Written by Deborah Lau-Yu with files from OMNI Television and Rogers Media and photography by George Pimentel.

Blood and Water 血與水, an original trilingual Canadian crime drama (presented in English, Cantonese, Mandarin), returned for a compelling second season in September of 2018 on OMNI Television. At the 2019 Canadian Screen Awards (The Canadian Academy), the production was nominated for Best Drama, and actress Selena Lee was nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. Producer and lead actress Steph Song, along with supporting actress and Hong Kong celebrity Selena Lee walked the red carpet of the broadcast gala with other brilliant artists, such as the cast of Kim’s Convenience and Amanda Brugel of the Handmaid’s Tale, on March 31st at the Sony Centre in Toronto.

Colette Watson, Senior Vice President, TV & Broadcast Operations, Rogers Media was delighted about the nominations, it demonstrates, "an appetite for great content that showcases our diverse Canadian communities and recognizes excellence in storytelling. Audiences are looking for something authentic and reflective of their own experience and this something OMNI is uniquely positioned to deliver. We’re very proud of these nominations, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with some of the best entertainment being made today, and I think it shows a ‘coming of age’ of multilingual / multicultural programming, now sharing the spotlight with mainstream English programs.”

About the Drama 

Starring Steph Song (who plays Detective Jo Bradley), the eight-part, 30-minute episode season sees another murder that spins Jo into a web of lies as she juggles family drama after returning home from China. 

Season 2 began with a frantic phone call to Detective Jo Bradley from her friend, Teresa Fai (Loretta Yu, Save Me, Between), whose boyfriend Jimmy Lin (Andy Yu, Fargo, Bad Blood) is on the run after witnessing a brutal murder. But finding Jimmy will once again bring Jo and her partner Detective Evan Ong (Byron Mann, Skyscraper, Altered Carbon, The Big Short) into the orbit of Teresa’s father-in-law, ruthless billionaire Ron Xie (Oscar Hsu, The Recruit, Blindness) and the undertow of his dark secrets. The stakes escalate when Jo’s investigation forces Evan to make a fateful and, potentially, tragic decision.

The second season of Blood and Water featured new cast members including Amanda Zhou (Fang Wang, Warrior) and the aforementioned award-winning Selena Lee (Michelle Chang, Spouse for House), winner of ‘Best Actress’ at the Los Angeles Film Awards, Los Angeles Movie Awards, and at the European Cinematography Awards. Selena is a Hong Kong-born Canadian actress and former Miss Hong Kong 2003 contestant. Prior to entering the Miss Hong Kong pageant, Selena attended the University of Toronto, studying for a Bachelor of Business Commerce degree. Returning performers include: Elfina Luk (Anna Xie, Skyscraper), Fiona Fu (Weiran Xie, Power Rangers), B.C. Lee (Victor Li, Almost Human, Fringe), Maria Ricossa (Professor Colleen Bradley), and Aidan Devine (Lt. Dan Barron).

 “I'm thrilled to have another chance to continue the story of Jo Bradley and the Xie family and bring new episodes of Blood and Water to OMNI audiences,” said Diane Boehme, Executive Producer. “We’ve taken a different approach to the story and it’s been particularly gratifying for me to nurture so much emerging talent and watch as they bloom.” 

“It is an absolute pleasure to bring Season 2 of the series to Canadian audiences,” said Ira Levy, Partner and Executive Producer, Breakthrough Entertainment. “Our goal was to go above and beyond with this new season and continue the success that this diverse and powerful series has seen since the beginning.”

Although the drama did not take home any wins on Sunday, Selena was dubbed the unofficial best dressed of the evening in her neon yellow gown by Toni Maticevski, adorned by Swarovski gems.

Congratulations to the Blood and Water crew for their fantastic achievement and efforts of bringing a different narrative to the Canadian and international audience.

We look forward to Season 3!