[Near] Brushes with fame

TerranRich · Thu 02/09/2004 19:10:19

I was wondering if anybody has any stories on near-brushes with fame. I do...

My mom was the manager of a bank branch and one day, about 6-7 years ago, she met a screenwriter, Matt Johnson, that came into the bank. They talked. He saiid he wrote a movie and hoped to have it greenlit, she said I was an excellent writer for my age, and he said I should look the screenplay over and proofread it and look for errors in continuity or realism. I did, and got paid $80 for a written paper on everythingI liked, didn't lke, found weird, etc., etc.

Over the past few years, my mom or I would randomly bring it up every now and then, wondering what ever happened to it. I always thought it was an independent film, doubting that I would be lucky enough to have proofread a Hollywood script.

The movie was called "Into the Blue" and was about a group of divers finding themselves in deep trouble with a drug lord after they come upon the illicit cargo of a sunken airplane. It was a pretty good movie and I could envision it on the big screen.

Lo and behold, yesterday I was bored and I suddenly remembered this movie. And I remembered IMDb.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0378109/

Apparently, there are some semi-big stars in the movie, which will be released this very year. And I proofread it and fixed errors. And I still have the original screenplay! Woohoo!

Anybody else have any stories of near-brushses with fame?

Chicky · Thu 02/09/2004 19:19:47

I once met MickyMouse at DisneyWorld...

We have photographic proof!

damn child molester...

Mr Jake · Thu 02/09/2004 19:20:46

Im the most Famous Jake Hoggans on the net, does that count xD

Privateer Puddin' · Thu 02/09/2004 19:20:56

I met a guy who used to work at Bullfrog while at work experience? Depends if you think he would be 'famous'?

Kweepa · Thu 02/09/2004 19:22:45

QuantumRich,
I hope you slipped in some nude scenes for Jessica Alba's character.

Cluey · Thu 02/09/2004 19:34:04

Ozzie Osbourne met my mum in a pub once, when he lived in Birmingham.

He owes her a pack of fags, If I ever see him I swear!!

QuantumRich if the movie sucks we'll know who to blame now wont we?

TerranRich · Thu 02/09/2004 19:38:07

Heh, well, he also wrote "Torque," so...eh...heh heh...

But yeah, I had no idea Jessica Alba would be cast as the female lead. If I had known, I would've suggested SOMETHING along those lines, Steve

BerserkerTails · Thu 02/09/2004 20:01:17

Well, my mom works at the Fairmont Empress Hotel (The classiest hotel in Victoria BC), and that's where all the stars stay when they're filming movies here. She's met tons of famous actors.

Ummm... One of my girlfriend's friends has famous parents. Her mother was in Dances with Wolves, and is still good friends with Kevin Costner (My GF has actually met him). And her dad auditioned for Dustin Hoffman's role in "The Graduate".

Dave Gilbert · Thu 02/09/2004 20:46:45

When I was in living in boston, I dated a gal who was in the sci fi club at Harvard. Terry Pratchett was a guest there once, and she invited me to hear him speak. He signed my copy of "Feet of Clay" and everything.

I also walked into William Shatner once. Literally. Turned a corner and BAM. I smacked right into him. Didn't realize it was him at first, as we both muttered apologese and kept walking. It wasn't until 5 seconds later that the voice registered and I was like, "Dude, that was William Shatner." He looks very different in real life.

edmundito · Thu 02/09/2004 21:02:16

I once shook Bill "Slick Willy" Clinton's hand. He came to the university to speak about some statue, and I just so happened to walk where he was getting out of black truck with the bodyguards and whatnot, and some friend of mine was close and yelled "Bill!" and he went back and shook his hand... next thing I know, there's a whole line of people shaking his hand. I guess it really helps that I live in Arkansas, his old home.

Goldmund · Thu 02/09/2004 21:07:02

I met Johny Depp in a bus once, and kingsized even drew a one-frame comic about it.

Darth Mandarb · Thu 02/09/2004 21:10:43

Best Story
I once waited on Jewel at a Red Lobster (where I worked at the time) in Coral Springs Florida (we mother (I think) lives in Boca Raton (just up the coast).

She wasn't famous yet, but I knew who she was 'cause I'd seen her broadway 'Wizard of Oz' show and was MADLY in love with her. Ã,Â I was so nervous waiting on her. Ã,Â She came back after her party left and said, "I've got a tip for you ... keep up the good work, you were great!" and handed me an additional 10 dollars on top of the already generous tip they'd left.

