13 STEPHAN JAMES

In 2018, Stephan James starred in If Beale Street Could Talk, Barry Jenkins’s follow-up to the Oscarwinning Moonlight. He also starred in Amazon’s drama series Homecoming, opposite needs-no-introduction Julia Roberts. It was, by all measures, a big year for any actor but especially for one who is still shy of his 25th birthday. “I’ve been lucky to be a part of a lot of really cool things, and there are a lot of projects that are coming my way now, which is really cool,” James says. Both of these projects premiered at the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) to critical acclaim, a moment especially poignant for the Scarborough, Ont., native. “TIFF has always been one of my favourite times of the year,” he says. James, who got his start back in 2010 as an actor on Degrassi: The Next Generation, will appear next year in 17 Bridges alongside Chadwick Boseman, Sienna Miller, Taylor Kitsch and J. K. Simmons. “I’ve never done a film with this level of action,” he says. “So it’s an exciting film.” It’s probably safe to say that James can expect many more exciting firsts in the years to come.