Up Close and Personal With a Bunch of Stars at TIFF
Paul Mescal, Actor, Carmen and Aftersun.
After the pandemic forced it to go virtual, the Toronto International Film Festival came roaring back this year, with crowded in-person screenings, glitzy red carpet galas, and so many stars in town to plug their projects. Here, the photographer Myles Pettengill gets to know a bunch of them.
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SADIE SINK
ACTOR, THE WHALE
Where are you from?
I’m from Texas.
What are you reading right now?
I just started a new book that I got at this random bookshop in Germany, it’s called You Exist Too Much.
What was your big break?
Probably when I booked my first Broadway show when I was 11.
What would you cook for someone on a first date?
Oh, that’s a bad idea. I can’t cook, so the answer is takeout.
What’s a secret you’re comfortable sharing with the world?
I don’t have one!
Who’s your favorite photographer?
Tim Walker or Juergen Teller.
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LASHANA LYNCH
ACTOR, THE WOMAN KING
Where are you from?
London.
What are you reading right now?
A lot of affirmations, anywhere and everywhere.
What was your big break?
Pinnocchio, age 6.
What would you cook for someone on a first date?
I’d like them to cook, ‘cause equal opportunities.
What’s a secret you’re comfortable sharing with the world?
That I don’t share my secrets and I don’t share anyone else’s.
Who’s your favorite photographer of all time?
Greg Williams. I love him and I’ve worked with him for years. He’s amazing.
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MICHEAL WARD
ACTOR, EMPIRE OF LIGHT
Where are you from?
I’m from Jamaica but I live in London.
What’s your favorite thing you’re wearing right now?
My jacket. Dolce & Gabbana, you already know.
What are you reading right now?
A script. I can’t tell you about that. It’s classified.
What was your big break?
I’d say Top Boy. Netflix. Go watch it if you haven’t seen it.
What would you cook for someone on a first date?
Some stew chicken and rice.
What’s a secret you’re comfortable sharing with the world?
Maybe people already know this, but I’m scared of animals. So the fact that in the film I worked with a pigeon, that’s a big one for me.
Who’s your favorite photographer of all time?
It’s gotta be you.
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MADELYN CLINE
ACTOR, GLAS
Where are you from?
South Carolina.
What are you watching right now?
Succession.
What was your big break?
I would say Outer Banks.
What would you cook for someone on a first date?
Probably a pot roast and mashed potatoes. Wait, first date? No! McDonald’s chicken nuggets and fries. With like, candles.
What’s a secret you’re comfortable sharing with the world?
Well, my nail is about to fall off. Not just the fake nail, the whole nail. It’s been hanging off throughout this weekend. I feel like I should have a better secret.
Who is your favorite photographer of all time?
You!
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VICKY KRIEPS
ACTOR, CORSAGE
Where are you from?
Luxembourg.
What’s your favorite thing you’re wearing right now?
This [friendship bracelet]. It was made by my son.
What are you reading right now?
Oh, several things. I’m reading one book by Álvaro Enrigue. It’s about America, actually. It’s about the separation, the country that it was before, before the U.S. and Mexico. How the people there lived. It’s very interesting.
What was your big break?
I don’t like the whole idea of a breakout. That your career is something that becomes something that at one point it was not before. You see, it’s one career. There’s not one thing, or one moment, when your career becomes interesting.
What would you cook for someone on a first date?
My grandmother’s soup. Grüne Bohnensuppe. It’s with green beans.
What’s a secret you’re comfortable sharing with the world?
That on my movie Corsage I had a pubic hair wig. Instead of your pubic hair, you have a wig. Like a fake mustache.
Who’s your favorite photographer of all time?
Edward Steichen, because he came from Luxembourg. Ha!
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AARON PIERRE
ACTOR, BROTHER
Where are you from?
West Croydon, South London.
What are you reading right now?
The Sword and the Shield by Peniel E. Joseph.
What was your big break?
Arguably, Othello at The Globe. Because that’s where Barry Jenkins first saw me.
What would you cook for someone on a first date? |
I cooked my current partner a tuna pasta bake. It’s like thick pasta, with tuna, corn, cheese, and a whole array of spices.
What’s a secret you’re comfortable sharing with the world?
I’m a very quiet person and an introvert who finds it hard to do press. [Laughs]
Who’s your favorite photographer of all time?
Misan Harriman.
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GLEN POWELL
ACTOR, DEVOTION
Where are you from?
