Former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his longtime chief of staff, Katie Telford, have transitioned into the entertainment industry by founding a new media and entertainment production company named Hope & Hard Work. The company’s name is inspired by a slogan used by Trudeau and the Liberal Party during his nine-year term as prime minister.
Hope & Hard Work will specialize in creating scripted and unscripted content, such as documentaries, docuseries, television series, and feature films. The company has already initiated several projects, with an official launch event scheduled at the TIFF Lightbox in downtown Toronto.
One of the upcoming projects is “Closer by the Sea,” a television adaptation of Perry Chafe’s popular coming-of-age novel set in Newfoundland. Additionally, Toronto author Uzma Jalaluddin’s mystery novel “Detective Aunty” is also being developed for television, with Trudeau and Telford serving as executive producers.
Trudeau and Telford aim to offer a diverse and thoughtfully selected lineup that emphasizes audience-driven storytelling resonating both locally and internationally. They expressed their belief in the unifying power of compelling narratives to promote empathy and understanding in a divided world.
Following his resignation in January 2025, Trudeau, aged 54, has been actively engaging in public speaking engagements worldwide, including appearances at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. He has been accompanied by his girlfriend, pop star Katy Perry, whom he began dating post-resignation.
Trudeau’s foray into the entertainment sector mirrors the actions of former U.S. President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama, who established Higher Ground production company in 2018. Similarly, Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, ventured into the industry by launching Archewell Productions in 2020 after stepping back from their royal duties.
