A text I received from a friend last Sunday. And the answer is no - neither. Unless you count having a 1/2 second cameo in a low budget LDS film as being a movie star. In that case, a very humble yes. I'm a "movie star".
Let me preface this post by saying that I by no means intend to brag (it's hardly something worth bragging about) and any reference to "fame" is entirely sarcastic. But it seems as though more people are watching it now, 10 years later than when it debuted in 2003. I've been getting random texts and Facebook messages (the most random being a guy I went on a date with just before Brandon) asking in roundabout ways whether I've seen the movie and whether I have a twin. I recorded some of it in my scrapbook, but I wanted to immortalize the memories in the blog book. Here goes.
Let me preface this post by saying that I by no means intend to brag (it's hardly something worth bragging about) and any reference to "fame" is entirely sarcastic. But it seems as though more people are watching it now, 10 years later than when it debuted in 2003. I've been getting random texts and Facebook messages (the most random being a guy I went on a date with just before Brandon) asking in roundabout ways whether I've seen the movie and whether I have a twin. I recorded some of it in my scrapbook, but I wanted to immortalize the memories in the blog book. Here goes.
How did I get started on the fast track to fame? Well, the producers of the movie showed up in my roommate's American Heritage class with a sign up sheet. Magical, I know. So she shared the wealth (of information) and four of us took a trip up to get in on the action. Wires got crossed and we thought we'd been told to avoid bright colours, so we donned creams and whites only to find out once we arrived that we had been encouraged to wear bright colours. Oops. So the wardrobe manager showed us to the rack 'o' clothes meant for the stars of the film and told us to pick anything and wear it. Come to find out after shooting the scene that I'd chosen the wardrobe manager's shirt that she'd gotten too warm to wear and hung it up on the rack. Not embarrassing at all. But I digress...
We all sat on the stand for the church scene and I was lucky enough to be sitting in the right seat, and they asked if they could do a close-up. I'm ready, Mr. Demille. They told me to act bored. Seeing as I'd sat through two hours of shooting two minutes of the movie with take after take of the same thing, it wasn't much of a stretch.
If you've seen the movie and noticed me, you must not have blinked for its entirety. For those of you who DID blink, I'll save you some time:
Once we'd finished that scene, they brought in hundreds more extras, had us change clothes and move to the pews to be part of the congregation. I actually don't feature in that scene - apparently my face was too memorable - and they cut the shot off a row before mine. One of the highlights was seeing movie magic at work when Elizabeth threw a hymn book at Collins and hit him square in the face. The camera panned directly over our heads as if we were watching the hymn book fly from the back row when in fact (*spoiler alert*) a cameraman threw it from a few feet away. Still hilarious. Even and especially the 20th time.
You might say I took some pride in my performance. But the day was certainly not devoid of prejudice. I was asked to assume the role of Dumb Girl #2 and even put on my best American accent when I read the lines. But as I started to fill out the paperwork, they noticed that I was an international student, here on an F-1 visa, and therefore ineligible to work anywhere off campus, including being compensated for acting in a major motion picture. Bummer. My line should have been: "Yeah, so then I was like all, totally, like, well, you know...nah uh." Would have nailed it if not for the colour of my passport. The totally don't know what they missed out on.
We finished the day out with the party scene, featuring Carmen Rasmussen. We hung out and chatted, held an awkward conversation with a crazy guy I'd worked with and went on a terrible date with and just basked in the thrill of making a movie. It really was interesting to go behind the scenes.
I went to a special pre-screening of the movie with my roommate and current squeeze and I managed to get autographs from two of the stars - Jane & Collins. Still have it - I'm bordering on hoardering.
We all sat on the stand for the church scene and I was lucky enough to be sitting in the right seat, and they asked if they could do a close-up. I'm ready, Mr. Demille. They told me to act bored. Seeing as I'd sat through two hours of shooting two minutes of the movie with take after take of the same thing, it wasn't much of a stretch.
If you've seen the movie and noticed me, you must not have blinked for its entirety. For those of you who DID blink, I'll save you some time:
 |
| Me. In college. |
Once we'd finished that scene, they brought in hundreds more extras, had us change clothes and move to the pews to be part of the congregation. I actually don't feature in that scene - apparently my face was too memorable - and they cut the shot off a row before mine. One of the highlights was seeing movie magic at work when Elizabeth threw a hymn book at Collins and hit him square in the face. The camera panned directly over our heads as if we were watching the hymn book fly from the back row when in fact (*spoiler alert*) a cameraman threw it from a few feet away. Still hilarious. Even and especially the 20th time.
You might say I took some pride in my performance. But the day was certainly not devoid of prejudice. I was asked to assume the role of Dumb Girl #2 and even put on my best American accent when I read the lines. But as I started to fill out the paperwork, they noticed that I was an international student, here on an F-1 visa, and therefore ineligible to work anywhere off campus, including being compensated for acting in a major motion picture. Bummer. My line should have been: "Yeah, so then I was like all, totally, like, well, you know...nah uh." Would have nailed it if not for the colour of my passport. The totally don't know what they missed out on.
We finished the day out with the party scene, featuring Carmen Rasmussen. We hung out and chatted, held an awkward conversation with a crazy guy I'd worked with and went on a terrible date with and just basked in the thrill of making a movie. It really was interesting to go behind the scenes.
I went to a special pre-screening of the movie with my roommate and current squeeze and I managed to get autographs from two of the stars - Jane & Collins. Still have it - I'm bordering on hoardering.
So there you have it - pride, prejudice, paperwork and passports.
3 pennies for your thoughts:
NO WAY! I can't believe I didn't see it before. I have seen this movie a ton (own it in fact, and just watched it on Saturday)... my sister-in-law's borther-in-law was the producer (... Kynan Griffan). Anyway, I know the exact scene and cannot believe I didn't pick that out as you! Congrats! you are a famous movie star! And the would have been like, you know, totally awesome... if you could have had that line (of which I know what you are referring to!) Amazing Michelle! Thanks for sharing you fame and helping me open my eyes a bit!
Why oh WHY didn't I ask for your autograph while we still lived in the same city? Talk about a missed opportunity. I'm going to institute a policy of just getting autographs from everyone I know. So I'm not crestfallen when I find out they are a major motion picture star and I never knew about it.
totally random, Michelle! Aaron's brother filmed that (and stars in it as well.) He recruited a bunch of family members to be extras... Aaron's little sister is in it too. We have it but I haven't seen it in forever. so funny and cool! And by the way you look SO BORED.. how convincing you are!
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