Ones to watch: 10 up-and-coming actors from CBC Television's drama series

There's a wave of fresh new talent who play prominent roles on our CBC series such as Utopia Falls, Coroner, Fortunate Son, Heartland, Murdoch Mysteries and soon-to-be-aired The Trickster. From acting to acrobatics to dancing and even rapping, these multifaceted performers exhibit the right attitude and commitment to character that will certainly catch your attention.

Here are our rising stars you should keep an eye out for.

1. Joel Oulette

This newbie to the acting world found his love for the performing arts while pursuing drama in grade 10 in Strathmore, Alberta. He won the role of central character Jared on the soon-to-be-released CBC original series The Trickster that is adapted from Eden Robinson's novel 'Son of a Trickster'. Jared (played by Joel) is an Indigenous teenager who strives to keep his dysfunctional family afloat with his after school job and a side hustle of selling ecstasy.  

Joel's career is set to take off with The Trickster whose plot covers Indigenous Gothic themes of spirits, ancient magic, doppelgangers and other intriguing phenomena that you haven't seen before!

2. Anna Lambe

Well-acclaimed for her debut performance as Spring in The Grizzlies, Anna Lambe is a Canadian Inuk actress from Iqaluit, Nunavut. She was nominated for the Best Supporting Actress award at the Canadian Screen Awards in 2019 for her role in The Grizzlies, the film based on the true story of a lacrosse team that battled against all odds amidst teen suicide, poverty and abuse.

Anna will soon be seen as Sarah on The Trickster, alongside Joel Oulette. Catch a sneak peek of what went behind making The Trickster on Anna's Instagram!

3. Ehren Kassam

Ehren stole quite a few hearts while playing Jonah Haak on Degrassi and Degrassi: Next Class. He was cast in Coroner as Ross — Jenny Cooper's (Serinda Swan) teenage son — who has anxiety issues as he grieves the death of his dad. 

Off screen, Ehren enjoys playing the guitar and piano with his acoustic folk/alternative band Eleanor Shore. His charm and talent has garnered many hits on social media. And this is just the beginning!

4. Darren Mann

Vancouver's Darren Mann is used to being in front of the camera, acting since he was eight years old. He went on to pursue hockey professionally as a teenager and played in the minor-leagues. He eventually returned to the acting world after retiring from hockey due to injuries. 

Darren is most recognisable as Luke in the popular Netflix series Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. He can most-recently be seen on CBC's Fortunate Son where he portrays the role of Travis Hunter, an ex-marine Vietnam vet. Watch out for Darren as he continues to add to his list of acting accomplishments.

5. Dempsey Bryk

Dempsey rose to fame while he portrayed the role of Tristan in the hospital drama Mary Kills People. He was cast as Wyatt McMurty on Heartland, Georgie's love interest. Dempsey has been enjoying the spotlight on various shows such as Netlflix's The Silence, V-Wars, Black Mirror. A competitive boxer in his younger years, Dempsey will be playing the lead role in the boxing film, The Fight Machine. This talented young star shuttles between Los Angeles and Toronto. 

6. Robyn Alomar

The lead of the stellar new age cast of Utopia Falls, Robyn Alomar is a Toronto and Los Angeles based actor who portrayed the role of Sunshine in the 2019 sci-fi/action film Riot Girls. She is a top-notch dancer and is proficient in Taekwondo and kickboxing.

Robyn portrays the powerful role of Aliyah in Utopia Falls — a young-adult series in which hip-hop is introduced to a dystopian future with themes on afrofuturism, youth activism, and eco-awareness. Here's some behind the scenes action from Robyn's Instagram on the sets of Utopia Falls!

7. Kataem O'Connor

Kataem has dreamed of being an actor since he watched Will Smith on Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Following that dream he attended various auditions which landed him minor roles on Degrassi, The L.A Complex and in the film Home Again. He got his big break on Heartland as Adam Parker, a teenager who tutors Georgie, played by Alisha Newton.

Kataem is an avid fan of rap and hip hop who likes to experiment by writing his own lyrics and having his own style of delivery. Check out his Soundcloud to which he keeps adding all his written and produced tracks.

8. Daniel Maslany

Chosen as one of the Hollywood Reporter's Rising Stars in Canada for their 2018 TIFF edition, Daniel Maslany is well known for his acting abilities across film, television and theatre. Originally from Regina, Saskatchewan he moved to Toronto to make it big in the entertainment industry.

He stars as Detective Llewellyn Watts in Murdoch Mysteries and has also featured on CBC's offbeat comedy series Four In The Morning where he portrayed the role of Bondurant Smit, a struggling trumpet player. Daniel also plays the autistic character of Townes Linderman on the YouTube Originals series Impulse. He is also a composer, adding to his list of accomplishments.

9. Helen Colliander

At the age of seven, Helen Colliander believed she was Lucy from The Chronicles of Narnia. She enjoyed speaking in a British accent, prompting her to take up acting professionally. Widely known as Olivia Wheaton, her role on Heartland, Helen has also featured as Ramona Benson on Being Human and in films such as Mr. Viral and Treasure Hound.

Beyond the acting realm, she has done motion capture work for her character Bhadra in the video game Far Cry 4. Helen is also a competition climber in Vancouver. 

10. Akiel Julien

Akiel Julien got his first break on television with a recurring role as LaTroy on Family Channel's hit drama and dance series The Next Step. He has also featured on the Amazon Original The Boys as Deeaygo and Mark Sinclair on the CBC Gem original series Warigami. Watch Akiel rap to the beat in Utopia Falls as Bohdi.