TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey is delighted to share the final honourees of this year’s TIFF Tribute Awards, presented in partnership with Rolex. Academy Award–winning legend Helen Mirren will receive the TIFF Share Her Journey Groundbreaker Award, presented by Joanna Griffiths and the Women of Knix; acclaimed cinematographer Adam Pietkiewicz will receive the TIFF Variety Artisan Award; beloved Canadian actor, writer, director, and producer Seth Rogen will be presented with the TIFF Norman Jewison Career Achievement Award, presented by The Budman Family; and award-winning filmmaker Bassam Tariq will receive the TIFF Rising Talent Award. An additional TIFF Special Tribute Award will be presented to global superstar Fan Bingbing. Honourees will be joining previously announced recipients Penélope Cruz, Lee Chang-dong, Rosalind Eleazar, Siân Heder, and Isabelle Huppert.

“Helen Mirren and Fan Bingbing bring bold, compelling performances to this year’s Festival, building on iconic bodies of work,” said Cameron Bailey, CEO, TIFF. “Bassam Tariq’s Your Mother, Your Mother, Your Mother will confirm his reputation as a dazzling storyteller, and we recognize Adam Pietkiewicz for crafting never-before-seen images from one of the world’s most remote regions. And we will be forever grateful to writer, actor, director and producer Seth Rogen for sharing his wildly Canadian talents with the world.”

Taking place Sunday, September 13 at Fairmont Royal York Hotel Toronto, the eighth annual awards gala is TIFF’s largest annual fundraiser with proceeds supporting TIFF’s impact initiatives, expanding access to bold world-class cinema while advancing artist development, industry leadership, community engagement, and year-round cultural impact. The evening will see industry peers, international filmmakers, and distinguished honourees gathered to celebrate cinematic excellence as awards are formally presented during an intimate ceremony, with the full list of presenters to be announced on September 9. Presented in partnership with Rolex, with support from RBC, Fairmont Royal York Hotel, and Don Julio.

Newly announced 2026 TIFF Tribute Awards honourees

Fan Bingbing — TIFF Special Tribute Award

Fan Bingbing is an award-winning Chinese actor, producer, and international festival juror whose screen career spans three decades across Asian and global cinema. She returns to TIFF for the World Premiere Gala Presentation of Wayne Wang’s Diary of a Mad Old Man. Bingbing first rose to prominence in the hit television series My Fair Princess (1998) before establishing herself as a leading film star with roles in Feng Xiaogang’s Cell Phone (2003) and Li Yu’s Lost in Beijing (2007) and Buddha Mountain (2010), the latter earning her Best Actress at the Tokyo International Film Festival, alongside a Golden Horse Award for The Matrimony (2007). She achieved further critical acclaim for Feng Xiaogang’s I Am Not Madame Bovary (TIFF ’16), winning the Silver Shell for Best Actress at San Sebastián alongside Best Actress honours at the Golden Rooster Awards and Asian Film Awards. Her international feature credits include Kang Je-gyu’s My Way (2011), X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014), Renny Harlin’s Skiptrace (2016), Simon Kinberg’s The 355 (2022), and Han Shuai’s Green Night (2023). Most recently, Bingbing starred in Chong Keat Aun’s Mother Bhumi (2025), earning the Golden Horse Award for Best Leading Actress.

The TIFF Special Tribute Award recognizes an individual who has made an extraordinary and unique contribution to the world of film, leaving a lasting legacy through their dedication and artistry. Previous recipients include Lee Byung Hun, Zacharias Kunuk, and Jafar Panahi (2025), Zhao Tao (2024), Andy Lau (2023), Dionne Warwick (2021), and David Foster (2019).

