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The Handmaid’s Tale

#TIFF22: DAY ONE SIGHTINGS

This is what we signed-up for! TIFF ’22 festivities are in full force an it was an epic Day One! This is only the start as we reach peak-TIFF Friday, Saturday and Sunday!!

Some.sightings:

BUFFY SAINTE-MARIE, Recipient of the Jeff Skoll Award in Impact Media at the TIFF Tribute Gala

SALLY EL HOSEINI – Director of THE SWIMMERS – Recipient of the TIFF Emerging Talent Award

THE HANDMAID’S TALE – SEASON FIVE

ON THE COME UP

WEIRD

Its only Day One and we’re already tired!

Check back daily for more sightings!

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)

#SPOTTED: O-T FAGBENLE AND CHRISTINE KO IN TORONTO FOR “THE HANDMAID’S TALE”

English Actor/Writer and Director O-T Fagbenle has had a lasting, distinguished career and he’s back in town working on the fifth season of THE HANDMAID’S TALE, reprising his role as Luke Bankole, husband of Elisabeth Moss’ June Osborne. The Series will continue to film in-town till about July.

Fagbenle is having a huge year, with a recurring role on Apple TV+’s WeCrashed, starring alongside Jared Leto and Anne Hathaway. Just this past weekend, his latest Series THE FIRST LADY, which centers on Michelle Obama (Viola Davis), with him starring as President Obama. The intriguing new Series looks at life in the White House through the lens of the women at the heart of the presidency. It can be seen on Crave in Canada. The Series features an all-star Cast including Michelle Pfeifer and Gillian Anderson.

We were so lucky to get a Snap with Fagbenle, and we are a huge fan of his work! Such a class act! So happy to see his star continue to rise.

Rising star Christina Ko gained much recognition from her work in FXX Series DAVE, and now is just beginning work on Hulu‘s THE HANDMAID’S TALE in Toronto. Ko has been cast in the role of  Lily, a Gilead refugee who has become a leader of the resistance movement in Canada. If you’re a fan of Justin Bieber – and there are many of you – she starred in his “Hold On” Video!

Ko is just so amazingly-sweet! So happy we got to meet her. She is going places very quickly! We learned that she speaks Mandarin-Chinese and also is a huge dog lover!

(Photo/video credit: Showtime/Mr. Will Wong)

#SPOTTED: OLIVIA ROSE KEEGAN & MISHA COLLINS IN TORONTO FOR “GOTHAM KNIGHTS”, MCKENNA GRACE FOR “THE HANDMAID’S TALE”, REBECCA ROMIJN FOR “STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS” AND JASON BUTLER HARNER

Productions are back in full swing in Toronto and we couldn’t be happier!

One of the latest projects to film in Toronto is The CW Pilot GOTHAM KNIGHTS, which begins production next week. The Series imagines a Batman-less Gotham and the heroes who step-in to save it from danger.

Synopsis:

In the wake of Bruce Wayne’s murder, his rebellious adopted son forges an unlikely alliance with the children of Batman’s enemies when they are all framed for killing the Caped Crusader. And as the city’s most wanted criminals, this renegade band of misfits must fight to clear their names. But in a Gotham with no Dark Knight to protect it, the city descends into the most dangerous it’s ever been. However, hope comes from the most unexpected of places as this team of mismatched fugitives will become its next generation of saviors known as the Gotham Knights.

Olivia Rose Keegan has landed the role of Duela Dent in the Pilot, and is already in town to being work. You might recognize her for her work as Lily in High School Musical: The Musical: The Series on Disney+. She also won a Daytime Emmy in 2020 for Outstanding Younger Performer, recognizing her work as Claire Brady on Days of our Lives. Big things are ahead as Keegan stars alongside Riley Keough in DAISY JONES & THE SIX, and also popular HBO Max series MINX.

Above this, we also spotted her Co-Star, the amazing MISHA COLLINS whom you loved in SUPERNATURAL. Just last year he was seen in TIFF ’21 selection ENCOUNTER starring alongside eventual Oscar winner Riz Ahmed. Collins is such a kind soul, taking a moment to stop for pictures with fans despite being held back for a while after landing. He stars in GOTHAM KNIGHTS as villain Harvey Dent.

Mckenna Grace ‘s star continues to rise fast. Yes, that was her starring in Box Office-topping GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE, and yes, that was her as young Tonya Harding in Oscar-nominated I, TONYA. And yup, just checked, that was also her in TV hits FULLER HOUSE and YOUNG SHELDON. The sweet Grace was spotted back in the City to do work on acclaimed THE HANDMAID’S TALE as Esther Keyes, but of course not without her adorable Yorkie named Gizmo!

