Former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his longtime chief of staff, Katie Telford, have ventured into the entertainment industry by establishing 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 tenure as prime minister, which concluded in 2025.
Hope & Hard Work will specialize in producing a variety of content, including scripted and unscripted projects such as documentaries, docuseries, television series, and feature films. The company has already commenced work on several projects, one of which is “Closer by the Sea,” a television adaptation of Perry Chafe’s popular novel set in Newfoundland. Additionally, Toronto author Uzma Jalaluddin’s mystery novel, “Detective Aunty,” is also in the process of being adapted for television, with Trudeau and Telford taking on executive producer roles.
Trudeau and Telford emphasize that their production lineup is diverse and thoughtfully curated to provide a platform for audience-focused storytelling that resonates both domestically and internationally. They expressed in a statement that amidst a world that often feels divided, they believe in the transformative power of compelling narratives to bring people together and foster empathy and understanding.
Following his resignation in January 2025, Trudeau, aged 54, has been active on the global stage, delivering speeches at events like the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Notably, he has been frequently seen alongside his partner, pop star Katy Perry, with whom he began a relationship post-resignation.
Trudeau’s foray into the entertainment realm mirrors the path taken by former U.S. President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama, who launched Higher Ground, a production company, in 2018. Similarly, in 2020, Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, introduced their own production company, Archewell Productions, after stepping back from their royal duties.