Mia Kirshner was born on January 25, 1975, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Her father, Sheldon Kirshner, is a journalist, and her mother, Etti Kirshner, is a teacher. She is of Bulgarian-Jewish heritage on her father’s side and Jewish heritage on her mother’s side. Mia attended Forest Hill Collegiate Institute and later studied Russian literature and 20th-century film at McGill University in Montreal.
Kirshner began her acting career in the early 1990s, appearing in television shows such as “Tropical Heat” and “Are You Afraid of the Dark?” Her early film roles helped establish her presence in the industry.
Kirshner gained significant recognition for her portrayal of the dominatrix in Atom Egoyan’s 1993 film, “Exotica.” This role marked a turning point in her career and showcased her versatility as an actress. She also received acclaim for her role as Kitty Packard in Brian De Palma’s 2006 film, “The Black Dahlia.”
Kirshner is known for her work in both independent films and mainstream television. She played Jenny Schecter, a prominent character in the Showtime drama series “The L Word” (2004-2009), a role which significantly raised her profile. She reprised this role in “The L Word: Generation Q” (2019-2023).
Other notable television roles include her portrayal of Isobel Fleming in “The Vampire Diaries” (2009-2011) and “The Originals” (2013-2014), and as Amanda Grayson, Spock’s mother, in “Star Trek: Discovery” (2019-2021).