I’ll be the first to admit that 2013 has been a lackluster year for Productions in Toronto and it pains me to see the Films which our Friends in Vancouver and Montreal have been seeing, with an explosive amount of Star Power.  That being said, I was thrilled to hear that the brilliant Mia Wasikowska would be among the Talent in the City filming this Summer.  After seeing her at TIFF 2011, I was disappointed I never got my moment to meet her and the scheduling just didn’t align.

I will be the first to say I  legitimately am an ardent Fan of the Australian-born Actress, whom we’ve come to know from her work in critical successes like Tim Burton‘s Alice in Wonderland, The Kids are All Right, Lawless, Jane Eyre, Albert Nobbs and more recently Park Chan- Wook‘s amazing Stoker. Wasikowska firmly has stamped her place among Hollywood’s next batch of A-Listers and she easily is one of my favourite young Actresses.

I spotted the Actress out and about tonight getting Take-out Italian after a long day on-set and she was absolutely gracious and lovely, despite surely wanting to head home in this ridiculous heat and humidity we’ve been facing.  The Actress was spotted last week by Paparazzi with her Boyfriend Jesse Eisenberg in town and it melts my heart knowing how happy she is right now in love!  We chatted with Eisenberg recently on a Press Day in Toronto and he was just awesome!

Wasikowska currently is filming David Cronenberg‘s Drama, Maps to the Stars in the City up till mid-August.  It is said that she has a fair amount of scenes with Co-Star Robert Pattinson who is believed already to be in Toronto.

See our Snap:

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

It all began 32 years ago and a Lemonade Stand in Memphis. Best Friends Justin Timberlake and Trace Ayala would begin a Business Partnership which would go on to last and develop into a Fashion Empire. William Rast, was inspired by the Duo’s Grandfathers, it being an amalgamation of their names.

Timberlake who is playing Rogers Centre tomorrow night with Jay-Z, took some time out of his busy schedule to introduce the Fashion Line along with Ayala before a packed house of Fans at The Bay – Queen Street today, 45 minutes later than scheduled. “This is the hottest place in the World!”, says the Pop Megastar/Actor. “I was expecting Toronto to be cold in July!”.

William Rast gets its introduction to Canadians at several The Bay stores across Canada this Fall with over 80 Men’s and Women’s Pieces available.  Despite its roots being in Denim, the Line has expanded to dressy-casual looks. Entering and exiting via a Loading Dock, Timberlake was inaccessible to Fans and Autograph Seekers as traffic was stopped on Richmond Street for seven minutes while awaiting their drive out the Retailer’s Parkade.

See a Clip of Ayala, Timberlake and CTV‘s Traci Melchor chatting at the Event:

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)

Although we don’t know for sure, I’m almost certain this will be at TIFF ’13 this September as it would be the perfect Launching Pad for its Oscar Campaign. Everything about the Drama 12 Years a Slave says Awards and a brand new Trailer just surfaced today for it!  How can we resist the Canadian connection this Story and above all, Brad Pitt playing one of us?

Official Synopsis:

12 YEARS A SLAVE is based on an incredible true Story of one Man’s fight for survival and freedom. In the pre-Civil War United States, Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a free black man from upstate New York, is abducted and sold into slavery. Facing cruelty (personified by a malevolent Slave Owner, portrayed by Michael Fassbender) as well as unexpected kindnesses, Solomon struggles not only to stay alive, but to retain his dignity. In the twelfth year of his unforgettable odyssey, Solomon’s chance meeting with a Canadian Abolitionist (Brad Pitt) forever alters his life.

Solomon Northrup Day celebrates its 15th Anniversary on Saturday, July 20, 2013.

The Drama also stars: Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Dano, Garret Dillahunt, Paul Giamatti, Scoot McNairy, Lupita Nyong’o, Adepero Oduye, Sarah Paulson, Michael Kenneth Williams, Alfre Woodard, Chris Chalk, Taran Killam and Bill Camp; Steve McQueen directs.

Watch the Trailer below:

Fox Searchlight releases 12 Years a Slave on October 18, 2013.

(Photo/video credit: Fox Searchlight)

Earlier in the year we heard brand new music from Skylar Grey and we could not contain our excitement about the Eminem-produced Singer/Songwriter. You already know that voice from Diddy‘s Coming Home and you know her Grammy-nominated Songwriting from Eminem and Rihanna‘s Love the Way You Lie.  But do you know HER?

