TIFF 2023 is upon us in Toronto, and a major reason that many people fight for tickets is the opportunity to catch premieres with stars from around the world.

In the past just about every A-lister has attended a Toronto premier, and scores of celebrity watchers don't even bother with what's taking place on the big screens, focused instead of getting a brief glance at one of their celebrity crushes.

With the SAG and WGA strikes still raging down in Hollywood things are a bit different in 2023.

International megastars like Andy Lau are still in town to be fetted, and there are plenty of directors to spot walking the carpets, but it's hit and miss just which Hollywood stars are or are not coming to the premieres of their films.

Which Hollywood stars are confirmed for TIFF 2023?

According to Deadline, several stars are working for projects that have signed interim agreements, meaning that their production companies have agreed to abide by the demands of the strikers without any further negotiation.

Rather than a "waiver", which allows the strike rules to be bypassed, this is tantamount to the project's producers singing on to the demands of both writers and actors in full.

This will allow Oscar Winner Sean Penn will be hitting the streets along with Dakota Johnson for the taxi cab thriller Daddio.

Johnson not only stars in the film, she also serves as one of the listed producers.

Canadian actor Finn Wolfhard, known primarily for his role on Stranger Things, stars in and co-directs with fellow actor Billy Bryk in Hell of a Summer which is playing as part of the Midnight Madness slate. Both are expected to attend,  

Viggo Mortensen is practically a Canadian citizen at this point, and he returns to the fest with The Dead Don't Hurt starring Luxembourgish phenom Vicky Krieps.

Ethan Hawke will be here with his film Wildcat starring his daughter Maya, with the likes of Laura Linney likely to be joining.

And Taika Waititi will be heading North, helming the doc-turned-soccer romp Next Goal Wins.

Which Hollywood stars are skipping TIFF 2023?

The list here is ever changing, but a few have been quite vocal about their desire to come, the acceptance that an interim agreement is in place, but still a refusal to make the trip.

Atom Egoyan's regular collaborator Amanda Seyfried stars in his latest, the operatic Seven Veils, but she has left no doubt as to whether she will be coming.

The list of others not making the trip is a veritable whose who that would make the ultimate ensemble cast. 

Both Al Pacino and Robert De Niro won't be bringing the heat to Toronto, while Oscar nom Jessie Buckley and Oscar winner Olivia Colman are skipping out as well.

Glenn Powell's already getting plenty of attention for starring in Richard Linklater’s Hit Man, but the Top Gun talent won’t be flying in.

Chris Pine is one of several famous actors who are helming films this year, and despite the fact that actor/directors usually are exempt from certain strike restrictions he's not going to be here to help provide the Poolman premiere with his presence.

The same can be said for fest regular Anna Kendrick, whose Woman Of The Hour about the Dating Game debacle looks to be a highlight of the fest.

Beloved icon Cate Blanchett once again is skipping Toronto even though she's involved in several films including New Boy, a standout from this year's Cannes, and Scarlett Johansson is a no for North Star (although last we heard the film’s director Kristen Scott Thomas remains a solid "perhaps").

Which Hollywood stars are maybe coming to TIFF 2023?

Things are even more in flux with a bunch of top talent, with flights still booked and interviews pending.

Michael Keaton may be a no show for Knox Goes Away, but the former Batman may just swoop in at the last minute. The same can be said for Kate Winslett, who has yet to fully commit to joining for the Lee premier.

Bobby Cannavale may be the one to show up for Tony Goldwyn's Ezra, but we’ll believe it when it happens.

Who else will be at TIFF 2023?

While the focus is often on the Hollywood elite, the festival since its very inception has been home to the best of world cinema, as well as a prominent showcase for local talent.

There will still be dozens and dozens of icons from around the world, including Hollywood directors, so there will still be plenty of star spotting to do.

There are also numerous musical acts, from Nickelback to Lil Nas X,  Paul Simon, as well as the first reunion of the Talking Heads in decades with a simulcast conversation hosted by Spike Lee.

Most importantly, there will be tens of thousands of film fans from around the world, here to experience some of the best the world of cinema has on offer.

They may not all appear on the cover of celebrity magazines or be hounded by paparazzi, but in the end it's these film fans that truly are, or at least should be, the heart of this long running festival.