If you know me or have scrolled through my Instagram, you likely understand why people call me “that girl who meets tons of celebs.” It’s true—I’ve been lucky to meet A-listers like George Clooney (he really did say I was the best!), Selena Gomez (multiple times!), Michael B. Jordan (People’s Sexiest Man of 2020 😉) and Khloe Kardashian, just to name a few. This year, the pandemic certainly disrupted my normal celebrity selfie streak, but the rise of virtual concerts and meet-and-greets also allowed me to score once-in-a-lifetime experiences with several of my favourite artists.

As I look back on the year’s camera roll and prepare for another year of being a ~professional fangirl~, read through the inside scoop on my best and worst (!) celeb encounters of 2020. I’m not sparing any details!

Best

Sidney Crosby

Let’s start with one of the highlights of my year, if not my entire life. Sidney Crosby is my all-time fave hockey player and I’ve had so many close encounters with him, to the point my friends and I were nearly convinced I was cursed. I actually did get a car selfie with Sid a few years ago (hi, 2015 Angela!) at the Pittsburgh Penguins’ practice facility, but I was determined to get a full body/posed photo and say more than just “Hi, can I get a picture?!?”

In February pre-pandemic, when we were all more optimistic about everything in life, I declared it was about time I get that photo. I dragged my up-for-anything work friend on an adventure to the team hotel (which is very well documented) in Toronto. By some MIRACLE, we were there for no more than 15 minutes before the heavens—that is, the elevator doors—opened and I got my moment with Sidney! He was very gracious with both of us and I was able to quickly tell him how much this meant to me.

As you can imagine, seeing Sidney made attending the game later that much sweeter. I’m looking forward to the return of the NHL in 2021 — and fingers crossed that my Penguins make it into the playoffs! 🐧

Julia Michaels and JP Saxe

Though you probably know these two talented artists together from their critically-acclaimed hit duet “If The World Was Ending” (unknowingly-yet-perfectly timed for the events of 2020), I’m a long-time fan of both Julia Michaels and JP Saxe individually.

Julia, a songwriter to the stars, has been a writing inspiration of mine for years, and I know JP through the Toronto music industry circles. It was fitting, then, that I ended up meeting them both on the same night!

In January, after it was confirmed JP and Julia were dating (how adorable!), I saw Julia post that she was with JP as he rehearsed for a show that night in Toronto. I got to the venue early enough to catch them both heading to a pre-show dinner and they could not have been kinder!

I saw Julia first and it was so cool to snap a few selfies with her and chat about her beautiful lyrics and headlining show in Toronto just two months prior.

Shortly after, I caught up with JP and complimented his Raptors shirt—the perfect attire for a sold-out show in his hometown!

I’m so happy JP and Julia now have their first GRAMMY nomination together for this song. Song of the Year…no big deal! For more from Julia and JP, listen to their heartwarming new holiday single, “Kissin’ in the Cold.”

Ally Brooke

Meeting Fifth Harmony singer Ally Brooke this past year will always be memorable for two reasons: It was Ally’s first headlining tour and concert in Toronto, which is always a special show (ask any artist!), and it was my first meet-and-greet—just days before the March lockdown—where you had to use hand sanitizer before you went up to the musician. Thinking about sanitizer and other forms of PPE and physical distancing, it’s truly insane to consider how much will change within the live event industry once we start returning to “normal.”

On the bright side of things, Ally was an absolute sweetheart, spending several minutes talking with each fan at the M&G and even coming back out to take more photos and sign autographs for anyone who waited after the show. This was my second time meeting Ally after having interviewed Fifth Harmony early in their career, and she somehow remembered exact details about that day! It always strikes me when artists manage to remember details about fans and/or interviewers and it proves the appreciation and love often goes both ways.

Heads up moviegoers and star spotters: the Toronto International Film Festival is going to look a lot different this year.

