Attending a Hollywood Premiere: Battle of the Sexes
- Jan 1, 2019
- 5 min read
Hollywood is a place where they'll pay you a thousand dollars for a kiss and fifty cents for your soul. Marilyn Monroe said that. To say that Hollywood has its flaws is quite the understatement. But, as a romantic of the Hollywood idea, there are rare nights like the one I experienced in September 2016 where the red carpet is rolled out, the lights around the marquee sign sparkle a little brighter, the stars arrive and the fans cheer. Everything, even just a few hours, seems more hopeful; more whimsical. Like, maybe there really can be a happy ending after all.
For as long as I can remember, I've wanted to meet Steve Carell. He's not only been one of my favorite actors, but one of my favorite people, at least what I've seen of him and know of him on TV. So, when I found out the premiere for his new movie was on a Saturday and with the gorgeous and talented Emma Stone, I knew I had to be there.
The thing with fans and movie premieres is that you aren't guaranteed into the theater. Most of the time, that's just kind of an afterthought. The main event is standing across the street as limos arrive and watching the hubbub of the red carpet as stars arrive, hoping that maybe, just maybe your favorite star will sign an autograph or take a selfie with you.
My parents and I joined a small crowd waiting near the Bruin Theater in Westwood Village around 3:30 p.m. or so just to get a good spot. The EBAY crowd was also in place, hoping to grab their most acquired autograph, so they could bump up the prices for fans who weren't in attendance. We waited a good couple hours in the heat, just counting down until the celebrities would arrive. Luckily, closer to the premiere, people dressed in tennis costumes and duffel bags walked out, giving away promotional swag, like t-shirts, tennis balls, fans and more. It came in handy for autographs later.
At 6:30, the lights turned on and shined down on the red carpet and the black SUVs started arriving. It was a quintessential Hollywood night. Seeing as it was a tennis movie, there were a few tennis players that attended, including Maria Sherapova, and of course, Billie Jean King, who the movie was based on. I was mainly waiting for Steve and Emma, which naturally everyone else was too. I didn't want to get too distracted with getting other signatures that I didn't care as much about, in case one of my favorites showed up.
A few people arrived, including Bill Pullman (who I love from "While You Were Sleeping"), Billie Jean King and Sara Bareilles. The crowd cheered and they signed for a few people.
A few minutes later, another black SUV pulled up, and I could see the outline of his face...It was Steve Carell himself. He stepped out of the car and took a second, as everyone went nuts cheering for him. He walked over to our side, and made his way around the corner, where we were standing. He was practically standing in front of me, but because of the poster boards and other items people were trying to have signed, it felt much further away. But, still, closer than ever before. I didn't get a photo or autograph, though.
We waited a few more minutes, but it wasn't long before Emma Stone stepped out of the car and made her way over. She signed all along the fence and made her way in front of me - people were pushing harder and harder. I thought for sure we would all end up falling on top of her. My dad was able to get the visor signed by Emma, which I wasn't aware of until after she'd moved away, and I couldn't believe it. She walked over to the other side and signed more for fans, then made her way into the theater, since it was getting close to showtime. She was gorgeous in person and sweet as can be, taking the time to sign for everyone.
As all of the celebrities and VIPs made their way into the theater, we hung around outside for a few minutes. One of the guys who'd been standing near us, also waiting for autographs, mentioned that there were still tickets available to sign up for through the theater. We weren't sure they'd be for the main screening, but thought we'd see if we could get three. My mom was able to get the tickets on her phone and off we went.
Like most premieres, they offered free popcorn and soda at the concession stand, but we didn't grab anything. We just quickly walked into the theater to find seats. We ended up being SO CLOSE to the screen. Not long after, my mom noticed people starting to line up on the right side of us, and it just happened to be the cast of the movie.
I saw Steve Carell was practically standing behind my dad's shoulder and Emma Stone was just behind him. I waved to Steve and he waved back and did that little chuckle thing he does on "The Office." I was just happy with that, so I didn't even really think to get a picture with him. And I didn't want to bother him while he was mingling with the rest of the cast.
Soon after, they started announcing each cast member to the front. My dad tried to high five Steve Carell, which turned out to be more of an awkward fist bump thing. HA! And then he tried it again as Emma walked down the aisle, but she'd already walked past when she realized his hand was out. She had a look on her face that said she felt bad and wasn't sure whether she had enough time to run back to give him a handshake. We laughed
so hard about the whole thing...Only my dad.
They introduced the cast and we got to hear from the directors, who are married now and met at UCLA, just around the corner. Such a full circle moment for them, and I loved that. They spoke for a few minutes about their vision for the film and the terrific cast standing in front of us.
I was in awe the entire night, sitting in a room with my favorite actors and other talented actors, producers, writers and directors, dreaming of a day, maybe someday in the future I'll be up there speaking about my own project with people I've admired forever. It was another "God wink" in my life that was another reminder to keep going for the goal. That maybe someday isn't so far away.
That's all for now,
Shelby
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