Look up ukrainian in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Ukrainian may refer to:

• Something of, from, or related to Ukraine
• Ukrainians, people from Ukraine or of Ukrainian descent
• Something relating to Ukrainian culture
• Ukrainian language, an East Slavic language and the official state language of Ukraine
• Ukrainian cuisine

See also[link]

• Name of Ukraine
• Languages of Ukraine

This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the same title. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.

Ukrainian Canadian
Український канадець

80px
Randy Bachman • Luba Goy • Chantal Kreviazuk • Ed Stelmach • Alex Trebek • Victor Malarek
Total population
1,209,085 3.9% of the Canadian Population[1]
Regions with significant populations
Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Ontario, British Columbia, Quebec
Languages
Canadian English, Ukrainian (particularly Canadian Ukrainian), Quebec French
Religion
Ukrainian Catholic, Ukrainian Orthodox, other,[2] none
Related ethnic groups
Ukrainians, British Ukrainians, French Ukrainians (in France), Ukrainian Americans, Ukrainian Australians, Slavic Peoples especially East Slavs

A Ukrainian Canadian (Ukrainian: Український канадець, Українці Канади; translit. Ukrayins'kyi kanadets, Ukrayintsi Kanady) is a person of Ukrainian descent or origin who was born in or emigrated to Canada. In 2006, there were an estimated 1,209,085 persons of full or partial Ukrainian origin residing in Canada (mainly Canadian-born citizens) making them Canada's ninth largest ethnic group;^[3] and giving Canada the world's third-largest Ukrainian population behind Ukraine itself and Russia. Self-identified Ukrainians are the plurality in several rural areas of Western Canada.^[4]

History[link]

Over the last thirty years,^[when?] a debate has been ongoing whether a tiny number of Ukrainians settled in Canada before 1891. Most controversial is the claim that Ukrainians may have been infantrymen alongside Poles in the Swiss French "De Meurons" and "De Watteville" regiments who fought for the British on the Niagara Peninsula during the War of 1812 – and that Ukrainians were among those soldiers who decided to stay in Upper Canada (southern Ontario).^[5] Other Ukrainians supposedly arrived as part of other immigrant groups: claims that individual Ukrainian families may have settled in southern Manitoba in the 1870s alongside blocks of Mennonites and other Germans from the Russian Empire; or that single male Ukrainians were participants in the Russian Empire's exploration parties and fur trade along the western coast of North America (including British Columbia).^[5] Because there is so little definitive documentary evidence of individual Ukrainians among these three groups, they are not generally regarded as among the first Ukrainians in Canada.

Settlement – First wave (1891–1914)[link]

Post-independence Ukrainian fifteen-kopiyka stamp commemorating the centennial of Ukrainian settlement in Canada, 1891–1991

The first wave of Ukrainian immigration to Canada began with Iwan (Ivan) Pylypow and Wasyl (Vasyl') Eleniak, who arrived in 1891, and brought several families to settle in 1892. Pylypow helped found the Edna-Star Settlement east of Edmonton, the first and largest Ukrainian block settlement. However, it is Dr. Josef Oleskow who is considered responsible for the large Ukrainian Canadian population through his promotion of Canada^[6] as a destination for immigrants from Western Ukraine (the Austrian crownlands of Galicia and Bukovyna) in the late 1890s. Ukrainians from Eastern Ukraine, which was ruled by the Russian monarchy, also came to Canada^[7] – but in smaller numbers than those from Halychyna and Bukovyna. Approximately 170,000 Ukrainians from the Austro-Hungarian Empire arrived in Canada from 1891 to 1914.^[8]

This Ukrainian immigration to Canada was largely agrarian, and at first Ukrainian Canadians concentrated in distinct block settlements in the parkland belt of the prairie provinces: Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. While the Canadian Prairies are often compared to the steppes of Ukraine, the settlers came from Halychyna and Bukovyna – which are not steppe lands, but are wooded areas in the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains. This is why Ukrainians coming to Canada settled in the wooded aspen parklands – in an arch from Winnipeg and Stuartburn, Manitoba to Edmonton and Leduc, Alberta – rather than the open prairies further south. As well the feudal nature of land ownership in the Austrian Empire meant that in the "Old Country" people had to pay the pan (landlord) for all their firewood and lumber for building. Upon arriving in Canada, the settlers often demanded wooded land from officials so that they would be able to supply their own needs, even if this meant taking land that was less productive for crops. They also attached deep importance to settling near to family, people from nearby villages or other culturally similar groups, furthering the growth of the block settlements.

