Acting • AGE 70
Sheila McCarthy (born January 1, 1956) is a Canadian stage, film and television actress, singer and dancer, best known for playing Polly Vandersma in the feature film I've Heard the Mermaids Singing, ...


The Voices of Our Mother
Harriet
2026

The Miniature Wife
2026

Surfacing
Dawn
2026

The Well
Gabriel
2026

Love Is the Monster
Margaret
2025

Dancing on the Elephant
Nora
2025

All the Lost Ones
Dawn
2025

Women Talking
Greta
2022

Christmas in Rockwell
Juniper
2022

Z-O-M-B-I-E-S 3
Hologram Alien Scout
2022

The Middle Man
Mrs. Stout
2021

Stroke of Fate
Shirley
2021

Like a House on Fire
Katherine
2021

Happy Place
Joyce
2020

The Broken Hearts Gallery
Cheryl Gulliver
2020

Anything for Jackson
Audrey Walsh
2020

Nurses
Phillis Bruner
2020

The Christmas Club
Miss Maggie
2019

Christmas 9 to 5
Rose Stark
2019

An Assortment of Christmas Tales in No Particular Order
Ellen
2019

Isabelle
Ann Pelway
2019

The Umbrella Academy
Agnes
2019

The Detail
Helen Mailer
2018

Level 16
Mrs. Denison
2018

Still/Born
Sheila
2018

Considering Love and Other Magic
Veronica
2017

The Good Doctor
Rose Babcock
2017

Star Trek: Discovery
All-Mother
2017

Cardinals
Valerie Walker
2017

The Definites
Executive Producer
2017

Conviction
Dr. Jane Soto
2016

Milton's Secret
Luz
2016

Private Eyes
Shirl Glinski
2016

Brace for Impact
Faradee Gilchrist
2016

Ice Girls
Aunt Ginger
2016

A Fighting Man
Rose O'Connor
2014

Algonquin
Rita
2014

Dear Viola
Peggy
2014

Orphan Black
Connie Hendrix
2013

Antiviral
Dev Harvey
2012

Saving Hope
Violet Devonshire
2012

Rookie Blue
Leigh Senett
2010

Year of the Carnivore
Mrs. Smalls
2009

Breakfast with Scot
Miss Patterson (uncredited)
2007

The Stone Angel
Doris
2007

Little Mosque on the Prairie
Sarah Hamoudi
2007

Cow Belles
Fran Walker
2006

Bailey's Billion$
Peggy Delaney
2005

Geraldine's Fortune
Tina Larose
2004

Being Julia
Grace Dexter
2004

The Day After Tomorrow
Judith
2004

Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen
Mrs. Gerard
2004

This Is Wonderland
2004

Weird Sex and Snowshoes: A Trek Through the Canadian Cinematic Psyche
Polly Vandersma (archive footage)
2004

Full-Court Miracle
Mrs. Klein
2003

Puppets Who Kill
2002

The Rats
Miss Paige
2002

Lathe of Heaven
Penny
2002

Duct Tape Forever
Easterbrook (uncredited)
2002

I Was a Rat
Mrs. Tapscrew
2001

Rare Birds
Claire
2001

Haven
Eva
2001

Haven
Eva
2001

Super Rupert
Aunt Rhonda
2001

Marvin the Tap-Dancing Horse
Elizabeth the Emotional Pig (voice)
2000

Custody of the Heart
Alice
2000

Virtual Mom
Holly
2000

You Know My Name
Mrs. Lynn
1999

Too Rich: The Secret Life of Doris Duke
Tammy
1999

Dead Husbands
Jane Armitage
1998

Bad Dog
(voice)
1998

More Tales of the City
Mildred
1998

Emily of New Moon
Laura Murray
1998

Shadow Zone: My Teacher Ate My Homework
Jesse's Mom
1997

The Care and Handling of Roses
Carol Doster
1996

House Arrest
Gwenna Krupp
1996

The Awakening
Nancy
1995

The Possession of Michael D.
Jenny
1995

A Woman of Independent Means
Totsie
1995

Menendez: A Killing in Beverly Hills
Jill Lansing
1994

The Biggest Little Ticket
The Troll
1994

The Lotus Eaters
Diana Kingswood
1993

Liza Minnelli - Live from Radio City Music Hall
Self
1992

Beethoven Lives Upstairs
Sophie
1992

Picket Fences
Sue Walsh
1992

A Private Matter
Diane Callaghan
1992

Montreal Stories
Ann Stuart
1991

Stepping Out
Andy
1991

Paradise
Sally Pike
1991

The Hidden Room
1991

Bright Angel
Nina
1990

Pacific Heights
Liz Hamilton
1990

White Room
Zelda
1990

Die Hard 2
Samantha 'Sam' Coleman
1990

Beautiful Dreamers
Molly Jessop
1990

Friends, Lovers, & Lunatics
Kathy
1989

George's Island
Miss Birdwood
1989

Much Ado About Nothing
Margaret
1988

I've Heard the Mermaids Singing
Polly Vandersma
1987

A Nest of Singing Birds
Anna
1987

The Marriage Bed
Lynn Reailly
1986

Really Weird Tales
Ellie Hutchins (segment "Cursed With Charisma")
1986

9B
Heather
1986

Four on the Floor
1986

Love & Larceny
Mary Bigley
1985

The New Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Debra (Sarah) Hollister
1985

The Ray Bradbury Theater
Francine
1985