Sarah Ellen Polley OC (born January 8, 1979) is a Canadian filmmaker, political activist and retired actress. She first garnered attention as a child actress for her role as Ramona Quimby in the television series Ramona, based on Beverly Cleary's books. This subsequently led to her role as Sara Stanley in the Canadian television series Road to Avonlea (1990–1996). She has starred in many feature films, including The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988), Exotica (1994), The Sweet Hereafter (1997), Guinevere (1999), Go (1999), The Weight of Water (2000), No Such Thing (2001), My Life Without Me (2003), Dawn of the Dead (2004), Splice (2009), and Mr. Nobody (2009).
Polley made her feature film directorial debut with Away from Her (2006), for which she won the Canadian Screen Award for Best Director and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. Polley's second film, Take This Waltz (2011), premiered at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival, followed by her first documentary film, Stories We Tell (2012). She also wrote the miniseries Alias Grace, based on the 1996 novel of the same name by Margaret Atwood. In 2022, Polley wrote and directed the film Women Talking, based on the 2018 novel of the same name by Miriam Toews, for which she won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.
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The Studio
Sarah Polley · (1 episode)
2025
Variety Studio: Directors on Directors
Self · (1 episode)
2021
Margaret Atwood: A Word After a Word After a Word Is Power
Self - Filmmaker
2019
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Self · (1 episode)
2015
Reel Herstory: The Real Story of Reel Women
Self
2014
Stories We Tell
Self (uncredited)
2012
Trigger
Hillary
2010
Splice
Elsa
2010
Mr. Nobody
Adult Elise
2009
The Madness and Misadventures of Munchausen
Self - 'Sally Salt'
2008
John Adams
Abigail Adams Smith · (7 episodes)
2008
Wrath of Gods
Self
2007
The Secret Life of Words
Hanna
2005
Beowulf & Grendel
Selma
2005
Don't Come Knocking
Sky
2005
Siblings
Tabby
2004
Sugar
Pregnant Girl
2004
Luck
Margaret
2004
The I Inside
Clair
2004
Dawn of the Dead
Ana
2004
Slings & Arrows
Sophie · (6 episodes)
2003
My Life Without Me
Ann
2003
Dermott's Quest
Gwen
2003
The Event
Dana Shapiro
2003
No Such Thing
Beatrice
2002
The Claim
Hope Burn
2000
Preludes
2000
The Law of Enclosures
Beatty 'Beatrice'
2000
The Weight of Water
Maren Hontvedt
2000
This Might Be Good
2000
Love Come Down
Sister Sarah
2000
The Life Before This
Connie
1999
Guinevere
Harper Sloane
1999
Teen Choice Awards
Self - Nominee · (1 episode)
1999
eXistenZ
Merle
1999
Go
Ronna Martin
1999
Jerry and Tom
Deb
1998
Last Night
Jennifer Wheeler
1998
White Lies
Catherine
1998
The Sweet Hereafter
Nicole Burnell
1997
The Planet of Junior Brown
Butter
1997
The Hanging Garden
Teen Rosemary
1997
Joe's So Mean to Josephine
Josephine
1997
Children First!
Host
1996
Exotica
Tracey
1994
Johann's Gift to Christmas
The Angel
1992
Road to Avonlea
Sara Stanley · (91 episodes)
1990
Road to Avonlea: The Movie
1990
Lantern Hill
Jody Turner
1989
Babar: The Movie
Young Celeste
1989
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen
Sally Salt
1988
Ramona
Ramona · (10 episodes)
1988
Friday the 13th: The Series
Mary · (1 episode)
1987
Blue Monkey
Ellen
1987
The Big Town
Christy Donaldson
1987
Hands of a Stranger
Suzie Hearn
1987
Pretty Kill
Karla
1987
Heaven On Earth
Becky Hawthorne
1987
The Incredible Time-Travels of Henry Osgood
1986
Confidential
Emma (child)
1986
One Magic Christmas
Molly Monaghan
1985
The Oscars
Self · (1 episode)
1953
Golden Globe Awards
Self - Nominee · (1 episode)
1944