#SPOTTED: UZO ADUBA IN TORONTO FOR “LIGHTYEAR”

Primetime EMMY and Critics’ Choice Award-winning Actress Uzo Aduba returned to Toronto to promote Disney and Pixar’s LIGHTYEAR! The Animated Feature is the origins story behind the hero who inspired the Toy Story character Buzz Lightyear.

Aduba, who is known best for her award-winning work on Orange is the New Black as “Crazy Eyes” and also MRS. AMERICA, filmed right here in Toronto, has visited the City for those titles and also TIFF for the Film American Pastoral. She plays the supportive Alisha Hawthorne in Lightyear.

Aduba was out and about doing the Morning Show circuit with appearances on Breakfast Television and The Morning Show, looking stunning in a neon dress and gorgeous Bob. She was so sweet!

See our Snap:

LIGHTYEAR already is winning raves. See our thoughts on it here.

Walt Disney Studios Canada release LIGHTYEAR Friday, June 17, 2022.

(Photo/video credit: Walt Disney Studios Canada/Mr. Will Wong)

#SPOTTED: DEVON SAWA IN TORONTO TOR “CHUCKY”

He’s accomplished so much on a larger stage, we sometimes forget he’s Canadian! Vancouver’s Devon Sawa is back in Toronto to work on the second season of CHUCKY. The Series has him playing dual roles of Logan and Luke Wheeler on the successful SYFY revival Series.

Sawa is known best for his work on FINAL DESTINATION, Toronto-filmed Series NIKITA and despite only a quick appearance in Season Two of HBO Max’s HACKS, he already is getting lots of buzz for his performance as Jason, a live interest of Jean Smart‘s Deborah Vance. It was just confirmed today the Series has been renewed a third season and we hope to see more of him!

We’ve heard how amazing Sawa is to fans and he was everything, stopping for Selfies and Autographs after a quick trip home before he was needed back on-set.

CHUCKY continues to film around Toronto till end of Summer.

See our Snap!

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

#FIRSTLOOK: NEW TEASER TRAILER FOR “TULSA KING”

Sylvester Stallone makes his television debut in TULSA KING, coming this Fall to Paramount+. See the new Teaser Trailer.

Synopsis:

TULSA KING follows New York mafia capo Dwight “The General” Manfredi (Stallone), just after he is released from prison after 25 years and unceremoniously exiled by his boss to set up shop in Tulsa, Okla. Realizing that his mob family may not have his best interests in mind, Dwight slowly builds a “crew” from a group of unlikely characters, to help him establish a new criminal empire in a place that to him might as well be another planet. The series also stars Andrea Savage (“I’m Sorry”), Martin Starr (“Silicon Valley”), Max Casella (“The Tender Bar”), Domenick Lombardozzi (“The Irishman”), Vincent Piazza (“Boardwalk Empire”), Jay Will (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”), A.C. Peterson (“Superman & Lois”) and Garrett Hedlund (“The United States vs. Billie Holiday”). The series is executive produced by Sheridan, Winter, Stallone, David C. Glasser, Ron Burkle, Bob Yari, David Hutkin, Allen Coulter and Braden Aftergood.  

Paramount Network to Air Special Simulcast Event of the Debut Episode Immediately Following the Nov. 13, 2022 Season 5 Premiere of “Yellowstone”.

(Photo/video credit: Paramount)

#TIFF: TIFF ANNOUNCE “SUMMER OF SEOUL”

TIFF will be celebrating Korean Cinema this Summer with their Summer of Seoul, launching July 8, 2022 with an Opening Night Celebration! The Screenings and Special Events all take place at TIFF BELL LIGHTBOX.

Films & Special Events

July 8, 7pm
Opening Night: Free live performance by Korea Town Acid and mural art by Jieun Kim (a.k.a. June)

Summer of Seoul jumps beyond the screen through free public art activations in the TIFF Bell Lightbox Atrium. Gather at 7pm for an improvisational set by electronic musician and DJ Korea Town Acid. Born in Seoul and currently based in Toronto, Korea Town Acid layers hardware, drum machines, samplers, and synths to create cinematic and genre-bending soundscapes with moody textures. Her song “Sobriety,” from her latest album Cosmos, was nominated for Underground Dance Single of the Year at the 2022 Juno Awards.

Then, witness the unveiling of mural art by muralist, tattoo artist, and art producer Jieun Kim (a.k.a. June), on display in the TIFF Bell Lightbox Atrium throughout Summer of Seoul. Born in Korea, June’s work explores the immigrant experience and questions notions of location and “home.” As an expansion of her studio work, June is interested in creating safe spaces through street art.