Also in-town is REBECCA ROMIJN, whom also was a victim of delays upon arriving, but still managing to look super-chic, sporting a Gucci x The North Face collabo bag. She’s back in-town filming STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS which premieres on Paramount+ this May. She reprises her role as Una Chin-Riley from STAR TREK: DISCOVERY.

You know how much we love Netflix‘s OZARK. How amazing is it that we got to meet JASON BUTLER HARNER, who stars as FBI Agent Roy Petty in the first two seasons, hot on Marty Byrde‘s (Jason Bateman) trail? He wouldn’t quite disclose what he’s in-town filming but nonetheless was so amazingly-nice!

Overjoyed to see these smiling faces in our City and we can’t wait to see what’s next and coming!

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

#SPOTTED: KIERNAN SHIPKA, ELISABETH MOSS, ISABELA MONER, SHAMEIK MOORE, ODEYA RUSH, LANCE HENRIKSEN + MORE IN TORONTO

Productions are in flight again around Toronto, utilizing our snowy conditions. Taking advantage of a snow-free afternoon, several stars in town working enjoyed milder weather for once.

LET IT SNOW

Filming for Netflix Feature Let it Snow has been underway and it stars a talented, young up-and-coming Cast including Odeya Rush, Kiernan Shipka, Liv Hewson, Shameik Moore and Isabela Moner. Based on the Book by John Green, Lauren Myracle and Maureen Johnson, the Romantic-Comedy centers on a group of people brought together by a snowstorm on Christmas Eve.

We spotted Matthew Noszka (Star), Moner (seen next in Dora The Explorer), Shipka (The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina), Rush (Lady Bird) and Moore (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse) out and about.

 

The Production wraps end of March.

 

SPINNING OUT

Spinning Out centers on a figure skater on the comeback trail as a Pairs skater, after sustaining an injury. The Netflix Series wraps in May and we spotted stars Willow Shields  (The Hunger Games) and Evan Roderick (Arrow) earlier out and about. The Series stars Kaya Scodelario (The Maze Runner) and January Jones (Mad Men) also.

 

 

LOCKE AND KEY

This Netflix Series based on Joe Hill’s Comic Book Series, is about three siblings brought together after their father’s gruesome murder. They discover a set of keys which must be used against an evil creature looking to hold power and possess the keys. Connor Jessup (American Crime), Jackson Robert Scott (It) and Emilia Jones (Brimstone) star. We spotted Laysla de Olivera out, and she appears next in Toronto-made Code 8 starring cousins Robbie and Stephen Amell, which also is set to stream on Netflix. Executive Producer Andy Muschietti (It, It: Chapter Two) is no stranger to Toronto having directed both Blockbusters here.

Production wraps in June.

 

FALLING
Green Book star Viggo Mortensen makes his directorial debut in Falling, which sees a conservative father who moves in with his gay son and his family in Los Angeles. Veteran Actor Lance Henriksen has been at work in Toronto, being greeted personally by his Co-Star and Director at the airport upon arrival.

The Production wraps late April.

 

THE HANDMAID’S TALE
Golden Globe and Primetime EMMY winner Elisabeth Moss certainly is a busy woman, currently filming season three of dystopian Drama THE HANDMAID’S TALE till April. Moss was just at SXSW in Austin promoting Jordan Peele‘s upcoming Film, US.

 

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)

#GOLDENGLOBES: “BIG LITTLE LIES” + “THREE BILLBOARDS” DOMINATE 2018 GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS
  • January 07, 2018
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The 75th annual Golden Globes Awards took place tonight in Beverly Hills, California. With the #TimesUp initiative front and center of our attentions, we saw all talent uniformly wearing black to draw attention to the cause for equality and an end to sexual harassment in the workplace.

Seth Meyers hosted the affair boldly poking-fun at the likes of Kevin Spacey and Harvey Weinstein. In the face of change, he calls 2018 “the year marijuana was allowed and sexual harassment wasn’t anymore.”.

