Canadian actress Blythe Cronyn takes us through her journey from an Ottawa-based model to bagging a lead role in a Canadian indie film with global distribution
When the script for Canadian independent science-fiction thriller Human Nature was written in 2019, nobody dreamed that a year later, the plot would hit so close to home. The film is about five kidnapped people who wake up to find themselves trapped in a cabin and infected with a deadly virus that is also steadily killing the rest of humanity. The ‘missing’ humans are being replaced by AI humanoids created by a rogue corporation.
Blending psychological tension with identity, control, technology, and the defining factors that make up our human nature, the micro-budget dystopian feature film, shot in Alliston, Ontario, gained even more significance post-pandemic.
Produced by In Plain Sight Films, Toto Films and LadyWood Productions, the film was officially released in 2025, securing international distribution through Filmhub. It later acquired global streaming rights on Prime Video (Canada, US, UK), Apple TV (UK) and Tubi (worldwide).
For Canadian actress Blythe Cronyn, who plays ‘Holly’, Human Nature marked a milestone in her career, marking her first leading role in a feature film. “I like to describe her as being the hope in the movie, the light that comes through the cracks. There’s a lot of conflict in the group once they start to figure out who everybody is and why they’ve been kidnapped. Holly is always trying to encourage everyone to stay positive and is the glue that holds the group together,” explains Cronyn.
As someone who digs sci-fi, fantasy and escapism, this was Cronyn’s dream role. It was also a script that the whole cast could identify with, having lived through COVID-19. “Notably, this opportunity came along at a time in my life where I just been sending off audition tapes into the void and not hearing anything back. I needed a sign to keep going. So this movie was cathartic in that way for me too,” says Cronyn.
Working on a film without traditional studio backing was also a unique experience. “Everything was so well organized, we didn’t work crazy hours and most of all, we had the creative freedom to express ourselves,” she says.
Cronyn, who is represented by AMI Artist Management and whose work spans film, television and independent features, is currently based in Toronto, where she shares a home with her husband, son, cat and a lot of plants. However, she was raised in Ottawa, where her passion for acting was also kindled.
“I grew up in Nepean and attended the same school as Grey’s Anatomy actress Sandra Oh went to – Sir Robert Borden High School. Right from childhood, I was always acting in school plays. Later, after high school, I started modelling and doing commercials, which took me from Ottawa to Toronto, Montreal, Tokyo, Bangkok and Shanghai. Modelling also helped me familiarize myself with being in front of the camera. So I was always tiptoeing around this profession in a way,” remarks Cronyn.
Cronyn also holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU). “I think I always wanted to be an actor, but for a long time, I kept choosing the conventional path, with a plan to attend law school after my degree. However, halfway through my degree, I realised it wasn’t something I wanted to pursue, but I wanted to finish what I’d started,” avers Cronyn.
While in Montreal, one of her modelling agents started encouraging her to try acting. “Initially, I was skeptical. But then I booked a role as a background model in the 2013 movie House of Versace that was being shot in Montreal. That was the turning point for me. I just loved every minute of being on set and realised I wanted to do this professionally,” Cronyn shares.
Soon after this experience, Cronyn took up acting classes at The Lighthouse Acting Studio and Second City Training Center in Toronto. Delving into how that experience helped shape her into the actress she is today, Cronyn says, “Angela Besharah, who owns Lighthouse Acting Studio, has been an incredible mentor to me. She has an amazing skill for noticing exactly what an actor needs to work on, and she’ll gently push you, helping build your confidence. She really helped me build my audition technique, and I still go to her for assistance with big auditions. At Second City, I learned improv, which was outside my comfort zone, but taught me such a valuable skill–to think on your feet and not be completely married to a script, which helped me to become more flexible as an artist.”
To date, Cronyn has worked in 16 productions, including the Dark Side of Comedy (Season 2) on Crave. Some of her upcoming films include Papa Sierra and The Taste of Longing, directed by Peabody Award-winning director Noura Kevorkian.
