The Poster Memorabilia blog

When Formula One Took Over New York City

A veteran autograph hound works the wildest carpet Times Square has seen in years.

By an anonymous Hollywood insider

Never in a million years did I ever expect Formula One to descend upon the Big Apple. And I’m not talking the race!

You'd think the sports league that helped produce its eponymous F1 The Movie would hold the world premiere in either Monte Carlo, Singapore, or Las Vegas, their staple racecourses, but no. They went with New York City. And as a New Yorker myself, I couldn't be more grateful!

I'm not big on Formula One and all its lore, but I do love me some celebrities. And this movie had some of the best: Brad Pitt, Javier Bardem, Damson Idris, Sarah Niles, and Tobias Menzies. That's a stellar cast! I couldn't miss the chance to see them in person and get their autographs.

I heard famous F1 drivers would attend the premiere, too, but I didn't care. The only ones I really knew were Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, and I wasn't that big a fan to ask for their autographs. So, I left them to their fanboys and cheerleaders, of which there were actually a lot in New York City. Who knew?

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Anyway, that night ended up being one of the wildest in all my years following celebrities and hounding for autographs. It was such a star-studded affair, and Hollywood royalty was front and center for people like me to eat up. And boy, did I ever! I don't consider myself the best autograph hound, but I am proud of myself for getting the entire cast and the director to sign my movie poster.

Brad Pitt was naturally the main star of the show, both in the film and on that red carpet. He's been doing this for decades, so it wasn't a surprise to see him feel right at home in front of a legion of fans and photographers. There he was, looking like the daddy that he is with his buzz cut and silver beard. It was pure movie star charisma at its finest. He never lost his luster after all these years.

“It was pure movie star charisma at its finest.”

Javier Bardem looked just as sexy, sporting all black with a Palestine pin. Only he could look that hot while continuing to be an activist on that red carpet. He looked confident posing for the cameras, pumping his fist as he showed off his pin, and interacting with us fans.

As for their younger co-star, Damson Idris, he was all smiles that night. He was just as handsome, sure, but his youth was apparent. He hadn't mastered the red carpet gaze yet, so he didn't exactly rival Pitt and Bardem in terms of charisma. Did that even matter anyway? Nope! The guy had star quality from head to toe. I'm confident he'll only get bigger from here, and I'm excited to see him at more red carpet events in the future.

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The rest of the cast looked good, too, but I couldn't help but highlight the lead trio. They just had that much more star quality than the rest of them. Though it helped that they were big names, too. What they all did in common, however, was sign my poster.

As a veteran in the autograph-hounding game, I was able to secure my front-row spot fairly early in the evening. So when the stars started descending and approached fans, I easily got them to sign my movie poster. They were even nice about it. I never saw so much as a hint of annoyance in any of the cast members. All were too happy to give me their autographs.

Some things you watch. This one you keep.

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