Behind-the-Scenes at InStyle's Portrait Studio

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Toronto BTS — Photo: Alex Reside for InStyle.com

Well, that was fun! For the past six days, several of InStyle's editors headed up north for the Toronto International Film Festival. While there, we set up a pop-up portrait studio inside the luxurious Windsor Arms Hotel so the casts of the buzziest films could swing by and get their picture taken by seasoned photographer Henny Garfunkel ( click here to see some of the portraits and check out the November issue for the full portfolio). We also kept the stars busy during their hustle-and-bustle, with options to get touch-ups by Dior Beauty, browse diamond pieces by Forevermark, learn about the charity initiative water.org and test out the newest technology in Google Glass. Yet, some of the most memorable moments happened when we were all just chatting with the more than 30 casts who came by, swapping festival survival stories and reminiscing about life since their filming wrapped.

A catch-up session that was especially smile-inducing was with the cast of August: Osage County. The on-screen family included Julia Roberts, Ewan McGregor, Juliette Lewis, Abigail Breslin, Julianne Nicholson and Dermot Mulroney. (Sadly, the mother hen of the movie Meryl Streep was feeling under the weather and didn't attend TIFF). They all swooped in at once and permeated such a warm family vibe, it covered every inch of the tiny room. "You would not expect it to be the case, but everybody is so lovely and funny and it was that way immediately," explained Nicholson of her on-screen blood relatives, including Roberts and Lewis who play her sisters. "I feel so lucky to be a part of making this piece. I love that it's about grown-ups. I'm not 21 anymore, and it feels exciting to see a movie about people that have their lives on their faces. That feels alive and daring." Garfunkel didn't have to ask twice for them to get closer for the shot you see above. After hugging in front of the camera, Lewis (in Zac Posen) turned to us and said, "When we were all cast, I went, 'I believe this!'" We did, too.

Click see more behind-the-scenes photos shot by InStyle.com's Alex Reside from inside InStyle's TIFF pop-up portrait studio and get more dish about the festival's biggest stars.

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— Sharon Clott, Karen Levy and Janelle Grodsky

01 of 26

Julianne Nicholson, Julia Roberts and Juliette Lewis

The threesome play sisters in the new play-turned-movie 'August: Osage County.' At the shoot, they had that familial bond as well, hugging tightly as they posed for photographer Henny Garfunkel. "When we were all cast, I went, 'I believe this!'" Lewis (in Zac Posen) cheered of her castmates.

02 of 26

Scarlett Johansson

After Henny Garfunkel took Scarlett Johansson's portrait -- the star had three movies at TIFF: 'Under the Skin,' 'Don Jon' and 'Her' -- the photographer showed off the Polaroids she had taken of each of her celebrity subjects during the festival, Johansson included.

03 of 26

Jessica Chastain and Olivia Wilde

"Well, Hello Jessica!" Olivia Wilde (in Marios Schwab) said as she greeted her pal Jessica Chastain (in Dolce & Gabbana) in the studio. The two did not expect to see each other -- they both have different movies at the festival -- so it was a surprise encounter. Chastain was there to promote 'The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby,' while Wilde was in for 'Third Person' and 'Rush.'

04 of 26

The Cast of 'Third Person'

Third Person? Try six! The cast of 'Third Person' rolled into our studio -- Maria Bello, Adrien Brody, director Paul Haggis, Mila Kunis, Moran Atias and Olivia Wilde included -- for a big group shot. "It's a very complex nuance story-telling approach and the characters are very flawed and human," Brody explained of the film, which tells three interwoven stories that take the audience through Rome, Paris and New York. "And yet at the same time it has commercial appeal; it's a love story. There are intertwining love stories, it's kind of riveting drama, but it's great material for actors."

05 of 26

Emilia Clarke

The star of 'Dom Hemingway' (in Versace) loved the festival experience so much, she wanted to stay way past her press tour. "It's so wonderful," she said. "I wish that I was here for like a week. And I could go see all of the movies that I desperately want to see." First on her list? '12 Years a Slave' and 'August: Osage County.'

06 of 26

Jack Huston and Daniel Radcliffe

The stars of 'Kill Your Darlings' gave each other bro hugs before going into their studio shoot.

07 of 26

Lea Seydoux

The French actress epitomized French fashion when she strolled in our studio in her Saint Laurent jacket (she changed into a Maxime Simoens white jacket for her shoot) with her 'Blue Is the Warmest Color' co-star Adèle Exarchopoulos.

08 of 26

Saoirse Ronan

The 19-year-old Irish actress headed to Toronto to premiere 'How I Live Now,' a near future war film with a coming-of-age twist. It was her third time at TIFF, and she explained why she loved the experience so much: "It's really, really relaxed even though it's one of the biggest festivals in the world," she said. "It's not too glamorous. A festival loses something when it's got glamour. That's not what a festival is supposed to be."

