If you’re going to be insulting, there is no point in carrying on with the conversation.
Sorry I started it. Clearly you know everything and I know shit. Hope that makes you feel better about yourself, because it makes me feel like scum. So… congrats on that.
I’m not sure why this is newsworthy or considered strange. I generally prefer not to have to make small talk with strangers. I mean, if you need directions or something, I’m not going to be an ass about it. But if random strangers felt not just comfortable, but entitled, to interrupt me when I’m going about my day I’d probably start making requests like this too.
Granted, asking people not to look at you is a bit over-the-top but as with most rumors spread via word-of-mouth, I expect there is some exaggeration or misquoting going on here. Purple monkey dishwasher.
Goldeye locks?
I know someone who used to be a limo driver and he told me about an experience with Tyler Perry. I wasn’t familiar with Tyler Perry and thought he was talking about a guy in Aerosmith (my mind was thinking Steven Tyler/Joe Perry). He informed me that Tyler Perry is the guy who makes the Madea fatsuit movies. Anyway, similar rules: no eye contact, do not speak unless spoken to, only refer to him as Mr. Perry. Some of the other items: Limo must be a Mercedes, air vents must not be pointed at Mr. Perry, climate set to exactly 73 degrees, no cologne or fragrance and the kicker…must not use turn signals while driving because the clicking sound bothers Mr. Perry.
This makes me think about the flip side for some places that are more accustomed to celebrity. My brother lived in Athens, GA for a number of years, and said that everyone gave the members of R.E.M. their space and sense of privacy whenever they were in town.
I’m sure the townies aren’t the problem though… Athens gets plenty of frat types showing up for game day, as well as people visiting friends to party for the weekend, that likely don’t. I’ve been there a good bit, and haven’t really run into any of them while there.
Yes, actually, I do. And @Mindysan33 is correct. It is a job, and he’s working. What people pay for and are entitled to is the performance in the film. They are not entitled to his performance, time or attention when off the clock.
Maybe you regularly do unpaid overtime or PR for your employer, but that’s your problem.
I would bet this:
is also fairly accurate. “Please don’t stare.” becomes “We’re not even allowed to look at him!” Actor aren’t the only people capable of being prima donnas.
And also, he was in the process of filming, too. Some actors don’t mind people talking to fans or signing autographs during the filming periods and others do - some actors don’t like interacting with fans at all. Some are jerks and some aren’t. But a set is their literally place of work. Days on set can often be very long and emotionally draining, from many accounts I’ve heard from actors themselves. I can understand wanting to be able to get into the headspace they need to be. Whether Dafoe is a jerk or a prima donna, I have no idea. But asking not to be bothered during filming hardly seems like evidence of him being one.
Just in generally, these are still human beings and expecting them to always be on, always be gracious, and willing to bend over backwards for fans is a bit silly.
Just because I pay to see an actor in a play or a movie or a TV show doesn’t mean I have a right to interact with them in any other context, much less distract them while they’re trying to work.
Your movie ticket does not entitle you to any part of Willem Dafoe’s life.
Personal anecdote…
Working on American Crime as an extra, Andre Benjamin came to the table another extra and I were placed at during the “prep school construction fundraiser” scene and read a book. We thought it interesting, since actors like Timothy Bottoms and Felicity Huffman remained sequestered off-set until time to film.
Of course, all extras were given the mandate not to interact with the stars unless approached, and everyone was well-behaved.
Knowing “even a tiny bit” about how filming works, yes it sounds incredibly emotionally draining.
Having any given scene not be in order of the films narrative, repeating a scene over and over just for getting different shots, let alone for accident or “do it again but bigger”, performing in the midst of other people doing a related but separate job from you and trying to ignore them…
In regards to the public making them wealthy…their pay is negotiated before the movie comes out. So your money goes to the theater which had already paid the production house, which had already paid the actor.
I could. And CGI should make quick work of the goat legs, but it won’t look pretty.
That way she could concentrate on her college applications.
(I completely sympathize with disliking interruptions while working. It keeps happening to me: students will insist on asking questions in the middle of class.)
He did own it though? hat’s grade A diva stuff right there.
I want to be left alone right now.
Without being there, it’s hard to know where the problem is: stuck-up jerk actors or countless rude people who think that seeing someone in films or on TV is a social introduction to bug them. And it might even be overkill by staff, who are charged by the money people to make sure that nothing gets in the way of getting things done right and on time, and it’s easier to say “no talking or looking” than something looser that someone will always assume doesn’t apply to them.
(But Tom Cruise is a jerk.)
Finally, something we can all agree on in this thread!
