From David Friend of The Canadian Press:
Link: ET Canada veteran Roz Weston to exit entertainment news show after nearly 17 years
After interviewing Hollywood stars in cities across the globe, ET Canada veteran Roz Weston says he’s signing off from the entertainment news program. Continue reading.
From a media release:
CTV, Fremantle, and Reel World Management announced today the all-star cast joining the new CTV Original drama series, SULLIVAN’S CROSSING. In the lead role of Maggie Sullivan, Canadian actress Morgan Kohan (TRANSPLANT) heads the cast alongside leading actors Chad Michael Murray (ONE TREE HILL) as Cal Jones, and Scott Patterson (GILMORE GIRLS) as Maggie’s estranged father, Sully Sullivan. With production on the 10-episode, one-hour series set to begin this summer in Nova Scotia, also joining the principal cast are actor, singer, and a Companion of the Order of Canada, Tom Jackson (CARDINAL) as Frank Cranebear; actor, singer, songwriter, Andrea Menard (THE VELVET DEVIL) as Edna Cranebear; Lynda Boyd (VIRGIN RIVER) as Phoebe Lancaster; Allan Hawco (JACK RYAN) as Andrew Mathews; and Amalia Williamson (NORTHERN RESCUE) as Lola Gunderson.
Executive produced by Reel World Management in association with CTV and Fremantle, SULLIVAN’S CROSSING is being produced as an interprovincial co-production with Nova Scotia-based producer Mike Volpe and Ontario-based producer Mark Gingras. SULLIVAN’S CROSSING is an adaption of the New York Times bestselling novels by beloved author Robyn Carr, reuniting her with Reel World Management’s Roma Roth and Christopher E. Perry, executive producers of the hit series, VIRGIN RIVER. Fremantle will handle global distribution.
In SULLIVAN’S CROSSING, Neurosurgeon Maggie Sullivan (Kohan) has her world turned upside down when a scandalous incident throws both her personal and professional life into turmoil. She leaves her life in the city and returns to Sullivan’s Crossing, a rural campground and outpost nestled amongst the sweeping vistas and cliffs she once called home, where her estranged father, Sully Sullivan (Patterson), still looks after the day-to-day operations catering to hikers, bikers, and mountain climbers. The 10-episode, hour-long romantic drama sees Maggie navigating her complicated present and confronting her painful past as she attempts to reconnect with a side of herself she had long ago forgotten. Tackling issues including family, community, conflict, loss, and love in a realistic and purposeful way, SULLIVAN’S CROSSING is a series about healing, letting go, and ultimately, opening yourself up to a world of new opportunities
Morgan Kohan
Born and raised in British Columbia, Canada, Morgan Kohan spent her childhood dancing competitively. Her focus quickly shifted to acting once she was accepted into the Triple Threat Program at Randolph Academy in Toronto and upon graduating, she set her sights on film and television. Since then, Kohan has quickly risen in the industry.
Kohan’s starring film projects have been screened across North America, including Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Whistler International Film Festival, and Fantasia Film Festival.
Kohan is most recognized for her work as lead character Lillian Walsh in the Hallmark original series, WHEN HOPE CALLS. Other television credits include guest-starring and recurring roles in Netflix’s YA series, CREEPED OUT, STAR TREK: DISCOVERY (CBS All Access), THE BOLD TYPE (Freeform), KIM’S CONVENIENCE (Netflix) and a major recurring role as Evie Beaumont in CBS’s RANSOM. Morgan has also recently been featured on BATWOMAN and CTV’s hit series, TRANSPLANT.
Chad Michael Murray
Chad Michael Murray was most recently seen starring alongside Bruce Willis in the film Fortress and its 2022 sequel Fortress: Sniper’s Eye. Previously, Chad amassed a dedicated following for his starring role in several fan-favourite series and films, including the beloved series ONE TREE HILL, GILMORE GIRLS, and DAWSON’S CREEK; and films such as A Cinderella Story and House of Wax. More recently, Chad had recurring roles on The CW’s hit series RIVERDALE and Lee Daniels’ STAR on Fox. He also starred in the critically-acclaimed western film, Outlaws & Angels, which made its debut at Sundance in 2016 and was named by Variety as one of the top films of the festival.
