Even as the Venice Film Festival gets ready to kick off, the big stars are circling Toronto.
This morning the TIFF announced that Bruce Springsteen and Bill Gates would be part of the Maverick series, where panel discussions take place live in a theater.
Springsteen’s coming to be interviewed by actor Edward Norton (good choice) for the documentary about his “Darkness on the Edge of Town” album.
The “Darkness” doc is one of two very hot tickets in that category. The other is Davis Guggenheim’s “Waiting for Superman.” The Maverick discussion includes Gates and Guggenheim together on the state of the public school system.
Also on the Mavericks list: Michael Moore interviewing famed filmmaker Ken Loach; and Philip Seymour Hoffman.
The TIFF–which finally gets to show off its new headquarters this year, the Bell Lightbox–also released a long cavalcade of celebs who’ll be attending. Here’s just the actor’s list:
Nicole Kidman, Colin Firth, Hilary Swank, Robert De Niro, Clive Owen, Helen Mirren,
Natalie Portman, Edward Norton and Aamir Khan. We also expect Catherine Deneuve, Charlotte Rampling, Kristin Scott- Thomas, Rachel Weisz, Marion Cotillard, Carey Mulligan, Catherine Keener and Jeon Do-Yeon; Kevin Spacey, Matt Damon, Om Puri, Josh Hartnett, Michael Sheen, Ryan Reynolds, Mickey Rourke, Keanu Reeves, Vincent Cassel, Paul Giamatti, Bill Murray, Bob Hoskins, Steve Coogan, Woody Harrelson, Zach Galifianakis and Will Ferrell. Other guests include Jennifer Connelly, Megan Fox, Uma Thurman, Freida Pinto, Ellen Page, Emma Roberts, James Franco, Ryan Gosling, Jackson Rathbone, Javier Bardem, Jon Hamm and Olivia Newton-John.
Okay twist my arm!
PS You have to read TIFF director Cameron Bailey‘s Tweets. They’re great.