Biographies : Cast
Jenny Brizard
Originally from Montreal, Jenny Brizard began her artistic career as a dancer. She has collaborated with renowned companies and festivals such as Cirque du Soleil, Just for Laughs, and Ghislaine Doté Danse, developing a sense of movement and presence that now feeds into her work as an actress.
In 2017, she made a remarkable debut in theatre with the title role in Angélique, a production by Black Theatre Workshop and Table d’Hôte, which earned her a Montreal English Theatre Awards (META) nomination right out of the gate. In 2022, she received a second nomination for her portrayal of Mia in Pipeline, then played Esther in Intimate Apparel at the Belfry Theatre in Victoria, British Columbia. In 2023, she took to the stage for the first time with the Théâtre français de Toronto in the production Les Zinspiré·e·s: Onze calme et on continue.
On screen, Jenny has participated in a wide variety of projects: Overcompensating, 111, Littlemouth, The Boys, Diggstown, The Handmaid’s Tale, Good Witch, Spinning Gold, Paris/Paris, Locke & Key, and Titans, to name a few.
Always seeking artistic challenge and growth, she continued her training in London at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and Method Acting.
Jenny is currently developing her own short film, an experience that allows her to discover what goes on behind the scenes and give voice to stories that are rarely shared. She is also delighted to be participating in Le Malentendu, which offers her a new opportunity to collaborate with TfT.
Ziad Ek
Ziad is thrilled to be returning to Toronto with TfT in Le malentendu. An actor and creator of Egyptian origin, he earned a BFA in acting from Toronto Metropolitan University before making his professional debut in Les Zinspirés: L’Âge de raison, directed by Chanda Gibson, a play for which he and his colleagues won a Dora Mavor Moore Award. He then participated in various workshops, readings, and other theatre projects, always within the TfT orbit, before joining the large cast of Mani Soleymanlou’s Un. Deux. Trois., a trilogy that took him across the country thanks to the collaboration of nine theatre companies, including, of course, Théâtre français de Toronto. Then, a change of direction led him to Montreal and the National Theatre School of Canada, where he completed a one-year residency in acting thanks to the support of Karine Ricard, Pierre Simpson, and a grant from the ATFC Foundation. He then made the leap to Montreal full-time, landing a role in Empathie (Crave) while keeping one foot in the Canadian Francophone community thanks to appearances in Mont-Rouge and Improtéine Expose 2024 (TOU.TV). He also continues to perform on stage in Oh! Canada at Théâtre Catapulte under the direction of Danielle Le Saux-Farmer. Ziad is sometimes recognized for his role as Omar in the CBC series Kim’s Convenience, a role he will play for the show’s final three seasons. He is keen to highlight the achievement of being able to practice art as an Arab, wishing for a free Palestine today and forever.
Béatrice René‑Décarie
Béatrice René‑Décarie grew up in the Outaouais region and has always had a passion for the performing arts. After studying musical theatre at Artishow, she is currently completing her fourth and final year of education in the musical theatre program at Sheridan College.
On stage, she played Élise in Le Roi Poubelle (Vox Théâtre and Théâtre français de Toronto), a role that earned her the Rideau Award for Performance of the Year and a nomination for the Dora Mavor Moore Awards. She also played Diana in Anne of Green Gables with Tweed & Company Theatre. Her career has also led her to take part in two editions of the Zinspiré·e·s writing workshops at Théâtre français de Toronto.
On screen, she appeared in the short film La Maison de Poupée (Zazie Films). In addition to her Rideau and Dora awards, Béatrice has received the Excellence in Creative Cabaret Project Award (Sheridan College), First Place in Musical Theatre Slam Award (Hart House), and Charter Women’s Award (Art and Letters Club of Toronto Foundation).
Béatrice would like to thank her family and loved ones for their love and support.
Mehdi Rostami
Mehdi Rostami is a musician, composer, and teacher specializing in the setar, shourangiz, and tanbour. His music, deeply rooted in Iranian tradition, emphasizes improvisation. He also explores fusion with world music and experimentation with new sounds. Based in Canada, he performs solo and collaborates with international musicians to develop unique projects. He teaches Iranian music at all levels and seeks to share its spirit with a wide audience.
Christina Tannous
A graduate of the Conservatoire de musique de Montréal in opera singing, Christina began her career as a soloist with the OSM, the Orchestre Métropolitain, the Orchestre symphonique de Québec, the Opéra de Québec, Opera Lyra Ottawa, and the Banff Centre. For several years now, acting has been a central part of her professional activities.
On stage, she has performed in The Sound of Music (Just for Laughs), Les Leçons de Maria Callas (Théâtre du Rideau vert), The Baklawa Recipe (Centaur Theatre), for which she received a nomination for Best Supporting Actress at the Montreal English Theatre Awards (META), and was part of L’Assemblée, a documentary theater piece by Productions Porte Parole (Espace Go). In Toronto, she made her TfT debut, playing Mary in La Cantatrice chauve, and played Volanges in the web series Les Liaisons dangereuses: correspondances inédites. On the small screen, she has appeared in The Art of More, Saving Hope, Designated Survivor, Good Witch, Workin’ Moms, Les Simone, Good Sam, Nurses, The Detectives, Plan B, Contre‑Offre, Ainsi va Manu, Zik, Ruptures, and Les Bracelets rouges. More recently, Christina had the immense pleasure of playing the character of Nour Haddad in the series Hôtel Beyrouth, broadcast on TFO. Christina is delighted to be part of the cast of Le malentendu this season with the wonderful TfT team!
