Don McKellar is a Canadian writer, director, actor, and producer born in Toronto on August 17, 1963.[1][2][5] Raised in an educated family—his father a lawyer and mother a teacher—he began his career in theatre, co-founding Childs Play Theatre as a youth, before transitioning to film and television.[1][2] McKellar gained prominence through collaborations with directors like Bruce McDonald, writing and starring in *Roadkill* (1989; Genie nomination for Best Screenplay and Supporting Actor) and *Highway 61* (1991; Genie for Best Actor).[1][2][3] He earned further acclaim co-writing *Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould* (1993) and *The Red Violin* (1998) with François Girard, and winning a Genie for Best Supporting Actor as a pet shop owner in Atom Egoyan's *Exotica* (1993).[2][3] Notable acting roles include Curtis in *Twitch City* (two seasons), Darren Nichols in *Slings & Arrows* (three seasons), and appearances in films like *The Adjuster* (1991; Genie nomination), *eXistenZ* (1999), and *Blindness* (2008; screenwriter and actor).[1][2][3] His directorial debut, *Last Night* (1998), which he wrote and starred in, won the Prix de la Jeunesse at Cannes.[3][4] McKellar also co-wrote the Tony Award-winning musical *The Drowsy Chaperone*, which toured major cities.[1][4] He has directed TV series like *Michael: Tuesdays and Thursdays*, *Sensitive Skin* (also starring), and films including *The Grand Seduction* and *Through Black Spruce*.[1] McKellar remains active, serving as writer, executive producer, and co-showrunner on HBO's *The Sympathizer* (2024), co-created with Park Chan-wook and adapted from Viet Thanh Nguyen's Pulitzer-winning novel, featuring Robert Downey Jr. in multiple roles.[4] An eight-time Genie nominee and two-time winner, he continues blending indie sensibilities with mainstream projects in Canadian and international cinema.[2][4]