The Hollywood Reporter Women in Entertainment Canada today announced that acclaimed actress Tantoo Cardinal will receive the Equity in Entertainment Award at this yearâs second annual event on Thursday, May 29, 2025 at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Toronto. The award will be presented to Cardinal in partnership with the Indigenous Screen Office.
The Hollywood Reporter Women in Entertainment Canadaâs Equity in Entertainment Award was created to recognize women in the Canadian entertainment industry who are working to reflect and amplify the voices and stories of underrepresented communities.
2025 Equity in Entertainment Honouree
Of Cree and MĂŠtis heritage, Tantoo Cardinal is a celebrated actress who over a 50-year career has performed in many significant films and television series including Dances with Wolves, Killers of the Flower Moon, Legends of the Fall, Black Robe, Hold the Dark. Lead or recurring roles in series Longmire, Echo, Stumptown, Three Pines, Godless, Blackstone, Moccasin Flats and North of 60 to name just a few. Cardinal has received many prestigious awards for her extensive body of work, including the Earle Grey Award for lifetime achievement, she was Inducted into Canadaâs Walk of Fame, and received the Governor Generals Award for Artistic Achievement.
Cardinal was made a member of the Order of Canada in 2009 âfor her contributions to the growth and development of Aboriginal performing arts in Canada, as a screen and stage actress, and as a founding member of the Saskatchewan Native Theatre Company.â
An inspiring leader in the growth of Indigenous performing arts in Canada, she is a tireless mentor and started a Film School in Northern Alberta for Indigenous youth. Cardinal is also a passionate environmental activist.
The Equity in Entertainment Award was created in 2016 by The Hollywood Reporter as part of its Women in Entertainment annual event in Los Angeles, with past honorees including Selena Gomez, Kerry Washington, Issa Rae, and Amy Pascal. The first Equity in Entertainment Canada Award was presented to Deepa Mehta at the inaugural Women in Entertainment Canada Awards in Toronto on May 30, 2024.
The Hollywood Reporter Women in Entertainment Canada is a first-of-its-kind summit bringing the industry together across television, film, and music to celebrate and recognize the achievements of Canadian women who are driving the industry forward in their respective fields. For more information visit www.womeninentertainment.ca.
Additional award recipients and programming for Women in Entertainment Canada 2025 details will be announced this spring.
No bad deed goes unpunished on Jan. 10, 2024, when Marvel Studiosâ âEchoâ launches on Disney+. Check out the all-new trailer and poster revealed this morning. The five-episode streaming event spotlights Maya Lopez (Alaqua Cox) as she is pursued by Wilson Fiskâs (Vincent DâOnofrio) criminal empire. When the journey brings her home, she must confront her own family and legacy. All five episodes will stream on Jan. 10. This marks the first Marvel Studios series to drop all entirely bingeable episodes at once.
âEchoâ also stars Chaske Spencer (âWild Indian,â âThe Englishâ), Graham Greene (â1883,â âGoliathâ), Tantoo Cardinal (âKillers of the Flower Moon,â âStumptownâ), Devery Jacobs (FXâs âReservation Dogs,â âAmerican Godsâ), Zahn McClarnon (âDark Winds,â FXâs âReservation Dogsâ), Cody Lightning (âHey, Viktor!â âFour Sheets to the Windâ) and Vincent DâOnofrio (âHawkeye,â âGodfather of Harlemâ).
Episodes of the series are directed by Sydney Freeland (Navajo) and Catriona McKenzie (Gunaikurnai). Executive producers are Kevin Feige, Stephen Broussard, Louis DâEsposito, Brad Winderbaum, Victoria Alonso, Richie Palmer, Jason Gavin (Blackfeet), Marion Dayre and Sydney Freeland. Co-executive producers are Jennifer L. Booth and Amy Rardin.
As Awards Season kicks into high gear, the 2018 Toronto Film Critics Association Awards were held tonight, honouring the year’s best in Cinema as decided by that esteemed Association. Taking place at the Four Seasons Hotel, the site of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association‘s InStyle Magazine Bash at TIFF, Film Critics and industry celebrated what was a stellar year both critically and commercially in Film, seeing a record $11.8 billion grossed at the Box Office in North America last year.