July 8, 8pm
Opening Night: Special Screening of Winter Sonata (Episodes 1 & 2)
The Opening Night event will be hosted by ETALK and THE SOCIAL’s Lainey Lui.
The K-drama that helped start the Korean Wave, 2002’s Winter Sonata is necessary education for fans of the genre. The journey of talented musical student Joon-sang (Bae Yong-joon) and the innocent Yoo-jin (Choi Ji-woo) from friendship to first love, beset by familial obstacles and tragedy along the way, propelled Bae to superstardom and earned him the regal honorific of “Yonsama” from his Japanese fans. The series, so popular that it was credited with boosting South Korea’s “soft power” and facilitating geopolitical relationships, also spawned fashion trends, an anime, an industry of film-location tours, murals, and a musical.

July 9, 5pm
Peppermint Candy – North American premiere of the new 4K restoration
This screening will be introduced by Robyn Citizen, TIFF’s Director Festival Programming & Cinematheque.
This end-of-the-millenium opus by writer-director Lee Chang-dong (Secret Sunshine, Burning) traverses 20 years (1979–1999) of defining events in Korean history through the story of Kim Yong-ho (Sol Kyung-gu), a middle-aged everyman seen rushing in despair towards a train as the film opens. A series of episodic flashbacks in reverse chronology trace how Yong-ho was shaped by, and sometimes actively complicit in, socio-political forces — the authoritarian period, the Democratization protests, and the IMF crisis of the late ’90s — as well as personal failures that hurt others and slowly unravelled his sense of self. A film that seamlessly blends social realism, melodrama, and Lee’s singular ability to depict human complexity, Peppermint Candy was produced during a pivotal transitional period for the South Korean film industry and helped to define New Korean Cinema as a distinct cinematic movement, making it essential viewing.

July 9, 8pm
Joint Security Area
The blockbuster thriller that put Park Chan-wook on the map as an auteur of New Korean Cinema, Joint Security Area broke box-office records when it was released in 2000, and firmly established Song Kang-ho as a leading actor. One night, an injured South Korean army sergeant, Lee Soo-hyeok (Lee Byung-hun), is rescued as he tries to cross from the north side of the Demilitarized Zone. He is fleeing an altercation that has left two North Korean soldiers dead and raised a number of questions as to why and how Sgt. Lee ended up on the other side of the border. The film offers a rare, fully fleshed-out North Korean character (Song, in a commanding and charismatic performance) who is neither a spy nor a mere mouthpiece for political propaganda.

July 10, 2pm
The World of Us
This screening will feature an introduction by series programmer Hanbin Kim.
Yoon Ga-eun’s moving, true-to-life film tackles the realities of bullying, classroom pecking orders, and the importance of loyalty. Written and directed by Yoon — whose short film Sprout won the Crystal Bear in the 2014 Berlin Film Festival’s Kplus competition — The World of Us explores the profound impact of the ostracization experienced by many young students.

July 15, 6:15pm
Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance – Presented on 35mm!
Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance explores the lengths to which honest people will go when circumstances push them into tight places. Deaf and individualistic, Ryu (Shin Ha-kyun) works at a factory and spends his spare time with his beloved sister (Im Ji-eun) and his offbeat girlfriend, Yeong-mi (Bae Doona). When he loses his job, Ryu takes desperate measures and becomes entangled in dangerous underworld activities. He soon winds up on the wrong side of his former employer, Park Dong-jin (Song Kang-ho), a dark force to be reckoned with. Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance is a brilliantly constructed film and a brutal tale that director Park Chan-wook imbues with a visceral atmosphere of overwhelming claustrophobia and desperation. Park’s exceptional film draws upon his own sympathy — not for vengeance itself, but for the pain that spawns it.

July 16, 7:30pm & July 21, 8pm
Oldboy
Winner of the Grand Prix at Cannes in 2004, Park Chan-wook’s revenge masterpiece is credited with bringing Korean cinema to mainstream attention in North America. The film begins on a dark and stormy night when an ordinary man, Oh Dae-su (Choi Min-sik), is kidnapped and inexplicably imprisoned in a tiny room for 15 years. Finally freed by his unseen, anonymous captor, the revenge-hungry Dae-su finds himself enmeshed in an even larger and more sadistic web.

