Rocking the Red Carpet at a Movie Premiere

Rampart is a movie that is coming out at the end of year, but held its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September and I was there at the red carpet entrance, premiere and after party.

The movie is directed by Oren Moverman (The Messenger), and stars Woody Harrelson (Cheers, The People vs. Larry Flynt, White Men Can’t Jump), Robin Wright (Forrest Gump, The Conspirator), Ben Foster (The Messenger, Six Feet Under), Brie Larson (Scott Pilgram vs. the World, United States of Tara), Sigourney Weaver (Aliens, Ghostbusters, Avatar), Steve Buscemi (The Sopranos, Boardwalk Empire), Cynthia Nixon (Sex and the City, The Big C), Anne Heche (Donnie Brasco, Hung), and Ice Cube (Boyz n the Hood, Barbershop).

My brother-in-law, Michael DeFranco, is one of the executive producers of the movie and invited me to attend.

I arrived at the Princess of Wales Theater and was told to stand in a specific spot. That spot was right at the edge of the red carpet and doorway for the stars into the theater. I waited at the end of the red carpet, pretending to act like it was no big deal. But as the anticipation built and the crowd outside grew, I could feel myself getting excited. Then the SUVs starting arriving and the camera flashes flickered like strobe lights. The producers came by first along with my brother-in-law, who stopped and stood next to me.

The director, Oren Moverman, posed for pictures with his family on red carpet before being introduced to me, shaking my hand and heading into the interview area. The film’s stars walked the red carpet as fans screamed their names and the paparazzi snapped dozens of photos. Woody Harrelson, Ben Foster, Robin Wright, and Brie Larson all stood for pictures on the red carpet before walking by me to get into the theatre lobby and the interview area where more press was waiting to take pictures and ask questions.

As the 1,725 people filled the theater, I walked up a separate set of stairs to a holding area to wait as the fans took their seats. I then was ushered in through a set of side doors where a group of seats remained unfilled. On the backs of these seats were signs with the director, actors, and producers names on them. I stood in front of a seat stating “Reserved for Michael DeFranco” as the cast filed in behind me. Woody Harrelson and Robin Wright were actually sitting a few seats down from me in my row. Apparently at these premiere screenings, other actors will typically also attend. Well, sitting in front of me was Gerard Butler (The Bounty Hunter, 300).

The movie played and at the end the crowd cheered. Because I, along with my wife’s other brother, run the movie’s Facebook page called Fans of Rampart, we each received a special thanks listing in the credits. Yes, my name will be forever emblazoned onto the film. 

Afterward the actors and director stood on the stage to answer questions from the audience. It is very refreshing to see these people you watch on television or at the movies, just talk with regular fans. They talked about what drew them to the project, how they got into their characters, and how they enjoyed working with each other.

As the fans filed out of the theater, one of the film’s publicists informed my brother-in-law about the location of the after party. From what I learned, this is a closely-held secret so that fans and the paparazzi do not flood the location. We took cabs to the Toronto nightclub where several people were waiting behind velvet ropes to get in.

We walked to the door where the bouncer asked if I was with Rampart and then stamped my hand and sent me inside right past the waiting crowd. As I walked through the club, you could see people leering, wondering if I was someone they should know.

At the back of the club, Ben Foster and I exchanged pleasantries and Robin Wright had to move past me a few times as it was very crowded. Brie Larson was sitting in an area with sofas and pillows with her entourage. My wife’s parents, my brother-in-law and his wife, and I, left the club after a few minutes and headed back to the hotel bar where we sat and discussed the night. I ended the evening having a great conversation with Oren Moverman before I left the bar area.

We left the next morning, my carriage turning back into a pumpkin, but for one night, it was a surreal, exciting and amazing experience.