Terribly sad news.  Larry Hagman, Star of culturally-significant TV Series Dallas and I Dream of Jeannie, passed away due to complications from Throat Cancer.  The Actor who turned 81 this past September, also suffered from Cirrhosis and passed away yesterday at Medical City Dallas Hospital.  He is survived by his Wife Maj and two Children, Heidi and Preston.

I spotted Hagman leaving Toronto last Summer following an appearance at Fan Expo and although I recall Fans and myself approaching him for a Photo, he appeared disinterested at the time, meeting-up with his Jeannie Co-Star Barbara Eden at the the Gate, prior to boarding their flight back to Los Angeles.  I did however, manage to snap the above Photo, the last known Snap of him in the City.

I have nothing but fond Childhood memories of watching Dallas on Friday nights and Jeannie in the day during Summer Breaks.  Hagman to me will be remembered as being the Villain I loved to love, forever immortalized through his fine work as J.R. Ewing.

See another Snap I took of Hagman and Eden together, below:

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

Girls! Girls! Girls!  Toronto cannot get enough of them! Star of HBO’s Breakout Hit Girls, Allison Williams, will be visitng Toronto on December 4, 2012 to promote both the upcoming second Season of the Lena Dunham-created Series, and also the release of its first Season on DVD on December 11, 2012.  Judd Apatow who also serves as Executive Producer on that Series, coincidentally will be in the City next Monday to promote his Oscar Contender, This is 40 along with Wife and Star, Leslie Mann.

Williams who is the Daughter of NBC Anchor, Brian Williams and also a Graduate of Yale and former Miss West Virginia, stars as Marnie in the Series and is scheduled to do a variety of Press and also an In-Conversation-With hosted by our beloved Friend Shinan Govani, in the east-end of the City during her Visit.  I definitely will be there to bring Highlights of the Evening and couldn’t be more thrilled with the Series rapidly becoming a personal Fave!

(Photo credit: HBO)

How do you deny an Icon?  I have loved Cher since time and always get a little excited to hear new Music from her.  Always with-the-times, she beat-out the likes of Pirate Bay and Media Share Walls by leaking premiering her brand new Single Woman’s World first via her website to Fans who input their E-mail Addresses on her Database. Paul Oakenfold produces and he’s been rather quiet of late in the Mainstream since Madonna‘s Celebration.

Melodically this not Cher‘s strongest, but her legions of Gay Fans and empowered Women will have a hot, sweaty time on the Dancefloor with this.  Curious to hear what else is on this forthcoming new Disc from Warner Music…

Download the Single guilt-free on Cher‘s Official Website here.

(Photo/video credit: Warner Music)

This frickin‘ killed me!  Right in-time for its release today, Jennifer Lawrence visited The Ellen DeGeneres Show and admitted that her Mom recently stole her Oscars Ballot, voted and mailed it in.  Fortunately enough, Lawrence‘s Mom mailed it to the wrong address and it got returned to Sender.  On whether or not she agreed with her Mom’s choices, Lawrence replied, “Uh.. no.”. Lawrence who despite being nominated for an Oscar for her work in 2010 Drama Winter’s Bone, only recently was inducted into the Academy.

Of course there is tons of Oscar buzz already for 22-year-old Lawrence who portrays a young Woman with Bipolar Tendencies in the hilarious new Comedy from David O. Russell (The Fighter), alongside Bradley Cooper.  Currently still working on The Hunger Games Sequel Catching Fire in Atlanta, Lawrence was just in Toronto this past September for TIFF, where Silver Linings Playbook premiered to warm reception, winning the People’s Choice Award.

See a couple Snaps I got of the current Brunette here and here.

Read my Review of Silver Linings Playbook here.

(Photo credit: Warner Bros.)

“Why can’t I connect with people?  Oh right, it’s because I’m dead.”.

Delightfully-quirky and based on the Novel of the same name by Isaac Marion, Warm Bodies is the latest effort from 50/50 Director/Screenwriter, Jonathan Levine. The Romantic Comedy-Horror stars Nicholas Hoult (About a Boy, A Single Man) and Breakout Stars Dave Franco (21 Jump Street), Analeigh Tipton (Crazy, Stupid, Love.) and Teresa Palmer (I Am Number Four). 

Montreal-filmed Warm Bodies centers around a Zombie known as R (Hoult), becomes involved with the Girlfriend (Palmer) of one of his Victims, quite possibly changing forever the world of the non-living.

Although the Young Adult/Teen Fantasy Genre increasingly is becoming crowded in 2013 with the upcoming releases of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Beautiful Creatures and The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, this Film carves its own niche with walk on the funny and wild side and who better to helm this than Levine who brought us to laughter and tears with 2011 Cancer Comedy 50/50.  This looks to be the right mixture of sweet and salty.

Watch the charming and gory Trailer below:

“We don’t need to be friends… we’re family.”.

Creepy. Stoker borders uncomfortable territory in an emotionally-charged Triangle between widowed Mother Evie (Nicole Kidman), Daughter India (Mia Wasikowska) and Uncle Charlie (Matthew Goode) who surfaces out of nowhere. India begins to suspect that Charlie‘s sudden arrival may have been triggered by ulterior motives, as the three of them become increasingly close to one another.

Chan-Wook Park (Old Boy) directs this rather awesome looking Thriller which before today wasn’t even on many of our radars. And get this, Prison Break Star Wentworth Miller, who worked together with Kidman on 2003’s The Human Stain, writes the Screenplay!

