I Blog… then I go read other Blogs… and see that Tina wants to know about her boyfriend, one Benicio del Toro, whom I mentioned in my first real Blog.
So, yay! Here goes Blog #2 from LA.
Benicio… yummy. What a cool guy! He was the honoree for the Piper Heidseck Independent Vision Award at this year’s Sundance. The event took place during my shift at my venue (woo hoo). So, I was told that, while I’d see celebs, I’d not be able to attend the event or anything like that.
Well… turns out, they had empty seats at showtime, and didn’t want to offend Bennie (as he’s called) by not filling the house, so I got to sit… just behind Sir Bennie.
He was introduced, and came down the aisle, all humble and blushing and waving at the crowd. His hair has a lot more grey to it than I’d expected to see, and I don’t know if that’s for a role or just the way it is. He is VERY handsome.
Kevin Pollack hosted the roast, which really is what it was, and cued the retrospective clips from Bennie’s work. The editing was brilliant, with questions he’d posed in some roles being answered by lines delivered in other roles. Very clever. And touching. He is an amazing actor, and it was incredibly touching to see a collection of his work in one place like that… and with him. He was embarassed and soft-spoken, when brought to the stage.
He accepted his award and then sat with Christopher McQuarrie, in the style of Inside the Actor’s Studio on Bravo. The Q&A was great. His observations on acting as a profession and its place in the big scheme of things proved that he’s a smart guy with a real grip on what’s important. He honored his parents, who’d come for the ceremony, and also spoke about every character he’d ever played with respect for the writer who created that reality.
Very cool guy.
And hot. Don’t forget hot.
But you knew that.
I should have my photos back, scanned, and up on my website by next week (no, I didn’t take the digital camera to SLC… too risky).
Okay, ‘bye (oh, I’m wearing my Nurse Bonnie Hello Kitty scrubs today).