TORONTO - Jay Baruchel says filming his hockey movie, "Goon," was more like a romance for him -- he started dating co-star Alison Pill.
Baruchel says he and the 25-year-old actress were drawn to each other almost as soon as they began filming in Winnipeg three months ago.
The couple turned up hand-in-hand at the Toronto Film Critics Association awards on Wednesday, when Baruchel presented an award for best Canadian feature to Denis Villeneuve for "Incendies."
Baruchel says he met Pill for the first time on the set of "Goon," based on the real-life story of a bouncer who overcomes long odds to rise through the ranks of semi-professional hockey.
The 28-year-old explains their connection by saying they're "both huge nerds and homebodies."
Pill, known for her roles in "Milk" and "In Treatment," lives in New York, but Baruchel says that lately she's been spending a lot of time in his hometown of Montreal.
"We enjoy each other's company," Baruchel said.
"Goon" also stars Seann William Scott ("American Pie"), Liev Schreiber ("X-Men Origins: Wolverine") and is directed by "Fubar" filmmaker Michael Dowse.
Baruchel adapted the script from the book "Goon: The True Story of an Unlikely Journey into Minor League Hockey" by Adam Frattasio and Doug Smith.
He said it's currently being edited in Montreal and he hopes to have it ready for theatres in September.
"It's Canada's pastime," he says of the appeal of a hockey film.
"This is the best country in the world, we play the best sport in the world why wouldn't we make movies about it."
