White Room Report - Saturday

[lonelybrit]

Quick nod to RL and all that.

1) The election? Yeah, it pretty much sucks. But what really depresses me isn't so much that Bush got in, but that so many voters after all this time still thought he really was the guy to vote for. It's done now, so I guess we just knuckle down and do what we can.

2) I think I am not alone when I say I am shocked, shocked!, at eloise_bright; who recently spread her wings and wrote her first R-rated piece of Wangel. My main reaction to that was: guh. So, yes; I'm shocked; who would have thought it; have I mentioned how much I love her, LOL!


SATURDAY: "Pack that turkey..."

The main thing that first sticks in the mind is that we had to get up at 7.30am for breakfast. Me and GP did actually make it. And afterwards went straight back to bed for an hour or so. I again drug my sleepy carcass downstairs at 9am in case the photoshoot with Nathan Fillion was scheduled. But it wasn't. I hung around anyway, and was comfortably settled in my seat in the main hall for the first talk.


David Denman (Skip) Talk.

A lovely guy. He really did seem to be trying to keep things going, but, like so many Starfury newbies, he wasn't too sure what to do when there were no questions being asked. As time went on he looked a little more at ease; the anecdotes becoming longer and more natural. The audience also warmed to him, and you could tell people were really trying to think up questions for him.
There were no particularly memorable quotes, but here are a few of the main points that I remember.

• He was not aware when cast that he would wind up being a masked villain. He found out pretty much when he was told to turn up really really early and the stuff was bought out.


• The first time he met J whilst out of costume, J didn't recognise him.
  DD-as-DD: Hi, how are you?!
  DD-as-JAR: Erm... yeah, hi!
  DD-as-DD: We used to hang out, have coffee.
  DD-as-JAR: ...
  DD-as-DD: I'm Skip!
  DD-as-JAR: NO WAY! **massive grin**


• When asked how it was to work with Ewan McGregor in Tim Burton's Big Fish, Denman was full of nothing but praise for McGregor. Apparently one of the crew had a daughter who came on set to try and see the big star. She hung around all day. No-one knew why she was there, so the end of the day came along with no meeting. Ewan had just taken delivery of a new motorbike he had ordered; he was really excited and couldn't wait to get off-site so he could go and give it a spin. Only then he finally heard about the girl.
  DD: He came all the way back on set to talk to this girl. And he didn't just say 'Hi' like some actors would, he actually sat down with her and had a good 10 minutes conversation. Admittedly the girl was having the time of her life and was silent...


• Incidentally, Ewan hates Starwars. Can't stand the bluescreen filming; wished he'd never signed up... etc etc. I don't think DD was too sympathetic though, cos, hey, Starwars!


• When David signed on to AtS he only signed on for one definite episode. However, he knew that, depending on his character's popularity, Skip could be recurring. He did not know that Skip would in the long-run turn out to be evil.

Jonathan Woodward (Knox) and Carrie Grace (Costume Designer) Talk

These two came out, and it was quickly apparently that we were in good hands. They were both full of smiles, giggles and by the end of the talk had learnt how to deal with the silences that come when there are no questions: act insane.
It's hard to report what they said; it wound up being more a comedy duo act than a talk. And a bloody good one at that.

• Woodward initially thought that Knox would just be in the one episode of Angel. Afterwards, when he learnt Knox was coming back, he knew from the start that his character would be an evil one.
  JW-as-Joss: **sounding delighted** Yeah, you see you're going to kill her, and then she's going to kill you!


• Grace is quite proud of her fiance; not only can he sew, but he can also dress himself, and dress himself well. Apparently something that is very rare in men.


• CG: Oh no, don't go silent! You'll make us dance! You don't want to see us dance, do you?
  Audience: **whistles and cheers**
  CG: Dance, Jonathan!
  JW: **without a moment's pause does something that's a cross between Angel and Wesley's dance in She, Numfar's dance of joy and Xander's Snoopy Dance.**

Audience: **CHEERS and WHOOTS**

• Yes, Woodward is a minister. He got it off the internet - something he finds rather amusing and a little alarming. At the moment he's setting up his own ministry: Church of these 11 Fingers. And if you can't think what the 11th finger is, just think a little while longer. And bear in mind it's a man talking...


• Did you know Woodward can actually perform a marriage ceremony? He can. And he told us all that if we want his services, all we need is to offer some beer.


