Katharine Lee McEwan is an English actress, screenwriter, and film producer. She gained recognition in 2015 with the award-winning independent feature film Solitary, which she wrote and produced in addition to playing the lead role.

Early life

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McEwan was born in Redcar, England[1] where she spent her formative years being homeschooled and acting in local productions. Traditional education left her uninspired, so at the age of 18 she decided to forgo university and travel around the world instead.[2] She visited a variety of countries including Australia before finally settling in Los Angeles where she now resides.[3]

Career

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McEwan returned to her love of acting in her 20s.[3] She completed a summer program at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts before continuing her studies at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute.[1] This is where she met Sasha Krane, the nephew of famous acting teacher Lee Strasberg and the Creative Director of Film and Theatre Production at The Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute.[4][5] They became longtime collaborators and married soon after.[3][6]

McEwan is an accomplished stage actress. She originated the role of Breda in Bernard Farell's 2007 production of Verdi Girls at the Laguna Playhouse in Laguna Beach, California.[7] She also played the role of Amanda Pryne in Noël Coward's Private Lives at the Long Beach Playhouse in Long Beach, California.[8] After moving into independent film, McEwan decided "to create [her] own role"[3] and began writing the screenplay for Solitary, a feature-length drama set in Portsmouth, England. The story follows Nora, a troubled woman struggling to confront her past and reconnect with her estranged family. McEwan wanted to "explore family dynamics and what happens when the truth is sacrificed for an illusion of functionality [and] show how damaging this culture of open secrets can be – not just for the individual victims, but for society as a whole."[5]

Solitary was directed by McEwan's husband Sasha Krane and executive produced by Roger Taylor of the British rock band Queen.[3] Taylor also composed an original musical score for the film.[4] In addition to playing the lead role of Nora, McEwan produced the film along with her lifelong friend Sarina Taylor, who also starred in the film as Nora's sister Shannon.[6] During its year long festival run in 2015, the film received seventeen awards and thirteen nominations and was the opening night film of the 2015 London Independent Film Festival where it won Best UK Feature.[9] When asked about doing a movie about such a tough topic, McEwan stated that everyone "...told us how hard it would be to make this movie, but luckily neither Sarina or I have ever been much for rules."[6]

In 2017 Katharine produced and acted in the short film Swim written and directed by Mari Walker.[10] Described as a "lissome and poignant LGBT film"[11] Mari Walker’s trans coming-of-age story Swim won the Audience Awards for Fiction Feature Film and Short Film, respectively at the 2017 Los Angeles Film Festival.[12]

McEwan is also an award winning narrator[13] who has lent her voice to various audiobooks spanning genres such as fiction, fantasy, drama and more, including works by Maeve Binchy and Paula McLain.[14] In 2016 she voiced the character of Helene in A Torch Against The Night, the second book in the An Ember in the Ashes Quartet by Sabaa Tahir, the #1 New York Times bestselling author.[15] Katharine went on to voice Helene in the final two books of the series, A Reaper at the Gates (2018) and A Sky Beyond the Storm (2020). The series has been translated into over thirty-five languages, and is described by The Washington Post as “...a harrowing, haunting reminder of what it means to be human—and how hope might be kindled in the midst of oppression and fear."[16] Of Katharine's narration, Audiofile Magazine wrote that "...it is McEwan as Helene, the Blood Shrike, that delivers the most masterful performance. Each time Helene is forced to choose between her happiness and her duty, McEwan perfectly captures the turmoil that her choice engenders, as well as the sorrow and regret she feels for the path not taken."[17] In 2020 Katharine narrated Ros Anderson's debut novel The Hierarchies.[18] Set in a recognizable near future, it follows Sylv.ie, a fully sentient robot, designed to cater to her human Husband's every whim.[19] The film and TV rights have been optioned by Margot Robbie's company LuckyChap, SK Global, and Mazur Kaplan.[20]

Katharine co-wrote the WWII movie Hell Hath No Fury with Roman Serir, directed by Jesse V. Johnson and starring Nina Bergman and Daniel Bernhardt. The film was released in theaters and on major streaming platforms in November 2021 and distributed by WellGo Entertainment. Hell Hath No Fury is the story of Marie, a woman alone facing the power of the German war machine, the French resistance and a band of American infantrymen.

McEwan collaborated with director Jesse V. Johnson again on the Bruce Willis action film White Elephant starring Michael Rooker, John Malcovich and Olga Kurylenko. It was released in the United States by RLJE Films and AMC+ on June 3, 2022.

