Summer H. Howell was back home in Manitoba on Saturday night for the 8th ACTRA Manitoba Awards Gala, presented by AFBS at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg. Howell was honored for her performance in Spirit in the Blood, the feature that earned her a nomination for Outstanding Performance in a Feature.
By Sunday morning she was sharing the night with fans on Instagram, posing with her award in front of the ACTRA Manitoba backdrop. “Extremely happy to be home and to have seen some good friends last night,” she wrote, thanking ACTRA Manitoba “for the recognition” for the film and adding that “this one feels really special.” She also congratulated the night’s other winners and nominees, and sent love to four friends she wished could have been there.
The sweetest part of the post was who stood beside her. Howell took photos with Lauren Cochrane and Aaron Merke, who have supported her through her whole career and cast her as a little alien when she was tiny. She closed the carousel with a throwback photo of that childhood alien role, a full circle moment.
It is not her first ACTRA Manitoba honor. Howell won this same Outstanding Performance in a Feature category in 2022 for Hunter Hunter, and she was nominated again in 2024 for Abducted by My Teacher: The Elizabeth Thomas Story.
Most viewers now know Howell as the lead of Prime Video’s Carrie, Mike Flanagan’s series adaptation of the Stephen King novel. Her castmate Mckenna Grace recently called Howell a star as filming wrapped, and Howell has promised fans answers about Emaline when the story continues. First, though, came a night at home, with the people who believed in her first.
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