Biography
Lydia Adair is an actor, director and stand-up comedian hailing from Calgary, Alberta. Her training includes Meisner technique at Company of Rogues Actor's Studio under Joe-Norman Shaw, improvisation at the internationally recognized Loose Moose theatre under founding member Dennis Cahill, voice coaching with Theatre Calgary's Jane MacFarlane as well as dialect coaching from renowned dialect coach David LeReaney. Lydia studied creative writing at the University of Calgary and trained with sketch comedy writer Albert Howell. In 2019 Lydia was selected by the Herland Mentorship Program to complete a video production mentorship under award-winning filmmaker Sandi Somers.
In 2019 Lydia won the lead role of Alex in the dramatic indie film 'No Apology', directed by Gilbert Allan, which was accepted to the North Europe International Film Festival in London, England. She performed alongside Chris Bugg in the short film 'Bar Top Twist', which garnered official selection at Just A Minute, Toronto! and Zeal Reel Micro Short Film Competition. Notable roles include 'Erica' in 'Bagman' the 2017 horror-comedy feature directed by indie filmmakers Logan and Phillip Wilson in which a Deadpoolesque antihero goes on a murderous rampage, killing people who neglect to recycle.
Lydia spent three years performing sketch comedy with Calgary's cult late-night talk show Late Night at the Plaza becoming a mainstay in their short films and live skits. Lydia writes with creator and puppeteer Peter Kominek for the comedy web series Slug Brothers, which follows three giant slugs living in the real world. In 2018 Lydia began writing and performing stand-up comedy including performances at Jupiter Comedy, The Laugh Shop, the Plaza's Stand-up Smackdown, and the improvised comedy show Cat Scratch Comedy. She has directed three short films, including a Jurassic Park spoof that placed top three in the ATB Calgary Film Contest, screening at the opening gala for the 2017 Calgary International Film Festival and her most recent film 'Errands', available on Telus Optik On Demand, which she wrote and directed in collaboration with Herland.
Lydia grew up riding off-highway motorcycles, which fueled her love of the outdoors and a desire to give back. She began volunteering in conservation efforts and education from a young age. Passionate in her pursuits she has volunteered her time with animal shelters, theatre companies, and community housing projects. In 2019, inspired by the film 'The Woman Who Loves Giraffes' a poignant documentary detailing Canadian zoologist and feminist Anne Dagg's previously uncelebrated contributions to the study of animal behavior, Lydia met with Anne Dagg and director Alison Reid and subsequently flew to South Africa to assist wildlife habitat expert Dr. Francois Deacon in tracking and removing GPS collars from giraffes.
Based out of Vancouver, BC, Lydia looks forward to bringing her A-game to strong female characters in both mainstream and indie projects.
Lydia donates 15% of earnings received from acting to the Nature Conservancy of Canada.
