Biography
Who is Liane Balaban?
Early life and education
Liane Balaban was born in North York, Ontario, to a mother who worked as a medical secretary and a father who worked in real estate. She was raised in the Willowdale neighbourhood, which is now part of Toronto. During her high school years at Lawrence Park Collegiate Institute, she attended classes alongside musician Henry Lau.
After finishing high school, she enrolled at Ryerson University to study journalism but eventually shifted her focus toward acting. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Concordia University.
Starting an acting career
Her professional acting debut occurred in the 1999 feature film New Waterford Girl, where she portrayed a teenager named Agnes-Marie Pottie. The director, Allan Moyle, cast her after she went through seven auditions. Her performance in the film, which was set in the 1970s, earned a Special Jury Citation at the Toronto International Film Festival and a Canadian Comedy Award nomination.
Following her start, she worked on the film Saint Jude in 2000 and appeared in the television movie After the Harvest in 2001. She also participated in the independent film Happy Here and Now in 2002 and the horror project Spliced. During this period, she was also involved in the music scene as a member of the band We are Molecules, where she contributed vocals, drums, and keyboards.
Hollywood and television roles
By 2007, Liane Balaban committed to acting as her primary profession. She entered mainstream Hollywood cinema in 2008 with a role in the romantic comedy Definitely, Maybe, which featured Ryan Reynolds. Later that year, she played a supporting character in the romance film Last Chance Harvey, starring Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson.
She also starred in the independent drama One Week, portraying a character named Samantha Pierce. Her performance in the film led to a nomination for the Genie Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in 2010. Other well-known projects include the black comedy You Might as Well Live and the short film The New Tenants, which won an Academy Award.
Personal life and relationships
Liane Balaban has lived in different cities throughout her life, including Montreal, Toronto, and Los Angeles. In 2007, she resided in the Mile End district of Montreal, noting that the city helped her remain grounded. She married Patrick Costello in November 2013 and later gave birth to a son on March 1, 2016.
Outside of her film and television work, she has written articles for arts newspapers and enjoys activities such as reading and visiting art galleries. She has previously mentioned being mistaken for the actress Natalie Portman in public.
Birthday and age
Liane Balaban was born on June 24, 1980, which makes Liane 46 years old today. That birthday falls under the Cancer sign. Liane shares the date with 40 other famous people.
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