FAN EXPO Canada celebrates 30 years with stars and fan favorites

FAN EXPO Canada has returned to Toronto, marking its 30th year as Canada's premier convention for all things pop culture, including comics, sci-fi, horror, anime, and gaming.

“

I love meeting people’s children who are like ‘Oh, I just got into this.’ It’s such an honour to be able to meet the people that have had my voice in their living room.

The milestone anniversary is shared with the beloved franchise Pokémon. Sarah Natochenny, the long-time voice actor behind Ash Ketchum, expressed her enthusiasm for meeting fans. "I love meeting people’s children who are like ‘Oh, I just got into this.’ It’s such an honour to be able to meet the people that have had my voice in their living room," she said.

Natochenny highlighted the enduring appeal of Ash Ketchum, stating, "It’s so timeless and I think Ash Ketchum specifically, he never grows up, to me, because he needs to be there for every generation. He needs to be there for the parents who are going to show the show to their kids and the kids that are going to show it to their siblings."

“

It’s so timeless and I think Ash Ketchum specifically, he never grows up, to me, because he needs to be there for every generation. He needs to be there for the parents who are going to show the show to their kids and the kids that are going to show it to their siblings.

This year's expo also boasts impressive attractions, including a massive LEGO AT-RT from Star Wars, constructed from over 142,000 bricks and taking more than 1,000 hours to build. Attendees can even sit inside it for a photo opportunity.

“

It’s a great way to learn unique things about the movies that you may not have known before.

Further celebrating anniversaries, the actors behind Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin are reuniting for The Lord of the Rings' 25th film anniversary. "It’s a great way to learn unique things about the movies that you may not have known before," said Andrew Moyes, vice president of FAN EXPO HQ, about the special events. Fans can also meet stars like Mark Hamill, known for playing Luke Skywalker, and wrestler-turned-actor John Cena. Canadian actor Ari Millen, who stars in the Toronto-shot slasher flick "Ice Cream Man," also shared insights into his role, noting the challenge of conveying emotion through eyes and body language when his character is silent.

“

The new challenge in this role was just sort of understanding the different moments and what they meant to him and learning how to express that with my eyes, with my smile or with body language.