Ok, this might not be particularly coherent, as I am still shaking, but here goes.
Lizabel, Anna, Nichola & myself met up at lunchtime at The Odeon. After a long lunch spent talking non stop about Johnny (what else?!), and eating very little, we went back to the Odeon to meet up with some other zoners. After being moved around a bit by securty staff, we managed to get to the front of the barriers outside the Odeon, just as the heavens opened and we all got soaking wet! Eventually the rain stopped, before anyone arrived thankfully, so we were all able to get our cameras ready. We saw a few stars arrive – Mackenzie Crook, Christopher Lee, Kelly McDonald, Freddie Highmore, and I’m sure some more I’ve forgotten! Unfortunately, as we suspected, Johnny didn’t arrive until after we had to be seated as we had tickets to see the movie. We waited as long as we could, but had to admit defeat and went inside to our seats. Inside the cinema they were showing footage of the stars arriving & a tv presenter interviewing various stars. Johnny must have arrived just as we got inside as they were showing footage of him signing autographs a short while after we got to our seats. We could see where abouts in the crowd he was, and as our bad luck would have it, he was signing some autographs right where we had been standing!! But we didn’t want to risk not getting to see the movie or the presentation so we had to leave when we did. Johnny seemed to be signing autographs for over 30 minutes, had his photo taken with some very lucky girls, then went over to the press section to have his photo taken there. He had a few pics taken with Kate, then Vanessa stepped forward and they had a few brief pics taken then went inside. We watched him interviewed on the screen (we think the footage we were watching of the red carpet & the interviews is what will be shown on ITV2 tomorrow night). Then we noticed some camera flashes at the back of the cinema. In the far corner, a group of people where being photographed. As a camera flash lit up the group, I noticed a familiar looking face wearing glasses……..
Someone came on stage (I totally forget the guys name now), and introduced Cat Deeley (British tv presenter & ambassador for the charity hosting the premier), she gave a short speech then I think someone to do with the film came on next but again, I totally forget who he was! All this time, Johnny was lined up against the wall with the others waiting to come on. And we could see him. Standing in the same room as us. Sigh. Sorry, where was I? Oh yeah, the premier! Anyway, then I think Harvey Weinstein came on next, then Marc Forster who said a few words, then he introduced the cast who came on one at a time & stood behind him. From what I can remember, they were Ian Hart, Kelly McDonald, the four Llewellyn (sp?) boys, then Kate, and finally Johnny. None of them said anything, they just stood behind Marc then went off.
Sadly, we didn’t get within sniffing distance, so I still don’t know what he smells like!! lol But looking at him up on stage was quite surreal. It still hasn’t properly sunk in yet, it will probably hit me tomorrow morning & I will find myself crying for no good reason!! I am just so glad that we went to the screening, we might not have got our autographs (or a sniff for that matter!), but to see him on stage so close, and to see the wonderful movie, was something I will treasure forever. Not to mention meeting the wonderful friends I have met on the zone.
I should probably say something about the movie too! I don’t want to say too much, but I will just say this. Freddie Highmore is an absolutely amazing actor. How a child of his age is able to act the way he does amazes me. The chemistry between him & Johnny was incredible & I think CATCF is going to be amazing too if he acts half as good as he did in Finding Neverland. Johnny, as ever, was stunning, his ability to become a totally different person is just blows me away. His accent was excellent, he can do a Scottish accent far better than I’ve seen many English actors do. This movie deserves all the awards it will undoubtedly be up for, and I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see a best supporting actor nomination for Freddie. You will cry.