July 22, 9pm & July 24, 4pm
Lady Vengeance – Presented on 35mm!
The apotheosis of revenge wears red eyeshadow and an intense, angelic look in Park Chan-wook’s last entry in his dazzling Vengeance Trilogy. Lady Vengeance is a perilous venture into the psychology of a woman pursuing her personal sense of justice — without ever finding salvation. Lee Geum-ja (Lee Young-ae) has been imprisoned for 13 years for allegedly kidnapping and murdering a six-year-old boy. With her fascinating mixture of evil wisdom and naïveté, she wastes no time in winning over her cellmates’ sympathies; all the prisoners become instrumental in the scheme Geum-ja has meticulously drafted for her future as a free woman.

July 23, 7:30pm
Tale of Cinema with Dennis Lim
The screening will be preceded by an extended introduction from Dennis Lim, Artistic Director of the New York Film Festival, and followed by a book signing of Lim’s most recent publication, Tale of Cinema.
Having premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, Hong Sang-soo’s sixth feature film remains — amid a vertiginously prolific filmography that has yielded 21 films since — one of the filmmaker’s major touchstones, not least because it introduces his use of zooms and voiceover. In the first story, depressive student Sang-won (Lee Ki-woo) runs into an old flame, Young-shil (Uhm Ji-won). After a night of copious drinking and fumbling foreplay in a hotel room, they engage in a suicide pact. The second story focuses on Dong-soo (Kim Sang-kyung), a recent film-school graduate who, while exiting a cinema, sees a woman he believes to be the actress (also named Young-shil) from the film he has just watched — which, incredibly, may have been inspired by his life.

July 24, 7:30pm
House of Hummingbird
This screening will feature an introduction by series programmer Hanbin Kim.
Amid middle-school heartbreak, complications at cram school, and a complicated family life, a South Korean teenager faces the trials of growing up and finding her identity, in Bora Kim’s sincere coming-of-age tale.

July 29, 6:15pm
Thirst
Park Chan-wook’s cheeky take on Émile Zola’s scandalous serialized 19th-century novel Thérèse Raquin puts a modern, globalized spin on vampire mythology. The filmmaker’s frequent collaborator Song Kang-ho plays Sang-hyun, hot priest to Tae-ju, the repressed wife of his childhood friend. The two men reunite after news of Sang-hyun’s miraculous recovery from the fatal Emmanuel Virus — contracted through a failed vaccine experiment — spreads beyond his awed parishioners and into the wider community. However, the blood transfusion that cured Sang-hyun of the deadly virus has infected him with an undeadly one that intensifies all of his appetites. 

July 31, 1:30pm
K-Mania: The Popularity of Korean Film and Culture
We are thrilled to host a panel of experts — University of Toronto professor Dr. Michelle Cho; film critic, journalist, and podcaster Carolyn Hinds; and PhD student Grayson Lee — to discuss the films, music, dramas, and fandom that make up the cultural phenomenon of the Korean Wave. Moderated by Robyn Citizen, Director of Festival Programming and Cinematheque at TIFF.

July 31, 7:30pm
Chunhyang – 4K Digital Presentation!
This screening will include an in-person introduction by University of Toronto professor Dr. Michelle Cho.
The great Im Kwon-taek is one of South Korea’s most important and prolific filmmakers. His work is distinguished by its spectacular, epic cinematography depicting the varied and beautiful landscape of his homeland. Im is also the finest living chronicler of Korean culture, centring his much-loved nation and its arts. Radiant, exuberant, and passion-filled, Chunhyang is Im’s most accessible work by far. The film’s ingenious structure sees a traditional Pansori singer recounting a complex 18th-century epic before a large contemporary audience. 

August 7, 1:30pm
Microhabitat
This screening will feature an introduction by series programmer Hanbin Kim.
Set in contemporary Seoul, Microhabitat follows Miso (Esom), a housemaid with three mandatory indulgences: cigarettes, a glass of whisky at the end of the day, and emotional intimacy with her boyfriend. Jeon Go-woon’s debut film examines the conflicts between personal happiness and universal values, and the weight of contradictions a person has to endure. 

August 20, 6pm
Mother – Presented on 35mm!
This screening will feature a pre-recorded introduction by Karen Han, author of Bong Joon Ho: Dissident Cinema.
Bong Joon-ho followed the smash success of The Host with this darkly stylish thriller. The magnificent Kim Hye-ja stars as the doting mother of a grown son with an intellectual disability. When a young female student is brutally murdered and her son is blamed as the culprit, the middle-aged matriarch swings into action to prove his innocence by any means necessary. As he did in Memories of Murder, Bong balances humour and horror to stunning effect, while Kim — one of South Korea’s most legendary actresses — creates an indelible portrait of motherly devotion taken to its most ruthless extreme.

