NEWS ARCHIVE   2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005

Toni Collette wins AFI Award Posted: 2008-12-06

A moving drama about a teenage boy learning to live with an autistic brother took out the top prize at the Australian Film Institute awards in Melbourne last night. The Black Balloon, which was odds-on favourite to win best film and nominated in 11 categories, triumphed at the ceremony, making up for its modest $2.3 million take at the box office and its surprise snubbing at the recent Inside Film awards. The film picked up a swag of other awards on the night. Director and co-writer Elissa Down took home the award for best direction and original screenplay, while Toni Collette and Luke Ford won best supporting actress and actor. To the bad news, it seems that Toni did not attend the awards, her prize was accepted by "The Black Balloon"'s executive producer Sally Cheshire.

"Mary and Max" to open Sundance Posted: 2008-11-23

According to the Hollywood Reporter, the 25th Sundance Film Festival's slate is taking shape with the clay animated opening night film "Mary and Max" starring Philip Seymour Hoffman and Toni Collette. The Aussie feature debut of director Adam Elliot and producer Melanie Coombs, the team behind 2004's Oscar-winning animated short "Harvie Krumpet," will have its world premiere Jan. 15 in Park City, Utah. "Max" is only the second animated film in the fest's history to be selected for the prestigious slot, following 2007's "Chicago 10." Barry Humphries narrates the story of a pen-pal friendship between a lonely, 8-year-old girl (Collette) living in suburban Melbourne and a morbidly obese New Yorker (Hoffman). The tale spans two decades and is far from children's fare, covering such topics as autism, taxidermy, psychiatry, alcoholism, obesity and kleptomania. "This portrait of a global friendship between two marvelously dysfunctional people is an exceptionally moving, funny and thought-provoking work," said SFF director Geoffrey Gilmore.

Toni Collette receives AFI Award nomination Posted: 2008-10-29

Congratulations to Toni for receiving an AFI Award nomination as Best Supporting Actress for "The Black Balloon". The drama is also the frontrunner at the awards with a total of 11 nominations, including Best Picture, Best Direction and for its actors Rhys Wakefield, Luke Ford, Eric Thomson and Toni Collette. Also featured on the list is Toni's second Australian feature of the year, "Hey, Hey, It's Esther Blueburger", nominated for Best Original Screenplay, Best Sound, Best Costume Designs and for the Best Newcomer, Danielle Catanzariti. The 50th anniversary AFI celebration will be held at Melbourne's Princess Theatre on Saturday, December 6.

"The United States of Tara" to premiere January 2009 Posted: 2008-10-02

Showtime's new comedy series "United States of Tara," starring Toni Collette, will debut January 18. The dark comedy, penned by "Juno" screenwriter Diablo Cody, centers on a mom with a multiple personality disorder. John Corbett co-stars on the series, a co-production between Showtime and Dreamworks TV. The show will air at 10 p.m., following the final-season premiere of "The L Word" at 9 p.m.

"The Black Balloon" nabs 10 IF Award nominations Posted: 2008-10-02

The Black Balloon dominates the Inside Film (IF) Award nominations. Elissa Down's movie is nominated in 10 categories, including best picture, best director and best script. The film's young stars Rhys Wakefield and Gemma Ward are up for best actor and actress, but Toni Collette was overlooked. Wakefield will go up against Unfinished Sky's William McInnes and Men's Group actor Grant Dodwell. Former model Ward, meanwhile, will compete alongside Maeve Dermody for Black Water and McInnes's co-star Monic Hendrickx. The other movies in contention for best film are Men's Group and Son Of A Lion. The awards will be handed out on November 13 at a ceremony on Queensland's Gold Coast.

"The Black Balloon" finds American distributor Posted: 2008-08-10

According to Variety, NeoClassics Films has acquired North American rights to Australian coming-of-age comedy "The Black Balloon" from Icon Entertainment Intl. for mid-six figures. "The Black Balloon"s directed by first-time helmer Elissa Down and stars Rhys Wakefield, Luke Ford, Gemma Ward and Toni Collette. "The Black Balloon" has grossed more than $2 million at the Australian box office. NeoClassics plans to open the pic in key U.S. cities in October.

Maggie Gyllenhaal replaces Toni in Mendes comedy Posted: 2008-05-04

Just as filming is set to begin, Maggie Gyllenhaal has stepped in to replace Toni Collette in Sam Mendes' untitled comedy, announced Variety. Collette exited the film due to a scheduling conflict, which gives Gyllenhaal only about a week to prepare for her role, as the film is currently shooting in Connecticut. The story, also starring John Krasinki and Maya Rudolph, is about a young couple who travel around the U.S. searching for a place to put down roots. The original screenplay was written by Dave Eggers and his wife. Gyllenhaal will play a bohemian college professor who is an old friend of the character played by Krasinski.

Toni Collette joins Sam Mendes project Posted: 2008-04-07

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Toni Collette will star alongside John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph in Sam Mendes' upcoming relationship comedy for Focus Features. Collette will play a college professor and close family friend of a couple canvasing the country to find the best place to raise their unborn child. She's convinced that their kid will end up dysfunctional no matter where it's raised. Dave Eggers wrote the script with his wife, novelist Vendela Vida. Ed Saxon and Big Beach's Marc Turtletaub and Peter Saraf are producing. Cheryl Hines also will appear in the untitled feature, which is set to begin filming this month in Connecticut. The project reunites Collette with Turtletaub and Saraf, who last joined forces for another character-driven road comedy, "Little Miss Sunshine." It also gives Focus another chance at a hit with the trio four years after it came close to producing "Sunshine".

"The Black Balloon" wins at Berlin Film Festival Posted: 2008-02-19

Two Australian films have won awards at the Berlin International Film Festival. The Black Balloon, a coming of age story starring Toni Collette and model Gemma Ward, won an award for best feature length film. And Nana, a six-minute film by indigenous filmmaker Warwick Thornton about a girl admiring her grandmother, won an award for best short film. The Berlin International Film Festival, also called the Berlinale, was founded in 1958 and is considered one of the world's leading film festivals.

Toni gives birth to baby girl Posted: 2008-01-11

Toni Collette has given birth to a baby girl. The star and her husband, musician Dave Galafassi, welcomed Sage Florence Galafassi on Wednesday, January 9 in Sydney, a spokeswoman for Collette said. It is the couple's first child. "Both mother and baby are very well and very happy," the spokeswoman said. Collette, 35, announced her pregnancy in July, saying she was "completely over the moon". The Sydney-born actress said it was a bit of a case of life imitating art, as she had played pregnant women in her recent films. "It is strange the last three films I've done I have been pregnant," Collette said. "I'm just like, what is the universe trying to tell me? "But I think everything happens when it's meant to." The star of Muriel's Wedding and Little Miss Sunshine will next be seen in the Australian film The Black Balloon.