Many thanks to JDFan for taking the time to write up her fabulous report from Toronto!
Posted on 9/13/05 at 02:44 PM by JDFan
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I took a quick, last minute trip to Toronto and am so very glad I did. I got there late Friday, left Monday morning after a total of about 6 or 7 hours sleep over the course of three nights.
Toronto is a lovely and clean city that puts on its best face for the festival. The main venue is in Yorkville, a sort of Soho/Greenwich Village, bohemian yet very high end part of town. They hold screenings at several different theatres around the city. The place is packed to the gills with festival goers, celebrities, press, tourists, teenagers who hang out at the main celebrity venues and the like. Bars and clubs are open two hours later than usual. Parties are held in fancy stores and restaurants and crowds throng outside, hoping for a glimpse of someone famous. Everyone was very friendly and accommodating - as long as you weren't blocking sidewalks or driveways. Security was tight around the main press areas but underwhelming elsewhere.
There were tons of Corpse Bride billboards, posters and the like, including a very cool Hummer all painted with CB images.
We saw lots of celebrities: Sean Penn and Viggo Mortenson a couple times, Orlando Bloom a few times, Jake Gyllenhall, Cuba Gooding Jr, Harvey Keitel among many others...and Tim and Helena and Johnny!
We saw Tim Burton first near his hotel so we knew good things would happen. By that time our excitement level was high so we hightailed it to the theatre to see where we could stand for the best view. This was around 6:30 for a 9:00 show. We had decided against seeing the film as we knew Johnny usually left early. The Elgin Theatre has a very small area for fans to stand, right by the red carpet. Everyone else was shunted across the street unless they were in the rush line for tickets. I wandered over to the fan area and just squeezed myself in - and no one kicked me out. Lots of other folks tried the same thing but were asked to leave. After about an hour I began to believe I actually might get a chance to see Johnny. I was in the back of the crowd (about 4 people in front of me) so I knew it wouldn't be a close encounter, but still...! The crowds were getting huge across the street and people kept trying to crowd in front of the theatre. Security got on their phones and told someone to get the talent there quickly. Danny Elfman arrived first, signed a few autographs and went in. Then a car drove up and I recognized some of Johnny's retinue. It was immediately followed by a large SUV and the crowd started cheering. Johnny stepped out to huge cheers - the second one of the principals to arrive. He signed a number of autographs as he headed toward the theatre (short walk) and I thought I'd lost my chance for an autograph. Just as I was giving up, he turned back and took my Dead Man pamphlet, signed it and looked me in the eyes with a great big smile. I, of course, had a huge grin on my face and tears in my eyes. He's just devastating. It doesn't seem possible that he could be so much better looking in person but he truly is. Shortly afterwards Tim and Helena arrived. She is drop dead gorgeous with lovely fine features. Tim was Tim, didn't seem to be in a good mood but I think he's just terribly uncomfortable in crowds like this. I did get an autograph, surprising as he didn't take the time Johnny did to sign, so I was doubly thrilled.
I was pretty much floating on air as I went looking for my friends. We ended up behind the theatre at the stage door. Here the security people asked us not to push as Johnny would sign everyone's autographs. When he came out he took time with each person, chatting, posing for pictures or hugs, looking everyone in the eyes. As others have said, he is an oasis of calm in the midst of chaos. The shoving there was much much worse than in front, rather frightening. I was pretty much caught jammed against a light pole next to his car, one of the last people he came to. This time I had my Libertine play book for him to sign. He commented about what a great book it was. We chatted briefly, Johnny again making personal eye contact. A couple of my friends were next to me, one telling Johnny about a friend of ours who is in a wheelchair and who would love to see him. Johnny being Johnny, someone who has a special feeling for the disabled or disadvantaged, went looking for our friend. The police and Johnny's bodyguard went searching and found her. Johnny got back out of the car and spent a good five minutes with her, kneeling in front of her chair, chatting, hugs and kisses, and a lovely personalized inscription in her Libertine. Her account is posted elsewhere and I encourage you to check it out on JDA. It shows why we love this guy so much.
We headed back to Yorkville where the after party was. The place was totally mobbed, unbelievable. Johnny arrived very late after partying elsewhere. I caught only a brief glimpse of him as he headed into the store. We decided to go to a nearby hotel bar for a drink before we called it a night. The place was hopping. Sean Penn walked in with someone - maybe his wife but not sure. Viggo Mortenson came in. Johnny walked through the lobby on the way to his room about an hour after he went into the party. We behaved ourselves (other than peeking out the door of the lounge for a quick look!) and didn't bother him.
The next day we saw Helena and another woman - maybe her mother - out shopping. We saw Tracey Jacobs and Tim again and Johnny in his car. That was about it. Oh, we also saw Penelope Cruz. It was a fun time with good friends in a lovely city...and I finally got to see Johnny - four times! I'll post my pics in the picture forum. I can't encourage others enough to seize any opportunity you can to share air with this guy. I'm still pinching myself to be sure I didn't dream it all. It helped that I found that I was in one of the agency photos taken in front of the theatre, proof positive I was really there, near Johnny.