Why is everyone queuing?

This was a question asked by an odd British gal arriving mere minutes before the premiere of Daniel Radcliffe’s latest flick, The Woman in Black. “We are waiting for Daniel Radcliffe,” everyone replied. She looked puzzled and asked again, “I KNOW, but WHY is everyone QUEUING?” A collective sigh was heard from the “fangirl” mob that had, in fact, been queuing since 9am. 

Personally, I arrived at the Scotiabank Theatre closer to 10am, bundled up in preparation for a nine hour day braving the cold, rain, and snow. As I waited for my eleven year old cousin, Jett, to be dropped off, I manned our spot, which was third in line. What we were lining up for was yet to be determined, but either way, it was going to be a long day. I made friends with the two girls in front of me, whose names I never learned even though we became quick allies in the fight against other people trying to “butt” ahead of us. Yes, butt. That term still applies beyond third grade. 

The general manager came out soon after I arrived and told us we were waiting in the right spot, but he wasn’t sure if Daniel would be entering through the main entrance or not. It wasn’t all bad news because he also assured us that if there were extra tickets, we would be the first to get them. That little bit of hope was all we needed to keep us going throughout the day. Even if we didn’t catch a glimpse of Daniel himself, maybe we would score tickets for the premiere where he was expected to participate in a Q&A after the film. 

Fast forward nine hours, numbing limbs, and new friends - the time of the premiere was near approaching and it was chaos. People trying to get inside, people trying to get near the doors, people all over the road. Despite security’s best effort to keep the peace, things were getting out of hand. Everyone still expected Daniel’s SUV to pull up in front and for him to walk out, but considering there were no barricades, I knew it wasn’t happening. I’ve been to enough TIFF events to know that if the crowd is acting deranged and uncivilized, no celebrity will appear. The people with tickets were let in the doors, while the rest of us waited nervously. Jett and I, with our new friends, were prepared to make a human chain so no one could pass us.

As it turns out, the cards played in our favour and we scored tickets to the premiere! Shout out to the manager of Scotiabank - he followed through with his promise and made sure we were the first to get tickets. It was very much appreciated. Also, shout out to our new friends because they made sure Jett and I weren’t left in the dust - they also made sure we got tickets right along with them. The world isn’t such a bad place sometimes - nice humans still exist. Jett and I went inside and upstairs to the red carpet. We caught a glimpse of Daniel and excitedly ran to the theater to find front seats, thinking ahead of the Q&A after the film. 

Before the screening, Daniel Radcliffe and Toronto film critic, Richard Crouse, came out and said a little introduction. You could feel Potter passion fill the room. After their quick hello, the lights dimmed and the movie started. I love seeing advanced screenings of horror films.. the energy is just right for a good scare. There is a lot of hype, but no spoilers or plot details yet circling around. 

After the film and applause ended, Daniel and Richard reappeared. Upon arrival, Daniel waved back at the hundreds of fans, all the while shouting “Hello!!!!” in his boyish, charming way. Richard asked great questions about preparing for roles, theater, and sources of inspiration. Daniel answered thoughtfully and graciously. There were audience questions as well. He was as endearing as ever. We learned that one of his favourite films is Dr. Strangelove, and from the Harry Potter movies, he kept his famous round glasses from the first and the last films in the series. 

All in all, it was a great experience. Now that my appendages have begun to defrost, I can reflect lovingly at the closest I’ll ever get to Hogwarts.