Watch the gripping Trailer below:

Fox Searchlight releases on March 1, 2013.

(Photo/video credit: Fox Searchlight)

Canada’s Finest were honoured tonight at Roy Thomson Hall, where the 23rd Annual SOCAN Awards Gala was held.  The Gala honours the Country’s most prolific Songwriters, Composers, Lyricists and Music Publishers in the following Genres: Pop/Rock, Dance, Urban, Country, Jazz, Folk/Roots, Classical and Film & Television. Appearing tonight were the likes of Jacob Hoggard (Hedley), Dragonette, Alyssa Reid, Kristina Maria, JRDN, Danny Fernandes, Fefe Dobson, Alyssa Reid and more.  CTV‘s Seamus O’Reagan hosted the Event.

Receiving top honours were three v. prolific Canadian Musicians who have gained much respect abroad: deadmau5 (International Achievement Award), Trooper (National Achievement Award) and Bruce Cockburn (Lifetime Achievement Award) – the latter also who was honoured with a fittingly-legendary Tribute by Royal Wood, Serena Ryder and Hawksley Workman.  Members of Trooper and Cockburn were present to accept their Awards.

Although unable to attend, prolific names like Michael Bublé, Johnny Reid and K’Naan each received Songwriting Awards for their Hits Hollywood, Let’s Go Higher and The Lazy Song, respectively.  On-hand to accept Awards in that same Category were JRDN (Like Magic) and Neil Sanderson of Three Days Grace (Lost in You). Dragonette‘s Martina Sorbara was the deserving Winner of  the Dance Music Award for her Collaboration with Martin Solveig, Hello.

Learn more about SOCAN here.

(Photo credit: Kara Maclean/Touchwood PR)

Look who I spotted on the way home!  Women (and Men) of all ages have fawned over Rob Lowe‘s handsome looks and gleaming Screen Presence. I know I have, at least! LOL  The Star of Parks and Recreation, The West Wing, Brothers and Sisters and era-defining Flicks  like St. Elmo’s Fire, Class and Youngblood, certainly is no Stranger to Toronto having filmed 2011 Hockey Comedy Breakaway here and having come back to support its Premiere at TIFF that year.

Work however, once again was Lowe‘s reason for visit as he was called upon to play hosting duties for the P&G Beauty & Grooming Awards held at The Carlu tonight, honouring the best in Canada’s Beauty and Grooming Industry.  Believe me, he drove the Ladies crazy tonight judging by some of the Tweets under the Hashtag #PGAwards and above this, it was revealed that Lowe‘s Wife Sheryl Berkoff, actually is a Makeup Artist too, with the Award for that particular Category holding a place close to his heart.

I was lucky enough to catch Lowe just as he was leaving the Event and heading into his Denali.  As expected, he was v. nice and game for a quick Photo and fortunately, I had just enough battery left of my Phone to snap it. A little blurry, but it’ll do!

Read more about the Awards here.

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

In supporting of their upcoming Oscar-contending Comedy This is 40, brilliant Comedy Powerhouse Judd Apatow and amazingly-talented Actress/Wife Leslie Mann will be making a Visit to Toronto on Monday, November 26, 2012.  The Power-Couple will be appearing at an Evening of Conversation organized by the Canadian Film Centre, along with Partners Variety, Telefilm Canada, Just for Laughs and Universal Pictures.

This is 40 follows the lives of Pete (Paul Rudd) and Debbie (Mann), whom we got to know and love in Knocked Up.  Also starring in the eagerly-awaited Comedy is a superb Supporting Cast which includes: Lena Dunham, Melissa McCarthy, Chris O’Dowd, Albert Brooks, Megan Fox, Jason Segel and John Lithgow.

Watch the Trailer in full below:

Universal Pictures releases This is 40 on December 21, 2012.

(Photo/video credit: Universal Pictures)

Descending upon KISS 92.5 Studios at the break of dawn, The Twilight Saga Stars Charlie Bewley and Canada’s v. own Daniel Cudmore might be a bit making their way to Toronto, but better late than never we always say!  The Duo who star as members of The Volturi –  Demetri and Felix respectively- are here to promote the final Installment of the massively-successful Franchise, which grossed a near-record-breaking $141 million in North America and a whopping $340 million worldwide this past weekend in its big Debut.

Caught off-guard by the presence of Fans upon arrival, the Duo promised to take Photos following their appearance, but Fans were savvy enough to find them at an alternative exit used to avoid attention.  Bewley and Cudmore, the latter who is sporting a Mustache in support of Movember, were super-nice to stop for Group Photos on their way out the Station, en route to a busy day of Press including appearances at CityTV‘s Breakfast Television, The Marilyn Denis Show, MuchMusic‘s New.Music.Live and more!  Check-out their Interview of the Roz & Mocha Show here on their Official Website (available soon).

Bewley and Cudmore are confirmed to be surprising Fans at a Screening of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 tonight here in Toronto after 7:00 PM, as reported by KISS 92.5. Now considering that they are scheduled to appear at MuchMusic at 6:00 PM and that Scotiabank Theatre is right behind the Station…  I’m just saying… Of course, Varsity Cinemas which also is a possibility, has Showtimes around the same slot.  Regardless, good luck in catching a glimpse, Twihards!

eOne Films which distributes The Twilight Saga here in Canada, next is setting its sights on two suitable Genre-Successors to the Throne with Montreal-filmed Warm Bodies and Toronto-filmed The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones coming with big expectations in their 2013 releases.

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)