Fraternal and benevolent organizations established by these settlers include the Ukrainian Labour Farmer Temple Association (ULFTA, affiliated with the Communist Party of Canada),^[9] the Ukrainian Catholic Brotherhood[3] (UCB, affiliated with the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Canada),^[9] and the Ukrainian Self-Reliance League[4] (USRL, affiliated with the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada).^[9] The ULFTA transformed itself into the Association of United Ukrainian Canadians in 1946,^[10] the UCB and USRL are part of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress today.^[11]

By 1914, there were also growing communities of Ukrainian immigrants in eastern Canadian cities, such as Toronto, Montreal, Hamilton, and Windsor. Many of them arrived from the provinces of Podillia, Volhynia, Kyiv and Bessarabia in Russian-ruled Ukraine.^[7] In the early years of settlement, Ukrainian immigrants faced considerable amounts of discrimination at the hands of native-born Canadians, an example of which was the internment.[5] [6] [7]

Internment (1914–1920)[link]

Commemorative plaque and a statue entitled "Why?" / "Pourquoi"? / "Chomu"?, by John Boxtel at the location of the Castle Mountain Internment Camp, Banff National Park.

Commemorative statue and damaged plaque at the "Ukrainian cemetery" of the Kapuskasing Internment Camp, Kapuskasing, northern Ontario.

From 1914 to 1920, the political climate of the First World War allowed the Canadian Government to classify immigrants with Austro-Hungarian citizenship as "aliens of enemy nationality". This classification, authorized by the 1914 War Measures Act, permitted the government to legally compel thousands of Ukrainians in Canada to register with authorities. About 5,000 Ukrainian men, and some women and children, were interned at government camps and work sites. The internment continued for two more years after the war had ended, although most Ukrainians were "paroled" into jobs for private companies by 1917.

There are nearly two dozen plaques and memorials in Canada commemorating the internment, including one at the location of a former internment camp in Banff National Park. Most were placed by the Ukrainian Canadian Civil Liberties Association and its supporters. On August 24, 2005, Prime Minister Paul Martin recognized the Ukrainian Canadian internment as a "dark chapter"^{[citation needed]} in Canadian history, and pledged $2.5 million to fund memorials and educational exhibits.

On May 9, 2008, the Canadian government established a $10 million fund^{[citation needed]} with the Ukrainian Canadian Foundation of Taras Shevchenko for the commemoration of the experiences of thousands of Ukrainians and other Europeans who were interned between 1914 and 1920 and the suspension of civil liberties of tens of thousands of fellow Canadians. Grants are now available [8] to commemorate and educate other Canadians about what happened.

Settlers, workers and professionals – Second wave (1923–1929)[link]

In 1923, the Canadian government modified the Immigration Act to allow former citizens of the Austrian Empire to once again enter Canada – and Ukrainian immigration started anew.^[12] Ukrainians from Volhynia (under Polish rule) and Bessarabia (under Romanian rule) joined a new wave of emigrants from Galicia and Bukovyna. Around 70,000 Ukrainians from Poland and Romania arrived in Canada from 1924 to 1939.^[8]

Relatively little farmland remained unclaimed – mostly in the Peace River region of northwestern Alberta – and less than half of this group settled as farmers in the Prairie provinces.^[13] The majority became workers in the growing industrial centers of the Montreal region and the Eastern Townships of Quebec, southern Ontario, the mines, smelters and forests of northern Ontario, and the small heavy industries of urban western Canada.^[13] A few Ukrainian professionals and intellectuals were accepted into Canada at this time; they later became leaders in the Ukrainian Canadian community.^[8]

The "second wave" was heavily influenced by the struggle for Ukrainian independence during the Russian Civil War, and established two competing fraternal / benevolent organizations in Canada: the United Hetman Organization (UHO) in 1934^[14] – which supported the idea of a Ukrainian "Cossack kingdom" led by Pavlo Skoropadskyi;^[15] and the rival Ukrainian National Federation (UNF) in 1932^[16] – which supported the idea of an independent Ukrainian republic and the armed Ukrainian nationalist insurgency in Polish-occupied Western Ukraine.^[17] The UHO ceased to exist by 1960, and the UNF would merge with other organizations into the Ukrainian Canadian Committee (later Ukrainian Canadian Congress)[9] during World War II.

