Erica Durance
Encyclopedia
Erica Durance is a Canadian
actress
. She has also been credited as Erica Parker. She is best known for her role as Lois Lane
in the Superman
-inspired television series Smallville
.
, Alberta
and was raised in Three Hills
, Alberta
. After graduating from high school, Durance moved to Vancouver
, British Columbia
, to pursue her interest in acting professionally. "I wanted to get my feet wet in a smaller area than Los Angeles
when I gave it a try", Durance has said. She continued to study acting at The Yaletown Actors Lab for many years with her husband, David Palffy. She started out with background work, graduating to commercials, and then guest-starring roles, landing more substantial roles each time.
playing Ashley, a woman on a date with Chris. In Tru Calling
, her character was a contender in a beauty pageant opposite Eliza Dushku
's character. On the Sci-Fi Channel, she played an intergalactic librarian in Andromeda
and a love interest for Teal'c in Stargate SG-1
. She also played a sister to one of the leads in the Canadian show The Collector.
Durance was cast as Lois Lane
on Smallville
prior to the beginning of the 4th season. Executive Producer Kelly Souders recalled hiring Durance stating: “There were a lot of wonderful actresses who came in for the role but I remember sitting and watching her tape and everybody was like, ‘That’s her. There’s no question.” Fellow producer Brian Peterson added that from the moment Durance was hired they knew she would be Lois for the series. Durance was a frequent guest star for the 4th season of Smallville
and was then promoted as a series regular for the 5th season. She remained part of the regular cast for the remainder of the series run.
Durance has admitted that when she was growing up in Canada she regularly read the Superman comics and saw all of the Superman movies.
.
She was listed as the highest new entrant and cover girl in FHM
s May 2006 issue, including the World's 100 Sexiest Women at #38 and was listed by FHM at #20 in the World's 100 Sexiest Women in 2007 and #15 by FHM in the World's 100 Sexiest Women in 2008. She is currently placed at #14 on the 2009 list. In October 2007 she was the cover girl for Maxim (magazine)
.
On August 26, 2008, Durance was nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series, according to the Canadian Press.
On February 24, 2011 Durance was nominated for a Saturn Award
for Best Actress in a Television series for her work in Smallville. This was followed up with a Teen Choice Award nomination for best actress in a Fantasy/Sci-Fi show.
on January 8, 2005.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
actress
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
. She has also been credited as Erica Parker. She is best known for her role as Lois Lane
Lois Lane (Smallville)
Lois Lane is a fictional character on the television series Smallville; she has been portrayed continually by Erica Durance since her first appearance in the season four premier "Crusade". Durance began as a guest star in season four, but was promoted to series regular status beginning in season five...
in the Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
-inspired television series Smallville
Smallville
Smallville is the hometown of Superman in comic books published by DC Comics. While growing up in Smallville, the young Clark Kent attended Smallville High with best friends Lana Lang, Chloe Sullivan and Pete Ross...
.
Early life
Durance was born in CalgaryCalgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
and was raised in Three Hills
Three Hills, Alberta
Three Hills is a town located in the southern part of the province of Alberta, Canada. It is so named because of the three highly visible hills that are situated to its north.-History:...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
. After graduating from high school, Durance moved to Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, to pursue her interest in acting professionally. "I wanted to get my feet wet in a smaller area than Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
when I gave it a try", Durance has said. She continued to study acting at The Yaletown Actors Lab for many years with her husband, David Palffy. She started out with background work, graduating to commercials, and then guest-starring roles, landing more substantial roles each time.
Career
In 2004, she guest-starred on The Chris Isaak ShowThe Chris Isaak Show
The Chris Isaak Show is a television sitcom which follows a fictionalized version of the life of American rock musician Chris Isaak. The show portrays Isaak and his band members as everyday people with everyday problems...
playing Ashley, a woman on a date with Chris. In Tru Calling
Tru Calling
Tru Calling is an American television supernatural drama series that premiered on Fox Network on October 30, 2003. It ran for two seasons before being canceled....
, her character was a contender in a beauty pageant opposite Eliza Dushku
Eliza Dushku
Eliza Patricia Dushku is an American actress known for her television roles, including recurring appearances as Faith on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spinoff series Angel. She starred in two Fox series, Tru Calling and Dollhouse...