Oprah Winfrey who next can be seen in Disney‘s A Wrinkle in Time, was awarded the Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement. Her Wrinkle Co-Star Reese Witherspoon introduced her as being all “a noun, a verb and an adjective”. And even Meyers joked DeMille should be honoured she was given the award. Winfrey recalls herself as a kid in Milwaukee back in 1964, watching Anne Bancroft speak a historic five words on television, “The winner is Sidney Poitier“. She hopes to inspire another black girl watching tonight seeing her be named the first ever black Cecil B. DeMille Award Winner. Winfrey states, “I wanted to express gratitude to all women who endured years of abuse and assault as they like my mother had mouths to feed, bills to pay and dreams to pursue.”. Recounting the story of rape (1944) victim Recy Taylor whose six attackers never were persecuted, she defiantly states that we are at the end of an era, “Their time us up!”.

 

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri scored huge in the Film categories including a win for Motion Picture Drama. Martin McDonagh was awarded Screenplay for the Film which he also directed. He jokes, “My mother really wanted Lady Bird to win.”. Oscar Winner Frances McDormand before tonight had been nominated seven times for a Globe, but finally received her first win for Actress in a Motion Picture Drama.  She declined to make political comments but expressed pride that the Film still is filling seats in brick and mortar theatres across the U.S. the “old-fashioned” way. Sam Rockwell, after a career spanning almost three decades, finally won a Golden Globe for his work in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. “It’s nice to be in a movie people saw”, he kids before thanking others involved with the TIFF ’17 People’s Choice Award-winning Film and also wife Leslie Bibb.

 

HBO’s Big Little Lies was a major force in the Television categories winning TV Miniseries or Movie. Nicole Kidman was awarded her fourth Golden Globe for her Actress work, thanking her Co-Star, Co-Producer and fellow Nominee Reese Witherspoon with whom together she brought the HBO release to Television. Kidman despite getting the cue to shorten her speech, thanked her husband Country Star Keith Urban last, telling him “When your cheek is pressed against mine, the whole world just melts away, I love you.”. Co-Stars Laura Dern and Alexander SkarsgĂĄrd also won for their work as Supporting Actor and Supporting Actress (Dern‘s fourth Globe too!) in the Miniseries.

Lady Bird, which premiered at TIFF ’17, won Comedy or Musical. The Film which loosely is based on Greta Gerwig‘s life, also is her directorial debut. Gerwig thanked her hometown Sacramento for giving her the wings and roots needed to succeed in life. 23-year-old Saoirse Ronan already has been nominated for three Globes but alas gets her first win tonight for her acclaimed work in Lady Bird. She kept pointing-out in her humble speech how her mom out of excitement was in the audience on FaceTime while she was on-stage.

 

Visionary Guillermo del Toro made a teary acceptance for Director with The Shape of Water while the Orchestra had tried drowning his speech out due to time restrictions. “Turn the music down, it’s taken me 25 years to get here” he said, drawing cheers from the audience. Moments before, Natalie Portman presenting his award alongside Ron Howard, pointed-out how all Nominees in the Category were male.

Gary Oldman was awarded Actor in a Motion Picture Drama for his portrayal of Winston Churchill in TIFF ’17 selection Darkest Hour. In his speech, he told us how his wife puts-up with his incredible dedication telling others “I go to bed with Winston Churchill and wake-up with Gary Oldman.”.

 

Jeered widely for having made the worst movie of all time, The Room, Filmmaker and Cult Icon Tommy Wiseau got the last laugh joining Actor in a Motion Picture Comedy Winner James Franco on-stage tonight. Franco stars in and directs The Disaster Artist which recounts Wiseau‘s process making that Cult Classic. Franco thanked his younger brother Dave in his speech saying “He always wanted his own Coen Brother” to make Films with and it looks like he too along with Wiseau saw his dream come true.

Allison Janney who delivers a chilling portrayal of Tonya Harding’s mother LaVona Golden in I, Tonya, was awarded a well-deserved Globe beating-out some stiff competition including Laurie Metcalf whom many also feel is deserving for her work in Lady Bird. Janney made a poignant statement about perception of truth in Media, an enlightenment after having worked on the Film which gives us a fresh perspective on the disgraced Figure Skater. It was a good night for both Tommy Wiseau and Tonya Harding.

 

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel was this year’s Dark Horse, winning Comedy Series and also Rachel Brosnahan (House of Cards) winning Actress in a Comedy Series. The Amazon Series centers on a Jewish housewife in the ’50s who becomes a Stand-up Comedian.

Elisabeth Moss shone a light on Canada dedicating her Actress in a Drama Series win to Margaret Atwood who wrote the source material on which Toronto-made The Handsmaid’s Tale is based. The Series also took home a Globe for Drama Series. This is her second Golden Globe win, her first for Miniseries Top of the Lake.

After four nominations, Ewan McGregor finally gets his first Globe win for Actor in a TV Miniseries or Movie with Fargo.  Another Canadian connection, the Series was filmed in Calgary.