Helen Mirren — TIFF Share Her Journey Groundbreaker Award, presented by Joanna Griffiths and the Women of Knix

One of the most distinguished actors, Academy Award, BAFTA, and Emmy winner Helen Mirren is celebrated for her legendary work across film, television, and theatre spanning more than five decades. Mirren returns to TIFF for the World Premiere of Anton Corbijn’s A Talent for Murder, starring as author Patricia Highsmith in this chamber thriller. Best known for her Oscar-winning portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II in The Queen (TIFF ’06), a role she reprised on Broadway in The Audience (2015) to win a Tony Award, Mirren’s extensive film credits span The Madness of King George (1994), Gosford Park (TIFF ’01), The Last Station (TIFF ’09), The Debt (TIFF ’10), The Leisure Seeker (TIFF ’17) Golda (2023), Barbie (2023), and The Thursday Murder Club (2025). On television, she starred in the groundbreaking series Prime Suspect (1991–2006), and more recently in 1923 (2022–2025) and MobLand (2025–2026). Beyond her celebrated acting legacy, Mirren has been a dedicated advocate for women in entertainment and equal representation across creative fields. Mirren is also honoured with the SAG Life Achievement Award and the Golden Globes’ Cecil B. DeMille Award.

The TIFF Share Her Journey Groundbreaker Award is presented by Joanna Griffiths and the Women of Knix. It is inspired by TIFF’s Share Her Journey initiative, created to address gender parity in the film industry, to champion women at every stage of their creative journey, and to shine a spotlight on women creators making a significant difference. Past recipients include Jodie Foster (2025), Cate Blanchett (2024), Patricia Arquette (2023), and Michelle Yeoh (2022).

Adam Pietkiewicz — TIFF Variety Artisan Award

Polish cinematographer Adam Pietkiewicz makes his TIFF debut as the cinematographer of Theja Rio’s Angh, which makes its World Premiere in Platform, the Festival’s competitive programme. Shot entirely on 16mm, the film follows his feature debut on Krzysztof Skonieczny’s Wrooklyn Zoo (2024), for which he received a Golden Frog nomination at Camerimage 2024. Pietkiewicz’s visual sensibility was shaped by documentary and street photography before he formally studied at the Krzysztof Kieślowski Film School in Poland and the National Film and Television School (NFTS) in the UK. His credits also include work as a camera operator on Netflix’s Emmy-winning series Baby Reindeer (2024) and the Cannes La Cinef award-winning short Bunnyhood (2024).

The TIFF Variety Artisan Award recognizes a distinguished creative who has excelled at their craft and made an outstanding contribution to cinema and entertainment. Previous recipients of this award include Kazu Hiro (2025), Clément Ducol and Camille (2024), Łukasz Żal (2023), Hildur Guðnadóttir (2022), Ari Wegner (2021), Terence Blanchard (2020), and Roger Deakins (2019).

Seth Rogen — TIFF Norman Jewison Career Achievement Award presented by The Budman Family

Seth Rogen is an Emmy-winning multi-hyphenate actor, writer, director, and producer, whose unmistakable voice has helped shape and define modern comedy. Following his breakout in Freaks and Geeks (1999–2000) and a run of genre-defining hits like Superbad (2007), Knocked Up (2007), and Pineapple Express (2008), he co-founded Point Grey Pictures in 2011, producing acclaimed works such as Neighbors (2014) and Apple TV’s Emmy-winning series The Studio (2025). He recently starred in The Invite (2026) and returns to TIFF with the World Premiere Gala Presentation of Lauren Miller Rogen’s Babies, and serves as producer and voice actor in Leah Nelson’s animated feature Tangles. His past TIFF World Premieres include Steven Spielberg’s The Fabelmans (TIFF ’22) and Aziz Ansari’s Good Fortune (TIFF ’25). Rogen is also the bestselling author of Yearbook and leads Houseplant, the lifestyle company he co-founded with Evan Goldberg and Michael Mohr. With his wife, Lauren Miller Rogen, he co-founded Hilarity for Charity, supporting Alzheimer care and brain health education.

Introduced in 2023, the TIFF Norman Jewison Career Achievement Award presented by The Budman Family recognizes Canadians in the film industry who have made a global impact with their careers. Past recipients include Catherine O’Hara (2025), David Cronenberg (2024), and Shawn Levy (2023).

