By Brittany Banks
(Photos by Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for Grey Goose Vodka )
Toronto, Canada (The Hollywood Times) 9/13/16 – Grey Goose is getting around at the Toronto International Film Festival!
On Friday, a mouthwatering guest list including Leonardo DiCaprio and Fisher Stevens from Before the Flood — and from Colossal: director
Nacho Vigalondo, Anne Hathaway, Jason Sudeikis with pregnant longtime fiancée Olivia Wilde, Tim Blake Nelson, Austin Stowell and Elizabeth Olsen toasted the world’s best in film with a variety of customized Grey Goose cocktails.
***
Grey Goose vodka and private members’ club Soho House Toronto hosted a celebration for the North American premiere of Lion on Saturday. Lion reveals the riveting true story of Saroo Brierley and his 25-year journey to find his family and first home.
The party started when producer Harvey Weinstein and Nicole Kidman arrived, with director Garth Davis and actors Dev Patel, 26, and 31-year-old Rooney Mara following shortly after. Maria Bello (star of A History of Violence and TIFF’s The Journey is the Destination) and outspoken actress Shailene Woodley also stopped by to show their support.
***
Steakhouse STK Toronto and A-List Communications, along with none other than sponsor Grey Goose, hosted The Creative Coalition’s Spotlight Initiative Gala Awards Dinner.
Jennifer Connelly (A Beautiful Mind) received an award from American Pastoral co-star and director Ewan McGregor. This film marks McGregor’s directorial debut.
Dakota Fanning honoured fellow American Pastoral co-star Uzo Aduba for her commitment to creativity in the arts. Aduba, notorious for her role as the incomparable Crazy Eyes in Netflix’s Orange is the New Black, reminisced about their first encounter when Fanning woke her from a deep sleep in order to meet her.
Nick Cannon, donning a black turban, was in The Six for his directorial debut of King of the Dancehall. Mariah Carey’s ex-husband received a Creative Coalition honour from revered Academy Award winner Louis Gossett Jr.
Jennifer Beals (Flashdance; The L Word) presented an award to Jonathan Demme, director of Justin Timberlake and the Tennessee Kids. Beals expressed earnest admiration for Demme’s willingness to support the projects of individuals from all walks of life.
Irish director of Armenian genocide film The Promise, Terry George, went blank when presenting an award to Jim Sheridan. George comically justified his moment of silence with, “Sorry, I was lost in my thoughts. I was just thinking that Canada should build a wall and make America pay for it!”
Maria Bello, Parker Posey (in town for the Netflix comedy Mascots), Canadian Oscar-winning director Paul Haggis, mockumentary maven (with countless other titles) Christopher Guest, Jim Sheridan (My Left Foot; In the Name of the Father) and Ron Chapman (The Poet of Havana) were also immersed in the festivities.