Personal life

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McEwan is married to Sasha Krane and resides in Los Angeles, California.[5][6]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Director Notes
2007 Sinners Katherine Novack Tory Christopher
2010 Pluto Emily Heather de Michele Short film
2011 Alien Armageddon Jodie Elliott Neil Johnson
2012 The Last War Crime Jennifer Arrow The Pen
Potluck Diana Scott Essman TV movie
2013 Clubhouse Madeline Yuri Shapochka
2014 You're Not You Sarina George C. Wolfe
2015 Solitary Nora Sasha Krane Also writer / producer
2016 Shoshannah's Skateboard Kate Ascott-Evans Producer

Short film

2016 Emotional State Counselor Lyon Dedi Felman Short film
2016 Space Command Odara T'Lynne Elaine Zicree

Marc Zicree

2017 Swim Jeanine Mari Walker Also producer

Short film

2021 Hell Hath No Fury Jesse V. Johnson Co-writer
2022 White Elephant Jesse V. Johnson Co-writer

Awards and nominations

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Year Awards Category Recipient Outcome
2012 Stay Tuned TV Awards Best Actress Pluto Won
2015 London Independent Film Festival Best UK Feature Solitary Won
2015 Portsmouth International Film Festival Best Feature Screenplay Solitary Won
2015 Portsmouth International Film Festival Best Actress Solitary Nominated
2015 Women's International Film & Arts Festival Best Narrative Feature Solitary Won
2015 WorldFest Houston Best Dramatic Feature Solitary Won
2015 WorldFest Houston Best Actress Solitary Nominated
2015 International Film Festival of Wales Best Feature Solitary Won
2015 Idyllwild International Festival of Cinema Best Feature Solitary Won
2015 Idyllwild International Festival of Cinema Best Screenplay Solitary Won
2015 Idyllwild International Festival of Cinema Best Actress Solitary Nominated
2015 Columbia Gorge International Film Festival Best Narrative Feature Solitary Won
2015 DetectiveFEST Moscow Best UK Feature Solitary Won
2015 Hawaii European Cinema Best Independent Film Solitary Won
2016 Rhode Island International Film Festival Hearts, Minds, Souls Award Shoshannah's Skateboard Won
2016 Columbia Gorge International Film Festival Best Family Film Shoshannah's Skateboard Won
2017 West Coast International Film Festival Best Actress Solitary Won
2017 West Coast International Film Festival Best Drama Solitary Won
2017 Los Angeles Film Festival Best Narrative Short Swim Won
2017 International Filmmaker Festival of World Cinema, Berlin Best Supporting Actress Emotional State Nominated
2017 Columbia Gorge International Film Festival LGBT Advocacy Award Swim Won
2018 Idyllwild International Festival of Cinema Best Supporting Actress Swim Won
2018 Idyllwild International Festival of Cinema Best Short Film Swim Nominated

References

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  1. ^ a b Heatherington, Graeme (5 May 2015). "Filmmaker Enjoys 'Solitary' Success Story". The Northern Echo. Retrieved 28 December 2016.
  2. ^ [1]. Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  3. ^ a b c d e Crumrine, J.P. (31 December 2014). "'Solitary' Premieres at Idyllwild 2015". Idyllwild Town Crier. Retrieved 28 December 2016.
  4. ^ a b Macnab, Geoffrey (15 April 2015). "Roger Taylor Interview: The Queen drummer has written the soundtrack for British film Solitary". INDEPENDENT. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  5. ^ a b c Baranowski, Carmela (November 2016). "Solitary". We Are Moving Stories. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  6. ^ a b c d Hagle, William (20 October 2016). "How we became SOLITARY". The Hollywood Times. Retrieved 29 December 2016.
  7. ^ Verini, Bob (7 June 2007). "Review: 'The Verdi Girls'". Variety. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  8. ^ Scarborough, James. "'Private Lives,' Long Beach Playhouse Studio Theatre, Long Beach, CA". What the Butler Saw. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  9. ^ "The London Independent Film Festival wraps 12th season, and announces 2015 Awards". Response Source. 27 April 2015. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  10. ^ "Katharine Lee McEwan". IMDb. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  11. ^ "2017 Phoenix Film Festival Live Action Shorts Program A – The Cinema Files". thecinemafiles.com. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  12. ^ "Women and Hollywood". womenandhollywood.com. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  13. ^ "AudioFile, Discover the World of Audiobooks". AudioFile Magazine. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  14. ^ "Voice – Katharine Lee McEwan". Retrieved 19 October 2017.
  15. ^ "An Ember in the Ashes | Series". Penguin Random House Audio. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
  16. ^ "Ember Quartet Digital Collection by Sabaa Tahir: 9780593404720 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books". PenguinRandomhouse.com. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
  17. ^ "A SKY BEYOND THE STORM by Sabaa Tahir Read by Fiona Hardingham Katharine Lee McEwan Steve West Maxwell Caulfield Nikki Massoud | Audiobook Review". AudioFile Magazine. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
  18. ^ "The Hierarchies by Ros Anderson". Penguin Random House Audio. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
  19. ^ "The Hierarchies by Ros Anderson". Penguin Random House Audio. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
  20. ^ "THE HIERARCHIES — News". Blake Friedmann. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
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