Chad Michael Murray is represented by Innovative Artists and Brillstein Entertainment Partners (JoAnne Colonna).
Scott Patterson
An accomplished actor in film, television, and theatre, Scott Patterson is well-known to television audiences from his seven seasons as diner owner Luke Danes in the hit series GILMORE GIRLS.
Patterson, born in Philadelphia and raised in New Jersey, attended Rutgers University and pursued a degree in comparative literature. He studied acting in New York with renowned coaches Robert Lewis and Sondra Lee and observed Paul Newman, Arthur Penn, and Frank Corsaro at The Actors Studio, where he appeared in numerous productions. The theatre company he founded in 1988 in New York City, Arc Light, produced the works of John Bishop, Sam Shepherd, Harold Pinter, and Shakespeare.
On the big screen, Scott starred as FBI psychological Profiler Agent Peter Strahm in the Saw franchise. He has also appeared in Her Best Move, Little Big League, Three Wishes, Highway 395, and Rhapsody in Bloom.
On television, in addition to his memorable role as Luke on GILMORE GIRLS, Patterson appeared on ALIENS IN AMERICA, SEINFELD, WILL & GRACE, IT’S LIKE, YOU KNOW, and FIRED UP. He has also guest starred on ARLI$$ and GET REAL, and voiced the character of Lieutenant Farraday in the 2004 animated series JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED, from Warner Bros. Animation.
In 2021, Scott teamed with iHeartRadio to create and produce his GILMORE GIRLS rewatch podcast I Am All In with Scott Patterson, which just dropped its 100th episode and continues to be a top-of-the-charts stalwart.
Patterson resides in Malibu, CA with his wife and son.
Scott Patterson is represented by The Brillstein/Landsburg Company and Attorney Doug Stone at Glaser Weil.
Developed and produced in association with Bell Media, with the participation of Canadian Media Fund and Bell Fund, Reel World Management will executive produce with Roth acting as Showrunner and Executive Producer, and Mike Volpe and Mark Gingras producing.
From Soraya Roberts of The Walrus:
Link: The Superficial Diversity of Canadian TV
As inclusion has become a bigger part of the global cultural conversation over the past few years, Canadian broadcasters have scrambled to establish diversity plans. Continue reading.
From a media release:
The Banff World Media Festival (BANFF) is proud to reveal this year’s exciting lineup of the Rockie Award Gala recipients. The in-person ceremony will take place at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel in Banff, Alberta, Canada on Tuesday, June 14th at 6:30pm MT.
Hosting the Festival’s flagship awards program is Jully Black, Canada’s Queen of R&B/Soul and a true Canadian icon. She has been named as one of ‘The 25 Greatest Canadian Singers Ever’ (CBC Music) and she is a platinum selling artist and performer; a Juno, Gemini, Toronto Theatre Critics Association and Dora Mavor Moore Award recipient, a celebrated morning television host, a Canada’s Walk of Fame inductee and a television and musical stage actress of resolute faith and conviction.
Rockies Gala Awards to be bestowed include:
SIR PETER USTINOV COMEDY AWARD: Ana Gasteyer (American Auto, Saturday Night Live)
The award recognizes a creative talent who has made an outstanding comedic contribution to the media industry. Past honorees include: Kenan Thompson, Sean Hayes, John Cleese, Tracey Ullman, Bob Newhart, Tantoo Cardinal, John Candy and Bill Hader.
INCLUSION AWARD: Vivica A. Fox (Kill Bill: Vol. 1 & 2, Empire)
Presented by A+E, the Inclusion Award recognizes an individual whose efforts and vision in media champion and reflect the diversity of the world in which we live. Past Honorees include: Danielle Brooks, LeVar Burton, Jonathan Murray and Elizabeth Vargas.
Jean-Marc Vallée will be posthumously awarded the CANADIAN AWARD OF DISTINCTION
Presented by the Canada Media Fund (CMF/FMC) and MadeNous, the award is given to a Canadian whose body of work exemplifies outstanding achievement in the entertainment industry. Past Honorees include: Simu Liu, Eric McCormack, Kim Cattrall and Sheila Hockin.
