As revealed to fans today at Toronto ComiCon, Toronto-born actress Laura Vandervoort (SMALLVILLE, Ted) is set to star in the new Space original seriesBITTEN, produced by No Equal Entertainment, Hoodwink Entertainment, and Entertainment One (eOne). Set in Toronto and Upstate New York, Vandervoort stars as Elena Michaels, the world’s only female werewolf. Based on the critically-acclaimed Women of the Otherworld novels by Canadian author Kelley Armstrong, BITTEN is set to begin production in Toronto next month, and additional casting for the 13-episode series will be announced soon.
A foster child, Elena thought she finally found her “happily ever after” with her new love Clayton, but with one small bite, her life was changed forever and she was forced to survive life with the Pack as a werewolf. Years later, Elena has found refuge in Toronto, working as a photographer and dating a new man. But when bodies turn up in the backwoods of Stonehaven, the rural mansion that has served as a werewolf sanctuary for generations, the perfect life Elena has constructed begins to crumble. With the Pack threatened by an unknown predator, they turn to Elena for help. Caught between two worlds and two loves, Elena returns to Stonehaven out of duty, but once back in the fold she realizes that when push comes to shove, like any true alpha female, she’ll stop at nothing to defend her family.
“Laura has complexity and strength, and is also very relatable, making her the perfect fit for a character struggling to maintain the life she desires, while fighting against who she really is, and for those she loves,” said Corrie Coe, Senior Vice-President, Independent Production, Bell Media. “Well-known to genre fans, Laura’s star power is sure to stir up even more excitement for this already buzzed-about series.”
“Laura possesses the perfect balance of beauty, strength, and charm,” said J.B. Sugar, Executive Producer, No Equal Entertainment. “She has been on our casting radar since we started developing the series and we are ecstatic to have her as our lead character.”
An emotionally charged thriller, BITTEN examines the age-old battle between man and beast as human and inhuman forces come to a head in one small town – with Elena at the centre.
About Laura Vandervoort
Vandervoort is a uniquely versatile actress crossing genres from intense dramas to action to comedy. Recognized regularly from her performance as Tanya in the summer’s biggest comedy hit, Ted, and already well-known for her roles on the hit CW series SMALLVILLE and the ABC network series V, Vandervoort continues to garner a significant international fan base of men and women of all ages. From being listed in Maxim’s ‘Top 100 Hottest Women’ two years in a row, to recently spearheading a national PETA campaign, Vandervoort enjoys a personal life as diverse as her career.
Vandervoort earned her first key role at the age of 13 on the children’s series GOOSEBUMPS, followed by ARE YOU AFRAID OF THE DARK? While attending York University, Vandervoort landed a lead role on the CTV/Teen Nick TV series INSTANT STAR, which ran for four seasons.
Vandervoort’s credits have been numerous since then. From her first feature, The Lookout with Jeff Daniels and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, to This Means War with Chris Pine and Tom Hardy, to the many other film and television guest appearances in between.
A second degree Black Belt in Shotokan Karate, Vandervoort spends considerable time maintaining a rigorous fitness regime. She has also written the first in a series of children’s books which may see her role evolve to writer/producer.
BITTEN is based on the critically-acclaimed series of novels from Kelley Armstrong, a Globe and Mail and New York Times bestselling author. Originally from Sudbury, ON, Armstrong’s first book, Bitten, was released in 2001 by Random House Canada. She has since written 12 additional books in the Women of the Otherworldseries, with the final book, Thirteen, released last year. Armstrong still lives in Southwestern Ontario with her husband, kids, and far too many pets.