Austin, Texas.
What are you reading right now?
I can’t remember the title, but it’s basically about body movement. It’s for this movie I’m prepping for right now, Hitman with Richard Linklater.
What was your big break?
Expendables 3, back in the day. Didn’t have a lot going on, and Expendables 3 saved the day.
What would you cook for someone on a first date?
Spaghetti squash and sweet potatoes with cinnamon, and salmon.
What’s a secret you’re comfortable sharing with the world?
I can tap dance. I’m not proud of it, but I can do it.
Who’s your favorite photographer to work with?
My mom. We call her “mamarazzi.”
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ANNA KENDRICK
ACTOR, ALICE, DARLING
Where are you from?
I’m from Portland, Maine.
What’s your favorite thing you’re wearing right now?
Always jewelry. Rings, but they’re usually too big for me. I have to stack them up so they don’t fall off.
What are you reading right now?
I just finished reading Jeanette McCurdy’s book, I’m Glad My Mom Died. Excellent read. Funny, smart, I’m in love.
What was your big break?
My big break was a show called High Society on Broadway when I was 12 years old.
What would you cook for someone on a first date?
I can only cook a handful of things, so probably spaghetti carbonara.
What’s a secret you’re comfortable sharing?
I pretended to like the salad that I just had, but I didn’t. Don’t tell anybody.
Who’s your favorite photographer of all time?
Richard Avedon.
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RIAN JOHNSON
WRITER/DIRECTOR/PRODUCER, GLAS
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JEREMY POPE
ACTOR, THE INSPECTION
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JULIA BUTTERS
ACTOR, THE FABELMANS
Where are you from?
I’m from Los Angeles, California.
What’s your favorite thing you’re wearing right now?
My ring that Anne Spielberg gave me. It’s her high school ring from 1967, so I’m here representing.
What are you reading right now?
I’m reading Catching Fire, from the Hunger Games [series] for school. But my favorite book is probably The Outsiders.
What was your big break?
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Quentin Tarantino. That was very exciting and I’m very fortunate to have been on that.
What’s a secret you’re comfortable sharing with the world?
I can sing. I write my own songs all the time.
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CHRISTINE KO
ACTOR, THE HANDMAID’S TALE
Where are you from?
Atlanta, Georgia.
What are you reading right now?
Can I say that I don’t read a lot? I’m watching The Rehearsal. And of course, House of the Dragon.
What was your big break?
My big break was The Great Indoors. It was a CBS comedy with Joel McHale.
What would you cook for someone on a first date?
A first date where I’m cooking? That’s a good first date. And my signature dish is beef noodle soup, so get ready.
What’s a secret you’re comfortable sharing with the world?
I have a crazy sense of smell.
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ETHAN HAWKE & EWAN MCGREGOR
ACTORS, RAYMOND & RAY
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MICHELLE MONAGHAN
ACTOR, NANNY
Where are you from?
Winthrop, Iowa.
What’s your favorite thing you’re wearing right now?
Versace, of course.
What are you reading right now?
I’m in between books so I am taking recommendations.
What was your big break?
Kiss Kiss, Bang, Bang with Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer.
What would you cook for someone on a first date?
I would cook a roast chicken with fennel and parmesan scalloped potatoes.
What’s a secret you’re comfortable sharing?
I had both of my babies at home. I don’t think anybody knows that, but now they do!
Who’s your favorite photographer to work with?
My husband!
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GABRIEL LABELLE
ACTOR, THE FABELMANS
Where are you from?
Vancouver.
What are you reading right now?
I’m reading Townie by Andre Dubus III.
What was your big break?
I thought it was the pilot of American Gigolo, but it’s really The Fabelmans.
What would you cook for someone on a first date?
Salmon. I would sear it on the top, skin side down, then flip it over, oil it, and then have just veggies. Good stuff.
What’s a secret you’re comfortable sharing with the world?
I don’t do a good job of keeping my things tidy.
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ANNA DIOP
ACTOR, NANNY
Where are you from?
I’m from Dakar, Senegal.
What’s your favorite thing you’re wearing right now?
Well, I’m wearing all Chanel. So, all of it.
What are you reading right now?
I just finished The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett. Highly recommend, I think they’re making a series out of it soon.
What was your big break?
The first series I ever booked was for the CW called The Messengers. It was one season, one and done. But it opened a lot of doors.
What would you cook for someone on a first date?
