Entertainment

Oprah, Spielberg, Swift coming to Toronto for TIFF

Taylor Swift, Steven Spielberg and Oprah Winfrey are among the stars heading to this year's Toronto International Film Festival, which on Friday released its list of expected guests — hundreds of names from Darren Aronofsky to Rebecca Zlotowski. 

Festival's return to its most in-person format since 2019 brings long list of guests

A photo collage of five men and women.
From left to right: Viola Davis, Steven Spielberg, Oprah Winfrey, Taylor Swift and Harry Styles. All are on the list of expected guests for this year's Toronto International Film Festival. (Mario Anzuoni/Reuters, Frazer Harrison/Getty Images, Christopher Polk/Getty Images, Eduardo Munoz/Reuters, Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)

Taylor Swift, Steven Spielberg and Oprah Winfrey are among the stars heading to this year's Toronto International Film Festival, which on Friday released its list of expected guests — hundreds of names from Darren Aronofsky to Rebecca Zlotowski.  

Spielberg, as previously announced, will make his first appearance at the festival for the premiere of the semi-autobiographical The Fablemans, with cast members Michelle Williams, Paul Dano and Seth Rogen also expected to attend.

The world premiere of Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, a sequel to the 2019 whodunnit, on Sept. 10 will bring director Rian Johnson along with stars Daniel Craig, Kate Hudson and Ethan Hawke.

Also premiering on Sept. 10 is Sidney, a documentary on the life of famed actor Sidney Poitier. Winfrey produced the documentary and is also an interview subject. 

Winfrey will also be portrayed on screen at the festival by Quinta Brunson in Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, a biopic about the satirical pop musician. While Brunson isn't on the list of attendees, Daniel Radcliffe, who plays the titular musician, is scheduled to attend as is Evan Rachel Wood who plays Madonna.

Swift, meanwhile, is scheduled for a Sept. 9 screening and discussion of her short All Too Well: The Short Film with TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey.

A man and woman pose in a walk-in closet filled with Hawaiian shirts. The man's shirt is open, revealing a necklace of many CDs.
Quinta Brunson, as Winfrey, and Daniel Radcliffe as Weird Al Yankovic in Weird: The Al Yankovic Story. The real Winfrey will attend TIFF as a producer of Sidney, a documentary on the life of acclaimed actor Sidney Poitier. (TIFF)

Cage, Blanchett, Jackman

The Sept. 9 world premiere of Woman King will bring stars Viola Davis, Thuso Mbedu and John Boyega, while singer Harry Styles, Emma Corrin and David Dawson are expected on Sept. 11 for My Policeman.

Jennifer Lawrence, Zac Efron, Nicolas Cage, Cate Blanchett, Hugh Jackman, and Anna Kendrick are all expected to walk red carpets this year. 

Singer Buffy Sainte-Marie also will be in Toronto for the Sept. 8 debut of the documentary Buffy Sainte-Marie: Carry It On which chronicles her life, music and activism.

Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers, star of Nightraiders, which was one of TIFF's top ten Canadian Films of last year's festival, returns this year in Stellar, which is set in a northern Ontario bar that remains a peaceful haven amid a series of natural catastrophes.

After reteaming this year for Obi-Wan Kenobi, stars Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen will also be at TIFF. McGregor is starring alongside Hawke in the comedy drama Raymond and Ray, while Christensen is among a number of Canadians on the guest list for the Hollywood North Party, hosted by Toronto Life and Hello! Canada. The guest list for that event also includes musicians K-OS, Kardinal Offishal and actor Paul Sun-Hyung Lee.

Filmmaker Jordan Peele will take part in a Q&A following a Sept. 12 screening of his recent film Nope, while Hillary and Chelsea Clinton will speak as part of the Visionaries program of TIFF's industry conference.

Musicians Tegan and Sara, Joe Jonas and Nelly Furtado will also take part in this year's festival.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Joseph Pugh is a writer with the Entertainment department at CBC News. Prior to joining CBC he worked with the news department at CHLY, Nanaimo's Community radio station, and taught math at Toronto's Urban International School. He can be reached at joseph.pugh@cbc.ca