Bassam Tariq — TIFF Rising Talent Award, presented by Amazon MGM Studios

Filmmaker Bassam Tariq makes his TIFF debut with the World Premiere Special Presentation of his eagerly anticipated Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother, starring Oscar winner Mahershala Ali as a devout family man and contract killer. Beginning his career in documentary before transitioning into narrative features, Tariq has built an international reputation through deeply personal storytelling that explores faith, belonging, and human resilience. His acclaimed filmography includes the SXSW breakout These Birds Walk (2013), named one of the 21st century’s best international films by The New Yorker, the Sundance Jury Prize–winning short Ghosts of Sugar Land (2019), and his BAFTA-nominated narrative debut Mogul Mowgli (2020), starring Riz Ahmed.

Presented by Amazon MGM Studios, this award is inspired by Torontonian Mary Pickford, the groundbreaking actor, producer, and co-founder of United Artists, whose impact continues today. Past recipients include HIKARI (2025), Durga Chew-Bose (2024), Carolina Markowicz (2023), Sally El Hosaini (2022), Danis Goulet (2021), Tracey Deer (2020), and Mati Diop (2019).

About Rolex and Cinema:

Rolex celebrates human achievement as a journey marked by milestones, emotions, and defining moments. For more than half a century, the brand has partnered some of the world’s most talented artists and leading cultural institutions to promote excellence and the transmission of artistic heritage, creating a link between the past, present, and future.

Through the Perpetual Arts Initiative, a broad portfolio of arts that extends through architecture, cinema, dance, music, literature, theatre, and visual arts, the brand confirms its long-term commitment to global culture. The company has had close ties with the film industry for decades, its watches playing a role in numerous films, including Oscar®-winning masterpieces. Since 2017, Rolex has supported the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, serving as Proud Sponsor of the Oscars®, hosting the event’s Greenroom, as well as supporting the Governors Awards, which recognize lifetime achievement and humanitarian efforts in the film industry. Rolex also sponsors Film at Lincoln Center as Official Partner and Exclusive Timepiece.

The company promotes achievement through Testimonees such as James Cameron, Leonardo DiCaprio, Zendaya, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Martin Scorsese, Ava DuVernay, and Jia Zhang-ke. It also assists in the preservation of film history for future generations as a Founding Supporter of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, as a partner of The Film Foundation and through its support to the National Film and Television School in the UK.

Elevation Pictures x Mr. Will want to give Readers a chance to win passes to a Toronto Advance Screening of FERRARI

Screening Details:

TORONTO – Monday, December 18th at 7:00 PM, Cineplex Cinemas Varsity and VIP

Synopsis:

It is the summer of 1957. Behind the spectacle of Formula 1, ex-racer Enzo Ferrari is in crisis. Bankruptcy threatens the factory he and his wife, Laura built from nothing ten years earlier. Their volatile marriage has been battered by the loss of their son, Dino a year earlier. Ferrari struggles to acknowledge his son Piero with Lina Lardi. Meanwhile, his drivers’ passion to win pushes them to the edge as they launch into the treacherous 1,000-mile race across Italy, the Mille Miglia. In theatres this Christmas.

To enter for a chance to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK. Re-Tweet the below from our “X” account for an extra chance!

Rules and regulations here.

(Photo/video credit: Elevation Pictures)

FERRARI is in theatres this Christmas. Here’s a brand new Trailer for the Holiday release from Michael Mann, starring Adam Driver and Penelope Cruz.

Synopsis:

It is the summer of 1957. Behind the spectacle of Formula 1, ex-racer Enzo Ferrari is in crisis. Bankruptcy threatens the factory he and his wife, Laura built from nothing ten years earlier. Their volatile marriage has been battered by the loss of their son, Dino a year earlier. Ferrari struggles to acknowledge his son Piero with Lina Lardi. Meanwhile, his drivers’ passion to win pushes them to the edge as they launch into the treacherous 1,000-mile race across Italy, the Mille Miglia.

(Photo/video credit: Elevation Pictures)

We’ve waited forever for this and the new Trailer for THE 355 finally has surfaced!

Synopsis:

When a top-secret weapon falls into mercenary hands, wild card CIA agent Mason “Mace” Brown (Oscar®-nominated actress Jessica Chastain) will need to join forces with rival badass German agent Marie (Diane Kruger, In the Fade), former MI6 ally and cutting-edge computer specialist Khadijah (Oscar® winner Lupita Nyong’o), and skilled Colombian psychologist Graciela (Oscar® winner Penélope Cruz) on a lethal, breakneck mission to retrieve it, while also staying one-step ahead of a mysterious woman, Lin Mi Sheng (Bingbing Fan, X-Men: Days of Future Past), who is tracking their every move.

