Sarah Edmondson

Sarah Edmondson
EducationConcordia University (BFA)
Occupations
  • Actress
  • podcaster
Years active1998–present
Spouse
Anthony Ames
​
(m. 2010)​
Children2

Sarah Edmondson is a Canadian actress and podcaster. She is known for supporting roles on Hallmark Channel, and as a voice actress, most notably in Geronimo Stilton as Thea Stilton and as Lina in the Bratz films.

Edmondson is a former member of NXIVM, a now-defunct sex cult and pyramid scheme founded by Keith Raniere. In 2017, she left the group and confirmed longstanding criticism that NXIVM operated as a cult. The resulting New York Times exposé of NXIVM's abusive practices precipitated the downfall of the organization and its leaders.

Career

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Edmondson studied in the theatre program at Lord Byng Secondary School, Vancouver, British Columbia.[1] She then graduated from Concordia University, Montreal, with a BFA in Theatre Performance.[1] She has performed in a variety of YTV programs including Are You Afraid of the Dark,[2] Student Bodies, Big Wolf on Campus and in series such as Stargate SG-1,[3] Andromeda, Godiva's,[2] Edgemont[2] and Continuum.[2] In 2007, Edmondson was nominated for the Leo Awards in the category of "Best Lead Performance by a Female in a Short Drama" for her role in the Sparklelite Motel.[4]

Edmondson is also a playwright. She performed her first play, a solo show, entitled Dead Bird,[5] at the 2005 Chutzpah Festival.

Edmondson starred in Lifetime Television's Killer Hair and Hostile Makeover, and A Gun to the Head in 2009, followed by J.J. Abrams's series Fringe in 2010.

Most recently, Edmondson has been seen in a series of TV series and films for Hallmark Channel, including When Calls the Heart (2014–present), Love at First Bark[6] starring Jana Kramer, Wedding' March 2: Resorting to Love, and At Home in Mitford,[7] based on the novel of the same name starring Andie MacDowell and Cameron Mathison.

Voice work

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She has created original voices for various Barbie, Bratz and Polly Pocket films. She also voices a number of animated series, including the characters of Lori in Transformers: Cybertron,[2] (2005), Atlanta in Class of the Titans, Thea Stilton in Geronimo Stilton,[3] and Sydney Gardner in Max Steel.[3] Edmondson voiced the character of Windy Whistles in the My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic season seven episode "Parental Glideance".

NXIVM

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Edmondson was involved in the Albany, New York-based organization NXIVM. After leaving it in early 2017, she publicly denounced the organization, stating that she was invited into "DOS", a substructure within NXIVM operated by Keith Raniere and Allison Mack, and was branded with Raniere's and Mack's initials at the latter's Albany home.[8][9][10] Edmondson said she was recruited into DOS by her friend and NXIVM member Lauren Salzman. At the time, Edmondson and other DOS recruits were told the brand represented the combination of the elements.[11]

In 2017, at the urging of Catherine Oxenberg, Edmondson contacted Frank Parlato, a former NXIVM publicist, to share details about her branding experience. Parlato blogged about it at the Frank Report,[12] with an agreement that he would not disclose Edmondson's name to stop the next branding session.[13]

Edmondson showed the brand in a New York Times exposé of NXIVM in 2017.[8]

Edmondson filed a complaint with the New York State Department against physician Dr. Danielle Roberts, alleging that Roberts performed the branding. The agency replied that it lacked jurisdiction because the alleged actions did not occur in a doctor-patient relationship, and advised Edmondson to report the matter to the police.[14][better source needed][9] After the allegations from Edmondson and others, Roberts was suspended from practice in a Wisconsin Hospital System where she had practiced between 2012 and 2014.[15][16] Raniere and Mack were subsequently arrested on charges related to DOS; a trial was scheduled for January 2019.

Edmondson was the subject of a 2018 CBC podcast: Uncover: Escaping NXIVM,[17] which is an investigative podcast series about the group, its leader Keith Raniere, and one woman's journey to escape.

