Bio
Emily Schooley is an award-winning actor and filmmaker who is known for blending genres and pushing boundaries in her work. She is also the founder of Laughing Cat Productions, a Toronto-based production company that focuses on telling intelligent, women-driven stories.
After graduating from the University of Waterloo with an Honours BA in Dramatic Arts, she quickly found herself immersed in the world of film alongside her work in theatre, first as an actor and then evolving to directing, writing, and producing. Now, she continues to work as an actor while simultaneously building her body of work and developing her voice as an emerging filmmaker.
Her stories centre around marginalized women's experiences as told through an intersectional feminist lens; common themes include physical and mental health, trauma, sexuality and gender identity, and the experience of being 'other'.
Emily has written, produced and directed for both stage and screen, with projects ranging from small, intimate sets to large-scale productions involving over 100 cast and crew members. She is a proud associate member of the Toronto chapter of Film Fatales, and her work has screened internationally, including in the US, UK, Europe, Africa, and China.
Outside of her creative work, Emily is an activist and animal enthusiast. She strongly supports gender equality and women escaping abusive situations, is an avid watchdog against police misconduct, and frequently speaks out for LGBTQ rights and equal representation in media. She also fosters rescue cats with Team Cat Rescue, an organization that focuses on saving animals from high-kill shelters.