Being the celebrity enthusiast that I am, I couldn’t have studied abroad in a better city than London – and one thing that I promised myself when I came here was that I would attend a movie premiere.
I’ve regrettably missed a couple of premieres due to lack of research, but one movie that I did prepare for was the long-awaited “Fifty Shades of Grey.” I admit, unashamedly, that I read the book my freshman year of college. This premiere was one that I vowed I would not miss – even if it meant going by myself. Luckily enough of my friends were at least intrigued by the idea of attending a movie premiere that I did not have to brave the city alone.
I ventured with two other girls to Leicester Square around 2:40 p.m. for a premiere that wasn’t scheduled to start its live broadcast until 5:30 p.m. I was the 370th person to show up (according to the wristband that I kept as a souvenir). Security guards ushered us behind barricades, where we snagged spots right at the front in hopes of snagging a celebrity selfie.
By the time we got to our spots, it was just past 3:00 and we quickly realized that a long night awaited us. I got interviewed by a radio station during the interim period and then… it happened.
The stars arrived. Jamie Dornan got dangerously close to being in our view at least once. E.L. James signed books and took pictures with nearby fans but never got quite close enough for me to snap a picture with her. Dakota Johnson – dying from the frigid London air in her plunging, studded St. Laurent dress – rushed past our side of the barriers and out of sight. The fleeting glimpse of the star was enough to send me into a panic. Would she come back? Would she stop to take pictures? Did my hair look okay? Sure enough, she returned, equipped in a classic leather jacket and ready to brave the carpet once again. She sauntered past our barriers, but not before stopping to take a picture with some girls in close enough range that I snagged a picture.
At the end of the live broadcast, theatre employees began dismantling the official movie posters they had cable-tied to the barricades – but not before my friends and I posed with them. While it may not have been as good as the real thing, getting that close to Dakota Johnson and seeing the top of Jamie Dornan’s head were as close to the stars as I’d ever thought I’d get.
What movie premier should I scout out next? Leave your recommendations in the comment box below!