's character. On the Sci-Fi Channel, she played an intergalactic librarian in Andromeda
Andromeda (TV series)
Andromeda is a Canadian-American science fiction television series, based on unused material by the late Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, developed by Robert Hewitt Wolfe, and produced by Roddenberry's widow, Majel Barrett Roddenberry. It starred Kevin Sorbo as High Guard Captain Dylan Hunt...
and a love interest for Teal'c in Stargate SG-1
Stargate SG-1
Stargate SG-1 is a Canadian-American adventure and military science fiction television series and part of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's Stargate franchise. The show, created by Brad Wright and Jonathan Glassner, is based on the 1994 feature film Stargate by Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich...
. She also played a sister to one of the leads in the Canadian show The Collector.
Durance was cast as Lois Lane
Lois Lane
Lois Lane is a fictional character, the primary love interest of Superman in the comic books of DC Comics. Created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, she first appeared in Action Comics #1 ....
on Smallville
Smallville
Smallville is the hometown of Superman in comic books published by DC Comics. While growing up in Smallville, the young Clark Kent attended Smallville High with best friends Lana Lang, Chloe Sullivan and Pete Ross...
prior to the beginning of the 4th season. Executive Producer Kelly Souders recalled hiring Durance stating: “There were a lot of wonderful actresses who came in for the role but I remember sitting and watching her tape and everybody was like, ‘That’s her. There’s no question.” Fellow producer Brian Peterson added that from the moment Durance was hired they knew she would be Lois for the series. Durance was a frequent guest star for the 4th season of Smallville
Smallville
Smallville is the hometown of Superman in comic books published by DC Comics. While growing up in Smallville, the young Clark Kent attended Smallville High with best friends Lana Lang, Chloe Sullivan and Pete Ross...
and was then promoted as a series regular for the 5th season. She remained part of the regular cast for the remainder of the series run.
Durance has admitted that when she was growing up in Canada she regularly read the Superman comics and saw all of the Superman movies.
Media publicity
Durance appeared on The Howard Stern Show in September 2004 after she had already filmed a number of her first episodes on Smallville. On October 9, 2006, she again appeared on The Howard Stern Show to promote the DVD release of The Butterfly Effect 2The Butterfly Effect 2
The Butterfly Effect 2 is a 2006 American psychological thriller film directed by John R. Leonetti, starring Eric Lively, Erica Durance, Dustin Milligan and Gina Holden...
.
She was listed as the highest new entrant and cover girl in FHM
FHM
FHM, originally published as For Him Magazine, is an international monthly men's lifestyle magazine.- History :The magazine began publication in 1985 in the United Kingdom under the name For Him and changed its title to FHM in 1994 when Emap Consumer Media bought the magazine, although the full For...
s May 2006 issue, including the World's 100 Sexiest Women at #38 and was listed by FHM at #20 in the World's 100 Sexiest Women in 2007 and #15 by FHM in the World's 100 Sexiest Women in 2008. She is currently placed at #14 on the 2009 list. In October 2007 she was the cover girl for Maxim (magazine)
Maxim (magazine)
Maxim is an international men's magazine based in the United Kingdom and known for its pictorials featuring popular actresses, singers, and female models, sometimes pictured dressed, often pictured scantily dressed but not fully nude....
.
On August 26, 2008, Durance was nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series, according to the Canadian Press.
On February 24, 2011 Durance was nominated for a Saturn Award
Saturn Award
The Saturn Award is an award presented annually by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films to honor the top works in science fiction, fantasy, and horror in film, television, and home video. The Saturn Awards were devised by Dr. Donald A. Reed in 1972, who felt that films within...
for Best Actress in a Television series for her work in Smallville. This was followed up with a Teen Choice Award nomination for best actress in a Fantasy/Sci-Fi show.
Personal life
Durance married Canadian actor, writer and director David PalffyDavid Palffy
David Palffy is a Canadian film and television actor of Welsh and Hungarian descent. He has a degree from the University of Calgary . He attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and was cast in Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket. Palffy has many television/film credits as an actor and as a...
on January 8, 2005.
