Erica Durance (/dəˈræns/; born June 21, 1978) is a Canadian actress, producer, and director. She is known for her television roles, portraying Lois Lane on The WB/CW series Smallville, and as Dr. Alex Reid on the medical drama series Saving Hope.
Durance was born in Calgary to parents Gail and Joel Durance and was raised on a turkey farm with her older brother and sister in Three Hills, Alberta, Canada. She was trained as a classical singer from childhood. After graduating from high school, in 1999, Durance moved to Vancouver to pursue her interest in acting professionally. "I wanted to get my feet wet in a smaller area than Los Angeles when I gave it a try," Durance has said. She continued to study acting at the "Yaletown Actors Studio" for many years with her coach and husband, David Palffy.