chris hadfield
#SPOTTED: TESSA VIRTUE, SCOTT MOIR, SETH ROGEN, EVAN GOLDBERG, CHRIS HADFIELD, ANDREA MARTIN, JESSIE REYEZ + MORE HONOURED AT 2018 CANADA’S WALK OF FAME GALA
Now in its 20th year, Canada’s Walk of Fame honours excellence in multiple disciplines including Arts, Business and Science. Honourees are commemorated like in Hollywood with a star on the sidewalk in Toronto’s Entertainment District, immortalizing their contributions to their native Canada and abroad. Among those celebrated at this year’s Gala, held at Sony Centre for the Performing Arts, were:
Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir (Sports & Athletics)
Andrea Martin (Arts & Entertainment)
Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg (Arts & Entertainment)
Andy Kim (Arts & Entertainment)
Col. Chris Hadfield (Science & Technology)
Jimmy Pattison (Business & Entrepreneurship)
Leonard Cohen (Legend Inductee)
Jessie Reyez was named the 2018 Allan Slaight Honour Recipient, an award given to an up-and-coming force in the music industry. Past winners include the likes of The Weeknd and Shawn Mendes, who have gone on to achieve great success internationally.
Fans and Media filled the outdoor tented Red Carpet affair, followed by a taped ceremony, which is to be broadcast on CTV at a later date in December. Several familiar Canadian faces graced the event including the likes of Jully Black, Rush, The Tenors, Marilyn Denis, Brian Mulroney, Russell Peters, The Arkells’ Max Kerman, Stella Bowles, Kurt Browning and several more.
Tessa Virtue x Scott Moir
Seth Rogen x Evan Goldberg
Chris Hadfield
Stella Bowles
Andy Kim
Jimmy Pattison
Andrea Martin x Marilyn Denis
The Arkells’ Max Kerman
Jully Black
Wendy Crewson
Jeffrey Latimer (Canada’s Walk of Fame CEO) x Rush’s Geddy Lee
We had the pleasure of chatting with the likes of honourees Evan Goldberg, Seth Rogen (starring in Disney‘s eagerly-awaited The Lion King), Scott Moir and Tessa Virtue on the carpet. We asked them about the importance of being recognized in their own homeland.
Goldberg x Rogen: “It’s much more valuable than rest of the world combined!”.
Virtue x Moir: “We love being back in Canada. It was important for us to train on Canadian soil in the leading-up to the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Games games. It’s thrilling to be back here, it’s home. It means so much more to us to be given the magnitude of what it means to be Canadian and the support we’ve received over the years. We should be giving Canadians something in return. We keep getting these honours and I wish we could give Canadians a slight glimmer of what they’ve given us.”.
We ask what they’re most excited about at the 2018 Canada’s Walk of Fame Gala.
Goldberg x Rogen: “Seeing the little ‘maple leaf’ on the ground! We don’t often get awards because of some of the things we’ve made. We get to see a version of it (gesturing to the unveiling of the star). We get to touch it, lick it and all that! We’re just the story of every Canadian boy. It’s great!”.
Virtue x Moir: “The inductees are what I’m (Moir) most excited about. I can’t believe I’m up for the same type of award as Chris Hadfield. To be in the same room. I think that’s going to be a highlight.”.
See some highlights from the Gala:
More on Canada’s Walk of Fame here.
Photography taken on the NIKON D3400
Video recorded on the Samsung S7 Plus
(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong/Julie Wright)
#EDITORSNOTE: MR. WILL’S 2013 TOP TENS!
It was a memorable year indeed! Join me as I recall some of 2013’s brightest moments in Celebrity, Film and Music with a Toronto twist! As a true Connoisseur of Pop Culture, I certainly was spoiled with several delights this year on all three fronts. Toronto witnessed what could well be the strongest years this City ever has seen in terms of Star Power. Also, as an experienced Digital Photographer of sorts, I am sharing some of my favourite Snaps taken around the City this year too. If you’re a #NOFILTER kinda Guy or Gal, I apologize! A few of them are Horse-related, spending many of my weekends at scenic Woodbine Racetrack, my fave Place since Childhood to escape and recharge from the City. Come Wongsters, let us walk down this luminous Memory Lane together!
TOP TEN SONGS OF 2013
2013 was solid for Pop Music and I was thrilled to hear a return to great, strong melodies. What a year it was for Miley Cyrus who not only wowed us with We Can’t Stop, but slayed us hard with Wrecking Ball! Coming in like a Wrecking Ball she managed to turn all eyes her way in a year which saw Albums released from some Marquee names like Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Rihanna and more. Lana Del Rey put us in a state of euphoria this Spring with her chilling Ballad for The Great Gatsby, Young & Beautiful. Flawless and timeless. Mariah Carey and Miguel provided much of the Soundtrack for my early Summer with their gorgeous Collabo #Beautiful, while Robin Thicke undisputedly had the Song of Summer 2013 with Blurred Lines. His Album of the same name easily is my favourite Disc of 2013.
1. Miley Cyrus – Wrecking Ball
2. Lana Del Rey – Young & Beautitul
3. Mariah Carey ft. Miguel – #Beautiful
4. Justin Timberlake – Mirrors
5. Miley Cyrus – We Can’t Stop
6. Robin Thicke ft. Pharrell & T.I. – Blurred Lines
7. Capital Cities – Safe and Sound
8. Katy Perry – Roar
9. Icona Pop – I Love It
10. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis – Same Love
Miley Cyrus – Wrecking Ball
TOP TEN FILMS OF 2013
I don’t recall a year in recent memory where the Films were quite as strong as this year. It is as if Filmmakers have studied critiques, knew precisely what to avoid and owned it. Time after time I’d make it out to the morning Media Screenings and just when I thought I’d seen my favourite Film of 2013, another would come along and usurp the throne. In all, AIDS Drama Dallas Buyers Club would leave the strongest imprint with Jared Leto touching the core of my soul with his phenomenal performance. 12 Years a Slave left me shaken and speechless and made it really tough to decide a Fave. Saving Mr. Banks truly affected and inspired me, moving me to tears and I could never forget Cate Blanchett‘s empathic portrayal of a Woman battling her own demons in Woody Allen‘s Blue Jasmine. And yes, I really loved Spring Breakers. James Franco is just on another level.