Cool Story
Myself and one other guy (years back) started a website (www.dragonmount.com) as a fan-site for Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series. Ã,Â We built it slowly at first and I slowly detached myself from it (I'm barely involved anymore) but it now has something like 10,000 members.

Anyway, a few years back I went to a book signing and met Robert Jordan. Ã,Â I was wearing my Dragonmount t-shirt. Ã,Â He recognized it and knew my nickname from the website (which is Mandarb by the way!) Ã,Â It was great, and he signed 3 of my books instead of the limited 2.

Ahhh ... good stuff!

Pumaman · Thu 02/09/2004 21:20:00

I met Jasper Carrott and Chesney Hawkes once ... that's right, C-list celebrities is where it's at!

Matt Frith · Thu 02/09/2004 21:34:38

Yesterday, I was in my village and saw no other than Damian lewis (the ginger guy from band of brothers).Ã,Â I think he was filming somethinig but i didnt really bother to find out.

sedriss · Thu 02/09/2004 21:38:38

I met and shook hands with Richard Kiel (Jaws in James Bond) once. Seriously.. that guy is HUGE!
My hand are kinda big, but they were baby-hands compared to his.

rtf · Thu 02/09/2004 21:54:39

Rtf's Brushes With Fame:

1.
My dad went to high school with Sean Penn, and my dad was voted best actor, and Sean Penn wasn't!!! I could be living the life of luxury right now, but I'm not.
It's ok, though, because my dad took all the acting skills and used them to become a lawyer.

2.
I went to a talent agency. They said that I was "the best they've seen in months. " I was happy, but my parents thought it was a scam, so I was out of luck.

3. I saw Comeron Diaz in Los Angeles.

4. I saw Carlos Santana in San Fransisco.

5. I was Peter Jackson walking around in the downtown of my town. (There was an independant film festival.)

6. I downloaded the screenplay to "Hiding Out" last thursday.

YOke · Thu 02/09/2004 22:59:00

This isn't a brush with fame in the sense of meeting somebody famous, but more in the sense of making it in the industry myself.

Back when I was 16 I was at this huge computer party here in Norway. I was fiddling around with 3D Studio (the old DOS version) when theese two guys crept up behind me. My first thought were that they were police officers looking for software pirates. I kept my usual cool and decided to keep working like nothing was wrong, all casual. They just stood there for about 5 minutes, looking at me working. My cool was wearing away by the minute.
Suddenly one of them leaned forward and said, in english "You seem like you know what you're doing. I'm so-and-so from Probe entertainment. Could we see at some other stuff you have made?"
For those who don't know (I didn't at the time) Probe entertainment made Mortal Kombat. Indeed a name to fear and respect at the time. This was way worse than the police! I'm sure that I was drenched with sweat as I loaded up some earlier projects to show them. I was way stressed, but they nodded their heads a lot. When I had showed them my best work they gave me all this info about their company and reccomended me to apply for a position as a World Builder.
I guess the prospect of it got a bit too daunting for me, because I never got off my ass to do so.
Oh well... I have plenty of time to "make it" still.

Evil · Thu 02/09/2004 23:09:21

I met Hulk Hogan once, back when he was Hollywood.

As for my own personal experices, last year I went to the State Thesbian Festival (In Iowa). My duet partner and I recieved second place for our duet and were eligable to compete at Internationals. Even though due to financial problems I couldnt go, that still made us like in the top 100 in the US.

panda · Thu 02/09/2004 23:55:54

John Kerry is coming to Newark Ohio, which about 10 from where I live tomorrow. Im skipping school to go with some friends to meet him. I'll post a pic if I can.

Ive also met the members of Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Blues Travler, David Goodman (Ohio state senator), Orin Hatch (US Senator from Utah) and Gordon B Hinckley (President of the Mormon Church).

evenwolf · Fri 03/09/2004 00:21:09

This past April, my film organization invited various filmmakers to our university to speak for several panels.Ã,Â I was talking to Michael Tronick, a Hollywood editor, when I mentioned that my friend and I had finished a sound project where I impersonated Terence Stamp.Ã,Â I saw Tronick's eyes light up as he told me, "I'm working with Terence Stamp on a project right now!Ã,Â I could try to give him your project, it's worth a shot!"Ã,Â Ã,Â It was surreal, Tronick was excited about the whole thing and pledged to first give the project to Doug Liman, the director of the project.

I've also handed Michael Moore a horrible student film I had made.Ã,Â He looked at me seriously and said "Thank you" probably thinking it was some serious documentation of George Bush doing evil things.Ã,Â

[Near] Brushes with fame

panda