The Scarlet Starlet Reports From The UK Premiere Of Puss In Boots and Gets To Meet Antonio Banderas… Barely!

It seems like it’s been forever since we’ve heard from The Scarlet Starlet! Yep, our Fangirl from across the pond has sent in a fun report from the UK premiere of Puss in Boots. It’s so interesting to hear what happens at premieres and events not here in LA LA Land… If there was a queue of people waiting for a barricade here, it would be madness… Kids falling, pushing, shoving, chaos… In the UK… Not so much… lol…

Scarlet really wanted to meet Antonio Banderas and made the trek out to see him…

Check out her full report after the jump!

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Apologies for the rather belated report which follows…

Okay! Here I am, back reporting again from the cold streets of London town! It’s a cold November day and I’m once more patiently queuing outside the Empire cinema in Leicester Square. Today’s event is the UK ‘Puss in Boots’ premiere, and Antonio Banderas is due to attend – he’s the person I’m most interested in meeting today.

There seems to be a bit of confusion surrounding this event – principally about the layout and where the guests will actually arrive from. This is either caused or compounded by a larger than expected number of fans. It’s about 2pm and I’ve joined the queue that started forming earlier in the day. This time, security have all the barriers stacked up by a hoarding – but it looks like the fan area is going to be a bit truncated again – like the Happy Feet 2 one I reported on previously. And sure enough I’m right. Once the barriers are set up we have a scramble for places. The scramble is so British. I love being British – we can be so amusing! Everyone has their bags in their hand – the first person to thrust them over the barrier claims the corresponding space where it falls behind the barrier! Amazingly, I do manage to get one (bag thrusting champ in the making, obviously!), right on the edge of the barrier – the barrier which is positioned at a strange angle back towards the hoarding, so although I’m on the front row I can’t see the carpet to the right (and the cinema entrance) very well.

The unfortunate people behind me in the queue don’t get into this fan pen and after milling for a bit, security set them up another fan pen, far down to the left. Now, the big question is, which way will the guests arrive from? If they arrive in the way I’ve seen other premieres at this venue, then the OTHER fan pen is the best positioned. However, there is a suggestion that they may come from the opposite side for this one, in which case it may behoove me to stay here. Decisions, decisions…

Panic sets in and I decide it might be a good idea to move, but there are no spaces at the other barrier now! Okay, I’ll stay here and wait… and cross fingers and toes…

Something interesting is happening on the carpet – the staff seem to be identifying good photo spots for the photographers (who are lining the opposite side of the carpet to us); one of them is right next to my section of barrier. I’m wearing my scarlet coat – I wonder if I’ll make it into any of the photos… :0)

Time ticks on, and come about 6pm cinema guests start walking the carpet. Ticket holders are coming from the left… oh well, being on the edge maybe I’ll be the one of the first to be seen on this side of the carpet…

Just then commotion starts at the other end of my fanpen – Selma Hayek has arrived from the right and is signing up the barrier! Woop woop! I’ve got a DVD cover for her to sign, and she’s getting closer, closer… noooo!!! A couple of metres away she stops and is taken for an interview, ah well, maybe she’ll come back and finish off. A tall photographer behind me shouts above my head ‘Excuse me, could I take a photograph please?’ – a dark figure in front of me on the orange carpet turns round – IT’S ANTONIO BANDERAS!!!

When did he arrive, and how did he make it over here without me noticing?! As the flash goes off, I hold out my Evita DVD insert – ‘Excuse me, would you mind signing for me, please?’ – I get a lovely smile and an ‘AB’ autograph, before he turns away and goes over to give interview to the press. Wow – amazingness! I was the only one in this section to get an auto from him; it was so quick! Photographer-man behind me, I salute you!

It’s quite fun watching the photographers – it looks like they’re piled up, three-high! I’m also in an excellent spot to watch – granted, the guests have their back to me, but that doesn’t stop me getting some awesome shots!

And standing just to the side of the photo area, I get some good ones of Antonio Banderas!

Ooo – Chris Miller, the director, is coming past with his wife and he signs for us too! Coolness! Footballer Ian Wright comes past and signs for a few, and Amanda Holden passes as well.

Well, that’s that! I’ve got my Antonio squiggle, and one from Chris Miller, so I’m happy! As everyone leaves the fan pens I wander up towards the cinema entrance and there are a huge pair of boots! Slightly too big for me to fit into.

Right, well it’s all over, and so I’m off out of this cold weather! See you soon!