Liane Balaban (born June 24, 1980) is a Canadian actress, perhaps best known for her role as Agnes-Marie "Moonie" Pottie in New Waterford Girl (1999).
Born in Toronto in 1980, Liane Balaban is the daughter of a Catholic mother, a medical secretary, and a Jewish father from the former Soviet republic (now an independent country) of Uzbekistan, who works in a real estate. Balaban made her debut as the 15-year-old Mooney Pottie, a '70s misfit longing to escape the Cape Breton coal-mining town in Allan Moyle's New Waterford Girl (1999). She made a successful follow-up with Saint Jude (2000) by 'John LEcuyer. Currently a journalism student in Ryerson Polytechnic University, Toronto. Hosts her own show on the internet.
Before taking the starring role in New Waterford Girl, Liane Balaban's only film experience was in A Divine Film, produced and directed by friends, in which she had a small role as a dead body. Her only other acting experience was in three short high school plays. "Happy Here and Now" was directed by Michael Almereyda who tracked Liane down and offered her the starring role after seeing "New Waterford Girl" at the Sundance Film Festival.
