Vancouver Screen Scene: Grace Park, Tricia Helfer, Kate Winslet, Idris Elba, and more

This week, a hometown star returns back here to star in a Canadian feature film, and a number of TV shows go on hiatus. But on the horizon, there’s a production that’ll be bringing some big Hollywood names our way.

Curious to know more? Read on and find out.

First up, the Canadian coming-of-age feature filmPublic Schooled, directed by Kyle Rideout (Eadweard), kicks off its shoot on Tuesday (November 22) and continues until December 18.

The comedy follows the adventures of a home-schooled, socially awkward boy who falls for a popular one-legged girl. When he pursues her by enrolling in public school, he gets a crash course in sex, drugs, and whatever else the kids are into these days.

U.S. actor Judy Greer stars as the overprotective mother who struggles to let go of her son.

Greer, who has starred on Arrested Development, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and Californication, will also appear in the forthcoming War for the Planet of the Apes.

Meanwhile, the cast will also include Vancouver-raised Hawaii Five-O star Grace Park, who some may also remember from Battlestar Galactica, who will play the mother’s best friend.

As we previously mentioned, the shoot for the quirky pilot of the comedy-horror TV series Nightmare Time, starring Aubrey Plaza (Parks and Recreation), ends production on the same day (November 22).

But while you’re working out your star-hunting schedule, something important to keep in mind is that a number of home-screen productions are on hiatus this week.

The fantasy-horror TV series Supernatural, shooting Season 12, already started taking a break on November 19 and will be back on November 28.

The long-running show (it became the longest-running fantasy series with Season 11) stars Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles as Sam and Dean Winchester who battle evil supernatural creatures, such as demons, ghosts, shapeshifters, and vampires, as they search for their missing father.

In this twelfth season (which began airing on October 13), the brothers are calling up all their allies, both human and supernatural, to help them fight one of the most powerful forces they’ve ever met.

The production will continue to shoot in the city until April 26.

Lucifer, shooting Season 2 until April 10. It’s on a break from today to Sunday (November 21 to 27).

The comedy-drama stars Tom Ellis as the Lord of Hell, Lucifer Morningstar, who has abdicated his fiery throne out of sheer boredom. So where does he move? Somewhere way more fun: L.A., of course (played by Vancouver, of course). There, he teams up with L.A. Police Department detective Chloe Decker (Lauren German) to chase down criminals.

In the first season, Lucifer (who becomes mortally vulnerable when he’s around Chloe) died but came back to life—making him confused about his identity.

In the second season, Lucifer teams up with his brother Amenadiel (DB Woodside) to find their mother (Canadian actor Tricia Helfer) who has escaped from hell.

Meanwhile, the LAPD has hired a forensic scientist, Ella Lopez (Aimee Garcia), whose beliefs in both faith and science intrigue Lucifer.

The show, once back on track, will be shooting until April 10.

Season 4 of Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce, starring Lisa Edelstein, is on hiatus from Thursday to next Monday (November 24 to 28). The show is scheduled to continue shooting until January 23.

While we wait for those shows to return, something else to keep in mind is the upcoming project The Mountain Between Us.

The story, adapted from a Charles Martin novel, follows a man and a woman who are forced to depend upon one another to survive in the mountains after a plane crash.

This romantic-drama feature film, directed by Hany Abu-Assad, stars some Hollywood heavy-hitters: Kate Winslet and Idris Elba. It’ll be coming here for a shoot running from December 1 to February 17.

Be sure to mark that one down on your calendar to keep your eyes peeled for some star-sightings here in Hollywood North. Check back in with us next week for more of what’s shooting on the streets of our fair city.