Tamara Podemski is a multi-disciplinary artist born and raised in Toronto to an Ojibway mother and an Israeli father. She made her biggest mark with the film "Four Sheets to the Wind" when she won the Special Jury Prize for Acting at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival, as well as an IFC Spirit Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress in 2008. Though she is best known as a screen actress, Tamara's stage career has spanned over 20 years as an actress, singer, dancer and choreographer, most notably starring on Broadway in the musical RENT. She also has an extensive recording career, having wrote and released 3 albums [2 in her Native language and 1 under her own record label, Mukwa Music], as well as licensing many of her songs to TV shows, films and documentaries. She is a graduate of the Claude Watson School for the Performing Arts in Toronto where she studied theatre, dance and music throughout its 10-year program. She is completing a degree in Aboriginal Studies and Hebrew Literature at the University of Toronto. Since the beginning, Tamara has worked with her actress sisters, Jennifer and Sarah, producing, writing and facilitating multi-media workshops for Native Youth. She has traveled all over the world with them, and solo, promoting education, cultural awareness and self-empowerment through the arts.
Sister of Jennifer Podemski and Sarah Podemski .Tamara is the middle child between Jennifer and Sarah.Performed in Original Canadian Cast of "Rent," then moved to Broadway company in 1998.Released 2 albums in the Ojibway language (Spirit Nation, Spirit Voices).Released English language album, Tamara, under her Mukwa Music label in January 2006.Best Female Artist and Best Songwriter for her album, "Tamara," at the 2006 Aboriginal Music Awards.Father is Israeli (born in Kfar Saba) and mother is Saulteaux (Bear/Thunderbird Clan, from Muscowpetung First Nation in Saskatchewan).The first Canadian actress to receive a Special Jury Prize for Acting at the Sundance Film Festival.Certified Krav Maga Instructor since 2008. Taught both Self Defense and Fitness at Krav Maga Worldwide National Training Centre in Los Angeles for 3 years.Received her Specialized Personal Trainer Certification from CanFitPro in 2006.Attended Earl Haig Secondary with fellow artists Sarah Polley, Scott Speedman, Yani Gellman, Christopher Jacot, Cara Pifko, Cameron Hood, Stephan Brogran, Aaron Abrams, Ennis Esmer, Ken Mitchell, Bryce Mitchell, Adam Messinger, sisters Jennifer and Sarah Podemski.