This story isn't mine but it's a funny one and one we still tell at the Elgin from time to time.
One of the most star studded nights we've had at the theatre was the premiere of The Assassination of Jessie James by the Coward Robert Ford. My ever-inappropriate friend Jae dubbed it "The Ass of JJ" during movie schedule planning and it stuck with a few of us, I had to make a conscious effort to use the film's full title while onsite at the theatre.
The movie starred some guy named Brad Pitt, whose friends from some film called Ocean's Eleven (a number of which were in town with their own movies) all came to show their support...
This was one of the first times Yonge Street was fully barricaded, with everything secured, a number of us were called into the lobby to help with crowd control. So we were truly security detail for Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. Oh yeah, did I mention she came too?
We often open the house before the talent arrives, it helps clear up pedestrian gridlock on Yonge Street and that way the line doesn't stop as fans all try to get a glimpse of the celebs on the red carpet. But when the stars are too famous, it doesn't really matter where you put the patrons, they're gonna find a way to get close to the action.
People who had gone into the theatre already were finding excuses to make their way back out into the lobby, many of us had to repeated ask them to stay behind the stanchions and/or move along. Despite our best efforts, we were dealing with significantly narrowed walkways.
Captain Mel and Candy were also onsite that day (on shift but I was the captain), I had the crowd on one side of the lobby, they were on the other. Celebs that wound up coming right by us included Don Cheadle and Matt Damon in a touching reunion moment where the two men came up to each other for a hug (3 feet from me!), Angelina Jolie who was all smiles while signing an autograph near us, telling the girl she was enjoying being in Toronto, along with Helen Hunt and Eric Bana.
Celebs that were also in the building that day, but I didn't see, included Casey Affleck, Clive Owen, Josh Brolin, and Rose McGowan. I don't quite recall, but George Clooney may or may not have also snuck in through the back on this day as well. The only person I really spoke with was Maria Menounos.
Brad Pitt made his entrance, signing autographs and shaking hands. As he was coming down the carpet, his elbow accidentally grazed red carpet volunteer (and my friend) Melissa's chest. Which sparked many jokes and purposeful misinterpretations that "Brad Pitt touched Melissa's boob!" Even Melissa herself swore that she would never wash that boob again.
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