The 27-year-old is in town promoting her Universal Music Canada Debut Don’t Look Down, released just last Tuesday. On her hectic itinerary this morning were TV Stop-offs at CP 24 Breakfast, City‘s Breakfast Television and Global‘s The Morning Show (National Edition).

Fans waiting at each Stop uniformly praised her as being super-nice and I must agree that even in her Starbucks-induced awakeness, she was super-awesome. “I’m probably not going to be on stage till after 9:30 so come check out my Show tonight!”, she says on her El Mocambo Concert this evening.

In the meantime, check out Grey‘s new Single Wear Me Out below:

See our Snap:

Order Don’t Look Down on iTunes here.

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong/Video credit: Universal Music Canada)

They’re here! After word broke out that a Poltergeist Remake was in development, many of us had our opinions about the matter. Being a Critical and Box Office success earning $121 million, which back in 1982 was a huge deal, the Horror also is not without its share of controversy, with Child Actor Heather O’Rourke who starred in the iconic role of Carol Anne Freeling, having passed away under sudden circumstances at the age of 12.  It will be interesting to see who will be brave enough to take on her role, with a dark cloud of intrigue surrounding it.  In total, the famed “Poltergeist Curse” took the lives of four Cast members during the six years it took to complete the Trilogy.

Originally produced by Steven Spielberg, Sam Raimi will be taking the reins this time around as Poltergeist films in Toronto between September through December. Gil Kenan (Monster House) directs, while David Lindsay-Abaire (Oz The Great and Powerful) writes the Screenplay.  It is said the Story will go through several modernizations and instead of the role Medium Tangina (Zelda Rubinstein) reprised, a team of Supernatural Experts instead will be introduced in this Remake.  Filming is set to take place at Pinewood Studios in Toronto.

Just writing this Post absolutely terrifies me, Poltergeist being one of the few Films I absolutely cannot watch alone!

20th Century Fox will be distributing the Remake, set to be released in 2014. Casting details to come…

(Photo credit: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer)

Soulful New York-born Singer/Songwriter Gavin DeGraw already has sold over a million Albums worldwide and he is back and ready to release his fifth studio Disc. After some setbacks suffering a random vicious attack in 2011 while touring in support of his amazing fourth Album Sweeter, he is back on track supporting Adult Contemporary Radio Staple Train.  He took time out to promote his powerful and sweeping new Single, Best I Ever Had this morning.

DeGraw, who is known for major Hits like Chariot, I Don’t Want to Be and Not Over You, appeared early today at 98.1 CHFI with Hosts Darryl Henry & Julie James, doing a live Performance and Interview.  Later he head over to the Global Television‘s The Morning Show (National Edition) to chat about the new Track.

Back in October 2011, I had the pleasure of chatting with DeGraw (read here) and he is just as amazing in-person as he was over the phone, delivering a great, welcoming vibe.  Definitely one of the best Interviews I ever had (pardon the pun)!  Above this, his Team was amazingly nice, his Handler seeing me with a copy of my Sweeter CD, immediately coming over to fetch it and bring it in.  “Gavin loves taking Photos with his Fans, but he’ll be a while. I’ll bring this in to get signed for you anyway!”, I was instructed.  I’ve met many famous People, but rarely do I ever get that level of kindness.

When a scruffier DeGraw did come out he was just wonderful, extending a handshake and taking time to chat about release plans for his next CD, telling me that it will be out in September, before heading over to Starbucks by foot on Bloor Street.  He even played with Billy for a bit – all this, while letting his Bandmates and Handler take the SUV.  It was a bit surreal waiting at the stop light looking back over my shoulder, seeing him walk right behind me!  Love this Guy – so incredibly down-to-earth!

Acclaimed British Actress Olivia Williams is among the Talent currently in Toronto filming David Cronenberg‘s latest Drama, Maps to the Stars.  Tonight we spotted her returning back from a weekend Getaway at Lake Muskoka, impressively driving herself in her rented car, two hours outside the City.  She was extremely lovely and humble, excusing her appearance not having any make-up on, before snapping a Photo graciously. Surely you will agree the Star of Films like Hanna, An Education, The Sixth Sense and upcoming Seventh Son, is absolutely stunning even without being made-up?

