For Stephan James, coming home to Toronto isn’t marked by a skyline or a landmark. It’s something far more ordinary.
“The street signs. It sounds funny, but they’re so distinct. They’re not New York, they’re not Chicago. They’re very clearly Toronto with the blue signs,” says James. “I always get that feeling of, ‘Oh man, I’m back in a place where I feel most comfortable, most at home, most loved.’ It’s the streets.”
It’s a fitting answer for GLORY Media’s Coming Home portrait lounge, hosted at The Annex Hotel during the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival—a celebration of the Canadian artists shaping culture on the world stage while remaining deeply connected to where they began.
This year, few embody that spirit more than Stephan James.
Returning to TIFF with I Play Rocky, James steps into the role of legendary actor and athlete Carl Weathers, a performance that has quickly become one of the festival’s most talked-about. Rather than simply portraying an icon, James captures the charisma, ambition and emotional complexity of a man whose legacy extended far beyond the boxing ring. The early critical response has positioned the film as one of TIFF’s breakout successes, and James stands at the center of that conversation.
Yet his influence reaches well beyond the screen.
Over the last decade, James has quietly built one of the most impressive careers of his generation, moving effortlessly between independent dramas, prestige television and Hollywood features. But alongside his brother, actor Shamier Anderson, he has invested just as much energy into creating opportunities for others. Together they founded The Black Academy, the Canadian organization dedicated to celebrating and elevating Black talent across entertainment, arts and culture, and launched The Legacy Awards, now one of the country’s defining celebrations of Black excellence.
It’s a distinctly Canadian kind of success: global in reach, community-minded in purpose.
That commitment to home feels especially meaningful during TIFF, when Toronto becomes a meeting place for filmmakers, actors and creatives from around the world. For James, the city isn’t simply where his career started. Rather, it’s where his sense of belonging lives.
Sometimes, all it takes is a blue street sign to remind you exactly who you are.
As Canadian talent continues to redefine global entertainment, Stephan James remains proof that the strongest legacies are often built by never losing sight of home.
Coming Home is a portrait lounge hosted during the Toronto International Film Festival to celebrate Canadian talent. Its objective is to create space for their stories to be seen, supported, and honoured here at home. It’s about recognizing the people shaping culture beyond our borders, while reminding them that their work, their roots and their connection to Canada matter.
Credits:
Photographer and Co-Creator: Neil-Anthony Watson
Executive Producer and Co-Creator: Tabitha Vallierie
Lighting Director: Ayodele Mzilikazi
Director of Photography: Tania Habibb
Hair and Makeup Artist: Liv Tsai
Hosted by: The Annex Hotel
Media Partner: GLORY Media