A movie that’s about to start filming in the South Okanagan just got a shot of Canadian talent.
Change of Pace, which starts production on Sept. 28 in Penticton, announced Toronto native Eric McCormack will star in the film.
McCormack started his on-stage career with Canada’s Stratford Festival, and eventually starred on Broadway in Tony-nominated productions of The Music Man and Gore Vidal’s The Best Man. McCormack is known around the world for his work on the iconic television series Will & Grace.
His performance as Will Truman earned him six Golden Globe nominations and four Emmy nominations, ultimately winning the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series in 2001. The series’ reboot in 2017 was a huge hit with critics and fans alike. The last few years saw McCormack as a star, producer and director on two series, TNT’s Perception and Netflix’s Travelers, each running three seasons.
McCormack has been awarded the NBC Universal Canada Award of Distinction at the Banff TV Festival in 2010, a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame in 2010 and most recently, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions to the television industry in 2018.
“The addition of Eric McCormack to the role of Hank Freshwater elevates Change of Pace to a new level. Eric brings a wealth of talent and quality with his credentials and acting abilities and I could not be more thrilled to see Eric bring Hank to life,” said Graham Fraser of Suitcase Charlie Films in a press release.
READ MORE: New talent in region excites Okanagan Film Commission
Change of Pace will be directed by Stephen Campanelli. Campanelli started as a camera operator on Clint Eastwood’s The Bridges of Madison County, and continued working with Eastwood for 25 years on films such as Million Dollar Baby, American Sniper, Sully, Gran Torino, The Mule, and Richard Jewel.
Campanelli’s other works as a camera operator include A Star is Born, Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri and The Maze Runner.
In 2015, Campanelli made his directorial debut with the action film Momentum, filmed in South Africa and featuring Morgan Freeman. His 2018 Number One box office hit Canadian film Indian Horse, an adaptation of the novel by Richard Wagamese, won the top award at the 2017 Vancouver International Film Festival and an additional 15 International Film Festival awards. In 2019, his third film, the thriller-noir Grand Isle, starring Kelsey Grammer and Nicholas Cage, won the Spotlight Award at the Lone Star Film Festival.
“We are truly honoured to have a director of this calibre at the helm of Change of Pace and know that Stephen will capture the true essence of hope and resilience at the heart of this story,” said Fraser in the release.
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