Lani Billard

Lani Billard (born 20 June 1979) is a Canadian actress, drummer, and singer, she is best known for her role in the 1990s as Elizabeth "Busy" Ramone on the Canadian television series Ready or Not from 1993 to 1997. Before her Ready Or Not fame, she was frequently cast on a show called Friends of Research and Odd Gadgets F.R.O.G. a children's science series produced by Toronto's OWL-TV. F.R.O.G.s 30-minute episodes follow four pre-teens who examine the "whys" of science with animation and provide the latest news gathered by kids, documentary style. Billard has also appeared in Owning Mahowny, Bonds (a short film) Sarah Polley's award-winning film Stories We Tell documentary, Let's Rap (short film) & Saving Hope (TV series). While she acted with fellow castmate Laura Bertram on the Canadian Television series Ready or Not into Season 5, in 1996 she would appear with Bertram in the TV movie Sins of Silence for a brief scene.

Lani Billard
Born (1979-06-20) 20 June 1979
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Alma materUnionville High School
Occupation(s)Actress, Singer, Drummer
Years active1992-present
Known forReady or Not

Billard was raised Jewish[1] and attended Unionville High School[2] in Markham, Ontario, where she graduated in 1997.

Billard has since become a vocalist, singing independently and collaborating with Canadian acts such as iLL Vibe, L.S, & Grossman. She has provided backing vocals and drumming for her 'Ready Or Not' fellow castmate, Tamara Podemski for Podemski's group "Spirit Nation" which performs in Podemski's native Ojibwa language. Lani is professionally trained to play drums and percussion. She has a three-octave singing range.

Personal life

When not performing, Billard practices reiki on animals.[3] She stopped TV film appearances in 2017 until the reboot production for Ready or Not was announced as a teaser update on Billard's Instagram account on 28 May 2020. Billard is openly lesbian and has supported local LGBTQ+2 events in Ontario for many years. Her Ready or Not tomboy character "Busy Ramone" is often referred to as a Canadian LGBTQ/lesbian icon, despite being written in the series as heterosexual.

Filmography
Film and television
Year Title Role Notes
1992 F.R.O.G. Herself Series
1993–1997 Ready or Not Elizabeth "Busy" Ramone 65 episodes
1996 Sins of Silence Girl (uncredited) TV movie
2003 Owning Mahowny Tori, The Teller Film
2010 Bonds Amy Short film
2011 Deep Tissue Herself TV movie
2012 Stories We Tell Susy Buchan (Documentary)
2013 Let's Rap Kids TV Exec (Short)
2017 Saving Hope Siobhan; episode: "Dr. Robot" TV series
2020 Ready or Not Reboot[4] Elizabeth "Busy" Ramone[5] (TBA)

References
  1. Mendoza, N. F. (9 April 1995). "With An Eye On...: Sometimes the 'Ready or Not' girls leave all that angst behind—and just go shopping". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 16 July 2020. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
  2. Pasternak, Sean B. (July 1995). "Ready or Not, Lani Billard Has Arrived". Thornhill Times. Retrieved 16 November 2008.
  3. "Healing Animals with Reiki". www.beverleygolden.com. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
  4. Ready or Not Reboot
  5. Busy Ramone
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