Workers and professionals – Third wave (1945–1952)[link]

Since World War II, most Ukrainians coming to Canada have tended to move to cities in southern Ontario and Quebec – there are now large Ukrainian communities in Toronto and Montreal. In fact, more Ukrainians live in the East today than on the prairies. However, because they make up a much greater percentage of the population in the West, especially in rural areas of the parkland belt, the Ukrainian cultural presence is more keenly felt in western Canada.

Culture[link]

Having been separated from Ukraine, Ukrainian Canadians have developed their own distinctive Ukrainian culture in Canada. To showcase their unique hybrid culture, Ukrainian Canadians have created institutions that showcase Ukrainian Canadian culture such as Edmonton's Yatran and Shumka troupes – among the world's elite Ukrainian dancers; or the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village – where Ukrainian pioneer buildings are displayed along with extensive cultural exhibits.

Ukrainian Canadians have also contributed to Canadian culture as a whole. Actress and comedienne Luba Goy, singer Gloria Kaye,^[18] and painter William Kurelek, for example, are well known outside the Ukrainian community.

Historically Ukrainian Canadians were among Canada's poorest and least educated minorities; but as the process of cultural integration has accelerated, this is no longer the case and Ukrainian Canadians are currently near the national economic average.

Perhaps one of the most lasting contributions Ukrainian Canadians have made to the wider culture of Canada is the concept of multiculturalism which was promoted as early as 1964 by Senator Paul Yuzyk. During and after the debates surrounding the Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism Ukrainian leaders, such as linguist Jaroslav Rudnyckyj, came out in force against the notion of English - French biculturalism which they believed denied the contributions other peoples had made to Canada. Partly in response to this, Prime Minister Trudeau shifted Canada to a policy of official multiculturalism.

Language[link]

In addition to the official English and French languages, many prairie public schools offer Ukrainian language education for children, including immersion programs. Generally second language students are taught the local Canadian Ukrainian dialect, rather than Standard Ukrainian.

There are a few Ukrainian Catholic elementary schools in the Greater Toronto Area including St. Josaphat Catholic Elementary school (Toronto), Josef Cardinal Slipyj Elementary school (Etobicoke) and St. Sofia Catholic Elementary school (Mississauga); as well as Holy Spirit Eastern Rite Elementary School in Hamilton.

Politics[link]

Many Ukrainians fled Russia, Poland, Romania, and later, the Soviet Union, to find freedom and a better life in Canada. For them Canada became "an anti-Russia", where they could realize their political and economic ideas. Most Ukrainian Canadians were anti-Soviet, yet a minor group of Ukrainians has for a long time supported Canadian socialism and contributed to the formation of the Communist Party of Canada, and formed a significant bloc within that group. They were also active in other Marxist organizations like the Ukrainian Labour Farmer Temple Association (ULFTA). Ukrainians also played a central role in the formation of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation and the New Democratic Party.

The nationalist movement was also an important part of the community. After Ukraine became independent Canada was one of the first nations to recognize Ukraine. Later Ukrainian Canadians were vital in fundraising to build the Embassy of Ukraine in Ottawa. As well, Canada has recognized the Holodomor (Ukrainian Famine) as an act of genocide. Canada also sent many observers to Ukraine during the disputed 2004 presidential election (see: Orange Revolution). The Government of Canada as well as its provincial governments – especially the Ukrainian strongholds in Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan – do much to support Ukraine's economic and political development.