August 20, 9:15pm & August 26, 9:30pm
The Host – Presented on 35mm!
Inspired by a boyhood fantasy, Bong Joon-ho brought his producer a picture of Seoul’s Han River with an image of the Loch Ness monster Photoshopped in — and thus The Host was born. In this truly original and audacious creature feature, a lazy afternoon alongside the Han is shattered when a large, unidentified mass hanging from a bridge reveals itself to be a slobbering monstrosity that snatches away the young daughter of dimwitted snack vendor, Gang-du (Song Kang-ho, a recurring star in Bong’s films). With the city shut down by the government and their American “advisors,” Gang-du and his family go on the lam to try and retrieve the girl from the monster’s slimy clutches.

August 21, 7:30pm
Gull
Provocative emerging director Kim Mijo’s debut feature follows Obok (Jung Ae-hwa), a mother and wife in Seoul who holds a stall in a food market that is threatened by impending gentrification. Days before her eldest daughter’s wedding, Obok is sexually assaulted by a fellow stallholder, who is also the chairman of the redevelopment committee. She attempts to repress her trauma, but her anger continues to grow until she finally reveals the truth to her eldest daughter and contacts the police. Justice seems hopeless due to a lack of concern from the authorities or support from her family and community — but against all odds, she speaks up to protect her dignity.

August 26, 6:15pm & August 28, 4pm
Burning
These screenings will be introduced by Robyn Citizen, TIFF’s Director Festival Programming & Cinematheque.
A profoundly enigmatic take on Haruki Murakami’s short story “Barn Burning,” Lee Chang-dong’s exploration of a vexed ménage à trois in contemporary Seoul begins as working-class would-be writer Jong-su (Yoo Ah-in) encounters Hae-mi (Jeon Jong-seo), a young woman who used to go to his school, and agrees to take care of her cat while she travels to Africa. She returns with a new “friend” in tow: a handsome, refined, and wealthy man whose name, Ben (Steven Yeun), seems to signal his international aspirations but whose vocation remains mysterious. As the men fall into an uneasy relationship — the obsessed Jong-su is both fascinated by Ben’s upscale lifestyle and jealous of his suave hold on Hae-mi — the fate of the drifty young woman in the middle seems increasingly imperilled.

 Tickets go on-sale at http://tiff.net June 22, 2022 at 10 am and to the public on June 29, 2022.

#FIRSTLOOK: NEW TRAILER FOR ROALD DAHL’S “MATILDA THE MUSICAL”

A new re-imagining of Roald Dahl‘s beloved MATILDA is on the way. Here’s a glance at the new Teaser Trailer!

Synopsis:
Matilda Wormwood (Alisha Weir) is a little girl with big curiosity, a sharp mind and a vivid imagination — and the worst parents in the world. While her parents (Stephen Graham and Andrea Riseborough) content themselves with trashy TV and dodgy money-making schemes, she loves to lose herself in the pages of her beloved books. Where they are loud, selfish and unkind she is a quiet observer, thinking up small and cheeky acts of rebellion and revenge.

On meeting her inspirational teacher, Miss Honey (Lashana Lynch), Matilda is encouraged and begins conjuring her own fantastical tales. Excited to attend Crunchem Hall, Matilda is surprised to find the school is an ominous and oppressive place led by the huge and villainous Miss Trunchbull (Emma Thompson).

As well as kind Miss Honey, the bright lights among the meanness are story-loving librarian, Mrs. Phelps (Sindhu Vee), and Matilda’s newfound school friends. Filled with an overwhelming sense of justice, Matilda dares to take a stand for what is right and teach Trunchbull a lesson she won’t forget.

Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical is an inspirational musical tale of an extraordinary girl who discovers her superpower and summons the remarkable courage, against all odds, to help others change their stories, whilst also taking charge of her own destiny. Standing up for what’s right, she’s met with miraculous results.

Directed by Tony Award-winning director Matthew Warchus (Matilda The Musical), the film is produced by Eric Fellner and Tim Bevan for Working Title, Jon Finn (Billy Elliot), and Luke Kelly of The Roald Dahl Story Company. Screenwriter Dennis Kelly adapts the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production for the big screen, with original music and lyrics by Tim Minchin.

Netflix will release the film across the world [excluding the UK and Ireland] this Holiday Season. Sony Pictures U.K. and Tristar Pictures will release the film in UK and Ireland exclusively in cinemas on December 2, 2022.

