Quick Facts
Biography
Tanja Jacobs is a Belgian-born Canadian actress and theatre director. She originated the role of Constance Ledbelly in Anne-Marie MacDonald's Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet).
Early life
Jacobs was born in Belgium to German parents. Her mother, Katia Jacobs, was a visual artist. At age 5, following the collapse of her parents' marriage, she, her mother, and older brother relocated to Canada. Katia Jacobs would later remarry Bill Kennedy, who Tanja considers to be her father. Jacobs says she knew she wanted to be an actress at age 9. At age 16, Jacobs left high school. She began taking acting classes at age 18.
Career
At age 22, Jacobs landed her first notable role playing Dr. Chebutykin in an all-female production of Chekhov's Three Sisters.
In the 1980s, Jacobs was a member of the Toronto theatre company, Autumn Angel. Other company members were Richard Rose, Thom Sokoloski, Maggie Huculak, Stewart Arnott, Kim Renders, Bruce Vavrina and Mark Christmann.
In 1987, landed the role of Skinner in Howard Baker's The Castle. The production marked a turning point in Jacobs' career; after that performance, she worked almost constantly.
Jacobs originated the role of Constance Ledbelly in Ann-Marie MacDonald's Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet) in 1988. Jacobs was nominated for a Dora Mavor Moore Award for her performance.
Personal life
Jacobs has a daughter, Nina, who was born in 1998. Following Nina's birth, Jacobs took a break from her career to be a stay-at-home mother. In 2018, Jacobs completed her MFA in Stage Direction at York University.
Filmography
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Slings & Arrows | Witch #2 | 3 episodes | |
| 1999 | Power Play | SM3 Reagan Sexsmith | 6 episodes | |
| 1997 | The New Ghostwriter Mysteries | Mrs. Shepherd | Episode: "Disappearing Act" | |
| 1995 | A Taste of Shakespeare | Gertrude / Laertes / Gravedigger | Episode: "Hamlet" | |
| 1995 | Ready or Not | Madame Futuro | Episode: "Crossing the Line" | |
| 1995 | Side Effects | Lola | Episode: "Sixth Sense" | |
| 1990 | War of the Worlds | Miss Gholston | Episode: "The Pied Piper" | |
| 1988 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Marjorie | Episode: "Animal Lovers" | |
| 1987 | Seeing Things | Lady Theresa | Episode: "Here's Looking at You" | |
| 1987 | Street Legal | Jill | 6 episodes | |
| 1985 | The Suicide Murders | Martha Tracy | TV movie |
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Below the Belt | Short film |
Theatre credits
As director:
| Year | Production | Company | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Orphans For The Czar | Crow's Theatre | ||
| 2021 | Paradise Lost | Canadian Stage | ||
| 2019 | Getting Married | Shaw Festival | ||
| 2018 | A Midsummer Night's Dream | Shakespeare in High Park (Canadian Stage) | ||
| 2018 | La Bete | Soulpepper | ||
| 2018 | Love and Information | Canadian Stage | Co-directed with Alistair Newton | |
| 2017 | Twelfth Night | Shakespeare in High Park (Canadian Stage) | ||
| 2016 | The Model Apartment | Harold Green Jewish Theatre | ||
| 2010 | The Eleventh David | Theatre Passe Muraille (Backstage Buzz) | ||
| 2002 | 1002 Nights | Shed Co. | ||
| 2000 | Goddess | Theatre of the Repressed and Sansregret Productions | At Toronto Fringe |
As actor:
| Year | Production | Company/Theatre | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Cyrano de Bergerac | Shaw Festival | Le Bret | ||
| 2018 | The Assembly: episode 1 | Porte Parole and Crow’s Theatre | Valerie | ||
| 2015 | The Watershed | Panamania (Pan Am/Parapan Am Games) | |||
| 2014 | Bloody Family | Theatre Centre | Clytemnestra | ||
| 2012 | Grannie Didn’t Go To Florida | SNAP Productions and Theatre Hetaerae (Cooking Fire Theatre Festival) | Grannie | ||
| 2012 | Seeds | Crow’s Theatre and Porte Parole | |||
| 2011 | Tout Comme Elle | Necessary Angel (Luminato Festival) | |||
| 2010 | Happy Days | Theatre Columbus | Winnie | ||
| 2010 | Mother Courage and Her Children | National Arts Centre | Mother Courage | ||
| 2008 | The Way of the World | Soulpepper and National Arts Centre | Lady Wishfort | ||
| 2006 | The Innocent Eye Test | Mirvish Productions | |||
| 2006 | Great Peace | Actors Repertory Company | Staged reading | ||
| 2005 | Frozen | Citadel Theatre | |||
| 2004 | The Swanne: Queen Victoria (The Seduction of Nemesis) | Stratford Festival | |||
| 2003 | Orchidelirium | Pea Green Theatre and Theatre Voce | |||
| 2003 | Phaedre | Soulpepper | |||
| 2002 | Far Horizons Hotel | Playwrights’ Workshop Montreal and Factory Theatre | Staged reading | ||
| 2002 | Girl in the Goldfish Bowl | Tarragon Theatre | |||
| 2001 | Elisa's Skin | Tarragon Theatre | Elisa | ||
| 2001 | A Christmas Carol | Soulpepper Theatre at the Premiere Dance Theatre | |||
| 2001 | Tempest | Ariel | |||
| 2001 | A Trickster Tale | Theatre Direct | Touring school production | ||
| 2000 | The Wild Stage: An Evening Of German Cabaret | Alt.COMedy Lounge | |||
| 1993 | Abundance | Harbourfront Centre | Macon | ||
| 1991 | Writing With Our Feet | Sophie, Alphonsinette, Zenaide, Lucy, Father Rocky, and Raymond Loewy | |||
| 1989 | The Man I Love | Tarragon Theatre | Max | ||
| 1989 | The Possibilities | Necessary Angel | Multiple roles | ||
| 1988 | Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet) | Nightwood Theatre | Constance Ledbelly | ||
| 1987 | The Castle | Necessary Angel | Skinner | ||
| 1984 | Under the Skin | ||||
| Three Sisters | Dr. Chebutykin |
Awards
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Role | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Gina Wilkinson Prize for an Emerging Female Director | N/A | N/A | N/A | Won | |
| 2010 | Dora Mavor Moore Awards | Outstanding Performance by a Female in a Principal Role | Happy Days | Nominated | ||
| 2003 | Performance in a Feature Role in a Play or Musical | Girl in the Goldfish Bowl | Won | |||
| 2002 | Outstanding Performance by a Female in a Featured Role | Elisa's Skin | Elisa | Nominated | ||
| 1994 | Abundance | Nominated | ||||
| 1990 | Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet) | Constance Ledbelly | Nominated | |||
| 1984 | Under the Skin | Won |