# Lauren Collins

Lauren Felice Collins (born August 29, 1986) is a Canadian actress, best known for portraying Paige Michalchuk on Degrassi: The Next Generation. She has also had supporting roles in the films Take the Lead (2006) and Charlie Bartlett (2007). In 2013, she appeared in multiple episodes of the sketch comedy Kroll Show, as well as a recurring guest role in the fourth season of the FX series The Strain (2017).

## Early life

Collins was born in Thornhill, Ontario, the daughter of Sari (née Bresver) and Stan Collins. Her father was born in London, England. Collins was raised Jewish. She has one brother, and her first cousin once-removed is Spencer Rice, one of the stars of Kenny vs Spenny. She is a graduate of Thornlea Secondary School.

## Career

Collins first began acting in 1998, with roles in various television series including Once a Thief, Noddy and I Was a Sixth Grade Alien. From 2000 to 2001, she had a recurring role on In a Heartbeat before landing the role of Paige Michalchuk on Degrassi: The Next Generation in 2001. She would stay on Degrassi until her departure in 2008.
She also portrayed Derek's ex-girlfriend Kendra on Life with Derek. She has also appeared in numerous theatrical productions, playing the title roles in Alice in Wonderland and the production of Annie, and starring in the made-for-television film Virtual Mom.
In 2006, Collins made her feature film debut in Take the Lead, appearing alongside Antonio Banderas. The following year she appeared in Charlie Bartlett (starring Anton Yelchin and Robert Downey Jr.). In 2008, she co-starred in the direct-to-DVD feature Picture This, opposite Ashley Tisdale and fellow Degrassi alumnus Shenae Grimes. After YouTube celebrity Shane Dawson expressed his interest in watching the Degrassi series, Collins starred in a parody video released March 6, 2010. She once again worked with Disney Channel and Tisdale on the 2011 High School Musical spin-off feature, Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure, playing the role of Tiffani.
From 2013 to 2014, Collins hosted MTV's 1 Girl 5 Gays replacing Aliya Jasmine Sovani, who had been hosting the show for 4 seasons.
In 2014, she co-wrote and starred in the short film Zero Recognition, directed by Ben Lewis, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. Between 2013 and 2014, Collins appeared in four episodes of the sketch comedy series Kroll Show.
Collins reunited with her former Degrassi co-stars, in 2018, for Drake's "I'm Upset" music video.
In 2023, she was cast as a lead, alongside Megan Follows, in a six-part short-form comedy, My Dead Mom.

