It was a delight to see familiar faces: Emily Blunt, Bruce Willis, and the director Rian Johnson.
"l can't believe Rian submitted in time" Emily said in that rosy London accent.
"Me too. And the Opening Night". "Are you nervous?" l asked.
"l mean a bit."
"Let me bring you to my husband"
"Yes, please" We walked towards the end of the premiere with publicist and managers about
"Emily has sung your praises" John gave me a bear hug in that typical American boy way.
"Congrats on the film" l said for his indie film Nobody Walks.
"Likewise."
"Bruce Willis, how was that?"
"A dream" l said.
We were next to a bar, half filled with producers, as my nerves reached its a peak
Emily said, "Lets get some champagne".
"l can't compete with you Brits. lm going to puke in the theatre."
"Don't worry most people would look at Taylor Swift." Emily said.
John ordered a Dom Pérignon that tasted dry but still quite fresh.
Bruce waltzed in, "Hey son" We both laugh.
"Any advice?"
"You're fine." His Jersey accent mixed well with the alcohol in my system. "l did a double feature in '08. Imagine trying to sell two shitty movies at the same time"
l chuckled. "Well, l was in only one this year"
Bruce looked puzzled.
"The only feature l was in this year was the NYC ball drop"
He licked his lips. "l can't wait to get the fuck out of here."
l almost spilled my glass. "Me too. l think its time".
Mark approached me with slow steps and the few strands of hair left looked alive. "Its time to go kid"
lm older than you probably
The sunset had long since set, and the beauty of Park City came alive as the stars lit up the mountains. A surreal sense of vastness welled up inside me.
The black SUVs rolled up and was ushered inside.
"l feel like a president" Emily said. "Have you played one Bruce?"
"No. Saved one" He looked away.
"How did l forget"
She laughed at the car pulls out to the sea of people waiting at Eccles Theatre.
Main Street queue areas were packed with attendees bundled up in heavy winter gear. There were no formal gowns or expensive tuxedos.
Our group came out of clown car to lobby as security nodded to us, specifically Bruce. Eyes darted to the icon but l could sense the expectations or mood for this film.
Willis last decade of films had been littered with disappointments: Surrogates (2009), a sci fi film critics dismissed for its mindless action and weak script, and Perfect Strangers (2007) which holds a nine percent on Rotten Tomatoes, with Rolling Stone calling it " a dull, dumb, and unforgivably dated thriller, free of thills, saved a genius for product placement", and the list goes on.
It would be a gross overstatement to say the film was dead in its water. Rian Johnson high school Neo-noir Brick premiered at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival and was praised as an immediate standout with audiences, walking away with the Special Jury Prize for Originality of Vision. It eventually became a cult classic.
The ordinary lobby had been transformed into a Hollywood circus: celebrities fielding questions in front of a bright red press wall plastered with Sundance '12, Chase, and Acura. logos.
I caught my breath when l saw who was ahead of me waiting for their turn to be asked questions. He was alone wearing a red cable knit sweater and the back of his head was slightly messy.
l approached him, " Im sorry to disturb you but l loved 28 Days Later. The scene where you'r crying in your bedroom after discovering his parent's corpses stays with me."
He seemed almost embarrassed by the attention. "Thank you. That was a tough scene." His soft Irish accent bounced through the cold Utah air.
"Whats your name" He moved his hand looking straight at me.
Obviously, Hollywood is filled with attractive, young, and magnetic people who excite the senses—from modern bombshells like Megan Fox to the timeless elegance of Monica Bellucci and the golden boy charm of Brad Pitt.
But there was something different about Cillian's icy blue eyes that popped against the press wall.
We shook hands. "Ryan Stone".
"l look forward to your film. Im a fan of Rian's, would love to work with him." He smiled and seemed more relaxed. He continued, "Now lm interested to see that doc Queen of Versailles about the recession".
"Me too. I believe its about a billionaire family trying to create the largest home in America"
"l do hope you like Looper. l took some inspiration from Sunshine and Capa."
He leaned in closer, "l hope its not horror, don't want to be scared in this cold"
l put my pointer finger on my mouth. We both chuckle.
A journalist said, "Cillian. Cillian, right here". Cillian's nodded to me and went to the slim pack of hyenas.
l stood there awkwardly for someone to say my name and l saw Mark chatting to his younger assistant.
Eventually, a blonde reporter holding a microphone with a cartoonish HW logo called out my name.
"Hello, lm with Hollywire. Chelsea Briggs." She had a bright smile as she fixed her blonde hair.
"First of all" her voice peaked, "how's your relationship with Emma Roberts. That must be crazy."
l leaned in, "Great. She's somewhere here." l looked around and did not find her. "Hopefully her Nancy Drew abilities can help save me"
She laughs, "Where did y'all meet?"
"At a GQ Party. Ooh. Am I not supposed to talk about your rivals"
"No. No. Please tell us about your film Looper"
"I be honest l do surprisingly miss where we filmed it; Louisiana summer time."
"Wow that must feel out of the world different. How was working with Bruce Willis?"
Bruce was to my right and l pointed to him and the camera operator shifted to Bruce's deadpan demeanor, " This man is a legend. Before l read the script l was told l would play opposite of Bruce, l thought l was going to get punched."
She smirked, "Would be a shame to hurt that face".
l put up my hands to sky, "When you see the movie they altered my face!" The camera shakes and l was soon on to the next reporter.
My body shook when l saw Camilla wearing a black jacket and a credential badge that read IndieWire.
"Hello, Mr. Stone" Her voice matched the weather outside.
"Can you introduce yourself?" She asked.
"Hello, l love your organization. I am starring in Looper with Bruce and Rian at the helm. I am excited that our film made it in to the competition so people can see this new twist to the sci-fi genre." l smiled.
The hum of the people nearby grew louder. Emily was talking about her husband, Rian was glad to be here after Brick, and Bruce Willis was open to do a Comedy Central Roast after Trump aired.
But Camilla seemed out of place in this circus. Where one would finish their interview with a care free attitude, she would likened it to painting or sculpting.
"Is it true that you are adopted, how did you come through this industry?"
My body visibly shakes, "Umm. My parents nurtured me to do what my passion is. I'm sorry l believe that the premiere is near"
l rush inside the grand theatre. My thoughts are distracted by the size of Eccles Theatre: the ceiling rose like a cathedral and amber lights that dimmed the crowd.
An usher guided the cast and me into the reserved orchestra section.
Bruce walked ahead with his hands in his pockets as the director of Sundance, John Cooper, said, "Welcome to Opening Night of the Sundance Film Festival" in a cool Bostonian voice.
"And now, please welcome the cast and director of Looper."
Rian Johnson walked onstage looking both thrilled and horrified while Bruce received the loudest applause.
Rian leaned in to microphone. "What mattered to me", he continued, "was making a smart sci film that didn't treat the audience like idiots". He gestured towards me, "And Ryan really became the center of this thing, thank you"
All of my tension disappeared.
"Although this movie nearly killed us several times." The audience laughs
The microphone landed on the cast hands until it was my turn. "l just want to say. It's great to be here after Margin Call. The world is so different. Hopefully the critics won't call me the King of Versailles."
The audience chuckled, l continued, "It was a joy to work with this amazing crew and cast. l do want to warn you that..." l looked toward Bruce briefly, "if you came here for a rom com, you are about to be very, very disappointed"
The room bursted into laughter as l handed the microphone back to the moderator. Then the lights slowly dimmed and the cast settled into their seats.
The screen was black and then my voice was heard.
"In the year 2044, time travel has not yet been invented"