Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Allow Me To Introduce...My First Giveaway!
(Like, maybe, my 200th post.)
And then I decided not to wait. I'm going to just do it now.
But first, there is someone I'd like for you to meet.
Anyone that knows me moderately well knows that one of my very, very favorite actors is Patrick Wilson. I don't talk about him all the time, I know, and I haven't mentioned him too often around here. But I'm a big fan. Big. I've seen almost all of his movies. At least all of the ones that have been released in theaters or on DVD, so far.
Starting with The Phantom of the Opera.
In December of 2004, I went with some friends to see the big screen version of one of my favorite musicals. I've always loved Phantom, and was excited to see it on the big screen. And then I saw Him on the big screen. As soon as the movie was over, I turned to my friend and said, "Who? Was? THAT?" She answered, "Gerard Butler." "No!" I said. "Not the Phantom! The Other Guy!"
I quickly learned that it was Patrick Wilson's first major role in a film and that he had come from Broadway. I also learned that he had done a very small independent film that was going to be screening at the Sundance Film Festival in just a few weeks. So, I decided to try to check it out since I was living in Ogden, UT at the time.
Tickets for this tiny, but controversial, film were difficult to come by, but my friend and I happened to luck into some tickets that were released last minute and had the opportunity to go to the final Sundance screening of Hard Candy, which co-stars now-Academy Award nominated actress Ellen Page.
I was sold. Patrick was the real deal. A gifted actor and singer. And someone that could almost make me forget how much I love Tom Cruise. Almost. (Funny side note: they have the same birthday!)
I got online and found a fansite with a fun message board full of seemingly normal folks like me who had just discovered this incredible talent. It turned out Patrick had been nominated for a Golden Globe and an Emmy for an HBO mini-series called Angels in America, where he co-starred with Al Pacino, Meryl Streep, Emma Thompson, and Mary Louise Parker. He had some other films coming along in the next few months, too.
And then the biggest news ever. Patrick was signed on to return to Broadway in a revival of Neil Simon's Barefoot in the Park. And all of my newfound internet buddies wanted to meet in New York and attend the show together. I was a little bit nervous about that. I mean, you can meet some real weirdos online. (Trust me, I'm one of them!) But I had been talking to most of these people for over a year, so I figured it would be pretty safe to meet them in person, and would even be fun.
And that led to how my friend Kelli and I spent fifteen hours in New York City. The entire saga is a story for another day. The important thing was that we had tickets to Barefoot in the Park and plans to meet the entire group for dinner at an Italian place one of the locals had found near the theater.
Patrick knew we would be in town, but sent his regrets that he and his beautiful (and very pregnant) wife, Dagmara Dominczyk would not be able to join us. They sent a lovely note to the restaurant. So we were shocked when, about ten minutes later, they showed up. They were friendly, kind, and talked to us at length about most anything we wanted to know. I think they were relieved that most of our questions revolved around current work projects, and not about things of a more personal nature. But the truth was that that was our group. We were interested in his career, not in turning him into a piece of meat.
We went to the show after dinner, and enjoyed it. Patrick was fun to watch onstage, even though he was forced to work with Amanda Peet, who is not a natural stage performer and who is not a particularly nice person, either. But it was still a fun show. Afterward, we waited patiently at the stage door and got to take photos and chat some more.
(I've since gotten better glasses and better hair!)
Patrick Wilson is one of the nicest people you could ever meet. He is friendly and charming, very open and appreciative of his fans. It's nice to know that there are amazingly talented actors and performers out there that are still approachable and kind. His wife is adorable, too. While we were taking group photos that night, she grabbed up cameras and started snapping away, happy to participate in the attention her husband was getting from all those women (and three men).
It makes me very happy to see Patrick's career taking off. Over the past two years, he has co-starred in Evening with Claire Danes and Vanessa Redgrave, and Little Children with Kate Winslet and Jennifer Connelly. Last summer, he co-starred in the film Lakeview Terrace opposite Samuel L. Jackson. And now he is Nite Owl/Dan Dreiberg in the $100+million Watchmen. I'm thrilled to see his success and know that you all will love him, too!
Which brings me to my very first giveaway....
