The actor | Malin Akerman Malin Akerman staged a comeback by starring in one of the most addictive and hilarious shows of the year, The Hunting Wives By May Cobb — author of The Hunting Wives I remember meeting Malin for the very first time, on set to star as Margo Banks in the Netflix … Continued
The advocate | Maggie Helwig Maggie Helwig wrote the Toronto Book Award-winning Encampment, documenting the lives of unhoused individuals and the homelessness crisis in Toronto, and fought to protect the encampment in her church’s backyard By Sook-Yin Lee — musician, director, actor and Kensington Market resident Mother Maggie Helwig is the coolest person in Toronto. … Continued
The Canadian | Mike Myers Mike Myers stood up to our southern frenemies and created a catchphrase heard around the world: “Elbows up!“ By Bruce McCulloch — The Kids in the Hall member, friend I remember once The Kids in the Hall were doing a show in a tiny comedy club in Toronto, and I … Continued
The filmmaker | Celine Song Celine Song followed up her breakout hit Past Lives by creating a culture-defining movie with Materialists and revived the rom-com By Paul Fairfield — philosophy professor, Queen’s University; Celine’s existentialism & postmodernism professor Professors can’t take credit for our students’ success, although in Celine’s case I wish I could. During … Continued
The doctor | Dr. Seyed Alireza Rabi Dr. Seyed Alireza Rabi performed Canada’s first transplant with a heart that had stopped beating By Dr. Thomas Forbes — Surgeon-in-chief, UHN Dr. Seyed Alireza Rabi represents the type of talent that signals something bigger than a single medical achievement — he represents what it means for Toronto … Continued
The Broadway star | Keanu Reeves Keanu Reeves brought a Bill & Ted reunion to Broadway and continues to be one of the nicest guys in Hollywood By Lewis Baumander — director, founder of LB Acting Studio I first met Keanu when he was about 16 or 17, auditioning for Mercutio in a Romeo & … Continued
The athlete | Victoria Mboko Victoria Mboko made history as the youngest Canadian to win the National Bank Open in the Open Era By Kayla Cross — Team Canada doubles partner, friend I’ve known Vicky Mboko since we were six, when we used to chase our older siblings around the courts at tournaments. Soon after, … Continued
The lifesaver | Andrew Boozary Andrew Boozary showed housing is health care with social medicine housing initiative Dunn House By Jason Miles — Dunn House resident I believe I met Andrew through the process of coming into Dunn House, but with my addictions history, there’s a good chance I actually met him before, in the … Continued
The comedian | Veronika Slowikowska Veronika Slowikowska is the newest Canadian cast member on SNL — and the first since Norm Macdonald By Leandra Earl — The Beaches guitarist, friend There’s no one more deserving to be Toronto’s person of the year than Veronika. I’ve been saying it for years. My band, crew and I … Continued
The chef | Eric Chong Eric Chong received Toronto’s only new Michelin star this year, for aKin, and won the Young Chef Award By Mary Berg — TV host and Masterchef Canada judge I met Eric Chong back in 2015 in the kitchen of his newly opened restaurant R&D in Toronto’s Chinatown. Only two years … Continued
The tech entrepreneur | Raquel Urtasun Raquel Urtasun is reimagining driverless trucks through Waabi, backed by Uber, Nvidia & Porsche By Patricia Thaine — Co-founder and CEO, Private AI I first met Raquel when I was taking Dr. Sanja Fidler’s course at the University of Toronto. We then reconnected at founder events in Toronto. She’s … Continued
San Francesco Foods will close its original Clinton Street location on Monday, Dec. 21, ending a more than 70-year run in Toronto’s Little Italy. The decision, according to a staff member was financial. “We just haven’t been making the money we used to,” they said, adding that the closure was not the result of a … Continued