As the action rockets around the globe from the cafes of Paris to the markets of Morocco to the opulent auction houses of Shanghai, the quartet of women will forge a tenuous loyalty that could protect the world—or get them killed.

The film also stars Édgar Ramirez (The Girl on the Train) and Sebastian Stan (Avengers: Endgame).

THE 355 is in theatres January 7, 2021.

(Photo/video credit: Universal Pictures Canada)

Check-out this Trailer for THE 355 which boasts a phenomenal female Cast!

Synopsis:

A dream team of formidable female stars come together in a hard-driving original approach to the globe-trotting espionage genre in The 355.

When a top-secret weapon falls into mercenary hands, wild card CIA agent Mason “Mace” Brown (Oscar®-nominated actress Jessica Chastain) will need to join forces with rival badass German agent Marie (Diane Kruger, In the Fade), former MI6 ally and cutting-edge computer specialist Khadijah (Oscar® winner Lupita Nyong’o), and skilled Colombian psychologist Graciela (Oscar® winner Penélope Cruz) on a lethal, breakneck mission to retrieve it, while also staying one-step ahead of a mysterious woman, Lin Mi Sheng (Bingbing Fan, X-Men: Days of Future Past), who is tracking their every move.

As the action rockets around the globe from the cafes of Paris to the markets of Morocco to the wealth and glamour of Shanghai, the quartet of women will forge a tenuous loyalty that could protect the world—or get them killed.

See the Trailer:

eOne Films release THE 355 is in theatres January 15, 2021.

(Photo/video credit: eOne Films)

Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong

Wasp Network focuses on a few Cuban intelligence agents who pose as dissidents during the country’s 90s post-Soviet Union economic collapse.

Director Olivier Assayas is a master of telling multiple character storylines and making them all come together naturally. With Wasp Network, he continues on this path. This time around he focuses on three different intelligence agents with different things to lose and gain. Although the Film does get a bit slow at times it’s the performances from an all-star Cast that keep the audience’s attention. Those intense performances are from Edgar Ramírez, Gael García Bernal, and Wagner Moura. Yet the most captivating performances come from Penélope Cruz and Ana de Armas who are the ones most affected by their husband’s actions.

Wasp Network screens at TIFF on Mon, Sep 9 at Ryerson Theatre at 6 PM, Tue, Sep 10 at Scotiabank Theatre at 6 PM, and Sat, Sep 14 at Ryerson Theatre at 8:30 PM.

When we saw its Trailer, our hearts raced. Now Paramount Pictures Canada + Mr. Will want to take you first to see the movie event of the year, ZOOLANDER 2!! Screenings take place Wednesday, February 10, 2016 in Toronto and Montreal.

Synopsis:
Derek Zoolander is back! Zoolander 2 is in theatres February 12, 2016.

See the Trailer:

Artwork:

To enter to win, simply click “like” on this Post at Mr. Will on Facebook and indicate your City.  Click “share” from there for an extra chance or Tweet out the below:

http://www.mrwillwong.com/zoolander2 @MRWILLW wants us to #win Advance Passes to see #ZOOLANDER2!  Out 2/12.

Don’t forget, we also have a T-Shirt Giveaway too right here.

Paramount Pictures Canada release ZOOLANDER 2 on Friday, February 12, 2016.

(Photo/video credit: Paramount Pictures Canada)

“Have you been bad?”.

The Counselor I admit, was pretty much off my radar until today when I saw this sizzling International trailer for this latest Drama by Sir Ridley Scott. Michael Fassbender stars as a Lawyer who gets caught-up in Drug Trafficking. A fantastic Supporting Cast here includes: Cameron Diaz, Javier Bardem, Penélope Cruz, Bruno Ganz, Rosie Perez, John Leguizamo and Brad Pitt.

Watch the Teaser Trailer below:

20th Century Fox releases on October 25, 2013. TIFF 2013? Sure looks it!