## Personal life

Collins and actor Jonathan Malen married in October 2018. Collins revealed on Instagram that she gave birth to a boy named Charlie Sebastian Malen on March 6, 2020. Their second son, Leo Wilder Malen, was born April 27, 2023.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1998 | Valentine's Day | Young Alma | Also known as: Protector |
| 2006 | Take the Lead | Caitlin | |
| 2007 | Charlie Bartlett | Kelly | |
| 2008 | Picture This | Alexa | |
| 2011 | Servitude | Krissy | |
| 2014 | Zero Recognition | Demi | Short film Writer |
| 2015 | Farhope Tower | Judy | |
| 2016 | Sadie's Last Days on Earth | — | Writer |
| 2017 | Apart from Everything | — | Producer |
| 2017 | Lolz-ita | Short film Producer |
| 2018 | NKPC: New Kid Placement Committee | Lilly | Short film |
| 2018 | The Christmas Chronicles | Woman at Another Table | |
| 2018 | Nose to Tail | Beth | |
| 2019 | Run This Town | Sammi | |
| 2020 | Serious Lees | Cait | Short film |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1998 | Real Kids, Real Adventures | Meggie | Season 1, episode 6: "Earthquake: The Hayes Stuppy Story" |
| 1998 | Blood on Her Hands | Ruby Collins | Television film |
| 1998 | Once a Thief | Cleo at 13 | Episode 20: "Politics of Love" |
| 1998 | Tempting Fate | Ruby | Television film |
| 1998 | Happy Christmas, Miss King | Libby Hubble | Television film |
| 1998–1999 | Noddy | Rox | 3 episodes |
| 1999 | Rocky Marciano | Mary Anne | Television film |
| 1999 | I Was a Sixth Grade Alien | Lindy May | 21 episodes |
| 1999 | Restless Spirits | Rhonda | Television film |
| 2000 | Virtual Mom | Lucy Foster | Television film |
| 2000 | Deliberate Intent | Erin Smolla | Television film |
| 2000 | Baby | Portia Pinter | Television film |
| 2000–2001 | In a Heartbeat | Brooke Lanier | 18 episodes |
| 2001 | What Girls Learn | Susie | Television film |
| 2001–2008 | Degrassi: The Next Generation | Paige Michalchuk | 143 episodes |
| 2003 | Blue Murder | Shannon Brady | Season 3, episode 12: "Necklace" |
| 2003 | Mutant X | Megan Morrison | Season 2, episode 19: "One Step Closer" |
| 2003 | Bury the Lead | Sara Chase | Season 1, episode 12: "The RASH Troops of Error" |
| 2004 | Renegadepress.com | Amanda | Season 1, episode 4: "Skin Deep" |
| 2005 | Totally Spies! | Terra / Gazella | Voice; 2 episodes |
| 2005 | Radio Free Roscoe | Blaire | 2 episodes |
| 2005-2011 | Degrassi: Minis | Paige Michalchuk | 18 episodes |
| 2006 | Booky Makes Her Mark | Ada-May | Television film |
| 2006 | Angela's Eyes | Heather Keene | Episode: "Political Eyes" |
| 2006–2009 | Life with Derek | Kendra | 10 episodes |
| 2007 | Grossology | Naomi | Voice; 2 episodes |
| 2007–2009 | The Best Years | Alicia O'Sullivan | 8 episodes |
| 2009 | Degrassi Goes Hollywood | Paige Michalchuk | Television film |
| 2009 | Willa's Wild Life | Sara | Voice Episode 1: "Happy Willa's Dad's Day / Willa's Wild Pony Tale" |
| 2009-2011 | Being Erica | Young Barbera Strange | 3 episodes |
| 2011 | She's the Mayor | TV Receptionist | Episode 4: "Proclamation" |
| 2011 | Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure | Tiffani | Disney Channel Original Movie |
| 2013 | Long Story, Short | Lucy | 8 episodes |
| 2013 | Murdoch Mysteries: Nightmare on Queen Street | Rebecca | Miniseries |
| 2013–2014 | 1 Girl 5 Gays | Herself / Host | 27 episodes |
| 2013–2014 | Kroll Show | Collette / Mary Belle Edwards | 4 episodes |
| 2016 | Slasher | EMT | Season 1: "The Executioner," episode 7: "In the Pride of His Face" |
| 2016 | Degrassi: Next Class | Paige Michalchuck | Season 2, episode 5: "#ThrowBackThursday" |
| 2017 | Conviction | Lucy Bates | Episode 10: "Not Okay" |
| 2017 | The Strain | Sophie | 4 episodes |
| 2018 | Killer High | Carrie | Television film |
| 2018 | The Rick Mercer Report | Daughter | 1 episode |
| 2018-2019 | Impulse | Meghan Lingerman | 4 episodes |
| 2019 | The Hot Zone | Rebecca | 2 episodes |
| 2021 | Sex/Life | Mrs. Brenda | 2 episode |
| 2021 | What We Do in the Shadows | Meg | Season 3, episode 2: "The Cloak of Duplication" |
| 2021 | Hudson & Rex | Olive Chambers | Season 4, episode 4: "Leader of the Pack" |
| 2021 | Canadian Reflections | Cait | TV series short Episode: "Serious Lees" |
| 2023 | Pretty Hard Cases | Yolanda Pesci | 2 episodes |
| TBA | Slip | Rose | |

### Music videos

| Year | Title | Director | Artist |
| 2018 | I'm Upset | Karena Evans | Drake |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Award | Category | Title of work | Result |
| 2002 | Young Artist Award | Best Ensemble in a TV Series (Comedy or Drama) | Degrassi: The Next Generation (Shared with cast) | Won |
| 2003 | Young Artist Award | Best Ensemble in a TV Series (Comedy or Drama) | Degrassi: The Next Generation (Shared with cast) | Nominated |
| 2004 | Gemini Award | Best Performance in a Children's or Youth Program or Series | Renegadepress.com (For episode "Skin Deep") | Nominated |
| 2006 | Young Artist Award | Best Ensemble in a TV Series (Comedy or Drama) | Degrassi: The Next Generation (Shared with cast) | Nominated |
| 2008 | Gemini Award | Best Performance in a Children's or Youth Program or Series | Degrassi: The Next Generation (For episode "Talking in Your Sleep") | Nominated |