RA in Toronto (Pt.2)

There was so much excitement about Richard Armitage's whirlwind trip to Toronto that I couldn't fit it into one post. It started out in Union Station when his train arrived at 7:00 am on December 3rd.  Canadian fans had to rise very early that morning to be ready to greet him but they couldn't miss this opportunity!

  Here is another fan's experience meeting the man himself! 

photo courtesy of Damzell

Known to her friends on the Forums as Damzelle, she has been a fan of Richard Armitage for over 10 years! Here is her account of the meeting:

 Leslieg and Puff and I met in Union Station at about 6 am. Leslieg had yellow roses for us to wear. She had the sign and a T-shirt to give to Richard that the Wellington fans had been wearing at the premiere. At 7 they handed out movie passes for the advance screening, Gandalf hats and mini-posters for the movie. I asked an official looking woman if Richard was coming. She said no. But another woman said he would be there around 8. 

"He's there!" And he was standing in a big crowd of people getting him to sign things and take photos. I was actually concerned that there didn't seem to be anyone protecting him. Leslieg got her sign signed and gave him the t-shirt. He was very gracious. They moved him over to the Hobbit door that was decorated up and 

he stood there doing taped interviews for quite a while. Then people moved closer and a girl ahead of me asked for a picture. He said fine and she handed her phone to me. I took the picture and then handed my phone to her. Puff and I sandwiched him and pictures were taken. I don't think I said anything to him. I don't think I looked at him. I literally have no clear memory of this point.

People were leaving. Then he was standing relatively alone and I went up and asked if he would sign my magazine. He did and I said thank you. He said, "Well thank you for coming." I looked at him like he was crazy and walked away.

More people left. I went up and got him to sign the mini-poster. That time I managed, "Thank you. You're a brilliant actor." I think he said thank you as I walked away.

They dragged him back for more pictures. I went up with one of the give-aways that turns out to be wrapping paper with pictures of all the dwarves on it. I asked him to sign it and started unfolding it. He said, "Are you looking for me?" He started helping me and said, "I'm on the fold." He signed it and said, "You can get them all." I once again looked at him like he was crazy and thought "but I only care about you." 

I explained that he'd signed things for me before that we'd put in an auction to raise money for Equality Now and that these things would also raise money for charity. He said, "Charity, that's wonderful!"

My overwhelming sense is that he was behaving very normally and trying to put everyone at their ease while we were crazed. He was wonderfully patient signing and posing for photos for about 45 minutes. And unfailingly lovely and cheerful the whole time when he must have been soooo tired. 

Damzelle gets his autograph! (photo courtesy of Jonia)

Then Puff and Leslieg and I had tickets for the talk show Strombo where they gave us more Gandalf hats and we watched him interview RA. Then we had to hot foot it to the theatre for the advanced screening. RA gave a very brief introduction and then ran off to catch a plane. It was a long FANTASTIC day.

Thanks so much for sharing your exciting experience with us Damzelle!  

The following video by the Space Channel not only interviews Richard but also many of his fans, as well as showing the hub bub at the station.

Here is another version of the fan event at Union Station, with more fan interviews. There is a particularly good interview of Damzell plus the complete studio interview of Richard Armitage where the interviewers unfortunately mispronounce his last name.

Next up: The Interview with George Stroumbopoulos!