The Ukrainian Canadians had and have much more influence in Canadian society and policy than any other East European group; therefore they have had several prominent figures in top positions: Ray Hnatyshyn was the 24th Governor General of Canada (1990–1995) and the first Governor General of Ukrainian descent. Ukrainians were also elected leaders of Canada's prairie provinces in alternating order: Gary Filmon was Premier of Manitoba (1988–1999), nearly simultaneously with Hnatyshyn; and Roy Romanow was Premier of Saskatchewan (1991–2001), also partly at the same time as Filmon and Hnatyshyn.^[19]

Ed Stelmach became Premier of Alberta in 2006 as the third provincial prime minister of Ukrainian descent. He succeeded Ralph Klein (1992–2006), who had cabinets with many Ukrainian ministers. Stelmach himself is the grandson of Ukrainian immigrants and speaks fluent Ukrainian.^[19] He left office in October 2011.

Religion[link]

St. George's Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral, Saskatoon.

Most Ukrainians who came to Canada from Galicia were Ukrainian Catholic and those from Bukovyna were Ukrainian Orthodox. However, people of both churches faced a shortage of priests in Canada. The Ukrainian Catholic clergy came into conflict with the Roman Catholic hierarchy because they were not celibate and wanted a separate governing structure. At the time, the Russian Orthodox Church was the only Orthodox Christian church that operated in North America – because they had arrived first via Alaska, and traditionally Orthodox churches are territorially exclusive. However, Ukrainians in Canada were suspicious of being controlled from Russia, first by the Tsarist government and later by the Soviets. Partially in response to this, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada was created as a wholly Ukrainian Canadian-controlled alternative. As well the Ukrainian Catholic clergy were eventually given a separate structure from the Roman Church.

Arts[link]

A Ukrainian dance troupe at the BC Ukrainian Cultural Festival

The world's largest pysanka was erected in Vegreville, Alberta in 1974, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Canada is home to some of the most famous Ukrainian dance troupes in the world, rivaling even those from Ukraine. There are professional ensembles like Edmonton's Shumka and Cheremosh Ukrainian Dance Company, and hundreds of amateur groups.

Ukrainians in general are noted for their elaborately decorated Easter Eggs or pysanky, and that is also true in Canada. The world's largest pysanka is in Vegreville, Alberta.

Ukrainian Canadian churches are also famous for their onion domes, which have elaborately painted murals on their interior, and for their iconostasis, or icon walls.

Music[link]

Ukrainian Canadian musicians and groups include: Randy Bachman, the Canadian Bandurist Capella, Ron Cahute, Rick Danko, Chantal Kreviazuk, and Canadian Idol season 2 runner-up Theresa Sokyrka.

Food[link]

Cultural food is an important part of Ukrainian culture. Special foods are used at Easter as well as Christmas that are not made at any other time of the year. In fact on Christmas Eve (January 6^[20] in the Gregorian calendar), a special twelve-dish meatless meal is served. The best-known foods are: borshch (a vegetable soup, usually with beets), holobtsi (cabbage rolls), pyrohy or varenyky (dumplings often called "perogies"), and kovbasa (garlic sausage).

Several items of Ukrainian food and culture have been enshrined with roadside attractions throughout the Prairie provinces. These are celebrated in the polka Giants of the Prairies by the Kubasonics. For example, the world's largest perogy is in Glendon, Alberta,[10] and the world's biggest kovbasa is in Mundare, Alberta.[11]

Institutions[link]

There are a number of Ukrainian Canadian institutions, such as:

• the Association of United Ukrainian Canadians, the main pro-Communist cultural association
• the Centre for Ukrainian Canadian Studies at the University of Manitoba
• St. Andrew's College – the seminary of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada (affiliated with the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg) and a non-profit university student residence, Ukrainian culture summer school, and youth hostel
• the Ukrainian Canadian Civil Liberties Association, an independent group dedicated to the articulation and defence of the Ukrainian Canadian community's interests
• the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, a national organization representing the Ukrainian Canadian community
• the Ukrainian Museum of Canada, headquartered in Saskatoon with branches in Toronto and the major cities of western Canada
• the Ukrainian Cultural and Educational Centre (also known as "Oseredok") in Winnipeg
• the Ukrainian Canadian Archives & Museum Of Alberta in Edmonton
• the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village, a living-history museum east of Edmonton
• the Ukrainian Cultural Centre of Toronto (UCCT)
• the Prairie Centre for the Study of Ukrainian Heritage at the University of Saskatchewan
• the St. Petro Mohyla Institute, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan – a non-profit university student residence, Ukrainian culture summer school, and youth hostel
• the Ukrainian Canadian Foundation of Taras Shevchenko
• the Canadian Ukrainian Immigrant Aid Society, a community agency assisting newcomers to Canada.