(Photo/video credit: Netflix)

#FIRSTLOOK: CONTESTANTS UNVEILED FOR “CANADA’S DRAG RACE” SEASON 3

Canada’s Drag Race S3 is soon before us! The new Season premieres Thursday, July 14, 2022 at 9 p.m. ET, and is available to Canadian audiences in English and French. Subsequent new episodes drop Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET. Season 3 is also set to launch on Thursday, July 14, 2022 on World of Wonder’s SVOD platform WOW Presents Plus, in the U.S. and in more than 160 countries around the world.

Returning are Judges Traci Melchor, Brooke Lynn Hytes and Brad Goreski, plus several new Special Guests.

See a Preview here.

Meet this upcoming season’s Queens!

Bombae Age: 29 (Toronto, Ont.)

Pronouns: she/her in drag; no preference out of drag

Twitter: @ItsBomBae

Instagram: @bom.bae

TikTok: @bom.bae

Things to know about Bombae:

• Bombae moved to Toronto from Mumbai in 2016 and describes herself as Toronto’s reigning “Satanic Supreme”
• She’s a fashion club kid who’s got legs for days, and fans can find her on runways, in photoshoots, or in an art gallery
• She’s a digital drag superstar who produces live shows on Twitch every week

“Drag is SO MUCH FUN. Just look at me! If you’re not having fun, you’re not doing drag!”

Chelazon Leroux Age: 22 (Saskatoon, Sask.)

Pronouns: they/he/she in and out of drag

Twitter: @chelazonleroux 

Instagram: @chelazonleroux

TikTok: @chelazonleroux

Things to know about Chelazon Leroux:

• Chelazon grew up in Saskatchewan Dene First Nations and is very connected to their Indigenous identity; in 2021, they walked in London Fashion Week for Indigenous designer Jill Setah, highlighting the issue of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women
• They have nearly half a million followers on TikTok where they educate and entertain using comedy, history, beauty, and storytelling
• Chelazon is an active public speaker who often works on mental health campaigns, partnering with Health Canada, the Government of Saskatchewan, and the Treaty Commissioner of Saskatchewan, and others

“I’m the auntie here to snag your uncles.”

Gisèle Lullaby Age: 33 (Montréal, Que.)

Pronouns: she/her in drag; he/him out of drag

Instagram: @gisele_lullaby

Tik Tok: @giselelullaby

Facebook: GiseleLullaby01

Things to know about Gisèle Lullaby  

• Gisèle is one of the leading resident queens at the famous Cabaret Mado in Montréal
• She designs, sews and styles most of her own wigs
• With a bold personality, Gisèle is funny, loud, talkative, and has shared the stage with Quebéc superstar Marie-Mai

“I was born to be a drag queen.”

Halal Bae Age: 33 (Toronto, Ont.)

Pronouns: she/her in drag; he/him/they out of drag

Twitter: @thehalalqueen

Instagram: @halal.bae

 Things to know about Halal Bae

• Halal Bae is of Egyptian/Palestinian descent and moved to Toronto at 18 to pursue an openly queer life
• Halal’s connection to her North African/ Middle Eastern Muslim background is heavily infused into her drag, and she’s proud of how she uses her roots to represent a side of queer identity that is often overlooked and oppressed
• She has been involved in a number of events including fundraisers for HIV awareness and queer immigrant initiatives

“Halal represents the intersectionality that shapes great cities across this country, that is often overlooked and marginalized, creating a space for and adding to a larger conversation about who can do drag and hopefully changing some minds along the way.”

Irma Gerd Age: 32 (St. John’s, N.L.)

Pronouns: she/her in drag; they/them out of drag

Twitter: @queenirmagerd

Instagram: @queen.irmagerd

TikTok: @queen.irmagerd

Things to know about Irma Gerd

• Irma is currently the reigning Atlantic Drag Star, a competition that brings together drag artists in Eastern Canada
• She has produced and hosted many shows with her house of six drag children
• Irma is a trained artist and won the BMO 1^st Art Award, representing Newfoundland and Labrador at their national exhibition

“Drag is a way for me to connect with people through humour. I can’t wait to tickle everybody’s funny bone…and not just on Grindr!”

Jada Shada Hudson Age: 37 (Toronto, Ont.)

Pronouns: she/her in drag; he/him out of drag

Twitter: @jadashada

Instagram: @jadashadahudson

TikTok: @jadashadahudson

Things to know about Jada Shada Hudson

• Jada came to Canada from Barbados in 2009, and has been performing drag for 13 years
• In 2019, Jada was a performer for music superstar Lizzo’s pre-show
• Jada’s previous TV credits include the Crave Original series 1 QUEEN 5 QUEERS and QUEENS

“I didn’t choose drag, drag chose me, and I am so happy it did…Jada Shada Hudson is that strength and confidence I don’t have when I am my regular self and baby is she POWERFUL. The power to make any audience, any ages fall in love with not only her performances but that loving bubbly personality as well. Watch out world, the turnup queen is taking over the scene. And that’s on what? PERIODT.”