• Someone asked him about his role on Diagnosis Murder! Woodward instantly started hissing and spitting, in the metaphorical sense. In actual fact all he did was scrunch up and say, 'Oh, I HATED it!!'
  He played a psycho; who at one point chased little Carey Van Dykes. It involved running across a field, wielding something like a chainsaw. Carey then swatted at him with a hat, Jonathan would take a fall and then get back up with a mad laugh.
  In this field, there was a nice gravelly area. And young Carey had a tendency to make Jonathan fall in the gravelly area, each and every take. And because something always went wrong, that was a lot of takes.
  JW: So I asked Carey if he would mind not hitting me when we were over the gravel. But he kept on doing it. And then, finally, he tripped and twisted his ankle, and it was **high voice** 'Oh! My ankle!' And the whole filming just stopped! It was 'CUT! Carey's hurt an ankle!' And an ambulance came roaring up, and there were paramedics, they whisked off Carey with an icepack... and meanwhile I'm just standing there, I'm cut and bleeding, my shirt is torn, I'm bruised...
  So, yeah. He does not have kind things to say about the Van Dyke clan...


• Woodward is sewing himself a kilt. An orange one. That swishes. He gave us the swishy action; I think he's quite proud of it.


• Woodward also showed us how to pack a turkey. It is apparently quite a tricky movement to perfect; do it wrong and you're just stuffing the poor plucker. To do a perfect packing: 1) Stand with feet shoulder width apart. 2) Hold you left hand out, palm upwards, in front of you. Imagine this is holding the turkey. 3) With your right hand, make gentle, smooth pushing movements. 4) Add a little shoulder action too. 5) Also add a little rocking of the hip. Remember, keep it smooth...
  CG: **watching JW whilst room dissolves** You know, I don't remember that teeth action.
  Possibly the most smuttiest movement I've seen on stage, until Sunday that is. And he got a lot of the hall doing it to music before he left. He also had us all going 'PRAISE THE LORD!' and 'HALLEJAH!!'

Have to say that CG and JW do make a wonderfully sweet couple. They were both so friendly throughout the convention; always full of smiles and giggles. A real pair, and I hope they make it and wish them all the best.


Nathan Fillion (Captain Hotpants/'Mal') and Morena Baccarin (Inara Serra) Talk

Ah... Nathan Fillion. Admittedly I only knew him as Caleb, but even so, that man is gorgeous. Yet again he walked out to ear-numbing applause, and so did Morena. I remember she was very gracious, and he was insane but very amusing and funny.
However, can I remember anything they said?
Can I hell.
It was a good talk, I must have enjoyed it otherwise I really would have remembered it so I could trash it afterwards. Because I'm that kind of nice person...
At one point Nathan vanished backstage and reappeared dragging a reluctant Summer Glau. She stayed for a little while, although she didn't say anything, and then retreated backstage when he wasn't looking.

• For every question asked, Fillion gave the asker something from the set of either the movie or series of Firefly. Usually this took the form of money (marks?), and other times it was a strip of film. The fans were very very happy!


• Fillion said that it was gutting having to watch the set from the series being torn down. He had hoped that Firefly would be the little show that ended up showing all its critics just what it could do. He was really upset and surprised when it was cancelled. Baccarin said she knew it was coming and wasn't surprised. She was still upset though, and repeated thanked the fans over the weekend for their support; she said it was their work that had made the movie possible.


• The set for the movie was huge. Meaning that towards the end, the cast would be filming on one side of the sound stage, and on the other the forklifts would already be tearing down a used set. Fillion said it was still hard second time around.


• Baccarin's favourite costume? Well, they were all 'gorgeous' and so beautiful... but also wildly tight and uncomfortable. Her favourite was the loose kimono-like outfit.


• When asked what they pictured their characters doing for their retirement; assuming they had the 'happy ending'. Fillion said he saw Mal on a ranch somewhere, with the wife and kids. At peace. Baccarin said she saw her character somewhere peaceful, in a pool. ALONE.


• Baldwin is apparently very right-wing, and has some 'daft' political ideas. And Alan (?) is very left-wing. And Baldwin just keeps on winding Alan up, and the two fo them will always wind up fighting and arguing. Which is both very amusing and very irritating to watch 24/7, LOL!

Nathan Fillion photoshoot.

Damn.
That man is gorgous. So tall, with lovely eyes, that smirky smile...
*sigh*
And his hip fits perfectly against my side. As I repeatedly told GP afterwards. Yes, it was a very nice first photoshoot for the con!


Christian Kane (Lindsey) and Stephanie Romanov (Lilah) Talk.

Missed the beginning of this talk as me and GP were grimly defending our places in the queue for the photoshoot with CK the following morning. And as these reports are taking forever to write and the last one was swallowed by LJ, I'm keeping it brief, LOL!