INNOVATIVE PRODUCER AWARD: Eagle Vision
Presented by Lionsgate, the Innovative Producer Award recognizes the entrepreneurial excellence and achievements of an independent producer in TV/digital media. Past honorees include: Sinking Ship Entertainment, Wattpad Studios, Scott Brothers Entertainment, New Metric Media, Wolf + Rabbit, Don Carmody and marblemedia.
CREATIVE VOICE AWARD: Rose Matafeo (Starstruck, Funny Girls)
The creative voice award is bestowed on an executive or creative talent that has created outstanding work that breaks through, inspiring and connecting global audiences.
SHOWRUNNER OF THE YEAR: Ashley Lyle, Bart Nickerson and Jonathan Lisco (Yellowjackets)
Presented by Variety, Showrunner of the Year recognizes exceptional achievement of a showrunner or writer/producer for their creative vision, overseeing from development, through pre- to post-production, and as the driving force of a series. Past honorees include: Jed Mercurio, Moira Walley-Beckett, John Ridley, Damon Lindelof, Joey Soloway and Clyde Phillips.
“We are delighted to shine a spotlight on these incredibly deserving Rockies Gala honourees who have made such a strong impact and meaningful contributions to the entertainment industry,” said Jenn Kuzmyk, Executive Director of the Banff World Media Festival. “We can’t wait to welcome these great talents to the Festival in-person to celebrate together.”
Additional awards to be presented at the ceremony include:
IMPACT AWARD: Presented by The Hollywood Reporter, this award is bestowed annually to an individual or group that has made a significant and impactful contribution to screen-based entertainment. Past honorees include: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, David Shore, accepting on behalf of The Good Doctor; Anthony Anderson, accepting on behalf of black-ish; and Justin Simien accepting on behalf of Dear White People.
PROGRAM OF THE YEAR: The Program of the Year award is presented to an outstanding, critically acclaimed, ground-breaking, and/or highly rated program from within the last calendar year. Past recipients include: It’s a Sin, This is Us, Handmaid’s Tale, Making a Murderer and Surviving R. Kelly.
THE GRAND JURY PRIZE: The Grand Jury Prize is awarded to the highest scoring project in the Rockies Program Competition by the festival’s specially appointed Grand Jury of industry executives. Past recipients include: I May Destroy You, Fleabag, Big Little Lies, Planet Earth II and Sharp Objects.
The Banff World Media Festival is the international conference and marketplace where new business partnerships are forged and new TV, film and digital media projects are ignited. With delegates from 50+ countries, the Festival attracts the world’s top creators, producers, showrunners, talent, networks, studios, streamers, press and media companies. In addition, BANFF continues to deliver important fellowships and initiatives including The BANFF Spark Accelerator for Women in the Business of Media, supported by the Government of Canada which empowers and trains Canadian women entrepreneurs to launch and grow their own sustainable businesses within the screen-based industries as well as the Netflix-BANFF Diversity of Voices Initiative, a program that jumpstarts and accelerates the careers of up to 100 Black, Indigenous and People of Colour producers and creators.
About the Rockie Awards
With a 43-year legacy, the Rockie Awards consist of the International Program Competition and Gala Awards. The International Program Competition is open to all genres and platforms including drama, non-fiction, digital, kids, youth and podcasts. Timed in the heart of awards voting season, the prestigious Banff World Media Festival competition recognizes excellence in global television and digital content. Entries from more than 40 countries compete each year, and winners are selected by an international industry jury of 150+ senior entertainment and media professionals. The Rockie Awards Gala honours outstanding talent and executives from the industry. Over the years, the prestigious Gala event has attracted some of the industry’s biggest names including Sir Laurence Olivier, Gregory Peck, Dinah Shore, Ricky Gervais, Chuck Lorre, Martin Short, James Burrows, John Cleese, Dick Wolf, Will Arnett, Christine Baranski, Sir David Attenborough, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus, to name a few.
From a media release:
Bruce Cook is back, and taking on his biggest project ever. Accessible Media Inc. (AMI) announced today that Season two of By Hook or By Cook, starring freestyle motocross rider Bruce Cook, returns Thursday, June 16, at 10 p.m. Eastern on AMI.