Kaos Age: 27 (Calgary, Alta.)

Pronouns: she/her/they/them in drag; he/him/they out of drag

Twitter: @thekaosofjesilo

Instagram: @thekaosofjesilo

TikTok: @thekaosofjesilo

Things to know about Kaos

• Kaos likes to mess with gender, and mess with people’s heads, using the art of drag
• Her art includes dancing, gymnastics, singing, circus performance, and whatever weird things comes to her mind
• Kaos’ badass energy and dedication to her art is an inspiration for many up-and-coming performers

“My drag is chaotic and I’m the beautiful disaster.”

Kimmy Couture Age: 25 (Ottawa, Ont.)

Pronouns: she/her/they/them in and out of drag

Twitter: @itskimmy_1

Instagram: @itskimmy_1

TikTok: @itskimmycouture

Things to know about Kimmy Couture

• Kimmy immigrated to Canada in 2012 from the Philippines and won her first drag pageant at the age of 13
• Kimmy is a trans woman and is a lip sync assassin with deadly dance moves, she is a strong advocate for the transgender and Asian communities
• She has become one of the top drag artists in Ottawa, having been mentored by CANADA’S DRAG RACE Season 2 winner Icesis Couture

“She is a Queen, her soul is Royalty.”

Lady Boom Boom Age: 25 (Montréal, Que.)

Pronouns: she/her in drag; no preference out of drag

Twitter: @ladyboomboom8

Instagram: @itsladyboomboom

TikTok: @ladyboomboom

Things to know about Lady Boom

• Lady Boom Boom has a degree in Clothing Conception and Production
• She got a tattoo on stage to honour her grandmother
• She is a regular at Le Drague in Québec City where she has hosted and performed since she was 18

“I didn’t choose to do drag, drag chose me.”

Miss Fiercalicious Age: 25 (Toronto, Ont.)

Pronouns: she/her in drag; he/him/they out of drag

Twitter: @fiercalicious

Instagram: @missfiercalicious

TikTok: @missfiercalicious

Things to know about Miss Fiercalicious

• In University, Miss Fiercalicious studied biology with the aim of becoming a doctor, she ultimately left school when she found drag to focus solely on her new passion
• She was featured in Lights’ music video for the song Prodigal Daughter
• Miss Fiercalicious is one of the few Canadian drag artists to be featured in Cosmopolitan’s Cosmo Queen Series 

“There has never been a queen like me on CANADA’S DRAG RACE. I’m not like other girls. I’m worse.”

Miss Moço Age: 35 (Toronto, Ont.)

Pronouns: she/her in drag; he/him out of drag

Twitter: @heymissmoco

Instagram: @missmoco

TikTok: @heymissmoco

 Things to know about Miss Moço

• Miss Moço is Toronto’s Portuguese-Canadian international wig snatching diva, serving legs and face for days
• In 2017, she started her own drag pageant called Miss Drag Lisboa in Lisbon, Portugal and flies back every year to produce and host the event
• She’s the self-appointed “drag brunch queen of Toronto” with her weekly Sunday drag brunch at the fabulous Gladstone House

“I’ve dreamed about being on CANADA’S DRAG RACE since Season 1 was announced and it feels incredible to be able to check this off as one of many amazing drag experiences I look forward to creating.”

Vivian Vanderpuss Age: 29 (Victoria, B.C.)

Pronouns: she/her in drag; he/him out of drag

Instagram: @vivianvanderpuss

TikTok: @vivianvanderpuss

 Things to know about Vivian Vanderpuss

• Vivian loves styling her own wigs into all sorts of fabulous vintage styles, and enjoys creating looks out of fabulous vintage finds
• Her self-described “glampy art and vivacious personality” combined with her genuine spirit always brings a smile to people’s faces
• In drag, Vivian doesn’t always present as female, she also plays with non-binary and hyper king characters

“To me, drag is about feeling the fantasy, whatever that fantasy is.”

(Photo/video credit: Crave)

#GIVEAWAY: ENTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN ADVANCE PASSES TO SEE “MINIONS: THE RISE OF GRU”

Universal Pictures Canada x Mr. Will want to give Readers a chance to win Advance Passes to see MINIONS: THE RISE OF GRU.