09 of 26

Metallica and Dane DeHaan

Dane DeHaan, the 27-year-old star of 'Metallica: Through the Never,' rolled in with his Metallica cast-mates, including Robert Trujillo, James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich and Kirk Hammett. "Here in Toronto, people are really friendly and great and warm," Ulrich said of his TIFF experience. "There's no negative energy, it's very positive." Would he ever consider a more permanent stay? "Yes. Hockey and healthcare, what more could you want?"

10 of 26

Anika Noni Rose

Anika Noni Rose, a favorite of InStyle editors because of her Princess Tiana voiceover in 'The Princess and the Frog,' had another princess-like moment when she tried on the Forevermark diamond jewelry on display in the studio before her photo shoot with her 'Half of a Yellow Sun' co-star Thandie Newton.

11 of 26

Gugu Mbatha-Raw

The star of the period drama 'Belle' left her hoop skirts behind in favor of a sleek Felder Felder dress. "It was an adjustment getting used to the corsets, but those outfits give you such a physicality and the feeling of what it would have been like to be a woman at that time and be in that position in society," she said of her on-screen transformation.

12 of 26

James McAvoy

Don't let that stern look fool you: The star of 'The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby' was one of the most social people who stopped by the studio. He initiated a charming conversation with co-star Jessica Chastain and 'Third Person' star Mila Kunis (who was at the studio at the same time) about their funny experiences at the festival, which quieted the room because everyone wanted to eavesdrop on their hilarious conversation.

13 of 26

Jennifer Garner, Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto

Before the TIFF premiere of 'Dallas Buyers Club,' the cast posed for a shot by Henny Garfunkel at the Hudson Kitchen. "Get closer!" the photographer urged, as the three squeezed together for this pretty shot. After, the fierce threesome -- who garnered big Oscar buzz following the premiere -- headed upstairs to enjoy a dinner hosted by editors of InStyle, along with Focus Features, Remstar Films and Max Mara.

14 of 26

Elizabeth Olsen

'Therese' and 'Kill Your Darlings' star Elizabeth Olsen wrapped herself in Marni to sit for photographer Henny Garfunkel. "It's pouring rain, which makes you feel a bit more casual or something about it all," she said of her approach to the festival.

15 of 26

Susan Sarandon, Jessica Lange and Penny

'Therese' star Jessica Lange (in David Meister) made a new pal in Penny, the little furry friend of 'The Last of Robin Hood' star Susan Sarandon (in Vivienne Tam).

16 of 26

Dakota Fanning

The star of 'The Last of Robin Hood' doubled as a Marni model when she stopped by the InStyle studio. What a look!

17 of 26

Zac Efron

The actor was one of the first to visit InStyle's portrait studio, flashing a Hang Ten as he warmed up for his photo shoot. He plays the resident doctor who attends to JFK in 'Parkland,' which revisits the day of the president's assassination.

18 of 26

Michael Fassbender

"Is Peter Dinklage coming in after me?" asked Michael Fassbender, star of '12 Years a Slave' as he flipped through an editor's dossier of TIFF movies provided at InStyle's portrait studio.

19 of 26

Idris Elba

Idris Elba, star of 'Mandela: A Long to Freedom' let us in on a secret about his own walking habits: He only wears TOMS shoes. (He owns 30 pairs!) That day, he chose plain black.

20 of 26

Naomie Harris

"It was the hardest thing I'd ever done," explained Harris, who plays Winnie Mandela opposite Idris Elba's Nelson Mandela in 'Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.' Something much easier: Picking out a great outfit. On this day, she wore Alexander McQueen head to toe.

21 of 26

Jason Bateman and Rohan Chand

The director and star of 'Bad Words' offered his little co-star Rohan Chand kind praise for his performance in the comedy, which earned great reviews at the festival.

22 of 26

Kathryn Hahn

After catching up with her 'Bad Words' co-star Jason Bateman in the InStyle lounge, she headed to the studio to play hide-and-go-seek for the camera.

23 of 26

Melissa George

Melissa George (in Calvin Klein) got touched up by the experts of Dior Beauty before heading into her photo shoot. Though she didn't need too much extra -- the first-time mom-to-be arrived with a certain pregnancy glow and kept her hands wrapped around her growing baby bump during her stop at the studio.

24 of 26

Felicity Jones

Felicity Jones wore a floral Erdem dress when she swung by with co-star Ralph Fiennes to chat about their new film 'The Invisible Woman,' a movie about Charles Dickens (Fiennes) and his love for actress Nelly Ternan (Jones). "Felicity took these words and made them so profoundly interior to her," said Fiennes, who also directed the film. "Every time I see it, really I'm taken right inside the spirit of Nelly by Felicity."

25 of 26

Kevin Kline

The star of 'The Last of Robin Hood,' who works alongside Susan Sarandon and Dakota Fanning in the film, signed his Polaroid photograph after taking a picture inside our studio.

26 of 26

Colin Firth

The star of 'The Railway Man' caught up with his co-stars Nicole Kidman and Jeremy Irvine as well as the stars of 'Bad Words,' Jason Bateman and Rohan Chand.