National Post from Toronto, Ontario, Canada • 113

T026 NATIONAL POST, SATURDAY, MAY 20, 2006 (A PETER J. THOMPSON NATIONAL POST Shawn Ashmore has seen his role in the X-Men franchise grow from a bit part in the first instalment. The third answers his question: When do I get to freeze something or get into a fight?" A A Ml lrin nfrMlfTir THE tit 111 I iM I I I II II III litMl I 3 II SOMETIME TORONTONIAN SHAWN ASHMORE SHOWS OFF HIS POWERS IN X-MEN: THE LAST STAND cial-effects actioner deals with the turmoil following the announcement of a cure for the mutants who still live among the concerned non-mutant global residents. Too bad the issue forces a showdown between mutant leaders Professor Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart) and Magneto (Ian McKellen). Returning from the dead to complicate matters is Jean Grey (Famke Janssen).

Back in a more conventional sense are Wolverine (Hugh Jackman), Toronto's Shawn Ashmore let his patience pay off. He had a glorified X-Men cameo in 2000 portraying Bobby Drake, also known as Iceman. Then he showed up in X-Men 2 with more to do and a hint of more to come. And now he's arrived as a co-star and force to be reckoned with in the third, and some say final, X-Men feature, called The Last Stand. Opening Friday theatrically after making a big splash at Cannes Monday, the Brett Ratner-directed spe Storm (Halle Berry), Cyclops (James Marsden) and Mystique (Rebecca Romijn) not to mention Iceman's love interest, Rogue (Anna Paquin).

New to the X-Men film series are Beast (Kelsey Grammer), Juggernaut (Vinnie Jones), Kitty Pryde (Ellen Page) and Angel (Ben Foster). Sure enough, the latest film of the comic book series is the biggest, boldest and most expensive yet, costing more than million. And yes, Ashmore likes the latest edition best because bis Iceman finally con fronts Pyro (Aaron Stanford). "I remember thinking before that I was happy just to be a part of the team in X-Men 2," says the 26-year-old at Toronto's Four Seasons Hotel recently. "But then I said to myself, When do I get to freeze something or get into a Back in 1999, he remembers only being an anxious 19-year-old Toronto-based actor, pleased but a little intimidated about auditioning for the Iceman role.

"And even when I finally got the first one," he Bob Thompson On Movies.