My X-Men X-perience

Last Friday, X-Men: Days of Future Past had their premiere in Melbourne. Hugh Jackman, Peter Dinklage, and Fan Bingbing were present. So was I.

Photos on the left by Corissa 

I've written elsewhere in this blog that I've only just recently become a fan of X-Men, but I'm a Hugh Jackman fan first. So when I received an e-mail from HOYTS Rewards (I'm a member) about the premiere, I jumped on the opportunity. (Or rather, I jumped out of bed, opened my laptop, texted Corissa at 12.30am to see if she wanted to go too, and then anguished over whether or not to buy the tickets). I eventually did buy 2 tickets to the movie the next morning after Cor had said yes.

To be at the premiere event itself though, you didn't need to buy tickets. We were there at 3pm - 2 hours before the actors were scheduled to arrive - and there must've been a hundred people standing by the designated 'red carpet' areas (there was no actual carpet in the first and second floor of Melbourne Central, where the stars would walk past to get to the theatre).

@thehughjackman on Instagram: Can't wait to see you all tonight at Melbourne Central.
Amazing fans. Aussie Aussie Aussie #xmen #xmenlive

Tip #1 for a red carpet fan experience: Get there early, at least two hours before the start. If you're eager for an autograph or a photo and want a spot right next to the carpet, REALLY early. 

It wasn't all fun. It was 2 hours before the stars arrived, and another hour before Hugh, Bingbing, and Peter passed by. The crowd continued to grow throughout. If it was uncomfortable for me, imagine what it was like for my pregnant-in-the-trimester friend. (Tip #2: Wear comfortable shoes and clothes. Unless you're all decked out in a costume, the stars probably won't see you anyway) Then, despite repeated warnings from the security that we're not allowed to push, this guy behind us lost all sense of decorum and shoved when Hugh came by. Dude, if you wanted a better vantage point, you should've come earlier.

Still, it was a good experience. Really. A nice girl in front of us offered to help get an autograph because she was right behind the barrier, and she actually did get it. My notebook has an autograph from Hugh Jackman (!!), and the man himself was less than a kilometer away, even if it was only for two minutes and I didn't actually get to shake hands or talk to him. It was good enough for me to squee over (mentally and occasionally out loud) for the rest of the weekend.

(Fan Bingbing and Peter Dinklage came after, but I didn't really know their work so I didn't wait for them).

Moral of the story: if you have a celebrity crush big enough and you get the opportunity to see them without breaking the bank, go. Just be prepared for a good amount of waiting around.