Halle Berry.
There’s a local actor in town called Eric Pollins. Eric’s a regular guy, just trying to make a living, so, in addition to his Film and TV work, he also plays the father of the groom, Nunzio, three nights a week at Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding.
Well, Eric booked an actor role on a feature that is currently filming in Vancouver: Frankie and Alice. The IMDB blurb says: “A drama centered on a young woman with multiple personality disorder who struggles to remain her true self and not give in to her racist alter-personality.” Halle Berry plays the title character.
So, when Eric went in to film his scenes with Halle, she introduced herself to him. Later, during a long break between scenes, Eric took the opportunity to tell her how much he was enjoying her work. She asked him about his life outside of the film, and he told her about his ‘other’ job on Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding, and invited her out to see the show. And last Saturday night, she did!
Eric says, “Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding is interactive theatre—the audience is encouraged to play along as guests at the wedding and interact with the characters. My character, Nunzio, is the proprietor of a gentlemen’s club, ‘The Animal Kingdom,’ so we worked Halle’s character from the movie into Nunzio’s back story in Tony n’ Tina’s. When I greeted her at the church I “recognized” her as Frankie, who used to dance at my club. I told her that customers keep asking for her, and that The Animal Kingdom just hadn’t been the same since she left. On the receiving line, still as Nunzio, I introduced her to my girlfriend Maddy, who was auditioning to become Frankie’s replacement at The Animal Kingdom when she and I met and fell in love. Later, when I danced with Halle at the reception, I told her how she had changed my life by bringing Maddy into it when she left … and of course I tried to woo her back to The Animal Kingdom! Halle played along, telling me that she had moved on and was never coming back … and even throwing rice at the bride and groom!”
”Halle was the most wonderful and gracious guest imaginable. The warmth, humanity, and emotional generosity she shares, both on set and as a “guest” at Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding, are the very same qualities that make her an international star. It was a rare pleasure to host her, and particularly to be the entertainer’s entertainment. I will always treasure the memory.”
A tale of networking gone horribly right.