Vancouver has been a hotbed for celebrity sightings lately, and we can now add Hollywood legend Willem Dafoe to the list.
The four-time Oscar nominee is in town filming Time Out alongside Adam Sandler, who has himself been spotted around the city recently.
Dafoe took a break from filming by catching a show at the recent 20th annual Vancouver International Burlesque Festival, and his appearance delighted the cast, crew, and audience at the Vancouver Playhouse.
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“From the buzz I heard from others, Willem was quite chatty with a number of our audience members during intermission, as well as with Festival staff, and some of our cast – such as Numi, who was performing her absolutely hilarious ‘Shrimp’ act that same night, which he complimented her on,” said Androsia Wilde, artistic director of the VIBFA.
“As you can probably imagine, Mr. Dafoe is an extremely beloved actor and thus an extremely recognizable face. As soon as he was spotted, the word spread like wildfire amongst my cast and crew. It was quite amusing to watch unfold as I was flooded with text messages even before the show started.”
According to the VIBFA, the show was the first-ever burlesque festival that he had attended.
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Canada’s longest-running burlesque festival was hosting its Showpony Soiree on Saturday, April 4, which Wilde shared was a big success.
“This year’s festival was beyond my wildest expectations as the Artistic Director,” added Wilde. “Everyone really pulled out all the stops to make this a magical celebration of our legacy. I couldn’t be prouder of everyone’s efforts.
“There will always be something you don’t expect to see in a burlesque show. After all, I’m certain that Mr. Dafoe didn’t expect to see a sexy shrimp. So I would definitely encourage any Vancouverite who still hasn’t come out to a show to pick one to see. So many of our community members, including myself, are producing shows ranging from student revues to nerdlesque spectaculars, to intimate floor shows in your favourite bars or restaurants.”
Time Out, starring Dafoe and Sandler and filming around Metro Vancouver, the Sea-to-Sky Corridor, and the Fraser Valley, is a remake of a French thriller.
The film “follows Vincent, who, after being fired from his job, can’t bring himself to tell his wife and family. He spins a web of lies and creates an investment scheme, and the deception threatens to overwhelm his life,” the IMDb synopsis reads. Sandler will be playing Vincent.
The film isn’t the only big Hollywood production to be spotted around town.
Parts of downtown New Westminster were recently taken over by a massive set for The Last of Us, and a local fan got to experience the apocalyptic set up close.
Season 3 of the hit HBO Max series is filming in Metro Vancouver until the end of November, with a shoot earlier this week taking place on Front Street beneath the New West Parkade.
Another recent shoot in New Westminster saw the Showtime survival drama series Yellowjackets take over the intersection of 12th Street and 6th Avenue.
