Emerging from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, McCarthy refined his craft at the National Theatre School of Canada, first studying acting in the 1990s before returning for directing training in the 2000s. His early directing breakthrough arrived with a 2012 staging of Olivier Choinière's Bliss for Buddies at Bad Times, while his on-screen presence grew through guest spots on series such as Degrassi: The…