(Photo/video credit: 20th Century Fox)

I cannot resist a good campy Film, but camp and Pedro Almodóvar together in one? Sold.  After a series of darker, dramatic Films, it’s refreshing to see one of our fave Directors branch all-the-way-Gay and comedic here, having a bit of fun!  Right in time for Pride Week!

Mongrel Media & Mr. Will Wong would love to give Toronto and Vancouver Readers a chance to attend an Advance Screening of I’m So Excited.  Screenings take place Thursday, July 4, 2013 at Toronto’s Varsity Cinemas and Vancouver’s 5th Avenue Cinemas, 7:00 PM.

Official Synopsis:
A passenger flight is on its way from Spain to Mexico, when it experiences landing gear problems, thanks to a goof-up by two ground workers (Antonio Banderas and Penélope Cruz in cameo roles). Chances are the plane could crash. So how do the stewards (Javier Camara, Carlos Areces, Raul Arevalo) stave off the fear?

For starters, they knock out economy class with drugs. Then they distract business class by breaking out the booze, and breaking into a song-and-dance performed to the Pointer Sisters’ titular Hit. As things loosen up, the cabin becomes a hotbed of sex and spilled secrets.

Watch The Trailer:

To enter to win, simply click “like” on this Post at Mr. Will Wong on Facebook specifying which City you’re requesting passes for. Double your chances by sharing on Facebook or Re-Tweeting the below:

http://www.mrwillwong.com/imsoexcited @MRWILLW wants us to #win double passes to see #IMSOEXCITED by #PEDROALMODOVAR.  In theatres 7/5/13. #Toronto #Vancouver

Mongrel Media releases I’m So Excited in Toronto and Vancouver on Friday, July 5, 2013 and Friday, July 19, 2013 in Montreal, with additional Canadian Cities to come throughout the Summer.

(Photo/video credit: Mongrel Media)

It’s been a while since I’ve had a good Chat with my Readers and Followers, so I reached-out to everyone on Facebook and Twitter for their most burning questions and replied with as much insight as possible.  Enjoy and thank you for your continued loyalty and support, Wongsters!

xMr. Will

‏@Cindyandtheboys asks, “What was your motivation to get you started on what you do?”.

Hey Cindy!   I’ve been a Stargazer for many years and my love for Film and Pop Music is unparalleled.  I used to be the Kid who rushed to MuchMusic after class waiting by the window  for Gwen Stefani to come out and sign an Autograph and I have been attending TIFF as long as my Bank Account permitted.

By 2009, I had amassed so many Photos of my Celebrity Adventures that I created my Blog as an Outlet to combine my passions for Photography, Film, Music and Writing together in one and kicked it off around TIFF.  It would’ve been a severe waste having them sit dormant on my Computer or just on Facebook.   From there, I developed a passion getting Photos with my personal Heroes and Heroines because it gives me something to immortalize the experience by and well, it’s fun!

Word-of-mouth spread locally fairly quickly about my Blog. Some loved the idea, calling it one of the few true Celebrity Blogs to come out of Canada and some thought it nothing special.  Before I knew it, I was booking time off work to interview Bradley Cooper and Channing Tatum, and was on TV talking about Stars and even profiled on the National Post.  Last year, CBC listed me as one of the three most key People in the City to follow during TIFF.  So that’s that.  I love what I do as tiring as it is juggling three or four things on-the-go constantly and have no plans to stop because most of the time it doesn’t feel like work.

@MRDISCO3 asks, “What do you top your burgers with?”.

Hey Paresh! Good question. I’ve been off meat for three months now. Pitching-in my part to reduce my own Carbon Footprint as a Citizen of the Earth. Meatless Mondays, People. Google it and do it!

But to answer your question, if I could create my own Veggie Burger it would have: Jalapeños, Lettuce, Tomato, Sriracha Hot Sauce, Honey Mustard, Avocado/Guacamole, Sautéed Mushrooms and some crumbled Blue Cheese. It would be like a foot tall, really.  Maybe I’d throw a fried Egg on for added Protein too.  Is that too decadent? Is it?!?  I also recently accidentally discovered Salsa on Fries and it is incredible!

@CTRice asks, “What was the first screening you ever saw?”.