In Season two, Bruce Cook, a stunt motocross rider who is disabled, wants to help others with disabilities enjoy life’s possibilities with unique innovations that he and his friend, Christian Bagg, create. Bruce has been depressed since COVID-19 shut down most activities which, in turn, has given him a lot of time to think about the reality of the injuries he sustained eight years ago. When given an opportunity to make a remote lake lodge more accessible for those with disabilities he jumps at the chance.
Working with Christian, who has been in a wheelchair for 25 years, Bruce learns about perseverance. He also learns valuable lessons from people who are also adapting to life with a disability which—over the course of the season—will allow Bruce to gain more insight into who he is at his core and what his abilities really are. He learns more about himself, his spirit and his tenacity than he’s ever imagined.
In the premiere episode of By Hook or By Cook on Thursday, June 16, at 10 p.m. Eastern on AMI-tv, family friends enlist Bruce’s help making a 100-year-old lodge deep in the mountains accessible, and it’s up to the adrenaline junkie and accessibility advocate to bring his imagination and innovation to the test.
Watch an exclusive preview of Season two.
“Bruce’s story, honesty and sense of humour really connected with our audience in Season one,” said John Melville, Vice-President, Content Development & Programming, AMI-audio/AMI-tv. “Viewers are in for the ride of their lives in Season two.”
Season one of By Hook or By Cook received a 2022 Canadian Screen Award nomination for Best Writing, Factual.
A series of digital exclusives—which can be streamed on AMI.ca and the AMI-tv App for iOS and Android—give fans a behind-the-scenes look at production on Season two of By Hook or By Cook, including updates by Bruce and Christian, and a sneak preview of what’s to come. By Hook or By Cook is produced by Render Digital Media.
Season two of By Hook or By Cook features Integrated Described Video (IDV) making it accessible to individuals who are blind or partially sighted.
AMI and Render Digital Media are excited to announce that casting is now open for Season three of By Hook or By Cook.
Render Digital Media is looking for participants with all ranges of disability and dreams. No matter how big or small, they want to hear your story. Interested applicants can apply now via the Render Digital Media website.
Host Bruce Cook
Bruce Cook began his professional motocross career in 2005, touring across Canada. In 2014, he joined Nitro Circus, which features world-class athletes and daredevils performing outrageous and risky stunts. His first show found him attempting the world’s first double front flip on a motorcycle and when the trick did not go as planned, Bruce suffered a broken vertebra and a damaged spinal cord, resulting in paralysis. After regaining his strength and confidence, Bruce was back on a modified bike and landed the world’s first backflip as a paraplegic, 10 months after his accident.
Bruce shares his experiences with friends, family and followers like an open book told in a stream of consciousness of hope, humour, and raw emotion. He cannot escape the enormity of daily life as it is faced by a paraplegic, but he is navigating his way through life with determination, enthusiasm and a lot of creativity.
Follow Bruce Cook on Instagram.
Christian Bagg
Before breaking his back on the slopes during a distance jump competition, Christian Bagg was an apprenticing machinist: a young tinkerer, adventurer, and outdoorsman.
In 1996, he found himself experiencing life from a chair that neither fit his impressive six-foot-five frame, or his expansive personality. Eager not just to participate, but to excel at outdoor adventures, Christian has spent the last 20 years designing and building adaptive equipment that aren’t merely functional, but transformative.
What started out as a way to solve his own problems grew into an outlet to help others experience the very outdoors that he loves so much. Christian lives in pursuit of greatness not only for himself, but for those around us. He builds a better future.
Follow Christian’s company, Bowhead Corp., on Instagram.
By Hook or By Cook debuts Thursday, June 16, at 10 p.m. Eastern on AMI-tv. Stream episodes on AMI.ca and the AMI-tv App.About Render Digital Media
Render Digital Media is an independent production house based in Kelowna, BC, specializing in authentic, original television programming for broadcast. Our team is passionate about character driven live-action documentaries and lifestyle series that make the viewer think, laugh and feel. Learn more at Render Digital Media.
