A sure way to make Tessanne Chin laugh is to “sing” one of her favourite karaoke songs: “Black Velvet.” “Yes! You know it!” she exclaims as I butcher the chorus of the Billboard No. 1 hit that netted Canadian Alannah Myles a Grammy back in 1990. She’s chuckling from her seat in a room at …
The word “charismatic” doesn’t even begin to describe the aura that surrounds George Clooney. He’s the epitome of the debonair playboy. The natural-born movie star. The no-strings celebrity millionaire, who divides his life between his work and his idyllic retreat in Italy. The Kentucky-born gentleman, from relatively modest beginnings, epitomizes la dolce vita as though …
It’s no wonder that the Hiltons fascinate the world. A historic heritage, astronomic wealth, celebrity status and a talent for empire building make it a life worth envying. And at the heart of it all is the family matriarch Kathy Hilton, whose grounded approach to life allows her to appreciate her family’s luxurious lifestyle while …
When Katherine LaNasa has to contemplate a difficult scene (yes, actors do and can experience moments of self-doubt), she simply imagines herself to be somebody else — a grand old lion of the silver screen, no less. “When I’ve had to do things where I’ve felt intimidated, I remember to tell myself that ‘this is …
At the 2009 Festival of the Arts in Laguna Beach, Calif., a portrait composed of painted screws hung on a wall. It had taken Andrew Myers six months and about 10,000 screws to finish this piece, and the artist stood by as observers paused to let their eyes take in the intricacy of the finished …
Al Pacino isn’t a movie star. He’s an actor. And when you put a Lee Strasberg student on a stage before a star-struck crowd, he’s always on. Bringing his intimate Pacino One Night Only show to Toronto’s Massey Hall, the legendary performer took to the stage with a raw, unscripted theatricality that — to most of …
It’s a sweltering day in the middle of July and Michael “Pinball” Clemons is looking out for his fellow man: he’s offered me a T-shirt. It’s hot. Really hot. The temperature inches towards 35 and with the humidity it feels well over 40. The heat is so intense cookies are baking in cars and, in …
When Staffan Ahrenberg strolled through the streets of central Paris on one fateful sun-drenched afternoon, Picasso was far from his mind. But through a serendipitous discovery of Cahiers d’Art, a once-celebrated publisher and gallery, the eminent Spanish artist is now at the forefront of thought. With the goal of returning Cahiers d’Art to its past …
It’s Monday afternoon in Toronto and Julie Benz is in town as part of the promotional tour for her latest television series Defiance. The most pressing issue right now, however, is what to do with her hands. “Feel free to tell me where to put them,” she says to the photographer as the camera clicks …
The golf party was the last shoot I did for Monica Pedersen Make It Beautiful, and one I had been thinking about doing for a long time. I have been married 15 years and one of the best pieces of advice I received before I got married was from my father. He said, “Kid, find …
