Upon Hudson Williams’ arrival in Toronto on Thursday, King Street transformed into a festive scene.
Fans eagerly pulled out their phone cameras, creating a frenzy. The area was filled with posters and selfies. Outside the TIFF Lightbox, some ardent followers had even queued for as long as 12 hours to catch a glimpse of the Heated Rivalry actor and to secure a ticket for his premiere.
Williams was in the city for a special in-conversation event and the launch of his upcoming series, Yaga, a mystery drama infused with elements of Slavic folklore, set to begin streaming in October.
Devoted fans of Williams will be in for a treat, as he portrays two characters in the series.
Yaga, a new series from Crave, stars Hudson Williams and an all-Canadian cast. It’s based on Kat Sandler’s award-winning play, and the first two episodes premiered at TIFF on Thursday.
Filmed earlier this year on Vancouver Island, Yaga tells the story of a private investigator summoned to a quaint coastal town to find a missing heir from a prominent fishing family, only to unveil a deeper web of secrets.
The cast features a lineup of Canadian talent, including Noah Reid (Schitt’s Creek), Carrie-Anne Moss (The Matrix), Clark Backo (Letterkenny), Sheila McCarthy, and even Megan Follows, known for her role in the original Anne of Green Gables.
CBC News was present on the red carpet during its world premiere at TIFF, and although Williams did not engage with the media, his co-star was asked for any advice she might have for him.
Moss provided a straightforward response: “He doesn’t need it. He’s doing great.”
Cast members of Yaga walk the red carpet for its Toronto International Film Festival premiere at the TIFF Lightbox theatre on Thursday. (Evan Mitsui/CBC)
This set the tone for the entire evening. While there was a significant buzz surrounding Hudson, the atmosphere was also filled with a deep sense of pride in the Canadian talent involved in the project.
Reid, who plays the private investigator with a lighthearted twist compared to his character Patrick on Schitt’s Creek, shared his insights on the creative atmosphere.
“There’s a humility to the Canadian creative spirit that it’s not ego-driven,” he told CBC News.
“Everyone just wants to come in, do their best work, support each other, and compete with one another to achieve the finest product.”
Carrie-Anne Moss, left, and Hudson Williams walk the red carpet for Yaga’s Toronto International Film Festival premiere at the TIFF Lightbox theatre on Thursday. (Evan Mitsui/CBC)
Backo, who stars as a local detective alongside Reid, concurred that the enthusiasm for Canadian productions is “everything.”
“I feel like people are starting to invest in Canadian shows in ways they may not have in the past,” she told CBC News.
Yaga originated from a play developed by Kat Sandler for Toronto’s Tarragon Theatre back in 2019.
When asked about her involvement in a project that embraces its Canadian roots, Follows remarked that it was “about time.”
“Look at the talent, look at the stories, look at how unique, interesting, diverse, and complex they are,” she commented, highlighting the all-Canadian cast of Yaga and the wave of productions emerging from Canada.
“It’s insufficient to merely be a service industry. We need to be generating our own works across various platforms, right? That’s what makes it thrilling.”
Moss completes the Canadian cast, portraying a captivating professor immersed in the mystery. Sandler directly approached her with an offer that she found irresistible.
“Being invited to participate is, first and foremost, an honor. You know, you feel a sense of obligation and think, ‘Alright, I’ll consider that.’ I adored the material, and it was an easy decision.”
Yaga is set to debut on Crave next month.