The New Hollywood North

The actors, directors, showrunners, producers and other Toronto talent making waves right now

We’ve all felt that twinge of annoyance when Toronto masquerades as someplace else on screen. But, lately, the city has been starring as itself. This year, Turning Red beamed cotton-candy-coloured animations of Kensington Market to audiences across the globe. Sort Of took viewers inside Parkdale art galleries and King West bars. Hell, one of Netflix’s biggest blockbusters was called The Man From Toronto.

It’s not just our skyline in the spotlight but also the city’s actors, directors, showrunners, writers and producers. Whatever the genre, network or streaming service, it’s impossible to avoid the tidal wave of film and TV talent flowing from the GTA right now, wowing critics and enchanting audiences.

Below, you’ll find a selection of brilliant local stars: Marvel heroes, sitcom leads, queer icons, teen prodigies and irresistible bad boys. They’re already sweeping up awards, landing new projects and telling fresh stories that reflect Toronto’s electrifying diversity. And the average age among them is 26, which means that, for all their successes, they’re just getting started.