Her memoir, Scarred: The True Story of How I Escaped NXIVM, the Cult That Bound My Life, was published by Chronicle Books in September 2019.[18]

In an interview with Vancouver Film School released February 11, 2020, Edmondson revealed that she had recently undergone surgery to have her brand removed.[19]

Edmondson appears in the 2020 HBO documentary series The Vow, directed by Jehane Noujaim and Karim Amer.[20][21]

She launched her own podcast called A Little Bit Culty, co-hosted by her husband and fellow NXIVM whistleblower Anthony "Nippy" Ames.[22][23]

Personal life

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Edmondson was previously married to a director.[24] In 2010, she married actor and former Ivy League quarterback Anthony Ames.[25] The couple has two children. Edmondson is Jewish.[17]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
2000 Revenge Young Vicky
2001 Hope & Redemption Cheryl Spriggs Short film
2002 3 Days in Vain Francis Short film
2003 Imetacanine Mom Short film
2004 Galo de Barcelos: The Chicken of Portugal Ali Short film
2005 Dark Room Kara Short film
2005 Sandra Goes to Whistler Line Dancer Short film
2005 David Marcy Short film
2006 Scary Movie 4 Bar Waitress
2006 Barbie Diaries Courtney Voice[26]
2006 The Spark Lite Motel Anna Abelson McKinnon Short film
2006 Big Nothing Isabella
2007 Bratz Fashion Pixiez Lina Voice[26]
2007 Bratz Kids: Sleep-Over Adventure Cally Voice[26]
2008 Chaos Theory Tequila Girl
2008 Awkward Rachel Short film
2008 Shadow Riders Jane Preston Short film
2009 A Gun to the Head Karen
2017 The Cannon Harmoni
2017 Young George and the Dragon Muriel Voice

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1998 The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo Gina Malone Episode: "The Itchy Shorts Mystery"
1998 Student Bodies Ronnie Episode: "The Dating Game"
1999–2000 Are You Afraid of the Dark? Emma / Gina 2 episodes
2000 Race Against Time Alma Cherry Television film
2000 Big Wolf on Campus Raven St. Clar Episode: "Faltered States"
2001 Vampire High Carmen Episode: "The Summoning"
2002 UC: Undercover Sandra Episode: "Manhunt"
2003–2005 Edgemont Stephanie "Steve" 10 episodes
2003 The Twilight Zone Earnest Young Women Episode: "The Path"
2003 Stargate SG-1 Natania Episode: "Prophecy"
2003 The Stranger Beside Me Susan Wayne Television film
2003 Out of Order Fertility Nurse 6 episodes
2005–2006 Transformers: Cybertron Lori (voice) 52 episodes[26]
2005 Young Blades Girl Episode: "Secrets of the Father"
2005 Being Ian Tina (voice) Episode: "Health Nut"[26]
2005 Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of 'Mork & Mindy Gina Hecht Television film
2005 Andromeda Larissa Knowles Episode: "The Heart of the Journey: Part 1"
2006 Godiva's Hot Date Episode: "Exit Strategies"
2006 The Dead Zone Young Woman Episode: "Forbidden Fruit"
2007 My Name is Sarah Olivia Television film
2007–2008 Class of the Titans Atlanta, Lori, Amalthea (voice) 26 episodes (season 2)[26]
2009 What Color Is Love? Amy Jansen Television film
2009 Killer Hair Brooke Television film
2009 Hostile Makeover Brooke Television film
2009–2017 Geronimo Stilton Thea Stilton (voice) 76 episodes[26]
2009–2010 Psych Gina 2 episodes
2010 Fringe Pauline Hess Episode: "Jacksonville"
2010–2015 The Little Prince The Rose (voice) 31 episodes; English dub[26]
2010 Seduced by Love Ava Television film
2010 One Angry Juror Louise Television film
2012–2013 Continuum Heather Martin 2 episodes
2013–2015 Max Steel Sydney Garner (voice) 27 episodes[26]
2014 When Calls the Heart Miriam Garner Episode: "Cease and Desist"
2015 The Whispers Mrs. Brewster Episode: "Darkest Fears"
2017 Love at First Bark Cassie Guggenheim Television film
2017 My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic Windy Whistles (voice) Episode: "Parental Gildeance"[26]
2017 Wedding March 2: Resorting to Love Lisa Television film
2017 At Home in Mitford Marge Owens Television film
2018 Dinotrux Roxie (voice) Episode: "Opposites"[26]
2018 Wedding of Dreams Sarah Rice Television film
2018 Salvation Nora 5 episodes
2018 Welcome to Christmas Rachel Dane Television film
2019 The Sisterhood Trish Britton (Reporter) Television film
2020–22 The Vow Herself 12 episodes[27]
2020 Five Star Christmas Annie Halston Television film

