#SPOTTED: MARY J. BLIGE IN TORONTO FOR “THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY”

Based on Gerard Way‘s (My Chemical Romance) Comic Book Series, Netflix’s The Umbrella Academy quietly has been filming in and around Toronto since January. Set in the late ’70s, it takes place in an alternate universe where John F. Kennedy never was assassinated and centers on a team of dysfunctional superheroes who come together to solve their father’s death. They also must not let their clashing personalities get in the way and destroy everything.

The Series stars Ellen Page, Tom Hopper, Robert Sheehan, Emmy Raver-Lampman, David Castañeda and child actor Aidan Gallagher. Recent double Oscar-nominee Mary J. Blige also was added to the cast recently and we spotted her arriving on-set. Blige was last in Toronto for the TIFF ’17 Premiere of Mudbound.

Written into the Series, her character Cha Cha  is said to be an unorthodox woman who can travel in time to kill targets. Filming in the City’s Dundas West area, she was spotted in a suit and bob with bangs like a Femme Fatale. She was seen with two friends/handlers enjoying a quiet pizza lunch to the sounds of Stevie Wonder at Pizza Libretto before heading back to work. One onlooker says she saw a friend scope out the restaurant before having Blige enter and she sat facing the window the entire meal.

The Set has been extremely protective of this Series, barring fans from seeing talent even out of costume. We’re really curious to see why the secrecy. Hmm…

 

See a quick clip of Blige:

 

 

See some Snaps:

#TBT: Meeting double-Oscar nominee #MaryJBlige who currently is back in #Toronto filming #UmbrellaAcademy. 🌂 📸: @steve_s2001

A post shared by Mr. Will Wong 🏮 (@mrwillwong) on Mar 15, 2018 at 11:11am PDT

The Umbrella Academy wraps in July 2018.

 

(Photo credit: S. Fernandez/Netflix/Mr. Will Wong)