Top 5 Most Well-Known Actresses from Mississauga

A little while back we published our list of the top 5 most well-known actors born in Mississauga, and talked about some of the most noteworthy roles they’ve taken on in their careers. However, our city has produced a lot of female talent as well, so it’s time to recognize their achievements with a run-through of Mississauga’s top 5 actresses (based again on IMDb’s “STARmeter” popularity rating). How familiar are with you with these five ladies?

5. Rachel Appleton 

Most notable role: Young Lara Croft from Lara Croft: Tomb Raider 

Rachel Appleton was born May 19, 1992 to Natalie Appleton, Mississauga pop singer and former member of the music group All Saints. Rachel later moved to London, England where she was raised. An intellectual child, she attended The Royal School in Hamstead and later expressed an interest in going into show business. She appeared in the hit 2001 film Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (based on the popular video game series Tomb Raider), where she portrayed a young version of the titular character Lara Croft. 

In addition to acting, another one of Rachel’s hobbies is playing guitar. 

4. Tara Shelley 

Most notable role: One of the Junior Plastics from Mean Girls 

Tara Shelly was born on October 4, 1990. She attended Dublin Heights middle school in Toronto and later studied drama at Cawthra Park secondary school in Mississauga. She makes a brief appearance in the 2004 classic comedy Mean Girls as a member of the “Junior Plastics,” a trio of snobby popular girls. 

Shelley has also made appearances in Canadian sitcom Life with Derek and the Roxy Hunter film series, among other roles. 

3. Julie Krol 

Most notable role: Mary from Haunted Case Files 

Born on November 1, 1981, Julie Krol is both an actress and a writer. She attended McMaster University where she studied Theatre & Film as well as English, and also obtained a degree in journalism. Some of her more noteworthy roles include the character Mary from the 2016 television series Haunted Case Files, and minor character Elsa from the 2009 disaster film 2012. 

2. Lisa Lennox 

Most notable role: Deedee Doodle from The Doodlebops 

Lisa Lennox was born November 2, 1981 and has been performing since the incredibly young age of three. Her passion for song and dance led her to study at the Etobioke School of the Arts in lieu of a traditional high school. Her most notable role is the character Deedee Doodle from the Canadian children’s show The Doodlebops, which aired on Playhouse Disney. She has also performed at the Gemini Awards, an award show recognizing achievements in Canada’s television industry. 

Some of Lennox’s other roles include Sharpay Evans in the stage musical version of High School Musical, and the character of Veronica in the holiday TV movie Gotta Catch Santa Claus. 

1. Deanna Casaluce 

Most notable role: Alex Nuñez from Degrassi: The Next Generation 

Deanna Casaluce was born on February 7, 1986 and later completed her post-secondary education at the University of Guelph. She has starred in quite a number of roles throughout her career, including Alex Nuñez from Canadian TV series Degrassi: The Next Generation. She also played Emily Ashby in the 2008 series Hooking Up, and Georgia in the TV film Devil’s Diary. 

In the past, Casaluce has compared herself to her Degrassi character Alex, saying that they are both very strong and independent people. 

Do you know of any other Mississauga actresses that you think are worth mentioning? Please let us know in the comments!