• SR: Anyway, it's an interesting point that the season they didn't bring me back? They got cancelled. *grin*
  ROOM: *cheers*
  SR: I'm just sayin'!
  CK: Yeah, it's an even more interesting point that they did bring me back and then the show got cancelled.


• Question: Did Lindsey really love Eve, and was Lilah capable of loving Wes?
  SR: She initially went into it for the fun and, of course, to get info... But then she surprised herself by falling in love. Only there was nothing she could do about these feelings she was having. And she knew it. Yeah, kinda sad...
  CK: I don't know how Joss wrote it, but how I played it? Definitely. Lindsey loved Eve. But he was still in love with Darla.


• Someone bought up Just Married; asked if CK thought the girl went off with the right guy.
  CK: Oh definitely! Man, she's hard work!
  Apparently it wasn't the first time he had filmed with Britney Murphy. THey were on a film called Summer Catch. And the title was 'kinda appropriate'. So yes, there was a history at some point. You learn something new every day...


• Lindsey and Lilah? Originally were scripted as being a definite item. In the first script SR saw, a scene opened with a headshot of Lindsey and Lilah. And they were arguing and fighting. Only then the camera pans back... and it becomes clear that they are in fact in bed together.
  SR: And I thought, 'Yeah, that's so cool!'
  CK: Yeah, I always thought they were doing it. And if they weren't then they should have been!


• In some film-or-other, SR was with Jim Car-thingy? The guy who was Jesus in The Passion. And apparently he's scary and very strange. Talk to him for more than a few minutes and he'll start asking you whether or not you've found Jesus. He also walks around all the time with a priest.
  CK: No way.
  SR: Uh-huh. Honest to God, a priest walked around with him all the time.


• CK originally auditioned for Riley. Didn't get the part but was asked to read for another guy; a cool bad guy called 'Lindsey'.
  CK: **blank look**
  He didn't want his character to continually get bashed around, knocked against walls and such. At first the writers put up some fight. Then they called him back, and said 'Fine'.
  CK: 'And do I get to not have that silly girly name?'
  CK-as-writer: 'No, it's still Lindsey.'
  CK: 'Damn...'


• Romanov talked about her film: Final Cut. There was this scene that she wanted to try filming four different ways. So each take, she would play if differntly. Afterwards...
  SR-as-Williams: OH MY GOD! You were incredible! I mean, one minute you're this cold-hearted bitch and the next you're all so vulnarable I just wanted to hug you!
  So, yeah. She freaked out and impressed Robin Williams. Cool or what :)


• The reason CK has his hair so long is that he's signed on to do two Spielberg movies. There will be four in total, the first two about a white settler who eventually has a son with a native American woman. The second two films are about the son, and that's the role CK will play.


• QUESTION: What three things would you take with you if you were stranded on a desert island?
  SR: Oh, I remember this one! I was asked this with Julie Benz, and I said gel, and she didn't get it! 'Hair gel?' **laughs** So yes, I'd take my husband, gel and a transistor radio.
  CK: Budweiser. And two Playmates.
  MEN-IN-AUDIENCE: **CHEERS**!!


• CK, on talking about how he and David had known each other and were friends before AtS.
  CK: Yeah, I love David. He's my boy.
  GP: *dies*


• Like with Wesley, Lindsey was originally slated to be killed off fairly quickly. But CK didn't want to die.
  CK-AS-WRITER: So, yeah, we're killing you off next episode.
  CK-as-CK: Then I'm not coming in [to film] next episode!
  SR: You didn't!
  CK: Oh, I did.
  SR: That's so cool!


• CK is still very very bitter over the cancellation of AtS.
  CK: I mean, yeah, why don't you go and cancel your number one show for two others that weren't even picked up!!
  He then apologised, saying that the only reason he wasn't cursing was because there were kids in the audience.

J August Richards (Gunn) and Summer Glau (River) Talk

J came out holding Summer's hand. She is so tiny and slim, and he is so tall... They made quite a pair, but both very easy on the eye.

• Both JAR and AD were dead impressed by Glau in Waiting In The Wings. They were standing on the balcony, looking down at her. 'Damn, she's just looking and she's *acting*!'