Filmography
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | The Untold The Untold The Untold is a 2002 adventure horror film independently produced in Canada written and directed by Jonas Quastel. The Sci Fi Channel airs it under the title Sasquatch which is also the title of the English version of the Canadian DVD release and is also known as Inexplicable under the French... |
Tara Knowles | as Erica Parker |
| 2003 | 111 Gramercy Park | Maddy O'Donnel | as Erica Parker |
| House of the Dead House of the Dead (film) House of the Dead is a 2003 action-horror film adaptation of the successful 1996 light gun arcade game of the same name produced by Sega. The film was directed by Uwe Boll. The film was universally panned by critics.-Plot:... |
Johanna | as Erica Parker | |
| Devil Winds | Kara Jensen | as Erica Parker | |
| 2004 | Smallville Smallville Smallville is the hometown of Superman in comic books published by DC Comics. While growing up in Smallville, the young Clark Kent attended Smallville High with best friends Lana Lang, Chloe Sullivan and Pete Ross... |
Lois Lane Lois Lane (Smallville) Lois Lane is a fictional character on the television series Smallville; she has been portrayed continually by Erica Durance since her first appearance in the season four premier "Crusade". Durance began as a guest star in season four, but was promoted to series regular status beginning in season five... |
2004–2011 |
| Stargate SG-1 Stargate SG-1 Stargate SG-1 is a Canadian-American adventure and military science fiction television series and part of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's Stargate franchise. The show, created by Brad Wright and Jonathan Glassner, is based on the 1994 feature film Stargate by Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich... |
Krista James | 1 episode | |
| The Bridge | Amy | ||
| The Chris Isaak Show The Chris Isaak Show The Chris Isaak Show is a television sitcom which follows a fictionalized version of the life of American rock musician Chris Isaak. The show portrays Isaak and his band members as everyday people with everyday problems... |
Ashley | 1 episode, as Erica Parker | |
| Tru Calling Tru Calling Tru Calling is an American television supernatural drama series that premiered on Fox Network on October 30, 2003. It ran for two seasons before being canceled.... |
Angela Todd | 1 episode | |
| Andromeda Andromeda (TV series) Andromeda is a Canadian-American science fiction television series, based on unused material by the late Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, developed by Robert Hewitt Wolfe, and produced by Roddenberry's widow, Majel Barrett Roddenberry. It starred Kevin Sorbo as High Guard Captain Dylan Hunt... |
Amira | 1 episode | |
| The Collecter The Collector (TV series) The Collector is a Canadian Supernatural drama television series about a man attempting to help save people who have bargained their souls with the Devil... |
Rachel Slate | 1 episode | |
| 2006 | The Butterfly Effect 2 The Butterfly Effect 2 The Butterfly Effect 2 is a 2006 American psychological thriller film directed by John R. Leonetti, starring Eric Lively, Erica Durance, Dustin Milligan and Gina Holden... |
Julie Miller | |
| Island Heat: Stranded Island Heat: Stranded Island Heat: Stranded is a 2006 television thriller film. The film was directed by Kern Konwiser and produced by his brother Kip Konwiser. The film was released on June 5, 2006 in United States and also on December 7, 2007 in Hungary.-Cast:*Erica Durance as Carina*Brienne De Beau as Regan*Jack... |
Carina | ||
| 2007 | I Me Wed I Me Wed I Me Wed is a 2007 made-for-TV romantic comedy directed by Craig Pryce.When Isabel Darden, a successful, attractive 30-year-old woman, grows tired of people asking her "when are you going to get married?," she decides to honor the person she loves the most by tying the knot with herself. But then... |
Isabel | |
| Ecstasy | Marie Heather | ||
| 2009 | Robin Hood: Beyond Sherwood Forest | Maid Marion | |
| Final Verdict | Assistant District Attorney Megan Washington | TV Movie | |
| The Building | Julia | ||
| 2010 | Smallville: Absolute Justice | Lois Lane | TV Movie |
| Sophie | Natalia | ||
| 2011 | Charlie's Angels Charlie's Angels (2011 TV series) Charlie's Angels is an American reboot television series developed by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar for ABC, based upon the 1976 series of the same name created by Ivan Goff, and Ben Roberts. The series ran on ABC from September 22, 2011 to November 10, 2011.Charlie's Angels was canceled on October... |
Samantha Masters | |
| Gemelle | Angela/Christine Wyler | ||
| 2012 | Saving Hope | Alex Reid | |
| Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie is an upcoming comedy film written and directed by Tim and Eric creators of Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!. The film stars both Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim. Supporting actors include Zach Galifianakis, Will Ferrell, Jeff Goldblum, John C... |
French Waitress | ||
| Sleeping with the Lion | Dr. Chandler Vick | ||
| 2012 | Harry's Law Harry's Law Harry's Law is an American legal comedy-drama television series created by David E. Kelley. which premiered on January 17, 2011.On May 12, 2011, NBC renewed the show for a second season, which premiered Wednesday September 21, 2011... |
Annie Bilson | 1 episode |