Advance screenings will be held Monday, June 27, 2022 in:

Toronto: Cineplex Queensway at 7 PM
Montreal: Scotiabank Theatre at 7 pm
Vancouver: Cineplex International Village at 7 pm

Synopsis:

In the heart of the 1970s, amid a flurry of feathered hair and flared jeans, Gru (Oscar® nominee Steve Carell) is growing up in the suburbs. A fanboy of a supervillain supergroup known as the Vicious 6, Gru hatches a plan to become evil enough to join them. Luckily, he gets some mayhem-making backup from his loyal followers, the Minions. Together, Kevin, Stuart, Bob, and Otto—a new Minion sporting braces and a desperate need to please—deploy their skills as they and Gru build their first lair, experiment with their first weapons and pull off their first missions.

When the Vicious 6 oust their leader, legendary fighter Wild Knuckles (Oscar® winner Alan Arkin), Gru interviews to become their newest member. It doesn’t go well (to say the least), and only gets worse after Gru outsmarts them and suddenly finds himself the mortal enemy of the apex of evil. On the run, Gru will turn to an unlikely source for guidance, Wild Knuckles himself, and discover that even bad guys need a little help from their friends.

Teeming with Illumination’s signature subversive humor, pop-culture sophistication, full-hearted emotion, bold music sensibility, and over-the-top action, Minions: The Rise of Gru features a thrilling new cast of stars, including, as members of the Vicious 6, Taraji P. Henson as cool and confident leader Belle Bottom, Jean-Claude Van Damme as Jean Clawed, Lucy Lawless as Nunchuck, Dolph Lundgren as Svengeance and Danny Trejo as Stronghold. The film also features Russell Brand as Dr. Nefario, an aspiring mad scientist, Michelle Yeoh as Master Chow, an acupuncturist with mad Kung Fu skills, and Oscar® winner Julie Andrews as Gru’s maddeningly self-absorbed mom.

Steered by the franchise’s original creators, Minions: The Rise of Gru is produced by visionary Illumination founder and CEO Chris Meledandri and his longtime collaborators Janet Healy and Chris Renaud. The film is directed by returning franchise filmmaker Kyle Balda (Despicable Me 3, Minions), co-directed by Brad Ableson (The Simpsons) and Jonathan del Val (The Secret Life of Pets films), and features the iconic voice of Pierre Coffin as the Minions and a killer ʼ70s soundtrack courtesy of legendary Grammy-winning music producer Jack Antonoff.

To enter for a chance to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK and indicate your City there. RT the below for an extra chance!

Enter for a chance to win Advance Passes to see MINIONS: THE RISE OF GRU in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver.

How: https://t.co/Q2vzsJ6oP8 pic.twitter.com/sBK45BrTaW

— MR. WILL WONG 📸 (@mrwillw) June 15, 2022

Rules and regulations here.

Universal Pictures Canada release Minions: The Rise of Gru in theaters July 1, 2022.

(Photo/video credit: Universal Pictures Canada)

#FIRSTLOOK: NEW STILLS FROM “STRANGER THINGS 4, VOLUME 2”

A super-sized conclusion to STRANGER THINGS 4, Volume 2 is coming our way, with Episodes 8 and 9 totaling a whopping four hours! Here’s your first look at some new Stills.

Synopsis:

It’s been six months since the Battle of Starcourt, which brought terror and destruction to Hawkins. Struggling with the aftermath, our group of friends are separated for the first time – and navigating the complexities of high school hasn’t made things any easier. In this most vulnerable time, a new and horrifying supernatural threat surfaces, presenting a gruesome mystery that, if solved, might finally put an end to the horrors of the Upside Down.

Since its release in 2016, the global phenomenon Stranger Things has garnered over 65 award wins and 175 award nominations, including those from the Emmys, Golden Globes, Grammys, SAG, DGA, PGA, WGA, BAFTA, a Peabody Award, AFI Program of the Year, the People’s Choice Awards, MTV Movie & TV Awards, Teen Choice Awards, and many others. The three-time Emmy Award Nominee for Best Drama is one of Netflix’s most-watched titles.

Stranger Things was created by The Duffer Brothers and is produced by Monkey Massacre Productions & 21 Laps Entertainment. The Duffer Brothers serve as executive producers on the series, alongside Shawn Levy and Dan Cohen of 21 Laps Entertainment, Iain Paterson, and Curtis Gwinn.

Episodes 8 and 9 of STRANGER THINGS 4, Volume 2 arrive July 1, 2022 on Netflix.