• They were asked to say which trait they most admired in their fellow cast members.
  For J: AD - 'a mini-Anthony Hopkins'. Just so damn talented, a fantastic actor etc etc :) AA - just so full of grace and composed and together... J sounded a little in awe. AH - no-one has made J laugh as much as Hallet. CC - has perfect comic timing. J would read a line and think 'But that's not funny', and then CC would deliver it... and he'd suddenly see it. JM - really dedicated to the show, really filmed his heart out.
  For Summer: Baldwin is a great family man; good husband and a wonderful Daddy. Morena initally looked really intimdating, but in fact she's wonderful. She's nice and smart, and doesn't use her beauty or hide behind it. And whilst Fillion always picks on her, he's also always there for her; supports her.


• JAR used advice from Meryl Streep when she was on Actor's Studio(?) Namely, when reading a line, remember to consider it also meaning the exact opposite of what it apparently means. J's audition piece was basically a two page rant along the lines of: I hate you Angel! Vampires suck! I hate vampires! And those fangs? THEY SUCK! So, yeah, I hate you.. because... bcause you have fangs and I hate fangs... etc etc.
  So J went in and played it like Gunn actually really really wanted to work with Angel.
  And hey. It worked! Yay!


• J was told by AH that there are three stages to fame. a) Hey, don't I know you from somewhere? b) Aren't you on that show? c) OMG! You're so-and-so from such-a-show!
  He got a) from Will Smith. *nods* Oh yeah. He got a degree of recogntion from WILL SMITH. *beams*


• One of his first jobs was on The Cosby Show. He turned at school afterwards, a little late, and the bell went, and all the kids came out and pointed and yelled: 'THERE HE IS!!!'


• Ironically, J loved his time on Diagnosis Murder! He was in a play at the same time, and on set was panicking that he wouldn't finish in time to be there in time for the opening night. His co-star of the scene (Victoria someone? NOT a Van Dyke.) spotted this and asked him what was up.
  He told her.
  She instantly kicked up a fuss. 'COme on, let's go! Let's film this!' She got all the crew to move it double-time, telling them they had to finish promptly so he could get to his play.

The Fancy Dress Parade.

Main thing of note?
Nathan Fillion.
Turned up wearing the black shirt and white priest's collar. GUH! He also had the black eye contacts.... **mind melts**
I mean, yes, I got the whole Priest Kink thing. But, dude, I had never really gotten the Priest Kink thing, you know? Cos, seeing it in the flesh... damn.


Kane and Carlson Acoustic Set

*sigh*
They both sing so very very well.
GP spilt her pint of beer, so we were all trying to avoid this large puddle. And failing miserably.
The most memorable part came when Kane tried to play 'Track 29'.
CK: **some slow and meaningful lyrics about grass and such...** ...and damn that's the wrong song!
CK tries again...
CK: **soemthingsomethinglonggrass**... dammit!
ROOM: *laughs*
SC: **tries to beat out right rhythm and hums first few chords**
CK: **tries again**
CK: **fails**
CK: Alright, this time...
CK: **giggles non-stop through the whole meaningful-long-grass-first verse... but succeeds**
ROOM: **melts**
Steve also did a solo; both singing and playing the guitair. He was brilliant. Fantastic voice, gorgous playing... *sigh*


The Party.

Only thing of note was that J and Stephanie came out and grooved. Man, Stephanie really knows how to dance! :)




ETA: Saturday completed... LJ ate my original post, so it will a while before Sunday whilst I try not to kill things.

Comments

[eloise-bright.livejournal.com]

Is now starting to feel that this Woodward fellow might not be soooo bad. Tries to imagine Wesley/Knox slashiness. Where Wes has to show Knox the error of his ways. Possiblities...

And thanks for the pimp. I'm still quite ashamed of myself, you know. I'm being good and writing gentle PG13 snark for the Jossverse Bitthday ficathon thingie.

*loves you back*

[lonelybrit]

Oh, Woodward is so very very pretty... And he's smart. Admittedly, yes, he could be seen as evil. But really, he's not evil! He's just... misguided. Perhaps you could even admire his utter devotion to his cause, if only that could be pointed in a different direction, then maybe things would be better?

**huggles** Yay for birthday thingie!! :)

[gingerpig.livejournal.com]

See, I knew you'd remember more than me...;)

*joining in with the JW love *

[princess-s.livejournal.com]

WOW! lots of info to take in, in one day! Glad that DD was good talker he seemed really nice!

Yes I think we are all now devotees to the Church of the 11th finger!!

Hehehe JW silly, we love him (sorry moment of smushiness possibly due to drugs currently prescribed).

[lonelybrit]

DD - yeah, he was sweet. And even if he did lapse into silence occasionally, he never made you feel like he didn't actually want to be there.

And when he got together with Jonathan...

Damn. He looked like he'd been doing cons all his life :)