and her character did not return for the tenth season.
In 2009 Smith was cast in one of the lead roles in the German television film Template:Ill by RTL, which aired in February 2011 in Germany<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> and was broadcast by American premium channel Encore in March 2013.<ref>Template:Cite webTemplate:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore</ref> In 2010, Smith returned to Canada and joined the cast of the CTV drama series The Listener for its second season.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In 2012, she was cast in the starring role of Grace in the 2013 Canadian comedy film Cinemanovels alongside Jennifer Beals, with whom Smith had previously appeared in The L Word and the 2010 film A Night for Dying Tigers.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
In 2014, Smith played government investigator Samantha Krueger on the CBC/Syfy science-fiction miniseries Ascension.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> In 2015, Smith joined the cast of the CBC drama series This Life, playing Maggie, the sister of the lead character (Torri Higginson) who is suffering from stage four cancer;<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Smith's portrayal of the character was well received by The Globe and Mail's John Doyle.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In 2017, she was cast in the lead role in the CBC drama series Frankie Drake Mysteries.<ref name=frankiedrake>"The TV home of Murdoch Mysteries is getting a new detective drama". Toronto Star, April 4, 2017.</ref> The series ran for four seasons,<ref name="canceled">Template:Cite web</ref> and received generally positive reviews from critics.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=":0">Template:Cite news</ref> The Globe and Mail wrote that Smith played the role "with glorious oomph".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Personal life
She has been married to actor Dillon Casey since 2024. She has one daughter born in 2016.<ref name="daughter">Template:Cite web</ref>
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Get Carter | Girl #2 | |
| 2005 | Lie with Me | Leila | |
| 2006 | Art School Confidential | Beat Girl | |
| 2006 | Template:Sortname | Lisa | |
| 2006 | One Way | Angelina Sable | |
| 2007 | Normal | Sherri | |
| 2007 | Late Fragment | Lea | |
| 2007 | Trick 'r Treat | Danielle | |
| 2008 | Pathology | Juliette Bath | |
| 2008 | Template:Sortname | Voice of Reason | |
| 2009 | Helen | Mathilda | |
| 2010 | Template:Sortname | Karen | |
| 2011 | Girl Walks into a Bar | Karen | |
| 2012 | Three Days in Havana | Grace | |
| 2013 | Hunting Season | Samantha | |
| 2013 | Cinemanovels | Grace | |
| 2014 | If I Stay | Willow | |
| 2015 | How to Plan an Orgy in a Small Town | Heather Mitchell | |
| 2017 | The Shape of Water | Elaine | |
| 2025 | Steal Away | Florence |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction | Michelle Lambert | Episode: "Murder of Roy Hennessey" |
| 2000 | Homewood P.I. | Template:TableTBA | Unsold television pilot |
| 2000 | Dark Angel | Natalie | Episode: Pilot |
| 2000 | 2gether | Erin | Television film (MTV) |
| 2000 | 2gether: The Series | Erin Evans | Recurring role, 11 episodes |
| 2000 | Christy: The Movie | Christy Huddleston | Television film (Pax); aka. Christy: Return to Cutter Gap |
| 2001 | Christy, Choices of the Heart | Christy Huddleston | Television miniseries (Pax)Template:NoteTag |
| 2001 | The Wedding Dress | Hannah Pinkham | Television film |
| 2001–2003 | Mutant X | Emma DeLauro | Main role (seasons 1–2) |
| 2003 | The Twilight Zone | Eve | Episode: "Sunrise" |
| 2004 | I Want to Marry Ryan Banks | Lauren | Television film |
| 2004 | The Survivors Club | Meg Pesaturo | Television film |
| 2004 | The Dead Zone | Bonnie Gibson | Episode: "Total Awareness" |
| 2004–2006 | The L Word | Lara Perkins | Recurring role, 20 episodes |
| 2006 | Blade: The Series | Bethany | Episode: "Hunters" |
| 2006–2007 | Intelligence | Tina | Recurring role, 10 episodes |
| 2007 | Dragon Boys | Kath | Television miniseries |
| 2008–2009 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Riley Adams | Main role (season 9) |
| 2009 | Anatomy of Hope | Cynthia Morgan | Unsold television pilot |
| 2009 | Can Openers | Susan | Unsold television pilot<ref name="THR-CSI" /> |
| 2009 | CSI: Deadly Intent | Riley Adams | Video game; voice role |
| 2010 | Psych | Lillian | Episode: "Feet Don't Kill Me Now" |
| 2011 | Template:Ill | Jennifer van Zandt | Television film |
| 2011 | Good Dog | Claire | Main role |
| 2011–2014 | The Listener | Template:Nowrap | Main role (seasons 2–5) |
| 2012 | Good God | Claire | Episode: "One Station Under God" |
| 2012 | Ring of Fire | Emily Booth | Unsold television pilot |
| 2014 | Murdoch Mysteries | Elva Gordon | Episode: "Journey to the Centre of Toronto" |
| 2014 | Saving Hope | Astrid Ray | Episode: "The Other Side of Midnight" |
| 2014 | Ascension | Samantha Krueger | Television miniseries (SyFy) |
| 2015–2016 | This Life | Maggie Lawson | Main role; 20 episodes |
| 2017–2021 | Frankie Drake Mysteries | Frankie Drake | Lead role |
| 2019 | Hudson and Rex | Gabrielle Bullock | Episode: "S1, Ep. 8, Fast Eddie's, " |
| 2021 | The Wedding Ring | Kate Sterling | Television film (UPTV) |
| 2021 | Doomsday Mom: The Lori Vallow Story | Lori Vallow | Television film (Lifetime) |
| 2022 | Departure | Linda Halley | 4 episodes (season 3) |
- Notes
Accolades
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | Template:Abbr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Gemini Awards | Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Supporting Role in a Dramatic Series | Mutant X | Template:Nom | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 2008 | Leo Awards | Best Supporting Performance by a Female in a Feature Length Drama | Normal | Template:Nom | <ref>Past Nominees & Winners 2008 at www.leoawards.com</ref> |
| 2009 | Leo Awards | Best Supporting Performance by a Female in a Feature Length Drama | Helen | Template:Won | <ref>Template:Cite news</ref> |
| 2011 | Gemini Awards | Best Performance by an Actress in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role | The Listener | Template:Nom | <ref>Template:Cite news</ref> |
| 2011 | Leo Awards | Best Lead Performance by a Female in a Feature Length Drama | A Night for Dying Tigers | Template:Nom | <ref>Past Nominees & Winners 20011 at www.leoawards.com</ref> |
| 2014 | Leo Awards | Best Lead Performance by a Female in a Feature Length Drama | Cinemanovels | Template:Won | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 2016 | Leo Awards | Best Supporting Performance by a Female in a Dramatic Series | This Life | Template:Won | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 2017 | Canadian Screen Awards | Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Supporting Role in a Dramatic Program or Series | This Life | Template:Nom | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| Leo Awards | Best Supporting Performance by a Female in a Dramatic Series | This Life | Template:Nom | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |