# Meredith MacNeill

Meredith MacNeill (born 1975) is a Canadian actress and comedian. She appeared in both Canadian and British productions, notable starring in the BBC sketch show Man Stroke Woman (2005–07) and the comedy films Confetti (2006) and Frequently Asked Questions About Time Travel (2009). She co-created, produced and starred in the CBC sketch show Baroness von Sketch Show (2016–2021), winning eight Canadian Screen Awards and one Canadian Comedy Awards. MacNeill later starred as Det. Sam Wazowski in the CBC police comedy-drama series, Pretty Hard Cases (2021–2023), for which she was nominated for a four Canadian Screen Awards.

## Career

MacNeill began her career appearing in British television and film. She made her debut guest-starring in an episode of crime drama The Vice and later that year had a minor role in the comedy film, Blackball. In 2005, MacNeill appeared in series 3, episode 2 of Peep Show, playing the character of Mark and Jez's old friend from university, "Canadian" Merry. She promises Jez and Super Hans the disused pub she owns, and has a manic episode shortly afterwards. From 2005 to 2007 she starred in the BBC sketch show Man Stroke Woman. She appears in the 2009 film Frequently Asked Questions About Time Travel as a time traveller called Millie. In 2009 she also appeared in production of Mary Stuart which played at the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh and Linz in Austria.
In 2010s, MacNeill, after becoming a newly single mother, returned to Canada and began writing screenplays. After writing episodes of This Hour Has 22 Minutes, MacNeill starred in the films Big News from Grand Rock (2014), North Mountain (2015), and Your Money or Your Wife (2015). She was awarded best actress at the 2015 Atlantic Film Festival for her role in Your Money or Your Wife. In 2016 she co-created and went to star in the CBC Television comedy series Baroness von Sketch Show, At the 5th Canadian Screen Awards in 2017, MacNeill and her Baroness von Sketch Show castmates Aurora Browne, Carolyn Taylor and Jennifer Whalen were nominated for Best Ensemble Performance in a Variety or Sketch Comedy Series, and won the award for Best Writing in a Variety or Sketch Comedy Series; at the 6th Canadian Screen Awards in 2018, the troupe won the awards in both of the same categories.
In 2021 MacNeill was cast as a police detective Sam Wazowski in the CBC comedy-drama series, Pretty Hard Cases opposite Adrienne C. Moore. The series ended in 2023.

## Personal life

MacNeill is originally from Amherst, Nova Scotia. She is a graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2003 | Blackball | Suzi | |
| 2005 | Festival | Mary | |
| 2006 | Confetti | Isabelle | |
| 2007 | The Good Night | Tica | |
| 2007 | Pass It on: Coaching Skills for Managers | Angie | Video short |
| 2009 | Frequently Asked Questions About Time Travel | Millie | |
| 2014 | Big News from Grand Rock | Lucy | |
| 2015 | North Mountain | Mona | |
| 2015 | Your Money or Your Wife | Annie | Atlantic International Film Festival for Outstanding Performance by an Actress |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2003 | The Vice | Tina | Season 5, episode 2: "The Gameboys" |
| 2003 | Ultimate Force | Jenny Lloyd | Season 2, episode 3: "Wannabes" |
| 2005 | Peep Show | Merry | Season 3, episode 2: "Sectioning" |
| 2005 | The Queen's Sister | Sharman Douglas | TV movie |
| 2005 | My Family and Other Animals | Silent Girlfriend | TV movie |
| 2005-2007 | Man Stroke Woman | Various | 12 episodes |
| 2011-2012 | This Hour Has 22 Minutes | — | Writer - 2 episodes Canadian Screen Award for Best Performance, Sketch Comedy (Individual or Ensemble) |
| 2015 | The Book of Negroes | Judith Palmer | Miniseries Episode 5 |
| 2015 | Haven | Ona Fortuna | Season 5, episode 19: "Perditus" |
| 2016-2021 | Baroness von Sketch Show | Various | 46 episodes Writer Director - 2 episodes Producer Canadian Screen Award for Best Writing in a Variety or Sketch Comedy Program or Series (2017—2021) Canadian Screen Award for Best Performance, Sketch Comedy (Individual or Ensemble) (2018) Canadian Screen Award for Best Sketch Comedy Program or Series (2018—2019) Canadian Comedy Award for Best TV Show Nominated — ACTRA Award for Outstanding Performance - Ensemble (2019) Nominated — Canadian Screen Award for Best Comedy Series (2021) |
| 2021–2023 | Pretty Hard Cases | Det. Sam Wazowski | 32 episodes Nominated — Canadian Screen Award for Best Leading Performance in a Drama Series (2024) Nominated — Canadian Screen Award for Best Lead Actress, Comedy (2022) Nominated — Canadian Screen Award for Best Leading Performance in a Comedy Series (2023) Nominated — Canadian Screen Award for Best Ensemble Performance, Drama (2024) |