Hollywood star Jharrel Jerome and Chinese actress Zhao Tao have joined the notable names being toasted at this year's TIFF Tribute Awards. Jerome attends the premiere of "Full Circle" at OKX Theater BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center during the Tribeca Festival, in New York, Sunday, June 11, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Invision, CJ Rivera
Hollywood star Jharrel Jerome and Chinese actress Zhao Tao have joined the notable names being toasted at this year’s TIFF Tribute Awards.
Both performers will be recognized for their contributions to film during a soiree held by organizers of the Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 8.
Jerome will receive the TIFF Tribute Performer Award for his body of work, which includes his feature debut in Barry Jenkins’ best picture Oscar winner “Moonlight,” where he played the lead character’s childhood best friend.
He’s also played one of the wrongly accused teenagers in Netflix’s “When They See Us” and voiced Miles in “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.”
Tao will receive the TIFF Special Tribute Award for her career of memorable collaborations, notably in “Still Life” and “Ash is the Purest White.”
Both actors are at the festival with their latest films. Jerome stars in “Unstoppable: The Anthony Robles Story,” playing the titular wrestler, while Tao is promoting “Caught by the Tides.”
They join previously announced TIFF Tribute honourees who include Toronto filmmaker David Cronenberg, recipient of the Norman Jewison Career Achievement Award; Cate Blanchett, named for this year’s Share Her Journey Groundbreaker Award; and Amy Adams, who also will receive a performer’s prize.
TIFF’s 49th edition is set to run Sept. 5 to 15.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 20, 2024.
