10 BIG STARS who will most likely return to Toronto and support films during the 2011 edition of TIFF
Actor icon Robert Deniro has not been a stranger to the Toronto Festival – especially the last couple years. He did TIFF’10 joining Ed Norton for the premiere of “Stone.” A year prior, Deniro made a surprise appearance at the Gala for “Precious” (Deniro was a producer on the Oprah-backed film.) You can never be sure when Bobby is going to appear, but it’s a good bet it will be three years in a row when, “Killer Elite” has its TIFF’11 premiere.
Rebecca Hall, the stunning English beauty and actress graced TIFF last year in support of the Ben Affleck directed drama, “The Town.” This year, Hall will most likely walk the red carpet in support of the horror film, “The Awakening.”
It was pandemonium anywhere Brad Pitt went when he came to the Toronto Festival during 2008 to support, “Burn After Reading.” We should see Pitt again this year, as the highly anticipated “MoneyBall” is all set for a Gala TIFF’11 premiere.
Clive Owen signing autographs for fans during the 2007 International Toronto Film Festival. Owen was at TIFF that year in support of “Elizabeth: The Golden Age.” We should see Clive again during TIFF’11 as the globetrotting adventure “Killer Elite” has been added to the Gala program.
Great hearing Oscar-winner Jennifer Hudson will make a Gala appearance during TIFF’11 for “Winnie.” Hudson’s last film, the 2008 “The Secret Life Of Bees” also made a TIFF premiere that year and brought Jennifer to town.
We last saw Nicolas Cage do TIFF during 2009 where he garnered rave reviews for his eccentric performance in “The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call – New Orleans.” Cage should return in 2011, as director Joel Schumacher’s “Trespass” gets a Gala screening slot.
Sarah Polley has practically grown up alongside the Toronto International Film Festival. From red carpet appearances as far back as 1997 (Atom Egoyan’s “The Sweet Hereafter”) to Polley’s arrival as a critically acclaimed director with the TIFF’06 premiere of “Away From Her.” We’ll see Sarah all over TIFF’11 as her second directorial effort, “Take This Waltz” gets a coveted premiere slot.
We saw a slightly battered George Clooney as a motorcycle mishap a week before TIFF’09 had him in Toronto with a bandaged hand when he was supporting two films, “Up In The Air” and “Men Who Stare at Goats.” Clooney will be doing double duty again for TIFF’11 as he will be in Toronto to support two films – one a personal directorial effort.
If director David Cronenberg is bringing a film to TIFF, chances are Viggo Mortensen won’t be far behind. The actor supported Cronenberg films in Toronto during 2005 and 2008. The master director is again premiering at TIFF’11 – this time, “A Dangerous Method,” and like previous collaborations we fully expect Viggo to walk a red carpet in Toronto this year.
U2′s Bono and company have done TIFF red carpets before. Most notably during 2009 when they surprised the press by showing up to support fellow a Irishman, director Neil Jordan’s latest film starring Colin Farrell. It will be an even bigger stage (and carpet) as Davis Guggenheim’s documentary on the band gets the coveted opening night slot for TIFF’11.
