Melissa Toussaint is a talented Television and Film actress, renowned for her remarkable performances that seamlessly blend strength, honesty, and a touch of sardonic wit.
Born in Montréal, Melissa spent her formative years with relatives in Haiti during the tumultuous reign of Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier, an experience that had a profound and lasting impact on her life. This complex mix of conflict, colonialism, mysticism, and death has greatly influenced her acting style, which often showcases her ability to convey vulnerability and raw emotion while still maintaining a strong presence on screen.
Melissa made her acting debut in the web series B.J. Fletcher: Private Eye in 2008, playing a model and paving the way for her future roles. Her breakout performance came in the television film Love Locks in 2017, where she portrayed the charismatic and boy-crazy Maggie Parnell alongside Rebecca Romijn and Jerry O'Connell.
In addition to her film and television work, Melissa has also appeared in the Netflix series Bad Blood in 2018, where she played the tough and skilled Detective Andrea, as well as the Nickelodeon series Snow Day in 2022, in which she portrayed a flustered Nurse Jhonson. Her most recent role was that of a loving foster mom, Gloria, on the NBC hit series Transplant in 2023.
Melissa is a dedicated advocate for diversity in storytelling and amplifying underrepresented voices. Throughout her career, she has collaborated, supervised, and consulted on various films that aim to tell diverse stories and showcase diverse bodies in a respectful and authentic manner. Some notable projects she has been involved with include Anais Barbeau Lavalette's Chien Blanc in 2022, an adaptation of the novel by French novelist Romain Gary, as well as the upcoming feature film Le Derniers Repas in 2024, which is one of the first Quebec/Haitian films to explore the Haitian-Canadian experience.
