Finally, we’re seeing things pick-up again in Toronto! Exciting times! With the conclusion of Awards Season, we were so lucky to ran into legendary Academy Award-winning Actress Michelle Yeoh out and about. She just presented at the Oscars and throughout her stay in Toronto filming upcoming feature STAR TREK: SECTION 31, where she is reprising the role of Emperor Philippa Georgiou. Among the hotspots Yeoh‘s been seen at are Lao Lao Bar, Kiss My Pans and more, paying tribute to the flavours of her native Southeast Asia. We were wondering if we were ever going to be graced by her presence, and so glad we did. She is just absolutely gracious and stunning, a perfect human being!
Academy Award and five-time GRAMMY-winning Singer-Songwriter JON BATISTE resumed his UNEASY TOUR in Toronto at Massey Hall, to a sold-out crowd, fresh off his performance of “It Never Went Away” at the Oscars this past weekend. The song had garnered a nomination, heard in the Netflix Documentary AMERICAN SYMPHONY. Playing a sold-out show, Batiste wowed the audience, even doing an impromptu performance up in the balcony! He is so amazing and kind!
You all know how much I love Colman Domingo. The Academy Award-nominated Actor had a phenomenal 2024 starring in THE COLOR PURPLE and RUSTIN, which garnered him the nod. But perhaps his crowning achievement is SING SING which premiered at TIFF ’23 and will be released this year via A24 and Elevation Pictures. He also can be seen currently in DRIVE-AWAY DOLLS. He is absolutely lovely and always giving to fans. He’s working on TV Series THE MADNESS, filming locally which has him starring as a powerful media figure who is accused of murder. Another meaty role!
I adore SNL and one of the recent additions to the Cast is Sarah Sherman aka Sarah Squirm, who is absolutely quirkly and brilliant. She’s here for an undisclosed project, which we have an inkling what it might be. She joined the Cast in SNL and is getting lots of screen time, which we are here for! She filmed Adam Sandler‘s You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah in the City a couple years back!
(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)
Hot off the announcement that Andrew Garfield has dropped-out of Guillermo del Toro‘s FRANKENSTEIN due to delays as a result of the SAG-AFTRA strike, we get the exciting news that red-hot Jacob Elordi will be taking over the coveted role of Frankestein‘s Monster. The upcoming Netflix film, a take on Mary Shelley‘s timeless story, is set to begin production shortly in del Toro‘s favourite city of choice.
Others starring in the Film include Oscar Isaac as Victor Frankenstein, Mia Goth, Felix Kammerer, Lars Mikkelsen, David Bradley, Christian Convery and two-time Oscar winner Christoph Waltz.
Elordi is riding a high off the massive popularity of HBO‘s Euphoria, the acclaimed Sofia Coppola film PRISCILLA (also filmed here in Toronto) and also the viral buzz of Emerald Fennell‘s SALTBURN. He is set to host SNL with Musical Guest Renée Rapp this weekend, January 20, 2024. Does it get any bigger?
Jacob Elordi hosts the first show of the year with musical guest @reneerapp! THIS SATURDAY pic.twitter.com/9n08sMwxMz
— Saturday Night Live – SNL (@nbcsnl) January 16, 2024
This is our second time meeting the charming and kind Elordi, who was gracious with fans, with his dog Layla who has Service Dog certification, in tow even. We were so fortunate to get him to sign our PRISCILLA shirt from A24/Elevation Pictures, and even got a selfie together with beanie!
del Toro does no wrong. We are so excited to see his spin on FRANKENSTEIN!
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
The Easter Bunny might not have delivered this year, but Carly Rae sure is. You must check-out this brand-new Track from Canada’s Queen of Pop titled ALL THAT. Jepsen appeared on SNL last night performing her new Track with Producers, Blood Orange‘s Ariel Rechtshaid and Devonté Hynes, with the Track being posted on Vevo soon after. You must check-out this brand-new Track from Canada’s Queen of Pop titled ALL THAT. We’re getting major early ’80s Janet Jackson‘s Again vs. Spice Girls’ 2 Become 1 vs. Force M D‘s Tender Love. This is soooo goodddd. We needed a good Slow Jam.
Check it out:
See her live performance:
We’re still waiting on a release date for Jepsen‘s third Disc, but it sure is sound amazing already.