Honoured tonight were the best in Canadian and International Cinema with previous winner Jennifer Baichwal and Nicholas de Pencier’s ANTHROPOCENE: THE HUMAN EPOCH winning the Association’s Rogers Best Canadian Film Award. Given a hefty prize of $100k, the Duo decided spontaneously to split the money with runners-up MAISON DU BONHEUR Director Sofia Bohdanowicz and AVA Director Sadaf Forough, whom also received $5,000 from Rogers Communications.
Other winners announced tonight include Director Molly McGlynn who won the $10,000 Stella Artois Jay Scott Prize for an Emerging Artist for her debut, MARY GOES ROUND which premiered at TIFF ’18 to raves.
Native Canadian Trailblazer Tantoo Cardinal also was awarded the $50,000 Technicolor Clyde Gilmour Award for her achievements in Canadian Cinema, presented by fellow First Nations Actress Tanaya Beatty (The Twilight Saga). Cardinal chose to donate the funds to First Nations Filmmaker Darlene Naponse, who directed FALLS AROUND HER in which Cardinal stars.
Director Morgan Neville was given the $5,000 RBC Allan King Documentary Film Award for Mr. Rogers Pic, Wonât You Be My Neighbor?.
Genevieve Citron was named recipient of the inaugural TFCA Emerging Critic Award, a $1,000 prize.
Announced earlier were double Golden Globe-winning ROMA for Best Picture and Best Director (Alfonso CuarĂłn), plus Ethan Hawke for Best Actor in First Reformed and Olivia Colman for Best Actress in The Favourite. Regina King won Best Supporting Actress for her work in If Beale Street Could Talk, doubling-up with her Golden Globes success this past weekend and Steve Yeun won Best Supporting Actor for his work in Best Foreign-Language Film winner, BURNING.
More winners here.
TIFF Creative Director Cameron Bailey filled hosting duties this year and Presenters included Don McKellar, Traci Melchor, Rick Mercer and more.
It was our first time ever attending the TFCA Awards, courtesy of our friends at Hollywood Suite and GAB Communications, and we are so honoured to celebrated with our peers and idols.
See some Snaps:
Alfonso CuarĂłn
Jennifer Baichwal and Nicholas de Pencier
Tantoo Cardinal
Darlene Naponse
Rick Mercer
Don McKellar
Cameron Bailey
Molly McGlynn
Genevieve Citron
Traci Melchor
Richard Crouse
George Pimentel
Some faces of the TFCA including President Peter Howell and Vice President/Secretary Johanna Schneller
Our hardworking friends in the Film industry get a night out!
Our friends at GAB Communications and Hollywood Suite:
All photos taken on the NIKON D3400.
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
Honouring outstanding performances this past year among ACTRA members, the 2017 edition of the ACTRA Awards (now in its 15th year) were held at The Carlu tonight in Toronto. The organization contains 22,000+ members and it negotiates contracts on behalf of its cultural workers. Its jurisdiction ranges from independent film production, commercials, radio and television drama, telephony, video games and web-based content.  ACTRA ensures members have protected minimum wage standards and working conditions. Several of Canada’s most notable  names in entertainment are a part of the organization.
It was a who’s-who of Canadian talent at the affair including man of the hour, Murdoch Mysteries’ Yannick Bisson who received the 2017 ACTRA Award of Excellence. Just last year he received the coveted Fan Choice Award at the Canadian Screen Awards, as a testament to his lasting popularity with over 60 credits over 35 years on his resume. He imparts a bit of wisdom to his peers, reminding them “There are literally hundreds of people on set at any given time to make actors look good. Be gracious, always.”.
