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Alexz Johnson

Alexz Johnson has built a career in which acting and music rarely feel far apart. Born in New Westminster, British Columbia, and raised in nearby Coquitlam, she began singing for her extended family at three and received vocal training from the age of six. By 11, she had won a National Anthem Contest, and her performance of “O Canada” was heard on national television. Johnson turned toward acting at 11, initially approaching an agency with singing in mind. That combination soon became her calling card. At 13, she joined the final season of the Disney Channel series So Weird as Annie Thelen, a lead role that made room for both her acting and vocal abilities. She also co-wrote “Dream About You” for the show. Her most substantial screen role followed with Instant Star. As Jude Harrison, a Canadian teenager navigating the music business, Johnson carried four seasons while performing all of her character’s songs. She also co-wrote several tracks for the first soundtrack, including “24 Hours,” “Let Me Fall,” “Criminal,” “Skin” and “That Girl.” Her performance brought multiple Gemini Award nominations, and she won Best Performance in a Children’s or Youth Program or Series in 2008 for the episode “Let It Be.” Johnson has also shown a feel for darker material. In Final Destination 3, she played Erin Ulmer, bringing a sharp, punk-edged attitude to the horror sequel. Other screen work includes Devil’s Diary, which earned her a Leo Award nomination, an appearance as Saturn Girl in Smallville and dual roles as separated twins in the television film Stranger with My Face. Alongside acting, Johnson has maintained an extensive recording career as a singer-songwriter. Her releases include Voodoo, Let ’Em Eat Cake, A Stranger Time, Still Alive and Seasons, as well as several EPs, live recordings and collections made with her brother and frequent collaborator Brendan Johnson. Across both sides of her work, the consistent thread is clear: performance and songwriting have developed together rather than as separate pursuits.