Hero Worship

 "Hero worship... He deserves it..."  The B'52s.   

I'm off too see Good Luck to You, Leo Grande tonight at a preview session. I've been itching to see this ans 1) it's an English film and 2) the subject matter is relevant to a woman of my age and situation and 3) it stars one of my favourite performers - Emma Thompson. 

When it comes to Emma Thompson, I've been in for the long haul. 

She was Miss Money-Stirling in my most favourite episode of The Young Ones. I've been quoting her for nearly forty years. 

Then there were the Ken and Em years, when she was married to Kenneth Branagh and was in all of his films. She was a perfect Katherine de Valois in Henry V, and Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing.

Of course, she wrote the screenplay and starred in Sense and Sensibility, for which she won the Oscar. She also won a best actress Oscar for her role in Howard's End.

Over the years, she keeps going from strength to strength. She was in the Harry Potter films. She appeared in one of my favourite mini-series, Angels in America.

Then there was her devastating portrayal of Karen in Love Actually. You can only adore her in that - she made me dislike Alan Rickman for five minutes - never saw that happening. 

And she keeps on going. I love that she's a real woman. Aging gracefully, she's just gorgeous in an unexpected, English way - she's not somebody who'd gone through heaps of work - or if she has, it's subtle, as many English celebrities have the sense to do. 

I love that she doesn't dumb herself down. Yes, there's been the odd dodgy role, but for the most part, she embodies her characters with charm and grace. She was the perfect Baroness in Cruella, a wonderfully flaky Sybill Trellawney in the Harry Potter films and she's soon to be playing the Trunchbull in Matilda. 

Yes, I love this woman. 

So tonight I'm off to see her new film about a woman who hires a sex worked to help her find out what she's been missing. It looks great. 

There were two sessions at the cinema this evening. The first had a Q&A with the film's director, Thomson and her co-star Daryl McCormack. I booked the later session. 

When the cinema called me to ask if I wanted to go to the session with the Q&A, after some chat, I decided to keep my current ticket. Other than it being in the comfort of Gold Class, the only seats available were right on the edge up the front. I'll keep my spot with the optimal viewing pleasure. 

And besides, if I go to the Q&A I could find myself going all fan girl and making a complete goose of myself (Like I did with Richard Flanagan, where when asked who I was I  decried, "I'm not worthy."). 

I could see myself shouting out, "Ra-ra-ra, we're going to smash the oiks!" or "I've got a Porsche. It's not an automatic. Daddy sends hugs..."

I'd rather not risk it. 

Today's song: