The Poster Memorabilia blog

Snatching Celebrity Autographs Left and Right

Six years, three signatures, and a Guy Ritchie classic that deserves better than it gets.

By an anonymous Hollywood insider

Sometimes, I get sad that some movies don't get the recognition they deserve. A great film would premiere, maybe even become a hit, but after a long time, it's largely forgotten. It's such a shame, too, because too many amazing movies share this fate. One, in particular, is Guy Ritchie's Snatch.

Not only is it one of the director's best films, but it also stars an amazing cast. Three that immediately come to mind and have gone on to become actual icons are Brad Pitt, Benicio Del Toro, and Jason Statham. Any movie with any of these actors is bound to be good, but this one actually has all three.

“Any movie with any of these actors is bound to be good, but this one actually has all three.”

The cast has an amazing slate of supporting actors, too, many of whom are British, but these three are undoubtedly the most famous. And when I chased the cast down for autographs, they also ended up being the most memorable celebrity encounters I've had so far.

I met them at the height of their fame, so it was practically a miracle that I actually got to see them in person and get their autographs. I went to movie premieres and awards ceremonies, and jostled with plenty of other fans to get to them. But still, I persisted and got what I wanted.

The first one I met was Jason Statham. He was the easiest of the big three to get to, since he's been very active. I actually met him at the premiere of The Expendables 2 in 2012, and that was just the sequel. He's gone on to star in all four films of the franchise.

Despite his tough-guy persona and rugged exterior, he was very nice. I was intimidated at first, but he was so pleasant that I immediately felt comfortable around him. And when I asked him to sign my poster, he obliged almost instantly. It was surprisingly one of the easiest autographs I got.

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As many would expect, getting Brad Pitt's autograph was far from a walk in the park. Despite how public he is, he's never the easiest to meet. Several fans and the press are always following him, so it's hard to approach him, even when he's going up to fans himself.

Luckily, I finally got the chance at the Academy Awards in 2014. He was there as a producer on 12 Years a Slave, which went on to win Best Picture that night, so you'd think it'd be extremely difficult to get him, but surprisingly, it wasn't. Or maybe I just had great timing. I'm still not sure. In any case, I finally met him and got his autograph on my Snatch poster, so a win's a win.

It then took me four years to meet Benicio Del Toro, but it was worth the wait. I caught him at a New York screening event for his 2018 film, Sicario: Day of the Soldado, and it was the best experience. The guy was so nice that I almost forgot he was a celebrity.

After getting their autographs, as well as the rest of the cast's through the years, I've come to appreciate Snatch even more. I hope that anyone who gets this poster will like it not just for the signatures, but for the amazing movie, too.

Some things you watch. This one you keep.

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