Sure, TIFF is all about movies, but it’s also all about celebrities, too. (I mean, when else could you bump into Ryan Gosling at a Toronto coffee shop?) So far, the complete guest list for the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival is TBD — stars and their busy schedules and all — but here’s who is confirmed to be attending.
Antonio Banderas
Banderas will be interviewed at TIFF's “In Conversation With” (a series of live interviews featuring industry icons). The Spanish actor will discuss his two highly anticipated films that are premiering at TIFF — The Laundromat, which is about the Panama Papers Leak, and Pedro Almodóvar's Pain and Glory, about a filmmaker reflecting on his life choices.
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Javier Bardem
Mr. Penélope Cruz will headline a special event for Alvaro Longoria’s film Sanctuary (he produced and stars in the movie), to talk about what we can do to save ocean sanctuaries.
Mati Diop
TIFF has been making a concerted effort to promote women directors and filmmakers. Mati Diop, the French director and actress, will be honored with the festival's inaugural Mary Pickford Award, which celebrates female emerging talent.
Jamie Foxx & Michael B. Jordan
This dream team will be participating in a talk moderated by TIFF co-head Cameron Bailey. They are in Toronto to promote Just Mercy, a film that's already getting Oscar buzz. In it, a lawyer (Jordan) represents Walter McMillan (Foxx), a man who is on death row for murder even though he has a solid alibi the night of the crime.
Allison Janney
Academy and Emmy Award-winner Allison Janney is also taking part in TIFF's "In Conversation With." She's promoting the dramedy Bad Education, which co-stars Hugh Jackman and Ray Romano.
Amandla Stenberg
The actress and activist — whose movie The Hate U Give premiered at the festival last year — will host a talk about her work toward gender non-conforming inclusivity and her boundary-challenging roles. (Date TBA.)
Meryl Streep
The Hollywood G.O.A.T. is set to receive the inaugural TIFF Tribute Actor Award at a September 9 gala. She also stars in The Laundromat, so you can expect to see her on the red carpet.
Kerry Washington
Washington will be doing her own "In Conversation With" to discuss American Son, based on the acclaimed play by Christopher Demos-Brown about police brutality against young Black men. Washington previously starred in the Broadway play.
Shailene Woodley
Shailene Woodley, who stars in Endings, Beginnings, will talk about the art of collaboration as a part TIFF’s sixth-annual Block Party.