TIFF Entry #2: The Kindness of Strangers; Drew Barrymore and the Cast of “Whip It”

Sunday I had one goal… to get Drew Barrymore’s autograph. I had two opportunities to accomplish this feat: opportunity one was the Whip It promotional event in Dundas Square, and opportunity two was the red carpet for the premiere of Whip It. With my DVD of Grey Gardens and a black sharpie marker in hand, I made my way three hours early to stand beside the barricades of the Whip It promo. The hot sun glaring down on my roomates and I, sweat dripping and a crowd assembling along the barricades, I waited patiently for the 6 p.m. event to begin.

Fast forward three hours later. Two roller derby teams skated around in a circle made in Dundas Square while Entertainment Tonight Canada’s Rick Campanelli stalled the crowd by handing out free goodies. A roller derby girl gave me a plastic cup and a button with Whip It on it. But still no sign of the cast. At 6:30, Campanelli announced they were starting the roller derby and the cast would be arriving in half an hour. The crowd, exhausted from standing in the heat for hours, had no enthusiasm left. One of my roomates and I decided to leave in hopes of getting an autograph from Barrymore on the red carpet for the Whip It premiere, while my other roomate decided to stick out the roller derby.

We rushed home, scarfed down dinner and raced to the Whip It red carpet two hours before the premiere. We couldn’t get near the barricades, but one gentleman pointed to a smaller barricade at the end of a white tent used for the stars to leave the red carpet and enter the theatre. There was an opening between the tent and the theatre where fans could see the actors, and there were only a few people there! For once, no paparazzi or news crews, it was just real fans.

I chatted with the people waiting in front of me, showing them my copy of Grey Gardens, which I hoped Drew Barrymore would sign. The hours passed quickly because it was a lot more enjoyable without any aggressive photographers trying to get their “shot.” When the actors arrived they were very kind and happily signed things and thanked everyone for coming. They took a lot of time with us because we were real genuine fans.

When Ellen Page and Drew Barrymore came through the white tent I packed my camera away, zeroing in on my opportunity to secure Barrymore’s autograph. Photo or autograph? It was a tough choice but I decided an autograph would be better, since it would be a keepsake. Ellen Page looked glamorous with long hair in spirals, a strapless dark evening dress and light makeup. She recited a line to the girls in front of me, saying it was her favourite, “…there’s a pebble in your shoe,” she finished the line in her famous voice. Drew Barrymore, with a platinum bob and black tips, smiled and thanked everyone for coming. I held out my Grey Gardens above a girl’s head, but Drew Barrymore didn’t notice. Everyone turned and asked each other if they got the autograph, and I said I didn’t. The nice woman in front of me said that Drew Barrymore wasn’t that big for her, and gave me her Drew Barrymore autograph!

It was such a nice and heartwarming thing for her to have done, and I was so happy. Every celebrity was extremely nice and they were all very gorgeous. Every single one had amazing skin! Eve’s hair was so healthy looking, Kristen Wiig is super thin, Drew Barrymore’s hair was very over-the-top, Daniel Stern is so polite, Marcia Gay Harden is gorgeous, Ellen Page is a natural beauty, and Juliette Lewis is outgoing and really friendly. I had an amazing evening, but after all that standing my feet hurt so bad! Star gazing tip: Never, ever go to promos if your goal is to secure an autograph, it’ll never happen! As for my roomate who stayed, he too ended up giving in and going home, apparently roller derby isn’t as exciting as it looks on TV.