1. Dallas Buyers Club
2. 12 Years a Slave
3. American Hustle
4. Blue Jasmine
5. Saving Mr. Banks
6. Gravity
7. 42
8. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
9. Enough Said
10. Spring Breakers
Watch the Trailer for Dallas Buyers Club below:
TOP CELEBRITY MOMENTS
It was a good bloody amazing year. My experience in New York City seeing the Met Gala is unforgettable, as a revolving door of Celebrities came my direction. I didn’t even know which way to go or who to ask first for a Photo! TIFF ’13 brought me several amazing memories finally getting to meeting one of my favourite Actresses, Nicole Kidman – not to mention getting to meeting personal Heroes Seth McFarlane, Jim Carrey, Mike Myers, Baz Luhrmann and several more throughout the year. My ultimate Highlight however was finally after 15 tries, getting my Lady Gaga moment in November!
As seen top to bottom, left to right in the above Collage are:
Supermodel Cara Delevingne, Shoe Visionary Christian Louboutin, Actress Mia Wasikowska, Actor Jesse Eisenberg, Actor Kit Harington, Astronaut Chris Hadfield, Singer/Songwriter Lorde, Singer/Songwriter Robin Thicke, Television Personality/Actress Kelly Ripa, Domestic Goddess Martha Stewart.
Director Baz Luhrmann, Actress Emma Thompson, Singer/Actress Ariana Grande, Actress Léa Seydoux, Actress Adèle Exarchopoulos, Actress Toni Collette, Singer/Songwriter Lady Gaga, Singer Kylie Minogue, Actress Nicole Kidman, Actress/Singer Selena Gomez.
Writer/Actor Mike Myers, Comedian, Writer/Actor Seth MacFarlane, Writer/Actor Seth Meyers, Writer/Actor Jim Carrey, Actress Dakota Fanning, Actress Taylor Schilling, Singer/Songwriter/Fashion Mogul Pharrell, Television Personality/Actress Rosie O’Donnell, Kentucky Derby-winning Jockey Joel Rosario, Breeders Cup Classic-winning Jockey/Actor Gary Stevens.
Spice Girl/Actress Mel B., Actor Armie Hammer, Actress Kerry Washington, Actor Sam Rockwell, Actor Nicholas Hoult, Actor Tom Hiddleston, Actor Adam Driver, Actor Josh Brolin, Actor Daniel Radcliffe, Actress Dakota Fanning, Actor Sam Claflin, Actress Jena Malone.
TOP SNAPS
And now the ten best Photos of 2013 snapped through my lenses (Samsung Galaxy S2, Samsung Galaxy S4 and Olympus E-PL5):
I truly am blessed and can’t wait to see what 2014 has in store for us here in this sight-filled City of Tastemakers!
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
#SPOTTED: CHRIS HADFIELD IN TORONTO FOR “AN ASTRONAUT’S GUIDE TO LIFE ON EARTH”
A National Hero, an Internet Phenomenon and now an Author. Commander Chris Hadfield has been in Toronto this past week promoting his first Book, An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth, which details his experiences as an Astronaut and Commander of the International Space Station. Hadfield captivated the World with mind-blowing Photos shared via Social Media from his Expeditions, including his final one in which he aided scientific experiments dealing with the low impact of gravity on Human Biology. A slick, self-made Music Video for his Cover of David Bowie’s Space Oddity recorded in Space to date has garnered over 18-million views worldwide on YouTube.
As an Homage to Bowie, who has been front-and-center of late in Toronto with his popular Art Gallery of Ontario Exhibit taking place right now, Maclean’s features Hadfield on the Cover of their October issue made-up as Bowie in his Aladdin Sane Era. Earlier in the week, he also did Interviews out of the Venue to be fully thematic.
See the Cover below:
Fans got a chance to connect with Hadfield last night as he met in-excess of 600 Fans at Indigo- Manulife Centre, signing Copies of his Book, while earlier in the day he head to the West-End for an appearance at Kobo‘s Headquarters. Generous in allotting the Media face time, he went on a blitz which included appearances on Global Television‘s The Morning Show (National Edition), 104.5 CHUM-FM’s Roger, Darren and Marilyn, KISS 92.5’s Roz & Mocha Show, City’s Breakfast Television, eTalk, CBC‘s Q Radio and George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight. Although he’s scheduled to visit New York for a quick minute Thursday, he’ll be back in Toronto again this weekend to face Fans again at an Event hosted by Maclean’s at the MaRS Discovery District this Sunday at 1:00 PM. Details here.
As he jogged across Bloor Street following a TV appearance yesterday into a silver Mercedes Benz, he apologized profusely as he didn’t have a moment for a Photo. This morning though, I spotted Hadfield and his Assistant grabbing a Coffee at Starbucks as they head-off for another day of Press. Recognizing me right away, he came out of his car and shook my hand, taking a minute kindly for a Snap. “Are we gonna be able to manage a Selfie?” and after a failed attempt, he was more than patient to Review the Photo with me. “That one will do!”, he gestured at the winning Pic on my LED Screen.
See our Snap:
Order a Copy of on Hadfield‘s Book here!
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong/Chris Hadfield)
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