Dear Gossips,

各种发布了Power of Young Hollywood issuethis week with three covers: Camila Cabello, Cole Sprouse, and Stephan James. What a year it’s been for Stephan James. Twelve months ago he was getting ready to premiereIf Beale Street Could TalkandHomecomingat TIFF, in his home town. TIFF, by the way, is where he was named the festival’s Rising Star in 2015 when he was just 21 years old. His brother, Shamier Anderson, will receive the honour from TIFF this year. Stephan and Shamier were both at the Variety party last night.

Stephan’s next film is21 Bridges, costarring Chadwick Boseman, coming out in November. The film is produced by Joe and Anthony Russo – you know, the directors ofAvengers: Infinity WarandAvengers: Endgame. Apparently Stephan “tested through the roof in likeability” in the movie even though, ostensibly, he plays the villain.“I can say beyond a shadow of a doubt he will be one of the biggest stars of the next five years,”said Joe Russo of Stephan’s talent.

This is also why Ava DuVernay wanted him so badly to play John Lewis inSelma. She tells Variety she spent three months looking for him after seeing him in a two minute trailer. She too is expecting even greater things from Stephan.“I feel like he’s the best of his generation, because he can be so many things. Fiery, vulnerable, sexy, confident, humble — I’ve seen him do it all.”

IncludingDegrassi.He was onDegrassi.Stephan said during his photo shoot thatDegrassiis a “rite of passage”.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again –Degrassidoesn’t get its due here at home in Canada and that’s on us. Just last week, Vulture calledDegrassithe “Godfather of Taboo Teen Dramas”. BeforeEuphoria, there wasDegrassiand as Ilana Kaplan writes, “Degrassicreated a framework for all of today’s provocative teen dramas”.

You know who was a writer onDegrassi? That would beThe Name Therapist, Duana Taha. Today is her birthday – Happy Birthday! She said she’s taking it as a personal birthday gift from Stephan that in addition to namecheckingDegrassi,he also talks a lot aboutHomecomingin his Variety feature. “That did NOT get enough attention the first time out.”

But the boy from Toronto is getting a lot of attention now. He also covers the September issue of ELLE Canada with Winnie Harlow, also from Toronto.

Read the full ELLE article on Winnie and Stephanhere.

Yours in gossip,

1zplay