Fanstories

MARIA:
My sister and I both have a couple of weeks off before we start our summer jobs so we thought we'd take a trip. Trollh�ttan is really close to Gothenburg and besides we have been joking about going so many times on this board that we thought it would be fun! Well, we had a wonderful day in sunny Trollh�ttan! We saw the falls, walked along the canal and yes - we found the film studio! It's right in the centre of Trollh�ttan and next to the tourist information. We walked up to a woman standing in front of the studio and asked if the actors ever come outside and if it was possible to get autographs. She told us to come back later so we did some sightseeing before we came back. Then another woman told us it was probably a waste of time for us since they were having a bad day of filming and had to work late. Disappointed - I'm mean we did get this far and although we had a fun trip anyway we really wanted to get a glimpse of the man - we sat down on the stairs to a nearby building. What if we write a note I thought! I wrote a message and we walked up to the studio door again. I asked a nice Danish woman if they it was possible to meet Joaquin Phoenix but she said "He's not too keen on that" We said "We know, but could we leave a note for him?" She said yes and we gave her the note and she went back inside! Only to come out again seconds later, the note still in her hands, to get some props. She went inside again and we were prepared for a long wait� But it only took a couple of minutes before she came out again and with her (actually running) he came!(With our note in his hand!!!) We were of course taken completely by surprise. We had not really been expecting it! He was smiling and introduced himself (!), shaking our hands. He asked where we're from and when we said Gothenburg he laughed and said he had thought we had been driving for hours to see him and acted like he was going back inside. (Karin actually paniced for a second - but of course he was only kidding!!!) He was very funny and charming! He mentioned that he wanted to go to the amusement park in Gothenburg (Liseberg) but that it is closed this weekend. He was disappointed about that and we told him that the central parts of Gothenburg is closed off because the EU meeting and the fact that president Bush is coming. Karin told him she was going to demonstrate against Bush on Thursday and he thought it was a good idea. He actually asked if he had messed anything up yet! (i.e. Bush) I had brought the cover of the Gladiator soundtrack for him to sign and he offered to forge Russell Crowe's autograph! Karin had her autograph book (until yesterday unsigned!!!) and he signed it joking about being the first to write in it! I asked if he had learned any Swedish words (we were kidding because Karin pronounced her name in Swedish and he didn't know how to spell it) and he said no, looking up at me (he was sitting down to write the autographs) with an adorable expression! I melted� "Not even stor stark?" I asked and he shook his head (It means one large beer and it's the first thing foreign tourists usually learn in Swedish!) He laughed and said he hadn't had much time to go drinking. He also said he won't be here for midsummer's after all! They have only five days left of filming and after that he'll leave Sweden. He had heard about Midsummer and seemed disappointed to miss it! About the press conference - I asked him what was going on and if they asked him stupid questions or what and he explained that he was just trying to be sarcastic and they didn't get it! We asked if we could take a picture but he said he really didn't want that. Apparently I looked sad hearing this because he jumped up and gave me a wonderful long hug!!! I wasn't sad after that! He is very hugable!!! He was wearing a purple shirt with some kind of pattern (I simply can't remember!!!) and he looked absolutely gorgeous. Even more gorgeous than in any of his films. Those eyes� They are truly incredible! So green!!! One could easily drown in them!!! He seemed very relaxed and happy! I don't think anyone has asked him for an autograph here! As I have mentioned before, he is not that wellknown here in Sweden. We were the only ones outside the studio. People were coming and going all the time and there were no security (at least we didn't see any). I guess this could only happen here in Sweden! I'm really amazed that he actually came outside! It was terrible nice of him and I really want to thank him for making our day (and year for that matter!!!) and I really want to thank that Danish woman, who's name I never got, she must be an angel!!! We actually kept our cool during the conversation (I think it was because we were so unprepared!) but afterwards we couldn't stop talking and laughing!

Tiziana on a chance enocunter with Joaquin at the 2001 Toronto Film Festival.

When he came through on the red carpet, he was doing a lot of
interviews and he wasn't really coming close enough to do many
autographs, so I asked him if I could shake his hand.� He asked
me to wait a second, went back to doing another interview.� But
when it came time to come back, this big HUGE security walked
inbetween us (I guess he wanted to buffer Joaquin from us hand-
shaking, autograph-asking fans?) so Joaquin actually walked past
me.� I couldn't even see him.� Then a second later, he pops up from
behind the guard, walks back over to me and shakes my hand.
**squeel**� Opps, sorry.� By then they were letting people inside
the theatre, so I went inside and waited for him to walk on that part
of the red carpet.� So when he came inside, there was less
security and there were no ropes separating us, so I got a chance
to get an autograph, and say hello, and take a whole bunch of
pictures while he was signing things for other people.� He's such a
cutie!!