One lucky winner will receive their choice of:
Special Edition: The Phantom of the Opera (PG-13)
Co-stars: Gerard Butler, Emmy Rossum, Miranda Richardson
or
The Alamo (PG-13)
Co-stars: Billy Bob Thornton, Dennis Quaid, Jason Patric
or
Hard Candy (R)
Co-stars: Ellen Page, Sandra Oh
Since this is my first giveaway, the rules are simple:
1) Receive 1 entry when you comment on THIS post telling me which DVD you want.
2) Receive 1 entry if you follow me already or if you become a follower. (Be sure to let me know!)
3) Receive 1 additional entry when you link your blog to this giveaway.
4) Receive 1 more entry for EACH person that enters here and tells me that YOU sent them.
Winners will be chosen via the Random Number Generator and will be notified via a post on my blog. The contest entry period will run through next Wednesday, April 1 (nope, it's not a joke!) at 11:59pm and the winner will be announced on Friday, April 3.
So get those entries in!
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That's so cool you were able to meet him!
ReplyDeleteI would take Hard Candy. Great giveaway!
Thank you for introducing me to Mr. Wilson. It is always good to get familiar with those celebs that (as you stated) remember they are humanly approachable and kind. thank you for the opportunity to win one of this movies! And, I'm a follower!
ReplyDeletePhantom looks fabulous!
ReplyDeleteYou know I'm a follower sister, and I'm linked to this post.
Woo Hoo 3 entries and I'll do my best for more!!!
big hugs
I would LOVE Phantom! And I already follow you. :)
ReplyDeleteWatchmen! That's how I know him. Duh!
ReplyDeleteGreat giveaway. I'd choose Hard Candy.
I'm a follower!
ReplyDeleteYou funny girl! I didn't know that story! Cool picture!
ReplyDeletePersonally, I'd love my very own copy of Phantom.
Good luck to me!
Thanks for visiting me today - I would take Hard Candy ;-)!
ReplyDeleteI would like to win The Alamo. Although I havent seen any of those movies, so I would prolly be happy to win any!
ReplyDeleteWow! You're practically famous!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by my blog. I love Phantom! It's one of my favorite musicals too! I'd love to win The Alamo. I'm a history teacher and love to gather all the historical movies that I can. I'll be sure to visit more often:)
ReplyDeleteI recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.
ReplyDeleteRuth
http://systemmemory.info
I feel like I've already won since I stole your first copy of Hard Candy. Good luck to all the entrants
ReplyDeleteStopping by from SITS to say hello!
ReplyDeleteKristina: It was very cool to meet him!
ReplyDeleteShorty: No problem! Gotta share the love! It is really nice when they aren't so full of themselves that they still appreciate their fans.
Angi: Phantom is fabulous! Tell your friends to enter and mention your name and you'll get more entries!
Gina: Yes you would and yes you do!
hotpants: Wasn't he awesome as Dan??
Michele: I'll have to tell you the whole story about New York sometime...maybe today!
Lynda: Enjoyed visiting you and you're now on the list!
Kathy: You think that's cool? I'm only FOUR degrees from Kevin Bacon and Patrick Wilson has nothing to do with that!
Little Miss Dreamer: I enjoyed visiting you. I'll stop by again. The Alamo was a surprisingly good historical movie, and apparently it's supposed to be pretty accurate too.
Ruth: Thank you for leaving a comment! I'm glad to know you've been reading and I'll check our your link too.
MDP: Uh, yeah you did! Have you ever watched it???
FINEal thoughts: Hello! Thank you for stopping by!
Thank you everyone for your comments! Keep them coming! Send your friends and you'll get more entries. You've got one week. Good luck!
So, Karen, how many times did you see Phantom again? ha ha ha!
ReplyDeleteEm: 12 in the theater. But you KNOW that was only cuz I wanted to beat Assley!
ReplyDeleteKaren! I love your blog. You are a fantastic writer and your entries are very entertaining!
ReplyDeleteI would love Phantom for sure!
I'm also going to "officially" become a follower of your blog, even though I've been following it for awhile now!
I'd love Hard Candy, thanks!
ReplyDeletenewmommyin08 {at} yahoo {dot} com
Diana and royaldixie, I've got you both. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteHard Candy--
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chance to win!
Karin, you've got it! Thanks for entering! Check back Friday to see if you've won!
ReplyDeleteYou MET Patrick Wilson?!! I loved Lakeview Terrace and I just bought Phantom... because everyone keeps saying how good it is!
ReplyDeleteHard Candy (R)
Co-stars: Ellen Page, Sandra Oh...as long as it is not really disturbing!!