Janaya Stephens

Birthday

Mar 17, 1974

Birthplace

London, Ontario, Canada

Bio: Janaya grew up in a small town just outside of London Ontario.

Prior to acting her greatest passion was for sports, especially soccer.

She also loved the outdoors and she worked on a farm for 5 summers where she learned how drive a tractor.

Janaya attended Laurentian University and studied English and Drama while playing for the… More Bio: Janaya grew up in a small town just outside of London Ontario.

Prior to acting her greatest passion was for sports, especially soccer.

She also loved the outdoors and she worked on a farm for 5 summers where she learned how drive a tractor.

Janaya attended Laurentian University and studied English and Drama while playing for the country's second best basketball team at the time, The Laurentian Lady Vee's.

The turning point from the court to the stage happened in her second year when she landed the role of Juliet for the University's contemporary rendition of the Bard's classic. The rest, as they say, is history.

Janaya moved on to study acting at George Brown Theatre School, where she then soon fell in love with working in front of the camera.

Janaya landed her first lead role in the feature film, "Left Behind", and has also starred in the sequels, "Left Behind: Tribulation Force", and "Left Behind: World at War".

Janaya was voted by the fans as "Best actress in a leading role" for her work in Tribulation force in 2003.

Her biggest claim to fame may still be her performance as Marie Osmond in the ABC MOW, "Inside the Osmonds", that aired in 2001 starring Bruce McGill and Veronica Cartwright.

One of her favourite roles had been for CBS as the young Lydia Blessings in the movie of the week, "Blessings", starring Mary Tyler Moore as Lydia Blessings.

She has also starred for CBS with Sela Ward in Suburban Madness, with Kirstie Alley in "While I was gone", and with Thomas Gibson in "Category 6:Day of Destruction".

Other movies include, "The Hunt for the B.T.K. Killer", "Celeste in the City", and "C-7" where she had the opportunity to work with Tom Skerrit.

Janaya has also guest starred on "Leap Years", "Twice in a Lifetime", "Mutant X", "Sue Thomas F.B. I." and "Missing".

Landing a recurring role on "Kevin Hill" gave Janaya the chance to work with Taye Diggs and she then went on to a series regular role in "Beach Girls" for the Lifetime Network. The series starred Julia Ormond and Rob Lowe.

Janaya also had a recurring role on "Beautiful People" starring Daphne Zuniga and most recently got a chance to work with Joseph Gordon Levitt and Jeff Daniels in the Disney feature, "The Lookout" which was in theatres March 2007.

Janaya was married in October of 2006 and currently lives in Ontario with her husband and their dog Fitz.