Zoie Palmer

Zoie Palmer is an English-Canadian actress most notable for her role as Dr. Lauren Lewis in the Showcase supernatural drama Lost Girl, and the Android in the SyFy science fiction series Dark Matter.

Born in Camborne, Cornwall, England, to parents of British and Irish descent, Zoie Palmer moved with her family to Canada when she was nine years old. She attended Sacred Heart Catholic High School in Newmarket, Ontario; and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from York University in Toronto, Canada, in 2001. Palmer's first professional experience as an actor was as a teenager in summer stock at the Red Barn Theatre in Jackson's Point, Ontario, Canada.

Palmer's best-known work is the role of Dr. Lauren Lewis, a major character in the Canadian series Lost Girl (2010–2015). Her television work includes made-for-TV movies The Reagans (2003) as Patti Reagan; Out of the Ashes (2003) as Didi Goldstein; and Devil's Perch (2005) as Abby. She had a recurring role in the CTV teen drama/comedy series Instant Star as rock singer Patsy Sewer (2006–2007); and was a co-lead in the Global drama The Guard as Coast Guard rescue specialist Carly Greig (2008–2009) (for which she had to conquer her fear of water). Guest appearances include The CW espionage drama Nikita in the episode "Girl's Best Friend" (2011) as Anya Vimer, a terrorist who tries to sabotage a peace summit; the HBO Canada comedy Call Me Fitz in the episode "Don of the Differently Abled" (2011) as Laura, an unhinged amputee with plans for an escort service for disabled people; the CTV fantasy drama The Listener in the third season finale "The Shooting" (2012) as Staff Sgt. McCoy, an investigator for Internal Affairs. Palmer appeared in the online dating web series comedy Seeking Simone in the episode "1.1: Single Lesbian Psychos" (2009) as Rebecca. After Lost Girl, she joined the main cast of science-fiction series Dark Matter in the role of The Android (2015–2017) and hosted After Dark, the series' online aftershow for third-season episodes.

Film roles include Annabelle in the short drama Terminal Venus (2003); Haley in the romantic comedy The Untitled Work of Paul Shepard (2010); Cheryl in the supernatural horror Devil (2010); Officer Frances Jane in the crime thriller Cold Blooded (2012); Lou in the comedy Sex After Kids (2013); and Bethany in the fantasy adventure Patch Town (2014).

Zoie Palmer was awarded Best Actor for Terminal Venus by the 2004 Baja Film Festival (Mexico); and the Gold Medallion Acting Award for Best Actress in a Feature Film for Cold Blooded by the 2012 Bare Bones International Film Festival. She was nominated in 2011 for the ACTRA Award for Outstanding Performance - Female for The Untitled Work of Paul Shepard; and in 2014 by the Canadian Comedy Awards for Multimedia / Best Female Performance in a Feature for Sex After Kids;

In 2013 she won "Favorite TV Actress" and "Best Tweeter" in the annual AfterEllen Visibility Awards for popularity; and "Best Sci-Fi or Fantasy Actress" by Canadagraphs in its annual Best Of TV Awards. She was chosen "Girl on Top 2013" by E! Entertainment Television in its popularity contest of Favorite TV Leading Ladies. In its annual 50 Most Beautiful Stars issue celebrating homegrown talent, she was named "Number 1" for 2014 by Hello! Canada. Palmer received the Fan Choice Award for Favourite Canadian Screen Star by the 2014 Canadian Screen Awards.

Her portrayal of Lauren together with Bo (Anna Silk) as same-sex couple "Bo and Lauren" on Lost Girl was named one of its all-time "Favorite TV Couples" by CNN in 2013; and declared "Top TV Couple of 2013" by E! Entertainment Television in its annual online contest.

On March 9, 2014, Zoie Palmer came out publicly as lesbian during broadcast of the 2nd Canadian Screen Awards when she thanked her life partner, Canadian film producer Alex Lalonde, after expressing gratitude for winning the "Fan Choice Award for Favourite Canadian Screen Star" for her performance as Lauren on Lost Girl. Palmer and Lalonde have a son, Luca, from Lalonde's previous marriage.

Palmer's sister, Tracey (Palmer) Weiler, was a Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario candidate for the Kitchener—Waterloo electoral district in a 2012 by-election for the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, and the 2014 general election.