The Cast of Kim’s Convenience were awarded the first-ever Series Ensemble Award, based on member votes. Â Its star Jean Yoon, who was fashionably-late to the Gala, won Outstanding Performance – Female and made an impactful statement in her speech. “I’m really proud to be working on a show about immigrants in a time of nationalist intolerance”, says Yoon. Â The Cast dedicated their award to all immigrant families, stating “You are here. You are welcome. And you are loved.”.
Aurora Browne, Carolyn Taylor and Jennifer Whalen of the Baroness Von Sketch troupe played hosting duties at the gala and in attendance were this year’s nominees: Grace Lynn Kung (The Death (and Life) of Carl Naardlinger), Tatiana Maslany (Two Lovers and a Bear), Kari Matchett (Maudi), Jean Yoon (Kimâs Convenience), Joey Klein (Weâre Still Together), Simu Liu (Blood and Water), Eric Osborne (Degrassi: Next Class) and Gord Rand (Orphan Black). Other notables present included: Kristian Bruun, Tantoo Cardinal, Wendy Crewson, Shawn Doyle, Kevin Hanchard, Art Hindle, Amanda Joy, Eric Peterson, Leah Pinsent, Julian Richings, Paul Sun-Hyung Lee and Kate Trotter.
Awards presented this evening (winners in bold blue), including the brand new Ensemble Award (members’ choice):
Nominees for Outstanding Performance â Voice
Lilly Bartlam (Dot) Dot., âBring the Thunderâ (Industrial Brothers)
Linda Kash (Gina Falcone) Fugget About It, âVaginaâs Got Talentâ (9 Story Media Group)
Pat Kelly and Peter Oldring (Various) This is That, Episode 406 (CBC)
Bryn McAuley (Suzi) Camp Lakebottom, âIce Queenâ (9 Story Media Group)
Scott McCord (Rudolph Mintenberg) Atomic Puppet, âAP vs Disastro IIâ (Mercury Filmworks)
Nominees for Outstanding Performance â Female
Brenda Bazinet (Judge Susan Reeves) Shoot the Messenger, âCareful What You Pray Forâ (Hungry Eyes Film & Television)
Grace Lynn Kung (Pam Naardlinger) The Death (and Life) of Carl Naardlinger (CinĂŠman Films)
Tatiana Maslany (Lucy) Two Lovers and a Bear (Max Films Productions)
Kari Matchett (Sandra) Maudie (Small Shack Productions Inc., Painted House Films, Parallel Films)
Jean Yoon (Umma) Kimâs Convenience, âGay Discountâ (Thunderbird Films)
Nominees for Outstanding Performance â Male
Simu Liu (Paul Xie) Blood and Water, Episode 1.8 (Breakthrough Entertainment)
Joey Klein (Bobby) Weâre Still Together (Achromatic Media)
Eric Osborne (Miles Hollingsworth) Degrassi: Next Class, â#YesMeansYesâ (DHX Media)
Gord Rand (Det. Duko) Orphan Black, âThe Redesign of Natural Objectsâ (Temple Street Productions)
Paul Soles (Joe) My 90-Year-Old Roommate (LoCo Motion Pictures)
Nominees for Series Ensemble Award
Baroness Von Sketch Show
Kimâs Convenience
Murdoch Mysteries
Orphan Black
Schittâs Creek
See some Snaps from the evening:
The Cast and Crew of ORPHAN BLACK, Nominees
Tatiana Maslany, Nominee
Yannick Bisson, 2017 ACTRA Award of Excellence Recipient
Kristian Bruun x Yannick Bisson
Joey Klein, Winner
Simu Liu, Nominee
Gord Rand, Nominee
Kari Matchett, Nominee
Grace Lynn Kung, Nominee
Jordan Gavaris x Kevin Hanchard, Nominees
Eric Osborne, Nominee
Art Hindle (previous Honouree) x Brooke Hindle
Olivia Chow, Author + Politician
Handsome #MurdochMysteries star #YannickBisson accepting #ACTRAAwards Award of Excellence tonight.
A post shared by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong) on
All photos taken on the NIKON D3300, video on the SAMSUNG S7.
(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)
For advertising opportunites please contact mrwill@mrwillwong.com