14 Facts About Ann-Marie MacDonald

Ann-Marie MacDonald was born on October 29,1958 and is a Canadian playwright, author, actress, and broadcast host who lives in Toronto, Ontario.

Ann-Marie MacDonald is of partial Lebanese descent through her mother.

Ann-Marie MacDonald won the Commonwealth Writers Prize for her first novel, Fall on Your Knees, which was selected for Oprah Winfrey's Book Club in January 2002.

Ann-Marie MacDonald hosted the CBC documentary series Life and Times for seven seasons.

Ann-Marie MacDonald hosted CBC's flagship documentary program, Doc Zone for eight seasons.

Ann-Marie MacDonald appeared in the films I've Heard the Mermaids Singing and Better Than Chocolate, among others.

Ann-Marie MacDonald was the inaugural Mordecai Richler Reading Room Writer in Residence at Concordia University, and she coaches students in the Acting and Playwriting Programs at the National Theatre School of Canada.

In 2008, Ann-Marie MacDonald was awarded an honorary doctorate of humanities by the University of Windsor.

In May 2015, Ann-Marie MacDonald was the "big-name author" and "public face" of the inaugural Canadian Authors for Indies Day, organized to bring attention to independent bookstores across the country.

In December 2018, Ann-Marie MacDonald was named as an Officer of the Order of Canada, in recognition of "her multi-faceted contributions to the arts in Canada and for her advocacy of LGBTQ+ and women's rights".

In 2019, Ann-Marie MacDonald was diagnosed with seronegative rheumatoid arthritis, which affected every aspect of her life, including work.

Ann-Marie MacDonald finished her novel Fayne while strapped to a chair in order to be able to type.

Ann-Marie MacDonald's illness caused the novel's completion to be delayed by a year.

Ann-Marie MacDonald is married to the Canadian playwright and theatre director Alisa Palmer.