Cassandra Naud (born 1992 or 1993[1]) is a Canadian actress and dancer. She starred in the 2022 horror film Influencer.
Early life
Naud is from Fort McMurray in Alberta.[2] She was born with a large nevus under her right eye. Her parents decided against removing it after doctors informed them the procedure was too risky. She experienced bullying due to the nevus.[1][3][4]
Naud started dancing at the age of five. She attended the Bachelor of Fine Arts program for dance and theater at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) in Los Angeles, and graduated in 2014.[4]
Career
In April 2015, Naud became prominent after her story was published in the Daily Mail. The resulting exposure helped her to book the music video for Leona Lewis's single "Fire Under My Feet".[4]
Naud starred as CW in the 2022 horror film Influencer. The film received positive reviews from critics, praising Naud's performance. Phil Hoad of The Guardian said that Naud "holds her own as a kind of social media Tom Ripley",[5] and Brandon Yu of The New York Times wrote, "Naud and Saper prove strong leads as their characters try to read each other between the likes."[6] Brian Tallerico of RogerEbert.com said the film "belongs to Naud, who can be both captivating and terrifying in the same beat. It's a great performance."[7]
Naud appeared in the 2023 Christmas slasher film It's a Wonderful Knife, alongside Joel McHale, Katharine Isabelle and Justin Long. The film is directed by Tyler MacIntyre and written by Michael Kennedy, who previously wrote the 2020 slasher film Freaky.[8]
Personal life
Naud lives in Los Angeles as of April 2015.[1][3]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | A Cinderella Story: Christmas Wish | Elf Performer | |
| 2021 | A Cinderella Story: Starstruck | Hoedown Dancer #9 | |
| 2023 | Influencer | CW | |
| It's a Wonderful Knife | Karen Simmons | Post-production[9] |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | See | Shadow Warrior #1 | "Plastic" (season 1; episode 5)
"Silk" (season 1; episode 6) "The Lavender Road" (season 1; episode 7) |
| 2020 | Loudermilk | Cappuccino | "Hit Me Baby One More Time" (season 3; episode 4)
"Should Have Known Better" (season 3; episode 9) |
| Snowpiercer | Fiona | Episode: "These Are His Revolutions" |
Music videos
| Year | Title | Artist | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | "Fire Under My Feet" | Leona Lewis |
References
- ^ a b c Olya, Gabrielle (9 April 2015). "Dancer Cassandra Naud with Birthmark on Face Embraces Her Beauty". People. Archived from the original on 28 June 2023. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
- ^ Volmers, Eric (9 June 2023). "Calgarian's horror film Influencer a cautionary tale about online manipulation". Calgary Herald. Archived from the original on 9 June 2023. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
- ^ a b Rutherford-Morrison, Lara (3 April 2015). "Woman Refuses To Remove Large Facial Birthmark". Bustle. Archived from the original on 7 October 2023. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
- ^ a b c Holmes, Kathryn (8 February 2016). "Cassandra Naud Is Making Her Mark on the Dance World". Dance Spirit. Archived from the original on 15 June 2023. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
- ^ Hoad, Phil (25 May 2023). "Influencer review – smart thriller about Instagrammers in mortal peril". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 15 June 2023. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
- ^ Yu, Brandon (25 May 2023). "'Influencer' Review: Reading Between the Likes". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 1 June 2023. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
- ^ Tallerico, Brian (26 May 2023). "Influencer movie review & film summary (2023) | Roger Ebert". RogerEbert.com. Archived from the original on 16 June 2023. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
- ^ White, James (28 April 2023). "Freaky Writer's Next Slasher Mash-Up Is It's A Wonderful Knife". Empire. Archived from the original on 6 October 2023. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
- ^ Squires, John (27 April 2023). "'It's a Wonderful Knife' – A Christmas Slasher from 'Freaky' Writer and 'Tragedy Girls' Director!". Bloody Disgusting!. Archived from the original on 12 October 2023. Retrieved 16 June 2023.