Hi Tristan (Scene Creek, everybody!!!), I could never forget my first Screening. It was back in April 1996, Jane Eyre at Alliance-Atlantis Cumberland 4. My Cousin Nancy had won passes and we were going to trek Downtown from Scarborough for a Movie and some amazing Ice Cream at Mövenpick (Richtree Markets) after.

I remember getting into a huge misunderstanding with my Dad that day right in front of my Cousin who came over for Dinner about something terribly mundane.  My Dad offered to wash dishes so I could hurry to the Movie and I asked, “Really!?” maybe perhaps a little too excited, which he interpreted as sarcasm but really it wasn’t! I basically got a lashing verbally for no reason and remember sobbing all the way to the theatre because I was embarrassed and two, I was looking forward to my first Screening for days and felt my night was ruined.  By the time I got home, things were fine again.

It wasn’t a v. exciting Adaptation of Jane Eyre to be honest and obviously I’ve been to many more enjoyable Screenings ever since. It’s a miracle I wasn’t scarred from wanting to go to the Movies ever again!

@Typo_eh and Kathi on Facebook ask, “Who was your worst Celebrity experience?”.

Hi Siobhán!!  Hi Kathi!!  Are you guys psychically-linked or something?!   Well, other than being shouted at by Ashley Judd after asking her nice and civil for a Photo, which then spilled over into a debacle on Twitter, I’d say the worst experience ever was Lady Gaga. A couple years ago I was being harassed daily by someone over E-mail and on my Blog.  I had Tracking Reports pulled and he would view the same page over and over 20-30 times some nights in the wee hours of the morning.  This Reader thought he’d do himself a favour and entertain himself by emailing Lady Gaga‘s Management a slanderous E-mail with my Photo, claiming that I was violent and dangerous, essentially getting me blacklisted when she visited Toronto.

Not realizing this, being the huge Fan I was, I asked her for a Photo upon exiting her Hotel amidst the hoards of Fans and Autograph Seekers. I cannot say that  I enjoyed being shoved against a Topiary by her Security Guard Ed and once I recovered, he forcefully shoved me a second time as several eye witnesses watched. Of course, nobody genuinely cared as they were there to see Lady Gaga, admiring their Photos with her and their Autographs.  It was particularly heart-breaking because I love her Music so much and at that point I had gone to every single Toronto Show she ever had, owning all her Singles and CDs. I had T-Shirts and Posters.  I was gaga for Gaga.

This Jerk who has been chasing Celebrities for years, tried the same tactic multiple times, including a Jessica & Ashlee Simpson appearance at The Bay, which I actually was invited to in order to snap Photos in the Pit for my Blog.  I was escorted out by Security once they matched a sent Photo with my face.  Of course, another Blogger who absolutely despises me, caught wind of this and went to town, spreading word quickly that I was ejected from the Venue.  Hmm. 

I knew this was really getting serious when the Head of Security at a major American Network in New York City called me to clue me onto an E-mail he received from him regarding two Actors from the Network who were filming a TV Movie in Toronto.  Of course, he knew right away that this Person’s intentions were malicious from the E-mail and just wanted to give me a heads-up out of the goodness of his heart. Multiple Publicists also reached out to me around that time regarding similar type E-mails, which thankfully they knew better than to believe.

Eventually, I got one step ahead of the game when a certain British Boy Band came to town.  Their Security Guard noticed me, pulling me aside to show me one of these slanderous E-mails on his Phone. Low and behold, the Jerk showed-up  also, hoping to get a Photo  and like an episode of Cheaters, I outed him in front of everybody including the Band, who chimed-in, giving me hi-fives and encouragement.  He was a mess and left in tears.

The messed-up thing is that after that occurrence, I’d receive messages from this Jerk threatening to inflict harm on himself because of my actions and he’d gone about posting my Home Address on Twitter.  Essentially, I was being stalked and didn’t even know it.  I and others know well that this Person is not mentally stable, so I feel bad even writing about this and bringing it up, but at this point I really don’t care anymore.  And such a Drama needs to be heard because I get so many Tweets and messages from others who wish they were me because apparently my life is so perfect!

