Tatiana Maslany Biography

Actress (1985–)

'Orphan Black'

In 2013, Maslany took on her most famous role to date, playing numerous clones in Orphan Black. The series is one of television's most creative and complex programs with Maslany taking on more than 10 different characters. She first appears as Sarah Manning, a streetwise con artist, who witnesses her doppelganger commit suicide. Sarah assumes her lookalike's identity, and she eventually learns she is just one of many clones created as part of an experiment.

As the story of Orphan Black has unfolded, Maslany has not only had to play multiple characters, but to depict the interactions between these different figures. In addition to Sarah, Maslany plays fragile yet violent Helena, high-strung suburban mom Alison, brainy Cosima and ambitious Rachel among other clones. Getting these characters to appear together in scenes is a technical feat, but it's a credit to Maslany's abilities as an actress that they seem to be really engaging with each other. Many fans felt that she had been snubbed when she didn't receive an Emmy Award nomination for the show's first season. Fans were vindicated in 2015 when Maslany was named as one of the contenders for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series although she did not win the award. 

While working on Orphan Black, Maslany also had a chance to branch out in other directions. She played a young version of Helen Mirren's character in the 2014 drama Woman in Gold. Maslany appeared in the 2016 independent film The Other Half, which co-starred her real-life love interest, Welsh actor Tom Cullen.

Maslany's critically acclaimed work on Orphan Black was nominated for another Emmy Award in 2016. On awards night, she won the category of Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in her first Emmy win. Reading notes from her phone, which kept ringing with congratulations during her speech, she said: "Thank you so much, there are so many people I feel so indebted to," she said. "Thank you for this incredible dream job. My Tom, my family, thank you so much. I feel so lucky to be on a show that puts women at the center." 

Her fans also made Maslany a winner on social media where she ranked number one on both Facebook and Twitter as the most posted about celebrity at the Emmys.