(Photo/video credit: Universal Music/NBC)
She certainly needs little introduction. If you’ve ever been home bored on a Saturday night these past couple years, likely you know the genius Comedy of Kate McKinnon. The New York-born Funnywoman is in-town for the Toronto Sketch Fest, making an appearance at Randolph Theatre where she played tonight an ambitious two shows back-to-back.
Known best for her impersonations of Hillary Clinton, Iggy Azalea, Justin Bieber and her idol, Ellen DeGeneres, McKinnon brought the LOLs for Toronto, having some of the Audience in stitches with jokes ranging from her ‘muffin top’ to stool samples. The Multi-Instrumentalist even brought out her guitar to entertain the crowd with a mish-mash of her comedic and musical talents.
We had the pleasure of meeting the Genius herself after her final Show of the night and she is every bit amazing, plowing through slush to her cab, stopping for Fans after a long day of prep and performance.
McKinnon in addition to SNL, has been tapped to star in Paul Feig‘s 2016 all-female Ghostbusters alongside Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy and Leslie Jones.
See our Snap:
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
I’ve seen it and loved it. Many of you might remember Funnywoman Jenny Slate from Parks & Recreation or her Stand-up Comedy, but the former Saturday Night Live Alumni is doing it on her own terms now. Her latest Film, Obvious Child, directed and written by Gillian Robespierre, is sure to win your heart with its pure wit, charm and cuteness.
The Comedy centers around a young Woman named Donna whom after a drunken night finds herself pregnant with Max‘s (Jake Lacy) baby. Unable to bring herself to tell him, he continues trying to court her, which complicates matters because he has many of the attributes she finds desirable in a Partner. She worries her revealing her pregnancy will change things.
Slate after a grueling weekend stranded in Dallas, made her way to Toronto today and did a round of Press on the Morning Show Circuit with visits to KISS 92.5, CP24 Breakfast, CITY‘s Breakfast Television and more! Unfortunately a majority of her interviews scheduled for the afternoon were cancelled due to exhaustion, but she still made time for Fans tonight at a special Advance Screening of Obvious Child. The Actress also walked the Red Carpet last night at the MuchMusic Video Awards and reportedly is smitten by Prime Ministerial Candidate Justin Trudeau, whom she ran-into at Breakfast Television!
I caught-up with Slate at a taping earlier, and despite being in a rush she made a quick exception to snap a Photo. She’s even bubblier and cuter than imagined! And she’s in-love reportedly with my Billy too!
See our Snap:
Watch the Trailer for OBVIOUS CHILD below:
Fox Searchlight release OBVIOUS CHILD on Friday, June 20, 2014.
(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong/A24 Films)
Perhaps the funniest thing we’ve seen all year? Oscar Nominee Jonah Hill did a bang-up job hosting Saturday Night Live last night and in addition to one of his new BFFs and The Wolf of Wall Street Co-Star Leonardo DiCaprio stealing the Show with a Titanic Re-enactment in the Intro, everyone is talking about Hill‘s Parody Sketch of Spike Jonze‘s HER.
The Video Sketch sees Hill falling in love with a CPU customized to be just like him and before he knows it, he finds himself falling in love himself. Superbad Co-Star and Buddy Michael Cera pops-up also, playing a Surrogate version of himself, making for a much happier ending than the one we see in the Joaquin Phoenix and Scarlett Johansson-starring Drama in which this Parody is based.
Watch the Sketch below:
Canadians can watch Clips from last on Global Television‘s Website later today here.
(Photo/video credit: NBC)
Despite filling hosting duties on Saturday Night Live last night, former Alumni Jimmy Fallon may have gotten help from a few Friends – but it is those few Buddies who helped deliver huge laughs on a memorable Christmas episode of Comedy-Sketch Series, now in its 39th Season!
In addition to Madonna, Sir Paul McCartney, Barry Gibb and Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Fallon got a major boost from his Pal and Musical Guest and multi-time Host, Justin Timberlake!
Sir Paul McCartney would kick-off the star-studded Affair in the Evening’s Opening Monologue which would have Fallon doing his best impressions of David Bowie, Bob Dylan and Sir Paul McCartney, only for the latter to appear suddenly on-stage!