Sterling K. Brown was awarded his first Globe for his work on Series This is Us.  The rising star next can be seen in Marvel’s Black Panther and reminded his kids in his speech he’d be there to take them to school tomorrow morning, in addition to expressing his awe of Oprah Winfrey being seated before him on the podium.

 

After getting a nod last year and seeing MASTER OF NONE, for which he has directing and writing credits, Funnyman Aziz Ansari gets a Globe for Actor in a Comedy Series. He becomes the first ever South Asian Actor to win a Globe.

In addition to having grossed almost $600 million worldwide, Disney•Pixar‘s Coco goes on to Globe success, winning Animated Feature.

Hot off its #1 success on the Billboard Hot 200 Album Chart, The Greatest Showman also wins a Globe for Original Song, This is Me, sung by Keala Settle and also Kesha.

Fatih Akin‘s In the Fade won Foreign Language Film. The German Film starring Diane Kruger as a woman dealing with the aftermath of a terrorist attack, received a TIFF ’17 Premiere.

Awards Season culminates in the Academy Awards which air Sunday, March 4, 2018 on ABC, 7 PM ET.

 

(Photo credit: Getty Images)

#GOLDENGLOBES: “BIG LITTLE LIES” + “THE SHAPE OF WATER” LEAD NOMINATIONS AT 2018 GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS

Continuing momentum into Awards Season, nominations were announced for the 75th Golden Globe Awards today. Leading Film nominations is TIFF ’17 selection and Toronto-filmed THE SHAPE OF WATER with seven nominations including Screenplay, Original Score, Supporting Actor (Michael Shannon) and Actress (Octavia Spencer), Actress in a Drama (Sally Hawkins) and Director (Guillermo del Toro).

Following closely with six nominations apiece are fellow Fox Searchlight release THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI which also premiered at TIFF ’17 winning the Cadillac People’s Choice Award and THE POST which for the first time ever pairs Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep and Director Steven Spielberg. All three in the trio are nominated for their work.

Leading Television Nominees are HBO‘s BIG LITTLE LIES which was just announced for a second season despite its first season ending where it source material Novel ends. Its two leads Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman both vie for Actress in a Limited Series, while Shailene Woodley is up for Supporting Actress.

In addition to THE SHAPE OF WATER being Toronto-set and filmed, Canada plays a key role at the Golden Globes with our v. own Eric McCormack up for the rebooted WILL AND GRACE in the Actor in a TV Comedy category. Toronto-made THE HANDMAID’S TALE star Elisabeth Moss also is up for Actress in a TV Drama. The Series also is up for TV Series Drama as is Ann Dowd for Supporting Actress. THE BREADWINNER which is produced by Angelina Jolie (her FIRST THEY KILLED MY FATHER) is up for Foreign Language Film) and starring Canadian talent Saara Chaudry, also is up for Animated Feature. MOLLY’S GAME which was filmed in Toronto, sees Jessica Chastain up for Actress in a Motion Picture Drama. Screenwriter-turned-Director Aaron Sorkin also is up for Screenplay.

The Awards often are known for the deciding-Hollywood Foreign Press Association‘s surprises and shocks. Many are surprised Greta Gerwig who just was named Best Director by the Toronto Film Critics’ Association for her directorial debut LADY BIRD, was the best shot at a female being nominated in the category. She does at least get recognized for in the Screenplay category for the Film. Jordan Peele, many were expecting to get recognized for his writing and directing in GET OUT but got shut-out for both. Kumail Nanjiani won much acclaim for his and wife Emily Gordon‘s autobiographical Comedy THE BIG SICK but was snubbed. THE FLORIDA PROJECT which was named Best Picture also by the TFCA, failed to get a nod for Motion Picture Comedy though Willem Dafoe sees a Supporting Actor nod.

Many are surprised Ansel Elgort received a nomination for his work for Actor in a Motion Picture Comedy in Edgar Wright’s BABY DRIVER despite the Film winning huge raves earlier this year. Another fresh face TimothĂ©e Chalamet finds hinself up against seasoned competition for Actor in Motion Picture Drama for CALL ME BY YOUR NAME. He is expected to be a major force this Awards Season.

While he filmed his scenes only recently, Christopher Plummer who replaced Kevin Spacey in ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD already has landed a Supporting Actor nod in a Motion Picture.

For a complete list of Nominees, visit here.

NBC air the Golden Globe Awards Sunday, January 7, 2018 8 PM ET.

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