The image we conjure up when thinking of red-carpet events, it’s a clear and kind of cliché one: flashing lights and fabulously stunning people wearing sparkling designer gowns. However, for the lucky fans that make it behind the barricades hoping to meet said stars, the reality is not all glitz and glamour.
Whether we talk about a huge production like the London Dune premiere, or the smaller Gala screening for Marvel’s Eternals that took place last Wednesday, fans from all around gather outside venues to spend hours in the cold, all to get a couple of seconds with their favourite actors.
The younger fans don’t seem to mind the wait. After arriving at the ODEON at 9 pm the day before the Dune premiere Floor, 23, says: “It feels like falling back into the routine, I missed sleeping on the concrete!”
Lieke, 21, added: “it’s so hard to meet them otherwise. Musicians go on tour but actors only do these types of promos so being able to see them in real life is really special”.
In attendance amongst the highly dedicated fans, we find a weird calibre of people: the autograph dealers.
Now, if you are as confused as I was when I first encountered them, let me paint you a picture:
the group ages appear to range from the late forties to mid-sixties whose only goal is to collect as many signatures as possible and, apparently, annoy everyone around them.
This by itself would not be the biggest problem, however, they often display an unjustified combination of arrogance and insolence. Targeted mostly towards the event’s security guards, they don’t shy away from aggressively bothering anyone daring to get in their way.
Making both the event’s attendees and red-carpet walkers highly uncomfortable, they physically push and yell until fully satisfied and, if that doesn’t happen, they resort to verbally abusing all those around them.
Taking all of this into consideration, do I believe it to be worthwhile spending more than 15 hours in the cold, surrounded by mad old people, for the chance of spending a couple of seconds around people like Timothée Chalamet and Angelina Jolie?
Absolutely, I don’t regret a second of it!
Words: Susanna Borio| Subbing: Erin Kalejs