Bad boy Josh Brolin, re-imagined by Swedish artist Sebastian Fritzon

The stars were clouded under a brief haze last night at King West’s Thompson Hotel, where Josh Brolin popped by the exclusive Fox Searchlight-Vanity Fair-Belvedere party. Sitting in one of the open bottle-service booths, the bearded actor engaged in what appeared to be an intense and hilarious conversation with a friend (he’s known for his gesticulations) and lit up a smoke without a second thought. Staffers and partiers didn’t stop him as he ashed into the small stack of white dishes set out next to a tray of snacks.

OK, smoking indoors is not much of a to-do (Sean Penn did it at a festival press conference back in 2006), but at a TIFF that has, so far, been scandal-free, we’ll take what we can get. Where’s Mickey Rourke when you need him?

= Find this story on our Celebrity Sightings Map, where we plot the locations of stars spotted throughout Toronto

1978

Festival judge Robbie Robertson orders the Plaza II Hotel’s entire stash of Dom Perignon within an hour of arriving. TIFF director Wayne Clarkson shows up to investigate (the Festival was still picking up celebrity tabs then) and finds what he calls “a true rock-and-roll fornicatorium.”

The Ontario Censor Board shows some prude attitude by banning Louis Malle’s Pretty Baby, starring a pre-teen Brooke Shields as a prostitute.

Nothing if not consistent, the censor board demands that 35 seconds of sofa-shaking sex be cut from the Canadian film In Praise of Older Women. Rebel TIFF staffers smuggle the original film reel into the theatre and show the uncut version.

1979

On the rebound from Farrah Fawcett, the Six Million Dollar Man, Lee Majors, arrives at a festival soirée with Karen Kain on his arm, telling reporters, “It’s quite a responsibility going out with Canada’s national treasure, but then I was married to America’s.”

1980

In the days before tweens hogged the limelight, the Divine Miss M. sparks a riot at the premiere of her musical Divine Madness.

1982

At an illegal after-hours club, Robert De Niro and Harvey Keitel reportedly snort more coke than Tony Montana on a tear. De Niro then asks festival staffer Michael Copeman to stand guard at the bathroom door while he becomes better acquainted with a new female friend.

Newbie filmmakers Atom Egoyan and Bruce McDonald get two thumbs up for self-promotion: after both are rejected by the festival, they don matching tuxes and gloves to screen their shorts—Open House and Let Me See, respectively—outside the main festival theatre.

1983

The star-stacked Big Chill opens the festival, officially ushering in the era of Holly­wood celebrity that dominates TIFF today.

An unseasoned TIFF volunteer shows up at Glenn Close’s suite and blurts out, “Oh, I thought you were a man!” Close throws a first-class don’t-you-know-who-I am diva fit.

1984

Attempting to get close to Jack Nicholson in the VIP section of TIFF hot spot Copa, reporter Susan Ferrier MacKay holds up a sign reading “Want to dance?” Nicholson mouths back “No, thank you,” then turns to his fellow partier and says, “Pity she used the wrong verb.”

1985

Fourteen-year-old ingenue Margaret Langrick, starring in My American Cousin, works the party circuit with cigarette and wine glass in hand.

1987

Too big for regular theatre seats, pro wrestler turned Princess Bride star André the Giant gets an orange vinyl bench crafted to accommodate his seven-foot-four, 500-pound girth.

1989

Festival employee Don McKellar helps Drugstore Cowboy co-stars Matt Dillon and Kelly Lynch avoid the red carpet crowds by taking them up to the Varsity theatre in a freight elevator, which breaks down, forcing the trio to make awkward chit-chat while waiting for maintenance workers.

Bruce McDonald accepts the $25,000 best Canadian film prize for Roadkill, happily announcing it would buy him “a big chunk of hash.”

Celebs and film fans fight for space at the ROM screening of Michael Moore’s Roger and Me, prompting threats from the fire marshal and the evacuation of standing fans.

Keanu Reeves has the bad-boy beard, not not the bad-boy attitude (Photo by James Helmer)

“He talked to me, you know,” breathed a girl at Joe Fresh’s dinner for The Private Lives of Pippa Lee and its players: director Rebecca Miller, star Robin Wright Penn, and the “he” in question, Canada’s long sighed-after Keanu Reeves. Along with the usual suits and various elegant members of Joe Mimran’s consort, they all gathered in the amber glow of Victor (at Hotel Germain) for a little celebration. Three sumptuous courses came and went while outside, clubby passersby did triple takes.

“Keanu? Omigod. What did he say?” cried a pretty chorus around her.
“He said”—she paused for drama—“can I smoke here?”

We were a little let down, but still hopeful, so we ventured: “He wanted to smoke inside? Did you let him?”
“No, it was outside by the doors.”

Oh, Keanu—have you learned nothing from Ms. Wright Penn’s almost ex? Smoking where you’re supposed to? Asking politely? That’s how you win hearts, darling, not Oscars.

Does this man taste like this cocktail? (Mickey Rourke from korbybanner.com, drink from Gourmet)

• Ever wondered what Mickey Rourke would taste like if he were a cocktail? Neither had we. Nonetheless, Gourmet has attempted to figure it out (tequila, bitters and blood orange juice), creating nine other drinks inspired by such Oscar nominees as Brad Pitt, Sean Penn and Meryl Streep. [Gourmet]

• The Kitchn has suggested food pairings for all the best picture nominees. How about the Hannah Schmitzel with a strong Kate Winslet? [The Kitchn]

• Toronto chef Massimo Capra (of Mistura and Sopra Upper Lounge) recommends a somewhat more posh party menu that includes seared Kobe beef on truffled potato croquettes and a ceviche-style shrimp cocktail. [Globe and Mail]

• If finger food won’t cut it, Epicurious’s Complete Oscar Package offers multi-course (if predictable) dinner ideas for all the best picture noms (New Orleans fare for Benjamin Button, Indian for Slumdog Millionaire) and a menu created by Wolfgang Puck. [Epicurious]

• For some, whipping up a four-course American-British meal in celebration of Frost/Nixon is too much work for a Sunday, so Delish has 10 easy-to-make party appetizers, like fig and stilton squares. [Delish]