When I'd first decided to go to Gatecon, it was entirely because of Corin Nemec and it was in Canada, where I'd never been before. I recognized a few people that were going to be at the convention and JR was one of them. Like most people, I was a fan of Martouf though unlike most, I'd only seen the first two episodes. So JR was definitely on my list of people to meet. I had no idea how amazing he would be in person and it was an awesome surprise.
I first noticed JR at the meet and greet on Thursday night. With the hat and scraggly face, he was looking good but completely un-Martouf-like and unlike most of his publicity shots. Though the odd but good thing was that he emanated this energy - full of laughter, sincerity and depth. I spent the weekend (and the week after) trying to describe him and the only word that really fits is 'deep.' So Thursday night JR was mingling and at one point passed by Colin Cunningham and grasped him by the neck while they were talking. Great picture and exactly how he was with everyone all weekend. He met your eyes, talked to you and you felt like the world stopped for those seconds or minutes while he was with you. Present is probably the best word to describe it. You can probably tell that by this point I was intrigued. By the end of the weekend, I was completely hooked because if that's how he is in person, how amazing must he be as an actor? I cannot wait to see more of his work.
Friday began with panels and I didn't take a ton of notes. In general, I remember JR telling a few stories over the weekend. The one that I remember from the panels is about an audition he did where he ended up choking the director (because that's what he asked for!) He felt terrible about it but the director kept asking him to keep going, to go further, to not let him move his arms off, etc..
There was definitely this theme of focusing on his work all weekend. I spent about 20 minutes with him on Sunday during one of the Up Close and Personal chats and he talked about wanting people to focus on his work rather than his personal life. Yet he was so moved by people wanting to help raise money for his niece that it was a challenging line to walk. Again, he sincerely thinks through these things and it was lovely to see such intensity.
But back to Friday. The banquet was that night and JR was seated at a front table with other guests and con attendees. Before Colin went on stage, JR had started a conversation with a gentleman at another table. While Colin was waiting for silence, JR was still talking and slowly the room went quiet - except for JR. Colin finally interupted JR by calling his name and then calling him to the stage to be his assistant "Because you were talking." There's some amazing pictures from this whole event but it involved a three inch nail on a piece of wood stuffed under a styrofoam cup. The nail-cup was intermixed with four other cups and first JR, then another audience participant, switched up where the nail-cup was in the row of cups so Colin didn't know where it was. Using his skills, Colin did determine where the nail-cup was though not before giving JR a heart attack since he was certain the first cup was where it was and Colin used JR's hand to smash the cups. I also LOVED Colin sternly saying to JR "Relax your hand!" - like someone TELLING you to relax is going to work!
After the dinner, the drive by hug was awesome. He really was sweet even if I think I scared him a little. The next day in the photo shoot he was so engaging - again, he was just 'present' in the moment and unhurried. Even Sunday when he was late for our chat because he was on the phone with work committments, he did his best to spend as much time with us as possible before he had to go sign autographs.
The really touching part of the weekend for me was Sunday. I had met a woman also named Hollie and we had discovered we had a lot in common besides our names. She and her husband ran a home for adults with developmental disabilities including two adults with Down Syndrome. Both my brother and sister have Down Syndrome - my sister lives with me and my brother in a group home. The other Hollie also lives in Minnesota (right next to Wisconsin where I live.) We're also just a few years apart in age. It was just so stunning to have someone like that at a convention much less to have me meet them and get along with them. This lovely woman was sitting with JR when I went to get my autograph. I explained to him what we had in common and that launched a whole other conversation about adults with Down Syndrome and the way they shine with love, laughter and light. To have someone I'd just met understand that was incredibly special and to have that be one of the celebrities I'd traveled to see - well that was just phenomenal. Later that afternoon we had another conversation when I'd asked him to sign my shirt (he'd accidentally marked it during my autograph.) He noticed my book, "The Writer's Tale", and asked if I was a writer. When I said I was, he said you've got a story to tell and I know it's going to be phenomenal and I bet I only know about 2 percent of it, right? I was completely speechless. I hugged him and went outside to inhale smoke off other people's cigarettes. Though I did get one last perk courtesy of JR. Michael Trucco was around again to see JR so while he was hanging out with JR outside, I asked for a photo.
Thanks for an amazing weekend. Truly a deep, intense and sincere man. Love and Light to him always.