During the pandemic, I learned how to make a really nice lobster risotto. That was really impressive, so I think I’d do that.
What’s a secret you’re comfortable sharing?
I wish I was a better sister to my brother sometimes. I’m very extroverted in our family dynamic, and I think I can overshadow what he’s doing sometimes. And he’s so sweet and patient with me. Shoutout to you Kareem! You’re the best, you hold me down.
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HERO FIENNES TIFFIN
ACTOR, THE WOMAN KING
Where are you from?
South London.
What’s your favorite thing you’re wearing right now?
The shoes man, just started on ‘em. Gotta start with the best. Fendi is looking after us with this outfit.
What are you reading right now?
Lots of scripts. Lots of good ones, some bad ones. Mostly good ones. I read so many scripts that I find it hard to read books. But I just finished The Wire. Now I’m straight on to The Sopranos.
What would you cook for someone on a first date?
My mum used to make this amazing cottage pie. Basically beef mince with tomato sauce, a bunch of seasoning, ground up potato on top. I call it a Shepherd’s Pie, but I’m always corrected and told it’s not a Shepherd’s Pie. It’s my take on a Shepherd’s Pie.
What was your big break?
It would have to be the After movies. I was lucky enough to work on Harry Potter when I was really young, which is obviously massive, but After was my first big lead role.
What’s a secret you’re comfortable sharing with the world?
There are no secrets I’m comfortable sharing with the world, otherwise they wouldn’t be secrets.
Who’s your favorite photographer of all time?
Remind me of your name again, sir?
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SPENCER NEVILLE
ACTOR, DEVOTION
Where are you from?
Tennessee.
What’s your favorite thing you’re wearing right now?
The suit’s a nod to the flight suits that we wear in the movie Devotion. Made by Goodfight. And the Omega watch, can’t go wrong with that.
What are you reading right now?
Haruki Murakami, Killing Commendatore.
What was your big break?
This movie, Devotion. And I was in a couple of episodes of Ozark.
What would you cook for someone on a first date?
Well, I’m a vegetarian, so I’d probably go with pasta with some homemade red sauce. Something simple, but elevated.
What’s a secret you’re comfortable sharing with the world?
I’m an aspiring—very beginner, but aspiring—ballet dancer. I’m not a dancer, but I love learning something new. No one knows this, I’ve been doing it in my apartment in L.A. It started during the pandemic, just getting on YouTube and learning how to do ballet.
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MARCUS SCRIBNER
ACTOR, HOW TO BLOW UP A PIPELINE
Where are you from?
Los Angeles, California.
What’s your favorite thing you’re wearing right now?
Probably the Margiela big stompers. Extra comfortable.
What are you reading right now?
I’m really into fantasy, and I’m on the second to last book of this series by Brandon Sanderson, it’s called Mistborn. He’s one of my favorite authors.
What was your big break?
Definitely Black-ish. I don’t know why I had to think about that for so long. I got it when I was 13, and it led to all these amazing opportunities that I have in front of me now.
What would you cook for someone on a first date?
Vodka sauce pasta. I just learned how to make it, and it’s going to be a first date food for sure.
What’s a secret you’re comfortable sharing with the world?
I also wore these socks yesterday.
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LAMAR JOHNSON
ACTOR, BROTHERS
Where are you from?
Toronto.
What are you reading right now?
I’m reading a book called Start With Why.
What was your big break?
I was on a Disney show called The Next Step. It was dance and acting, which essentially married both of my careers.
What would you cook for someone on a first date?
I’d probably go a little simple, do a pasta.
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KRYSTY WILSON-CAIRNS
SCREENWRITER, THE GOOD NURSE
Where are you from?
I’m from Glasgow, in Scotland.
What’s your favorite thing you’re wearing right now?
My favorite thing I’m wearing is this bracelet that was my grandmother’s.
What are you reading right now?
I’m reading a book called Not Far From Brideshead: Oxford Between the Wars, about Oxford between World War I and World War II. I’m just a nerd.
What was your big break?
My big break was selling a screenplay called Aether to FilmNation in America.
What would you cook for someone on a first date?
I can’t cook, so I’d order them the finest pizza from a local restaurant.
Who’s your favorite photographer of all time?
Roger Deakins. I really love his book Byways, and I’ve spent a lot of time with him and his wife James [Ellis Deakins]. I love how he captures the still image and the moving image, and I love that he’s mad.
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CHARLOTTE WELLS
DIRECTOR, AFTERSUN