Distribution[link]

Information in this section taken from 2006 Census Community Profiles.

The provinces with the largest Ukrainian populations (single and multiple origins, 2006) are: Ontario, 336,355; Alberta, 332,180; British Columbia 197,265; Manitoba, 167,175; Saskatchewan 129,265; and Quebec, 31,955. In terms of proportion of the total population, the most Ukrainian provinces and territories are Manitoba (15%), Saskatchewan (13%), Alberta (10%), Yukon (5%), British Columbia (5%), and Ontario (3%).

The metropolitan regions with the largest Ukrainian populations (single and multiple origins, 2006) are: Edmonton 144,620; Toronto, 122,510; Winnipeg, 110,335; Vancouver, 81,725; Calgary, 76,240; Saskatoon, 38,825; Hamilton 27,080; Montreal, 26,150; Regina, 25,725; Ottawa-Gatineau, 21,520; St. Catharines-Niagara, 20,990; Thunder Bay, 17,620; Victoria, 15,020; Kelowna, 13,425; Oshawa, 12,555; London, 10,765; and Kitchener 10,425.

The Census Divisions with the largest percentage of Ukrainians are: Manitoba #12 (25%), Alberta # 10 (20%), Alberta # 12 (19%), Manitoba # 11 (15%), Manitoba # 7 (13%), Manitoba # 10 (12%), Manitoba #9 (12%), Manitoba #2 (10%).

It is impossible to know which are proportionately the most Ukrainian municipalities in Canada since Statistics Canada does not release such information for communities with less than 5,000 people, and Ukrainians are the most concentrated in the smallest communities in the rural West. That being said, the following are communities (total greater than 5,000) with a high percentage of Ukrainians: Vegreville, Alberta (41%), St. Paul, Alberta (town) (31%), St. Paul County, Alberta, 26%.

Gallery[link]

See also[link]

• List of Ukrainian Canadians
• List of Canadian place names of Ukrainian origin
• Canada-Ukraine relations

Footnotes[link]

References[link]

Sources[link]

External links[link]

• Ukrainian Canadian Congress
• UCC - The history of the Ukrainian Canadian community
• Ukrainian diaspora in Canada and USA
• Canadian First World War Internment Recognition Fund
• Ukrainian Canadian Civil Liberties Association
• Centre for Ukrainian Canadian Studies
• Ukrainian Canadian Foundation of Taras Shevchenko
• Ukrainian Canadian Professional & Business Federation
• Ukrainian Toronto Community Portal
• Canadian Ukrainian Immigrant Aid Society
• Ukrainian Museum of Canada in Saskatoon
• Ukrainian Canadian Archives & Museum of Alberta, Edmonton
• Ukrainian Cultural and Educational Centre "Oseredok", Winnipeg
• The John Luczkiw Collection, University of Toronto
• Multicultural Canada website, includes Ukrainian Canadian tabloids, magazines, newspapers, newsletters and calendar-almanacs.
• The Ukrainian Collection of the University of Calgary
• History of Ours: the Ukrainians A history of Ukrainians in Brantford, Ontario.

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Vera Farmiga
Farmiga at the 2010 Metropolitan Opera opening night of Das Rheingold
Born	Vera Ann Farmiga (1973-08-06) August 6, 1973 (age 38) Passaic County, New Jersey, United States
Occupation	Actress, director
Years active	1996–present
Spouse	Sebastian Roché (m. 1997–2005) «start: (1997)–end+1: (2006)»"Marriage: Sebastian Roché to Vera Farmiga" Location: (linkback:http://en-wiki.pop.wn.com/index.php/Vera_Farmiga) Renn Hawkey (m. 2008) «start: (2008)»"Marriage: Renn Hawkey to Vera Farmiga" Location: (linkback:http://en-wiki.pop.wn.com/index.php/Vera_Farmiga)
Children	2

Vera Ann Farmiga ( /fɑrˈmiːɡə/; born August 6, 1973) is an American actress and director. Farmiga made her film debut in the 1998 drama thriller Return to Paradise. This was followed by supporting roles in the 2000 romantic film Autumn in New York and the 2001 television series UC: Undercover. She was also cast in the 2001 thriller 15 Minutes.