(Photo/video credit: Netflix)

#FIRSTLOOK: NEW TRAILER FOR “PERSUASION” STARRING DAKOTA JOHNSON

A new adaptation of Jane Austen‘s PERSUASION is on its way starring Dakota Johnson and Henry Golding. Need I say more? SOLD. See the new Trailer below.  Carrie Cracknell directs.

Synopsis:

Living with her snobby family on the brink of bankruptcy, Anne Elliot is an unconforming woman with modern sensibilities. When Frederick Wentworth—the dashing one she once sent away—crashes back into her life, Anne must choose between putting the past behind her or listening to her heart when it comes to second chances. Adapted from the Jane Austen novel.

CAST: Dakota Johnson, Cosmo Jarvis, Richard E. Grant, Henry Golding, Nikki Amuka-Bird, Mia McKenna-Bruce, Ben Bailey-Smith, Yolanda Kettle, Nia Towle, Izuka Hoyle

Netflix release PERSUASION July 15, 2022.

(Photo/video credit: Netflix)

#FIRSTLOOK: JUST FOR LAUGHS TORONTO 2022 LINEUP ANNOUNCED

Mindblowing! The lineup for the 2022 Just for Laughs Toronto Festival have just been announced! The Festival brought to us by Beneva and SiriusXM, fully returns in-person after a brief hiatus and runs September 22 to October 1, 2022. You won’t believe the names this year! Headliners like Amy Schumer, Pete Davidson, John Mulaney, Trevor Noah, Issa Rae, Trixie & Katya, and several more! It isn’t just Comedy Shows though. There will be Panels, Podcasts, Autograph and Photo Sessions too! Toronto deserves this!

Headliners:

Trevor Noah: Back to Abnormal World Tour – Friday, September 30 & Saturday, October 1, 2022 | Scotiabank Arena | 8:00 PM & 7:30 PM

John Mulaney: From Scratch – Thursday, September, 22 2022 | Scotiabank Arena | 8:00 PM

Amy Schumer: Whore Tour – Friday, September, 23 2022 | Coca-Cola Coliseum| 7:00 PM

Trixie & Katya Live – Friday, September 23, 2022 | Meridian Hall I 7:00 PM

Iliza Shlesinger: Back in Action – Saturday, October 1, 2022 | Meridian Hall I 7:00 PM

Ben Schwartz & Friends – Sunday, September 25, 2022 | Meridian Hall I 7:00 PM

Mike Birbiglia: The Old Man and the Pool – Thursday, September 29, 2022 – Saturday, October 1, 2022 I Meridian Hall I 7:00 PM & 9:30 PM

Tim Dillon – Friday, September 30, 2022 | Meridian Hall | 7:00 PM

Deon Cole – Saturday, September 24, 2022 | Meridian Hall | 7:00 PM

ComedyCon Headliners:

In Conversation with Issa Rae – Saturday, September 24, 2022 | Meridian Hall I 1:00 PM

In Conversation with Pete Davidson – Sunday, September 25, 2022 | Meridian Hall I 3:30 PM

Lineup:

*performance dates vary for Artists below

Vir Das

Marc Maron

Amanda Seales

Maria Bamford

Neal Brennan

Not Another D&D Podcast

ALOK

Catherine Cohen

Rhys Nicholson

Melissa Villaseñor

Joel Kim Booster

Beth Stelling

Atsuko Okatsuka

Kurt Braunohler

Ivan Decker

Got Land?

Sophie Buddle

Randy Feltface

Ali Hassan

Mark Little

Emmy Blotnick

Laurie Kilmartin

Matt Richards

Marito Lopez

Dino Archie

Dakota Ray Hebert

Mike Rita

Al Val & Allie Pearse

Courtney Gilmour & Hisham Kelati

Moe Ismail & Juliana Rodrigues

Ola Dada & Ben Sosa Wright

Absolute Comedy

Yuk Yuk’s

The Second City

Nothing Fancy

ComedyCON 2022 Lineup

With 50+ more acts to be announced in August!

For full show details, artist bios and photos, visit the official Just For Laughs TORONTO website here.

Additional programming for the upcoming Just For Laughs TORONTO Festival will be revealed in the coming weeks.

TICKET DETAILS:

Passes will be available starting Friday, June 10, 2022 as of 10:00 AM at www.toronto.hahaha.com

Tickets will be available to the public as of Friday, June 17, 2022 as of 10:00 AM at www.toronto.hahaha.com

Festival passes range from $69 to $209 CDN (excluding service charges). Single tickets range from $29.50 to $69.50 CDN (excluding service charges)

Lineup subject to change.