The Empire Cinema in Leicester Square getting prepped to boldly go Into Darkness
After the date for the Iron Man 3 Premiere was moved, meaning my cinema buddy couldn't go, we decided to (boldly) go to the Star Trek Into Darkness Premiere. One of the girls I met at the Iron Man 3 Premiere had said she would try to come along in the afternoon, so all we had to do was sit in the sun in Leicester Square and wait for the stars to arrive.
The White Carpet for the Premiere
The first piece of bad luck happened on arrival as my cinema buddy realised he'd left his memory card in his laptop at home! D'oh! One warp speed dash to Boots later and a new memory card was purchased. Disaster averted. We sat down on the grass to eat our lunch when the second piece of bad luck happened. I got pooped on by a (Klingon War)bird.
Spock quite rightly seems a little annoyed about this turn of events, and understandably so was I. However, this is not my first time at a Premiere and I was equipped with all sorts of anti-bacterial gels and wipes, and another warp speed dash (this time to Leicester Square's toilet facilities) later I was poop free and ready for my close up.
But enough about me, you're here to hear about the stars! And stars there were! As with any Premiere there were minor celebrities galore, X-Factor Boyband Union J anyone? The Voice's Bo Bruce? Nah, we're not interested in them! We want the big names. Well don't say I don't give you big names!
The first guys from the Star Trek galaxy to walk the white carpet and be interviewed were the writers Robert Orci and Alex Kurtzman, followed by writer/producer Damon Lindelof
Next up was British Actor Noel Clarke who is new to the Star Trek franchise and who's role in the film was shrouded in mystery. He spent ages with the crowd, signing autographs and taking pictures with fans.
He was followed by the man I had gone to the Premiere to see - Simon Pegg. He spent ages with the crowds too and signed for me and my buddy.
Next to breeze past the waiting fans were Zoe Saldana and Karl Urban. Regrettably neither came to sign for the fans waiting in the section I was standing in. Although my cinema buddy did manage to weave in and out of the crowd to get these shots of them
British Actress Alice Eve, who is new to the franchise, spent ages with the crowds and signed my Empire magazine (you can just see it under the thing she's signing in the second pic).
Captain Kirk himself Chris Pine was next to grace us with his presence, and not only did he sign for everyone waiting on the edge of the white carpet...
...after he was interviewed he leapt over the crowd to go and sign and take pictures with people standing in Leicester Square too. A true hero!
Here he is putting pen to my Empire magazine
Director J.J. Abrams also spent a long time with the crowds and even spent some time chatting to a lady behind me. Again he signed for me and my buddy and seemed like a really nice guy. My buddy managed to get a picture of him as he switched places with Chris Pine who was coming back down the line from his interview. They had a little giggling exchange and it was a lovely moment captured.
Regrettably Zachary Quinto who plays Spock did not have time to sign for us as he was rushed over to be interviewed and then whisked inside. But my cinema buddy did manage to get some snaps of him too
Benedict Cumberbatch who plays villain John Harrison also had no time to sign for us and in fact we only managed to snap him on his way back out as the stars came out of the cinema for a cast photo, before they left for the after party, or in the case of Pine and Cumberbatch, as they headed to film The Graham Norton Show.
We had a really great day at the Premiere. Again met some lovely people and got some impressive signatures to add to the collection.
All photos (with the exception of the first 3) are courtesy of Blair Holmes, photographer and sandwich maker extraordinaire. Image of Spock courtesy of Google images.
