Living in Vancouver it’s not completely unusual to see a movie set.
Sure, it’s not run of the mill. We all still stand around, peering around giant props and pieces of equipment to find someone famous buried among the loads of people it takes to make a movie. Sometimes we get lucky and other times not so much. I was never one of those lucky people. I’ve never met anyone famous. Haven’t seen anyone famous.
I say this, not to be pouty or whiny but just as a truth.
Backing up slightly, I will say that I felt a little left out. A lot of my friends have at least -seen- some famous people. I just seem to see the film sets. And the props. And the weird cars with the funny license plates.
Sure, working downtown, you’d think would increase your odds. However, not being a stalker (well---depends on the show really, if I heard of a Supernatural filming I’d be down there in a heartbeat) I’ve never really got to see much in action.
So colour me surprise when I get out of my movie Tuesday night (more on that later) to find the street is blocked off with a giant car that had seen better days (or in perhaps less eloquently terms, it had the shit kicked out of it).
Now I didn’t see it originally. From inside the theatre I was in a sort of weird mood, trying to piece together what I had seen in the movie (again, more on that later) and all I could see was some guy filming/taking pictures of the front of the theatre I was in. For anyone in Vancouver you will know that the Empire Theatre still has those marquee signs that they update with the movies playing. My first instinct: tourist. However, I got the idea once I walked out. Curious, I tried playing it “cool” (Well, as cool as I ever am) and circled the block to see if I could figure out what they were filming.
Turns out I didn’t really need to be all stealthy. They had a sign proclaiming Fringe Season 2 was filming. Holding in squee’s of fan girlism, I proceeded to join the crowd that had started to gather and look for someone famous. I will not deny that. Sure, I may try to play off seeming like I had seen it all. And had it been something I hadn’t heard tell of or something lame (*cough*Twilight*cough*) I would have shrugged it off with a ‘cool’ and gotten on with my day. However, it was Fringe dude! So I stayed.
And waited.
And waited.
And gee, don’t scenes take a fuck lot of time to set up? I will let you in on a little secret and say I was an extra in a film maaaaannnnyyyy years back. So I get the hurry up and wait aspect of it. However, I was cold and freezing my balls off so I was a tad anxious to see -something-. So anxious in fact that I actually worked up the courage to talk to a stranger (again, a feat if anyone knows me), someone who obvious wasn’t -that- important as he was eating a wrap not two seconds before I walked towards him and found out the important facts. Was something happening and were there any famous people?
Apparently they were slotted until 7 am the next day. Boourns.
However--Joshua Jackson was that way.
So I thanked him politely and then proceeded to make a beeline for that way. It didn’t take long for something to happen. They had -finally- fixed the shot and it seemed to be on the same side I was! And hey, wasn’t that Walter that just walked by? Cue even more texts to my I’m sure annoyed friends.
And then the most amazing thing happened.
Leonard Nimoy was there.
Yes, Spock himself. I tried to keep in my squeals (so y’know, not to seem like a total nerd and to not screw up the shot) and Sheldon-d out as quietly as possible. In my head all I could hear was Sheldon's voice saying his name in that way he does. For anyone who doesn’t watch Big Bang Theory (and why the hell aren’t you?) here’s a reference.
Anyways. I watched the scene unfold. Sadly it wasn’t that interesting of a scene but it did involve all the principle characters. I texted all my friends and took plenty of pictures--sadly only with my blackberry so they were blurry at best. Anyways, after watching Joshua Jackson (who, in all honesty is amazing and hilarious, watching him goof around the set was the 2nd highlight of the nearly three hours I spent there) take pictures with two different sets of girls, I managed to work up some courage.
The guy who was to stand guard and make sure people didn’t walk through the scene or have any flash photography seemed quite nice. I quietly walked up to him and shyly asked if I could get a picture with Leonard Nimoy. Bracing myself for the worst I was totally prepared to be told no but he said he’d look into it.
Seriously, this guy just jumped to the top of my favourite people list.
So, sure. I’m a bit of a cynic. I didn’t really expect him to ask. I mean, how many dozens of people would ask something like that? He managed to walk over to one of the producers I believe and they spoke and pointed towards me. I waved, my heart pounding in my ears and before I knew it he was back over saying I could meet ‘John.’
John?
Who’s that?
I’m crossing the street and there turns around Walter.
Now, I had always hoped that I wouldn’t turn into one of -those- girls. The types of girls who were standing beside me earlier wondering where Robert Pattison was and talking about how hot he was and like oh my god, wouldn’t it be amazing. (yes, I did let them know that they were waiting in vain. I’m not that cruel. Plus I wanted them to shut the hell up and get away from me.) I’ve seen the girls who cry on tv, I’ve heard the stories and I always figured I wouldn’t get so star struck.
So you can imagine my surprise when my heart picked up and I babbled like a 16 year old girl who is talking to her crush for the first time--sadly a scenario that I'm not completely unfamiliar with. I gushed about the show and my mother (yes, I’m a nerd. Ugh, don’t remind me) and he was perfectly lovely about it. After a bit of teasing (I said my mother was a HUGE fan and he teased that perhaps I wasn’t?) he told me to come in for a hug and we took the picture.
It was one of those moments that took place in the blink of an eye and yet seemed so long. I tried to memorize moments but at the same time I was just overtaken by how nice he was and how he looks just like he does on tv. It was one of those moments where you feel like a total ass and you should have shut up like a half second ago and you know, maybe not be such a dork but at the same time you can’t stop yourself and all thoughts of looking cool don’t come into your mind until after you’ve opened your mouth.
So yeah, the one time I meet someone famous and I managed to hit every cliche in the book. I’m doing really well.
But hey, at least I didn't cry?
However, despite feeling like a moron it was one of the most amazing moments in recent history (Yes, I realize this isn’t saying much considering my past month). There was a certain rush to it all. I didn’t feel famous or anything of the sort, but just, it was one of the moments--and I can’t say this for sure having this be the only time this has happened to me, but between being escorted onto a set, having someone who could honestly tell me to fuck off be nice to me and then having people ask me all sorts of questions about it afterwards, I felt special.
And it felt pretty damn good to be special for once.
PS. For the record, the movie was Josie and the Pussycats. No, you can’t see me. And yes, I -will- be forever ashamed.
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