Her other film appearances and roles include the 2003 comedy Dummy, the 2004 drama Down to the Bone, the 2006 crime thriller The Departed, the 2007 horror Joshua, and the 2008 drama The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas. Farmiga gained critical acclaim following her work in the 2009 comedy-drama Up in the Air, for which she was nominated for an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. She also starred as Kate Coleman in Orphan in 2009 and appeared in the 2011 thriller/action movie Source Code, as Capt. Colleen Goodwin.

Early life[link]

Farmiga, the second of seven children, was born in Clifton, New Jersey. She is the daughter of Ukrainian immigrants Mykhailo, a computer-systems analyst, and Luba Farmiga, a schoolteacher.^[1] Farmiga was raised in an "insular" Ukrainian American community, with Ukrainian as her native language.^[1][2] She attended a Ukrainian Catholic school in Newark and toured with a Ukrainian folk-dancing ensemble, Syzokryli.^[3][4] As a girl, she converted with her family from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to Pentecostalism.^[5] In 1991, Farmiga graduated from Hunterdon Central Regional High School.^{[citation needed]}

Career[link]

1996–2001[link]

Although she originally intended to become an ophthalmologist, Farmiga attended Syracuse University's School of Visual and Performing Arts.^[1] She made her Broadway debut in 1996 as an understudy in the play Taking Sides.^[6] The same year, she starred as Miranda in the American Conservatory Theater production of The Tempest. She also performed in several productions^[7] as a member of The Barrow Group, a prestigious New York City Theatre Company, where her credits include The Seagull and Good. Following her theater debut, she played a role in the television series Roar, which was filmed in Australia, alongside Heath Ledger.^[1] Farmiga said that the series "wanted to be Braveheart but turned out more Xena: Warrior Princess."^[1] Throughout the late 1990s, she continued appearing in stage, television and film roles, including a supporting role as Kerrie^[8] in the 1998 film Return to Paradise, a drama thriller about two friends struggling to save another friend from an impending death sentence.^[8] Farmiga co-appeared with Vince Vaughn, Anne Heche and Joaquin Phoenix.

In 2000, the romantic comedy-drama Autumn in New York – in which Farmiga had a small role – was released. The film is about a man who falls in love with a beautiful young woman, who is terminally ill. Autumn in New York afforded her the chance to work with actors Richard Gere and Winona Ryder. Later, Farmiga had a major supporting role in the crime-thriller 15 Minutes (2001), starring Robert De Niro. She starred in the Macedonian film Dust, opposite Joseph Fiennes. The film opened at the 2001 Venice Film Festival. That same year, she portrayed the character of Josephine in Snow White: The Fairest of Them All, a made-for-television film. In 2001, Farmiga joined the cast of the NBC action-thriller television series UC: Undercover. The show, however, was canceled in early 2002.^{[citation needed]}

2002–2008[link]

Farmiga had her first starring role in the 2002 romantic drama film Love in the Time of Money.^{[citation needed]} The film received a limited theatrical release. The following year, she appeared alongside Milla Jovovich and Adrien Brody in the romantic comedy Dummy (2003), which had also a limited release. In 2004, Farmiga released the independent drama film Down to the Bone. The film took place mainly in upstate New York and was filmed in digital video. Her performance as the character of Irene earned her several awards nominations, including the "Best Actress" award from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association and the "Best Female Lead" award from the Independent Spirit Awards. Farmiga also portrayed a supporting role in the 2004 thriller remake The Manchurian Candidate. Denzel Washington and Meryl Streep co-starred in the film. The Manchurian Candidate was well received by critics^[9] and was a big success at the worldwide box offce, grossing over $96 million.^[10] In 2005, at the Toronto International Film Festival, opened fantasy feature Neverwas, in which she played Eleanna.

