With less than 24 hours’ notice, I was on a plane and off to Los Angeles to walk the black carpet for the Hollywood premiere of Rebel Moon: Part One – A Child of Fire. The movie, directed by Zack Snyder, premieres in Africa and streams worldwide on Netflix today.
I was particularly excited to attend the premiere, as all the main actors flew in from all over the world to show support – after the end of the SAG-AFTRA strikes and the beginning of film premieres again like it used to be. Fans were equally ecstatic – happy to finally see their favorite stars back in action promoting their films.
Actor Greg Kriek, who plays Marcus in ‘Rebel Moon’, brings a taste of South Africa to the movie. “I do generally play a lot of villains in films, and while the movie, the scale, and the detail – is epic – there is also a lot of emotion. I also speak Afrikaans in the movie, so that’s a surprise element. At the heart of this movie is something that’s unique, and it was amazing to be part of that.”
I also chatted to Joburg-born Brandon Auret (District 9, Chappie, Elysium) – who unfortunately couldn’t attend the Hollywood premiere, as he’s currently filming a movie called London Calling in Cape Town.
“We filmed Rebel Moon in a quarry, in full-body suits, and it was so hot in those outfits working on scorching days,” explained Auret. “But so many beautiful people surrounded you – the cast, the crew, everyone on that movie was so amazing and I have been very grateful for the many opportunities that I’ve had to work with some of the world’s best directors.”
I loved the movie, and the TCL Chinese Theatre surround sound was fantastic. I particularly enjoyed meeting director Zack Snyder, the film’s star, Sofia Boutella, who plays Kora and was dressed in a flowing red tulle gown; Djimon Hounsou (who I met for the first time when he was with Kimora Lee Simmons in Cape Town); and a stunning young actress, Stella Grace Fitzgerald, who plays Princess Issa in Rebel Moon.
It was then over to my hotel, the Residence Inn at L.A. Live (901 West Olympic Boulevard, Los Angeles) – which was kind of far from the Hollywood Walk of Fame. But at USD 187 (R3,420) for a sizeable suite with a king-sized bed and kitchen, free breakfast, and wifi – and last-minute availability – everything worked out well, and the price was right.
The next morning, it was off to La La Land Kind Café in Santa Monica. I decided to go for the avocado toast and the mocha coffee with subliminal positive messages printed on the bright red cups. The café’s mission is to hire and mentor foster youth and normalize kindness.
It was then over to The Grove’s Marmalade Café (marmaladecafe.com) for brunch with actress and singer Sasha Anne. She’s been featured on the cover of Harper’s Bazaar Vietnam, and her debut single, “Catch Me I’m Falling” has been a smash hit by Pretty Poison featuring Jade Starling, which hit #1 on the indie pop charts. I also enjoyed seeing PR friends Nadia Semczuk and Lana Khachiyan.
And finally, it was dinner with my son at Momed, short for the modern Mediterranean – serving farm-to-table sustainable food. My Caesar salad was fresh, slightly bitter, but crunchy and bursting with flavor.
After filing stories, I was off to LAX at 4 am – which was actually too early and eerily peaceful. And that was my 36 hours in Hollywood heaven.
Off to the next red carpet!