See Fallon and McCartney perform Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas:
Timberlake brought back his popular Musical Liquorville Sketch, this time in Holiday Spirit and with the help of Fallon, competing with a Charity Gift Wrapper in Cast Member Aidy Bryant. Bring it on down to Wrappinville! Adorbs!
See The Wrap-Off below!
Madonna and the real Gibb himself on The Barry Gibb Show!
Perhaps one of the Highlights of the Evening was the Musical Sketch Let’s Do It in my Twin Bed featuring Fallon and the Ladies of SNL, a bit of an Homage to The Pussycat Dolls with Sisters singing about a little wild surprise for their Boyfriends, “getting wild in a bed for a child!” at their Mom and Dad’s!
Watch Let’s Do It in my Twin Bed below:
One thing that never ceases to make me laugh are imaginary Music Compilation Sketches and here is SNL‘s take on NOW That’s What I Call Christmas featuring impressions of Alanis Morissette, Andrea Bocelli and Alan Rickman:
My favourite Sketch though was the super-sweet Baby, It’s Cold Outside Sketch with Weekend Update‘s Cecily Strong, with her as the clingy One-Night-Stand who manages to win Fallon over amidst a Blizzard in NYC:
Last night was Lady Gaga‘s first official time hosting NBC‘s Saturday Night Live after multiple appearances in previous years as a Musical Guest… and she was phenomenal! Absolutely born for the stage!
Among the several highlights last night were some hilarious Sketches which saw her acknowledging criticism from her harshest Detractors. Fully aware of the Madonna comparisons, Gaga appeared on a Sketch about the worst Cover Versions of all time, with her performing her Hit Born this Way while the words Express Yourself were captioned on the Screen. Sometimes the greatest Singers make mistakes!
Watch:
In addition to this, Gaga poked fun at rumours of her declining popularity with a Sketch which sees her in the year 2063 as an older version of herself, hoping with all her might a Delivery Man (Kenan Thompson) would be be starstruck by her presence. Let’s just say he’s a huge Fan of Empress Beyoncé.
Watch:
Gaga also dropped a few jaws, bringing R. Kelly on-stage for a surprise rendition of current Single Do What U Want. There was plenty of crawling, laying, bumping and grinding to be seen.
Watch:
If there was any doubt Gaga is still a huge Megastar, see her stopping traffic following her appearance last night outside NBC‘s Studios.
Watch:
Playstation and Saturday Night Live. Why yes, of course! Saturday Night Live Alumni Chris Kattan made a rare appearance in the City today, here to ring-in the launch of the latest incarnation of popular Gaming Console, Playstation 4.
The Funnyman appeared at Future Shop Yonge & Dundas this afternoon, signing Autographs and taking Photos with Fans, adding a little Starpower to the Affair, which saw Fans queuing as early as yesterday to get their hands on the Device first! The PS4 promises increased interactivity, able to sync with Smartphones and Tablets as a second screen. A majority of games now also will be compatible with wireless Remote Play.
Kattan last night appeared at a Cancer Benefit held at the Toronto Centre for the Arts in North York with fellow SNL Alumni Horatio Sanz and Rob Schneider.
In addition to being known for his phenomenal work on SNL, adored for his Characters including irresistible and androgynous Mango, Audiences have loved him as a Writer and an Actor in hit Comedies like A Night at the Roxbury and for his performances in an array of Films like House on Haunted Hill and the under-appreciated Corky Romano.
Despite his eccentricities, the Los Angeles Native was generous with Fans today, staying beyond his allotted hour to greet them, fitting-in the occasional TV and Radio Interview in-between, carefully plugging-in the PS4 every opportunity he had!
For more on the PS4 click here.
Our Snap below:
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
With just over a week till her long-awaited new Disc PRISM hits stores, Katy Perry got us all excited last night with a rendition of Promo Single Walking on Air, a dead-on Homage to the Dance Music of the early ’90s. Her performance even was completely inspired by the Era, complete with flowing silk, wind machine and true-to-the-times Choreography. We’re definitely feeling this and so is Perry, v. clearly.
Watch the amazing Performance below:
You must also check-out Perry‘s rendition of #1 Single ROAR in full-on jungle mode with the Band in adorable animal costumes:
Katy Perry‘s PRISM is in-stores Tuesday, October 22, 2013 (Mr. Will‘s Birthday!)
Pre-order the Deluxe Version here on iTunes!
(Photo/video credit: NBC)
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