Rather than attending auditions for films in which she is interested, Farmiga makes short films which she submits for casting. "To fade in and fade out, have intimacy with the mikes, the lighting, and have the luxury of takes – you could make yourself as ugly or as beautiful as you wanted."^[1] One of these audition films led to Martin Scorsese inviting her for what she calls "a chemistry read" with Leonardo DiCaprio, which led to her role as a police psychiatrist in The Departed.^[1] Later she was nominated for an Empire Award and shared with the other The Departed members cast the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture nomination. In 2007, Farmiga landed the lead role in the American/Korean drama Never Forever, about a New York woman arranging to pay an illegal immigrant from Korea to have sex with her, so that she might get pregnant and save her marriage. Her performance was praised by critic G. Allen Johnson who described her as "...the best American actress you've never heard of."^{[citation needed]}

Farmiga starred with Sam Rockwell in the 2007 psychological horror Joshua. Later, she appeared in the 2008 drama film Quid Pro Quo, appearing as Fiona. The film premiered at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival and received favorable reviews; David Edelstein of New York magazine stated that Farmiga "is – as usual – scarily good. Her madness isn’t something out of the ether. She’s always visibly calculating, thinking better of something reckless she’s about to do – then doing it anyway."^[11]

Farmiga appeared in the British drama The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (2008), as the wife of a Nazi commandant, played by David Thewlis. The films tells a friendly relationship between two eight-year-old boys, one the son of the camp's Nazi commandant, the other a Jewish inmate. She won the British Independent Film Award for Best Actress for her role in the film. That year, Farmiga played the role of Erica Van Doren in the political thriller Nothing But the Truth, which was starring Matt Dillon and Kate Beckinsale. Her role earned her a nomination for the Best Supporting Actress award at the 2009 Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards.

2009–present[link]

Farmiga at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival.

Farmiga next appeared in Jaume Collet-Serra's horror-thriller film Orphan. In the film, she with Peter Sarsgaard, portrayed a couple who, after the death of their unborn child, adopt a mysterious 9-year old girl. The film was released theatrically in the United States on July 24, 2009.^[12] Orphan received mixed or average reviews^[13][14] and grossed $76,699,632 worldwide.^[15] Toby Young of Times wrote that Farmiga "becomes more convincing as the story unfolds. By the end, she has you in the palm of her hand."^[16]

Farmiga starred opposite George Clooney, Anna Kendrick, and Melanie Lynskey in the 2009 comedy-drama Up in the Air (2009), which was initially given limited release, and then wide-released on December 25, 2009. In an interview with NJ.com, Farmiga explained her character: "She doesn’t temper her desires at all. She makes clear her needs and expects to have the world accommodate them. It’s not a character we often see on-screen, and when we do, more often than not she’s bereft of dignity. So that was cool."^[17] Up in the Air received universal acclaim^[18] and was one of Farmiga's biggest box office successes, with a worldwide $163,227,071 gross.^[19] Roger Ebert praised her, saying: "Farmiga is one of the warmest and most attractive women in the movies, or at least she plays one."^[20] In 2010, she received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress^[21] and a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture^[22] as well as many other nominations.

On June 25, 2010, she was inducted into the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Farmiga started filming the surrealist romantic comedy film Henry's Crime with Keanu Reeves^[23][24] in December 2009, with filming wrapping in early 2010. The film was screened at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival on September 14. Farmiga played Colleen Goodwin in the techno-thriller Source Code, which was released on April 1, 2011, by Summit Entertainment.^[25] She has her directorial debut in the 2011 film Higher Ground, in which she also stars.^[5]

In June 2012 she will start to film "The Drummer" , a Biopic about the Drummer of The Beach Boys alongsinde Aaron Eckhart , Rupert Grint and Chloë Moretz ^[26]

Personal life[link]

Farmiga met French actor Sebastian Roché while filming Roar.^[1] The two eloped to the Bahamas after the series' end in 1997. The marriage ended in 2004.^[1]

Farmiga married Renn Hawkey in September 2008. Hawkey, a carpenter, is the former keyboardist for a synthpop band named Deadsy. They have a son named Fynn, born on January 15, 2009. On November 4, 2010, Farmiga gave birth to daughter Gytta Lubov Hawkey.^[27][28] Her sister is actress Taissa Farmiga.

Filmography[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Vera Farmiga

• Vera Farmiga at the Internet Movie Database