A name has been announced for this year's Northern FanCon that sets a bright new star in the event's all-time constellation of celebrity guests.
Edward James Olmos is a generational talent, known as much for his rich acting abilities as for his box office cache.
In the Latino-American world, he is an unparalleled icon. Around the world he is celebrated as one of the truly great names of the acting profession.
In terms of fame, Olmos was a leading part of the pop-culture quake that was Miami Vice in the 1980s.
He was also memorable back then as Gaff in the original Blade Runner movie opposite Harrison Ford.
He held a key short-term role in The West Wing, the presidential series that dominated the airwaves in the 2000s.
In terms of artistry, he directed and starred in classic cinematic storytelling triumph American Me, a film so effective at exposing the Mexican mob that Olmos's life was threatened as a result.
For his biopic performance in Stand And Deliver, Olmos was nominated for Best Actor at the 61st Academy Awards.
He played another real-life character as the father in the celebrated biography film Selena opposite Jennifer Lopez.
Another role earned rave reviews as a leading part of the ensemble cast of The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit.
He was also cast in such popular projects as The Green Hornet, Dexter, Marvel's Agents of Shield, 12 Angry Men, Hollywood Confidential, his voice was in the all-star ensemble of The Road To El Dorado and the Disney comedy Beverly Hills Chihuahua, recent audiences heard his voice in the animated hit Coco, and he was the central father-figure in the series American Family.
Sci-fi fans the world over celebrated his role as Commander Bill Adama in 73 episodes of Battlestar Galactica, work for which he earned six major industry acting award nominations (winning four of them).
In addition to his Oscar nomination, he was nominated for three Golden Globes (winning twice for Miami Vice and The Burning Season), three Saturn Awards (winning for Battlestar Galactica), three Primetime Emmies (winning once for Miami Vice), he won an Independent Spirit Award (Stand And Deliver), nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award, and he has so far been nominated for seven American Latino Media Arts Awards (winning four between Battlestar Galactica and Selena).
Most recently he was bestowed the Mary Pickford Award in 2016 for outstanding lifetime achievement in the entertainment industry as selected by the International Press Academy.
Since his celebrated breakthrough role in 1981's Zoot Suit (first the stage play and then the film), his career has had consistent and sustained peaks. He has coupled that with incessant advocacy and charity work on a number of fronts, and has flirted with success in music as well.
Northern FanCon always has celebrities and special performers come to the stage, but few could compare to the power and legacy of a true household name - Edward James Olmos.
He will be available for autographs and photos, a public interview on the mainstage and three days of interactions with Prince George.
Almos is one of a collection of VIP guests and pop-culture features coming to the Northern FanCon extravaganza from May 3-5 at CN Centre.
