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By legacy and by talent, Aine and Cliona Furey represent two generations of Durham Region’s filmmaking professionals whose combined impact reaches from the foundations of Ontario’s screen industry to the highest global honours in cinema.
When people speak of film dynasties, they often think of actors or directors. Less visible (but just as vital) are the artists and other specialists who shape productions from behind the scenes. Aine and Cliona Furey are a mother-daughter duo whose careers, though entirely separate, have helped define excellence in Canadian and international film productions for more than half a century.
Building the Groundwork: Aine Furey
Born in Ireland, Aine Furey’s journey into storytelling began early. At just 13 years old, she moved to Los Angeles, where she attended high school while completing a theatre apprenticeship at the Mission Playhouse in California. After three years of rigorous training in drama, she returned to the United Kingdom at the age of 17.
After marrying a member of the Royal Air Force, Aine joined the RAF Theatre, performing for military audiences: a formative experience that blended discipline, adaptability and performance. In 1967, she relocated to Canada and continued acting, joining the Ryerson Repertory Theatre in the early 1970s.
In 1972, her path changed dramatically. While en route to a commercial audition arranged by legendary agent Gino Emory, Aine was involved in a devastating crash. “I had a massive car accident,” she recalls, “and never again put my foot on the stage.”
What followed was not an ending, but a reinvention. In 1979, Aine transitioned into film and television production as a location manager, at a time when the role itself was newly established within the Directors Guild of Canada. Over the next 40-plus years, she contributed to more than 400 hours of screen time. Her work helped position Ontario as an attractive and reliable destination for film and television productions, contributing to projects such as Relic Hunter, Mutant X, Lost Girls and Canadian Bacon.
In 2021, she received the Locations Manager Guild International Lifetime Achievement Award. “I don’t know what I did to deserve such an honour,” she says. What she knows without question is her pride in her daughter. “I am so proud of Cliona and her professionalism,” Aine says. “Regardless of awards—though the awards she received are amazing.”
A Childhood on Set, A Career of Her Own.
Cliona Furey is a Canadian film artist whose earliest memories are shaped by the quiet choreography of film sets. Growing up in Goodwood and later Uxbridge, she often accompanied her mother to work on production sets. One early experience proved decisive: while visiting the set of The Littlest Hobo, Cliona was cast as a background stand-in alongside her Girl Guide troop. The spark was immediate. But rather than pursuing performance, Cliona gravitated toward craftsmanship. She trained as a wigmaker through a competitive apprenticeship at the Canadian Opera Company, later working extensively in theatre before moving into film and television.
Known for her work on wig-intensive and period productions, Cliona has collaborated with some of the most acclaimed directors working today, including David Cronenberg, Alexander Payne, Sofia Coppola, John Madden, Paul Feig and Guillermo del Toro. Her creative partnership with del Toro spans more than 15 years and includes Crimson Peak, Nightmare Alley, and Frankenstein.
In 2026, Cliona’s hair design work on Frankenstein earned her an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award and a Critics Choice Award—a rare sweep that firmly established her as one of the leading hair designers in contemporary cinema.
Grounded Despite Global Success
Despite her international success, Cliona remains deeply rooted in Uxbridge. She continues to live in the same small town where she grew up and is raising her son in the same neighbourhood she spent her childhood in. A lifelong horse owner and enthusiast, Cliona values country life and privacy. Most colleagues know her simply as “CLI,” and many are surprised to learn of her famous family connection. One longtime producer who worked extensively with her mother only recently realized Cliona was Aine’s daughter. “His jaw dropped,” she laughs.
Like her daughter, Aine has remained firmly grounded throughout her time in Ontario’s film industry. Even in retirement, she continues to lend her expertise to location scouting and to assist local film commissions through image packages and consultation. Just as she helped build the foundation of Ontario’s film industry years ago, Aine continues to support it thoughtfully, behind the scenes where she has always thrived.
Two Careers, One Legacy
Together, Aine and Cliona Furey embody the evolution of Ontario’s film industry; from the foundational work that helped establish it as a production hub to the artistry that now garners international acclaim at the highest level.
They are united not by shared credits, but by shared values: professionalism, craftsmanship, humility and an enduring love for storytelling. In an industry built on collaboration, the Furey's remind us that legacy is not inherited, it is earned, one production at a time.