He’s left me alone ever since, but the damage has been done and I’m sure someone who didn’t know me better might have a skewed perception of me from what they’ve heard. Looking back though, I don’t know why I didn’t do more about it.  I’ve moved on and hopefully he has found some sense of balance.

@CTRice asks, “Has a Celebrity ever denied to take a photo with you?”.

Impossible!  LOL Just kidding, of course! I’ve been turned down before and it’s inevitable it will happen and I respect that, but I’d say one of the harsher Declines came from Joseph Gordon-Levitt.  Once I was one-on-one with him and he chuckled at me and walked off after I asked nicely for a Photo. Hence, when I hear stories from those who have had positive experiences with him and what a great Guy he is, my eyes just roll.

Or how about running into Claire Danes at the Grocery Store only for her to react as if I had SARS or something when asking her for a Snap?  She quite literally jumped three feet back. I saw her in the neighbourhood a few times after that and didn’t bother her again. That was fun.  Some are nice when the Cameras are on, some value their Privacy more than others.

Of course, it’s the few who got away that I remember most when in reality a vast majority of Celebrities I’ve met have been more than nice and accommodating.  Once, Nicole Kidman came over to take a Snap with me during TIFF and then some super-annoying Girl got in the way, getting her Photo  and then Nicole was pulled away by her Handler. That hurt.  And do you believe the Girl eventually found my Blog and had the audacity to ask me to remove the Photo I snapped of her and Nicole?  Go away.

Last year Penélope Cruz said “yes” to the Photo but then suddenly changed her mind when her Publicist said she had to go.  That hurt equally bad on a Nicolean level.   I also met Julia Roberts once candidly and although she said “no” to the Photo she was still nice to chat and be kind, offering to sign an Autograph instead which still was gracious. She wrote “TO WILL, PEACE, JULIA“. That was “pretty” epic.

@apluswagvantage asks, “You despised the Celebrity’s Album/Movie/TV Show/Persona. How are you gracious when interviewing him/her?”.

Hi Charles! I generally don’t approach a Celebrity for a Photo unless I have some admiration for their Work, so that takes care of the forced graciousness thing, I guess!  🙂  Autographs are something I used to love collecting, but now I do it more for my Readers and help them experience  a part of the magic when they can’t physically be there with me.  The Photo-with means much more to me.

I have however been a part of Press Tours where the Talent promoting the Film literally are in the Movie for like one scene and it’s like pulling teeth to concoct something profound and throught-provoking to ask. That horrific feeling that you’re going to say something foolish… your palms get sweaty and your throat gets dry. At that point, you just have to take the reins and broaden the scope and somehow find something to connect and relate to about the Film.  That’s happened more than a couple times!

Sari on Facebook asks, “Who was the nicest Celeb that you have met?”.

So many, Sari! Adele, Katy Perry, Linda Hamilton, Hugh Jackman, Jessica Chastain, Nia Vardalos, Colin Farrell, Colin Firth,  Michael Fassbender, Bradley Cooper, Channing Tatum, Michael Bublé, Abbie Cornish all go beyond and above the Call of Duty and consistently do it time and again! I even brought a tear to Adele’s eye letting her know how much her Music meant to me once. So personable!

I understand that the scale of Celebrity “niceness” often depends on how their day’s going, but these named individuals consistently wow me every time and I’m sure there are several more I’m neglecting.

Terri on Facebook asks, “Seems to me that in recent months you have achieved some of your childhood dreams….What dreams of Celebs or Events have still eluded you and what bigger dreams Mr. Will are you hoping to reach for?”.

Hey Terri! There is so much to accomplish still.  The end goal is to continue building a groundbreaking Fan-centric Website and go-to source for Celebrities and Entertainment in Toronto. I am continually trying to expand my scope further and build new Partnerships for my Readers, getting them a taste of all that good stuff first! I aspire to do this full-time and slowly am getting there. One day we’ll perhaps have a more national presence even!

I’d love to attend the Oscars and Grammys one day as basically I live for those two, and I am kinda obsessed with the Golden Globes too!  I’ve still never visited L.A.  One day.  My dream Interviews would be Natalie Portman, Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway or Kate Winslet.  I’ve met Mariah Carey before, but would really want to reflect on her Career with her over some Champagne. That would be perfect.

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