Blythe Cronyn on the red carpet at the Canadian Film Centre’s CFC Homecoming 2025, a highlight event of TIFF 2025. (Photo: Jessica Fryer)
Cronyn tells us about the lessons she learned during the bleak period before the agents started calling. “The biggest thing I learned about myself was my resilience. People often talk about rejection and acting, but if you’re being rejected, you’ve gotten close enough to the role for them to personally say no. So rejection is actually good in that respect. Most of the time, you never hear back. So you need to find your own confidence in yourself and your abilities, and there’s a bit of blind trust involved as well, that you are good enough and that you are on the right path, because you can’t rely on external validation. I’m also glad that acting came later in my life because now I have a wealth of experience to draw from.”
On her thoughts about being a Canadian actress straddling the global stage, Cronyn believes that Canadian actors find themselves in a unique situation: while many films are shot in Canada, many of the bigger roles go to American actors. “I’m really hoping that with the way things are going right now, we will create more Canadian content, with more Canadian leads. There are so many talented actors in Canada, and I think we all deserve to be seen and Canadian stories should be told by Canadians,” she opines.
What Cronyn loves most about being an actress is that, with every role, you can ‘try on another skin’, escape into a different world, and even learn new skills, such as horse riding, playing a musical instrument, or driving an F1 car. At its root, she believes acting is about empathy and stepping into someone else’s shoes, while also bringing one’s own individuality and personality to the role.
To fully embody each character, Cronyn dives into extensive research. This may include journaling through the character’s backstory and the events of the script, creating music playlists and Pinterest mood boards or reading books the character may be into. Drawing on her past experiences also helps make each character more well-rounded.
“My favourite actress is Jessica Chastain. I admire that her major success came a bit later than the industry’s typical timeline, which is something I can identify with. She is an inspiration and a reminder that longevity and depth of craft matter more than overnight success,” Cronyn says.
A little-known fact is that Cronyn is related to legendary Hollywood actor Hume Cronyn, who was her grandfather’s cousin. “He had an incredible career, which is definitely aspirational. I want to be the best actress that I can be to make him proud, while simultaneously working hard to carve out my own niche in the industry,” she says.
Cronyn also has her own contemporary custom jewellery brand, called Elizabeth Blythe, through which she sells custom-made fine jewellery. Each piece is designed by her and influenced by whimsy, mysticism, fantasy, romance and nostalgia.
Cronyn working at her jeweller’s bench in her home studio.
“After graduation, I took an introductory silversmithing class in Ottawa, following which I secured an apprenticeship with a Toronto-based master goldsmith. While assisting in her manufacturing and teaching classes, I was able to hone my skills as a jeweller and in 2014, Elizabeth Blythe was established, offering full custom design services as well as an ever evolving collection of future heirlooms,” says Cronyn.
On balancing an acting career with her jewellery brand, Cronyn remarks, “They do tend to work in slightly opposite schedules, so when it’s slow with one, it’s busy with the other usually. This also helps me focus my energy on always doing something creative.” Cronyn is keen to learn hand engraving next, which is on The Red List of Endangered Crafts and considered a dying skill, with only a handful of jewellery artisans in Toronto still practising.
An Ottawa girl at heart, Cronyn visits often to see her parents and in-laws, who still live in Ottawa. She also has a family cottage in the Ottawa Valley. “Ottawa was a beautiful city to grow up. I miss the natural beauty, small-town charm and its sense of community,” she reminisces.
Cronyn at one of her favourite Ottawa restaurants, North and Navy. (Photo: Antonia Dalessio)
She notes the changes that the city is undergoing, including Ottawa’s film industry, which she says is growing rapidly. “In fact, I just auditioned for a lead role in a movie that’s to be shot in Ottawa. I’m hoping I get the role and I can return, which will be like my life coming full circle in a sense,” she says, signing off.
Header image: Jaclyn Vogl