Any other September, I’d be clearing my calendar to catch as many red carpets, screenings and events as possible. Instead, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically altered the fest landscape, with many going fully virtual. TIFF is adopting a hybrid model for its upcoming festival, running Sept. 10-19, with 50 films screening digitally and in select theatres and drive-ins. There will also be plenty of socially-distanced virtual events, including press conferences and industry talks, to complement TIFF’s signature programming.

Whether this is your first TIFF or you’re a seasoned festival veteran, it will be a new experience for everyone. Here’s your look at what’s playing, which stars are joining in the fest action, and other recommendations to help you make the most of your pandemic-friendly TIFF!

Movies

TIFF has made one thing clear this year — they aren’t losing the magic of moviegoing! With 50 films selected to screen from incredible local and global talent in multiple accessible formats, there truly is something for everyone. Above all, viewers are sure to appreciate several highly-relevant themes among this year’s selections, including advocacy, inclusion and change. Artistic Director and Co-Head of TIFF, Cameron Bailey, said, “This year’s lineup reflects that tumult (of rethinking just about everything surrounding the festival). The names you already know are doing brand new things this year, and there’s a whole new crop of exciting new names to discover.”

What’s playing? Here are some highlights!

The iconic Spike Lee is bringing his latest work, David Byrne’s American Utopia, to TIFF as the 2020 opening presentation. Lee documents the former Talking Heads frontman’s brilliant, timely 2019 Broadway show, which was met with great critical acclaim and is based on his recent album and tour of the same name. In TIFF’s announcement, festival co-head Joana Vicente highlights this film’s relevance to our global situation, as it “takes audiences on a musical journey about openness, optimism, and faith in humanity” and reveals how we can come together during challenging times through the power of entertainment. Fun fact: Toronto’s own Jacquelene Acevedo is one of the 11 talented global artists who shared the stage with Byrne during his Broadway run — look out for her in the film! If you miss this at TIFF, the film will be available to stream on Crave in Canada at the same time as the American HBO premiere this fall.

In remarkable fest news, 45% of TIFF 2020 titles are directed, co-directed or created by women. There are many great women and works of art to spotlight, but I’m super excited for one in particular. In her directorial debut, actress Regina King presents One Night in Miami…. Already picked up by Amazon Studios, this gala presentation, based on Kemp Powers’ play, is a fictionalized account of a 1964 meeting between the triumphant minister Malcolm X, boxer Muhammad Ali, pop star Sam Cooke, and football star Jim Brown, as they face timely questions like: Should successful Black entertainers speak out against racism? How best can Black celebrities serve the Black community? Are money and fame reward enough for humiliation?

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I know a lot of my readers love Idris Elba, so here’s a treat for all of you: Concrete Cowboy, which also features rising stars Caleb McLaughlin (Stranger Things) and Jharrel Jerome (Moonlight, When They See Us), is screening at TIFF 2020. While spending the summer in North Philadelphia, a troubled teen is caught between a life of crime and his estranged father’s vibrant urban-cowboy subculture. This is the perfect option if you’re looking for a story about finding yourself, your purpose and reconnecting with family.

Also screening at the fest is Swedish filmmaker Nathan Grossman’s Hulu special I Am Greta, which will document young activist Greta Thunberg’s viral calls for government action on the climate crisis and her role in inspiring student strikes and protests around the world. A global icon!

Where, and how, can you watch this year’s TIFF selections? It’s easy!

All 50 films, including the exciting titles I teased above, will play at one or more of TIFF’s in-person venues, or digitally via Chromecast and a new Bell-sponsored Digital Cinema platform (both geolocked to Canadian viewers). See below for this year’s official scaled-down list of theatres:

TIFF Bell Lightbox
RBC Lakeside Drive-In at Ontario Place
Visa Skyline Drive-In at CityView (my favourite!)
West Island Open Air Cinema at Ontario Place

If you’re heading downtown for a screening, don’t forget your mask! In accordance with local Stage 3 reopening guidelines, theatre capacity is limited with strict physical distancing measures in place. Safety first, movie watching second!

Best and Worst Celebrity Encounters of 2020