Video games

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Year Title Role Notes Source
2011 Trinity: Souls of Zill Ơll Sheelagh, Argilshaia [26]

Miscellaneous

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Year Title Role Notes
2013 Inhumans Tonaja, Marista, Black Widow Motion comic[26]

References

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  1. ^ a b Sarah Edmondson (August 25, 2013). "Sarah Edmondson interview". The Scifi World (Interview). Interviewed by Gilles Nuytens. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
  2. ^ a b c d e "The Politician's Wife – Interview with Continuum's Sarah Edmondson". SciFiAndTvTalk. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
  3. ^ a b c "Catch up with 'Continuum' guest actress Sarah Edmondson". Sarah Edmondson. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
  4. ^ "2007 nominees" (PDF). leoawards.com. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
  5. ^ "Sarah Edmondson deadbird". Sarah Edmondson. September 11, 2012. Archived from the original on December 20, 2016. Retrieved December 10, 2016.
  6. ^ "Love at First Bark Final Photo Assets". telltaletv.com. September 22, 2017. Retrieved October 17, 2017.
  7. ^ "At Home in Mitford – Photos". hallmarkchannel.com. Retrieved October 17, 2017.
  8. ^ a b Meier, Barry (October 17, 2017). "Inside a Secretive Group Where Women Are Branded". The New York Times. Retrieved May 18, 2018.
  9. ^ a b "Former NXIVM member says she was invited into a secret sorority, then branded". ABC News. December 15, 2017. Retrieved May 13, 2018.
  10. ^ "Nxivm member was branded at Allison Mack's home". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 18, 2018.
  11. ^ Cobb, Kayla (September 7, 2020). "'The Vow' Finally Explained How NXIVM's Sex Cult Worked". Decider. Retrieved January 6, 2022.
  12. ^ frankparlato (October 19, 2017). "Part 1: Branded Slaves and Master Raniere; Sources: Human branding part of Raniere-inspired women's group". Frank Report | Investigative Journalism From Frank Parlato. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
  13. ^ Edmondson, Sarah (2019). Scarred : the true story of how I escaped NXIVM, the cult that bound my life. Kristine Gasbarre. San Francisco, California. pp. 221–222. ISBN 978-1-4521-8426-5. OCLC 1102468747.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  14. ^ "Response to Edmondson". documentcloud. Retrieved May 13, 2018.
  15. ^ "Former Columbia St. Mary's doctor accused of branding women in sex cult: Dr. Danielle Roberts is based out of New York but holds a Wisconsin license". WISN. April 30, 2018. Retrieved May 18, 2018.
  16. ^ "Doctor accused of branding women in sex cult worked at Columbia St. Mary's Hospital". Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. April 30, 2018. Retrieved May 18, 2018.
  17. ^ a b "Uncover Season 1 — Escaping NXIVM". CBC Radio. May 30, 2018. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
  18. ^ Bruder, Jessica (September 17, 2019). "She Escaped From Nxivm. Now She's Written a Book About the Sex Cult". The New York Times. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
  19. ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "Sarah Edmondson: NXIVM and How I Escaped a Cult". YouTube.
  20. ^ Dickson, EJ (August 21, 2020). "How HBO's 'The Vow' Tells the Non-Sex-Cult Side of NXIVM". Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
  21. ^ Miller, Julie (August 20, 2020). "HBO's The Vow Proves NXIVM Is More Than a "Sex Cult"". Vanity Fair. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
  22. ^ "Sarah Edmondson Biography". Sarah Edmondson website.
  23. ^ "A Little Bit Culty". The New Yorker. Retrieved July 21, 2022.
  24. ^ Berman, Sarah (September 13, 2018). "How NXIVM Rippled Through Vancouver Actors' Friend Networks". Vice.com.
  25. ^ Nellie Andreeva (April 25, 201). "Former NXIVM Member Sarah Edmondson To Star In Documentary Series Produced By Brian Graden". Deadline.
  26. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Sarah Edmondson (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved September 30, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
  27. ^ Hassan, Dr Steven (May 4, 2020). "Former NXIVM Member Sarah Edmondson Talks About Being Recruited Into and Escaping Keith Raniere's Cult". Dr. Steven Hassan. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
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