The Influencers, Promotional media
FORT McMURRAY — A Fort McMurray-born actor is earning international recognition after being nominated for a major film award.
Cassandra Naud has been nominated for outstanding performance in an original film at the 2026 Gotham Television Awards for her role in the horror film “Influencers.”
The nomination places Naud alongside a slate of established performers as part of an awards program that recognizes achievements in television and streaming productions.
Naud, who was born and raised in Fort McMurray, has built a growing career in film and television, gaining attention for her performance as CW in the 2022 film “Influencer,” a role she reprised in the 2025 sequel.
Critics have praised her work, with reviewers noting her ability to balance intensity and vulnerability on screen. Her performance in the original film earned her a Bloodie Award for best lead performance at the Blood in the Snow Canadian Film Festival.
Naud began dancing at the age of five before pursuing formal training in theatre and dance at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in Los Angeles, graduating in 2014.
She has also spoken publicly about growing up with a visible birthmark and the bullying she experienced as a child, saying the experience helped shape her confidence and identity as a performer.
In addition to her film work, Naud has been cast in an upcoming television adaptation of “Carrie,” based on the novel by Stephen King.
Winners of the Gotham Television Awards are set to be announced June 1 in New York City.
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