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TIFF Throwback: Who were the breakout stars of the 2004 festival?

It doesn't seem like 2004 was that long ago, but when you look at some of the up-and-coming stars of the Toronto International Film Festival of ten years ago, you realize how much difference a decade can make.

Blunt (right) was just 21 years old when she came to TIFF to promote My Summer Of Love. (J Vespa/WireImage)
Blunt (right) was just 21 years old when she came to TIFF to promote My Summer Of Love. (J Vespa/WireImage)

For instance, it's hard to believe that only 10 years we ago we had never heard of Emily Blunt. But in 2004, the actress was the big breakout star of TIFF, playing teen femme fatale Tamsin in Pawel Pawlikowski's "My Summer of Love." Only 21 at the time, Blunt had only appeared in two films before she took on the role of  a boarding school girl who manipulates another girl during her summer at home.

Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt in Warner Bros.' Edge of Tomorrow - 2014
Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt in Warner Bros.' Edge of Tomorrow - 2014

Two years later, Blunt was supporting Meryl Streep in "The Devil Wears Prada," and now she's a star in her own right, having shared the marquee with Tom Cruise this year in "Edge of Tomorrow."

Virginia Madsen at the Sideways press conference at TIFF 2004. (James Devaney/WireImage)
Virginia Madsen at the Sideways press conference at TIFF 2004. (James Devaney/WireImage)



Another actress who caught our attention at TIFF that year was "Sideways" star Virginia Madsen. Then 42 years old, the actress had largely starred in forgettable B-movies ("Candyman" was a highlight), but gained critical acclaim for "Sideways," playing the wine country waitress who falls for Paul Giamatti. Her performance garnered her a Supporting Actress nomination at the Oscars.

Virginia Madsen and Kyle Gallner in 2009's A Hunting in Connecticut. (Everett)
Virginia Madsen and Kyle Gallner in 2009's A Hunting in Connecticut. (Everett)



Madsen has since had difficulty repeating her success with "Sideways," though she did nab roles in "A Prairie Home Companion" and "Red Riding Hood" and "A Haunting in Connecticut." She currently stars in the Lifetime drama "Witches of East End."

Jamie Foxx at the 2004 TIFF premiere of Ray. (George Pimentel/WireImage)
Jamie Foxx at the 2004 TIFF premiere of Ray. (George Pimentel/WireImage)

Today, Jamie Foxx is one of Hollywood's biggest stars, but in 2004, he was just starting to get noticed as a serious actor. He was a big deal at TIFF 2004 with the Ray Charles biopic "Ray," a performance that earned him the Oscar for Best Actor. Before that, Foxx was known primarily for his singing career and his LaWanda character on "In Living Color."

Jamie Foxx as Electro in Columbia PIctures' The Amazing Spider-Man 2.
Jamie Foxx as Electro in Columbia PIctures' The Amazing Spider-Man 2.

Since his breakout role, Foxx has gone to star in "Miami Vice," "Django Unchained" and "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" -- and he is set to play Mike Tyson in an upcoming biopic.

Don Cheadle at the TIFF 2004 premiere of Crash. (J Vespa/WireImage)
Don Cheadle at the TIFF 2004 premiere of Crash. (J Vespa/WireImage)



Before TIFF '04, Don Cheadle had collected himself a pretty impressive roster of supporting roles in major features like "Boogie Nights," "Traffic" and the "Ocean's" films. But the 2004 film "Hotel Rwanda," in which Cheadle played a hotelier who protects his fellow Rwandans from the genocide, was his first major starring role and earned him an Oscar nod for best actor. He also came to Toronto to promote "Crash," which went on to win Best Picture at the Oscars.

Robert Downey Jr. and Don Cheadle in Marvel Studios' Iron Man 3 - 2013
Robert Downey Jr. and Don Cheadle in Marvel Studios' Iron Man 3 - 2013

The 49-year-old actor has gone on to star in the "Iron Man" sequel and its follow-up and is slated to appear in "Avengers: Age of Ultron." He also has a lead role in the Showtime drama "House of Lies."

Who do you think will be the breakout stars at TIFF this year?