The Film, which just began production recently, already has seen several Members of its Principal Cast in town including John Cusack, Julianne Moore and Mia Wasikowska, who had the Tabloids and Entertainment Shows busy after she was spotted kissing Boyfriend Jesse Eisenberg last week here in the City.  Robert Pattinson Fans have been awaiting updates anxiously about his arrival and the Twilight Star still has yet to be seen in Toronto.

Maps to the Stars, is said to be a scathing look at Hollywood’s relationship with Western Culture, filming in Toronto till mid-August.

See our Snap below:

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong/Mongrel Media)

For the second week in-a-row, Universal Pictures’ Despicable Me 2 lands on-top of the Box Office after opening on-top in its debut.  It earns $44.7 million this weekend, for a two-week total of $225 million for Universal Pictures domestically from 4,003 theatres.

Sometimes it’s just not about Special F/X or the best Reviews for that matter when it comes to winning Moviegoers’ hearts.  Case in point, Audiences opted for Comedy and familiar faces, making Grown Ups 2 number two for Sony Pictures, earning a strong $42.5 million in its debut. The follow-up to the 2010 Comedy reunites Chris Rock, Kevin James, David Spade and Adam Sandler once again, earning a lackluster 7% on the Tomatometer.  Audiences gave it a B CinemaScore, however which won’t hurt its word-of-mouth buzz.  Made for $80 million, it should have no problems paying its own bill. By comparison, its Predecessor debuted with $40 million, this latest Installment besting it slightly.

Pacific Rim debuts at third with solid reviews for Warner Bros., earning $38.3 million domestically.  The Film, made in Toronto for a budget of $185 million is still expanding overseas, where it is expected to perform strongly, opening in the Top Two in the UK, Russia, Korea and Mexico, among others.  Audiences gave it an A CinemaScore, while Critics gave the Guillermo del Toro Monsters vs. Robots Flick 72% on the Tomatometer.

20th Century Fox’s The Heat slips to fourth this weekend in its third week of release, with $14 million, now earning over $111 million domestically, just ahead of The Lone Ranger with $11.1 million in fifth for Disney.  World War Z slips to seventh with $9.4 million for Paramount Pictures, while Man of Steel rounds-out the Top Ten with $4.8 million for Warner Bros. in its fifth week.

Although it still has yet to open in Canada, Sundance Favourite, Fruitvale Station, gets a timely limited release in the U.S. with the Trayvon Martin Trial verdict having been decided, earning $377k from just seven theatres.  The Oscar Hopeful opens in Toronto on July 26, 2013.

You know him from OZ, G.I. Joe: Rise of  Cobra and The Bourne Identity, but can you pronounce his name?  British Model/Actor Adewale (pronounced “ah-day-wah-lay“) Akinnuoye-Agbaje currently is in Toronto, just completing filming for Paul W.S. Anderson‘s Pompeii, in which he stars alongside Kit Harington. The Action/Adventure set during the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, centers on a Man who must return home to Naples to save his Lover and also his  Best Friend, who is trapped within the City’s Coliseum.   The Film is set to hit theatres February 21, 2014.

Some sharp eyes were able to spot Adewale, looking sharp in a pair of red jeans and a top which showed the elaborate tattoos on his incredibly defined arms.  The Actor who formerly aspired to be a Lawyer, was gracious to stop to pose for Photos outside the Diesel Store in Yorkville, accompanied by a Friend who assisted in giving him Fashion pointers, such as layering.

Follow Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje on Twitter here. He next can be seen this November n the upcoming Sequel to Thor as Algrim.

See our Snap below:

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

He was only 31.  Calgary-born Singer/Actor Cory Monteith passed away earlier this evening at his Hotel in Vancouver and although the circumstances surrounding his death still are to be confirmed upon test results, many are stating it may be drug-related.  The Actor in March this year admitted himself to a Treatment Facility for Substance Abuse.  At the age of 19, Monteith had undergone treatment for the same reason.  He had been dating Glee Co-Star Lea Michele at the time of his death.

I had the pleasure of meeting Monteith back in November 2010 when he was in town to host the Gemini Awards.  I can say without hesitation he was the kindest of his Cast Mates and made me proud to be a Canadian.  Never in a million years would I have guessed his time would come this soon.  I am heartbroken.  Read about my experience with him here.

My sincerest condolences to Monteith‘s Friends and Family.

Our Photo together:

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)