Lisa Ryder

Lisa Ryder developed an interest in acting while studying at the University of Toronto, and soon after graduating from school, she formed a local theater troupe. After performing with the troupe for several years, Ryder landed a major role on the Canadian sci-fi TV drama "Forever Knight," about a centuries-old vampire who attempts to redeem his horrific past by working as a cop in modern-day Toronto. She portrayed the straight-laced Detective Tracy Vetter for the last season of the award-winning series, which also spawned three novels and several soundtracks. She next appeared in a recurring role on the critically-acclaimed series "The Newsroom," a darkly comedic look at an incompetent and petty nightly news production crew, and portrayed the spoiled daughter of a self-help guru in the indie drama "Stolen Heart."

From 2000 to 2005, Ryder portrayed loyal ship captain Beka Valentine in the Canadian-American sci-fi series "Andromeda," based on a concept by "Star Trek" creator, Gene Roddenberry. The series ran for five seasons, following a salvage crew as they traveled the galaxy in an attempt to unite a fractured civilization; it became a syndicated hit in both Canada and America. In 2001, she was cast as doomed android Kay-Em 14 in the horror-thriller "Jason X," the tenth installment of the hardy '80s slasher franchise, and she has since played a doctor on the teen soap opera "Degrassi: The Next Generation" and co-starred in the TV movie "Secret Lives."