First-time feature directors don’t usually land mega-stars like Zero Dark Thirty’s Jessica Chastain and Atonement actor James McAvoy. They also don’t usually barrel straight out of the gate with ambitious, 190-minute projects that are actually two films in one. Director Ned Benson is the exception. The short film director made his feature debut at the Elgin Theatre yesterday for The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Him and Her, a two-part story about a married couple whose relationship fractures after a life-altering tragedy. Joining the director on the red carpet were the film’s lead duo: Chastain decked out in a form-fitting turquoise Atelier Versace dress and McAvoy in a more casual jeans-and-blazer ensemble. The pair signed autographs and posed for pics with besotted fans, and Chastain even divulged her favourite Beatles album (“Revolver!”), though she refused to narrow it down to a single song. Her rationale: “That would be like picking a favourite child.”
NEVER MISS A TORONTO LIFE STORY
Sign up for This City, our free newsletter about everything that matters right now in Toronto politics, sports, business, culture, society and more.