Rico Colantoni - Question of Twitter

2017.07.14 - Vancouver, BC


As I've covered before if you subject yourself to my ramblings often, I was and am a huge fan of the TV show 'Flashpoint'.  Having now met 2 out of 3 of my favourites from that show (Hugh Dillon and Sergio DiZio)  I had been pining for the time when the third and the one from the show that affected me most, Rico Colantoni, was going to come to Vancouver. So much filming happens here that it's almost inevitable but he had managed to stay away from Vancouver since I moved here in 2008, much to my dismay.  I did find out that he had been here for iZombie last year, but I didn't know until after he had come and gone. 

When he and Eric McCormack announced he was going to be doing a recurring guest spot in Travelers here I was elated.  Travelers had been EVERYWHERE in their last season, filming in hugely visible spaces and even leaving signs in my neighborhood in Steveston.  'This should be easy' I thought. Oh how I was wrong. 

After the announcement I was watching closely for locations. They only have 12 episdes in their season.  Time went by and I heard nothing.  Rico wasn't tweeting anything about being here.  The rest of the cast was pretty quiet if he was here as well.  I started to get a little nervous.  I also watched the show to get a sense of who was who and found that I quite liked it.  The first season ended with a cliffhanger and it definitley got me intereseted.  


Finally a set of signs was found for them in West Vancouver. I headed up there and found them at a church.  No sign of Rico but McCormack would have been super easy to stop. At that time I hadn't watched the show so I wasn't even sure who I was looking for in the way of cast.  A friend of mine came as well and after I had to leave he met some of the cast.  He asked of my behalf about Rico and they said that he wasn't here currently, but they expected he would be back.  Well that's a start. 


Over the next weeks I went to numerous sets and saw pretty much the entire cast.  Even though opportunities presented themselves I only ever stopped Patrick Gilmore and Mackenzie Porter just a couple of days before I did see Rico.  I took the chance to chat with them about the show and told them that I started watching when I heard Rico was going to be in Season 2. They seemed to try and figure out between them when the finale was going to start filming saying that he'd be back for that and he wasn't in the current episode. They decided between them he'd be back the week of the 17th for the finale.  Great. Stand down.


The next few days there were cast tweeting about the finale, McCormack was set to be directing it.  They scouted Minaty Bay, a basically impossible location for fans to get at.  Great.  Then suddenly they were saying they were finished the 2nd to last episode of the season.  It was Wednesday the 12th.  Well shit. I started watching accounts more closely to see what was happening. 


All the while this was happening and I was looking and hearing about Rico coming, I had been Tweeting.  A lot.  Rico isn't the most consistent on social media. He used to post on a facebook page relatively frequently.  Now he kind of retweets stuff on Twitter every once in a while and doesn't really actually tweet his own stuff too much.  He did respond to a tweet I sent asking if he was in Vancouver while I was standing on a set one time.  The answer was 'soon'.  Love him but not helpful. Then he favourited the last tweet in a long string that he was accidentally @'d in when I realized it and apologized. I had been doing everything I could to get seen and hoped that someone that I was tweeting somewhere would pass along to Rico that he had a fan here in Vancouver that wanted to meet him.  I had no idea what he had and hadn't seen.  But I wanted to get the message across to give him the choice if he wanted to come out or not.  I totally understand if he didn't want to meet me or chat with a fan. I get that.  But I wanted him to at least know that I was around and give him the choice.  So I basically was a jerk.  I tweeted lots of cast and crew whenever he was mentioned.  I went to set and tweeted.  I badgered. And I felt terrible. 



Friday the 14th I finished work teaching summer school and headed home.  I made my usual rounds to check social media of Travelers people and going through an Instagram story my heart dropped.  One of the cast had posted a video of the monitors in video village.  And Rico was on them.  The show had posted a list of dates they were at their studio and I quickly checked with a Twitter friend named @whatsfilming to confirm they were downtown today at their improvised studio in the old Canada post building.  I had been there before a few times trying to see if he maybe was there, including a Monday a few weeks ago where I missed him by 2 hours.  Fearing the same I jumped in the car and headed into downtown Vancouver in my car (one of my least favourite activities) and planned to park in the metered spots across the street from the studio, but only feed the meter if someone was checking.  Parking in downtown Vancouver is paid until 10pm and is $1 for 30 minutes.  Going down at 2pm this could be quite costly. Plus I didn't have that much change. 


I got downtown to the usual interior stuff.  People standing outside smoking (as it appears most of the Travelers crew does) and not much else.  I pulled up some curb across the street and waited.  I knew I was at the right door as when I was there before I had seen a few cast members come out that way.  One leaving on foot and another standing right in front of me across from the studio waiting for a cab.  Again I had left them alone but I knew where I needed to be.



Standing outside for hours was awkward.  It always is. There was a PA outside and I was across the street. I felt like being on ‘their side’ of the street was too close to the action and I’m always super paranoid about this stuff.  Plus I could see all the nothing just fine from the other side of the road and I didn’t want to be in the way of the crew as they came outside to smoke.


Buoyed by the last time I visited this location and had a PA tell me not to worry about coming across to chat, I waited until the PA was alone so as not to interrupt his conversation and crossed the street to talk to him.  I told him that I was just a geek, a huge fan of an actor that I’m pretty sure is on set today, Rico Colantoni.  The PA knew immediately who I was talking about and said that he was a really nice guy.  He worked with him on iZombie as well.  I lamented that he was in and out for that before I even knew he was here.  The PA mentioned the he didn’t know if Rico was going to be in Season 3 of Travelers and we chatted about Season 3.  They’ll be back in the middle of August to work on that.  I didn’t know they had been renewed. The PA indicated that they had a long way left to shoot today but he did confirm they’d already had lunch. So can’t be that long, I figured. Like not 12 hours long.  He mentioned they were up on the 4th floor and the odds of catching him would be very slim as he’d be brought right out in a vehicle.  I told him I understood, I knew that this was a tough situation, told him I hated interiors for sets but also that I was pretty sure I wasn’t going to give up.  I admitted I’d been chasing this set pretty hard for weeks and I’d already missed him once at UBC for an exterior when I had plans and didn’t go.  I left him alone and went back across the street to sit by my car on the curb and wait for something, anything.


A while later a PA that I’d seen and chatted with before on other sets and also here came out and crossed over to me.  Through conversation I told him that I knew Rico was there and he confirmed it.  He also offered to not promise anything but if he had the opportunity he was going to passively mention to Rico that he had a fan here who had been dedicated and spent a lot of time trying to find him, logged a lot of hours on the set, seemed harmless and would love a quick minute.  I was grateful beyond words. Even though the PA couldn’t promise because he could get himself in trouble for that, he said he’d try.  He said Rico is a nice guy, really friendly and probably wouldn’t have a problem with being told that information. I also mentioned that I was a fan of Rico’s charity work and he could throw that in too.  I encouraged him to ‘spread the word’ thinking the more people that knew the better chance word would get to him.  I had also replied on Twitter to an actress who had posted a photo with Rico, a producer who had commented on it and to Rico that I was outside, asking them to send him out (what I really wanted was him to be aware that I was there so he could choose, but Twitter has limited explaining characters).  Since he didn’t seem to check his social media that often I was having trouble finding the line between informative and pushy.  I want them to know I’m there because word travels, but I didn’t want to come off too desperate, crazy or annoying.  Also keeping in mind that everything is up to him, of course.  He is at work and has every right to not want to indulge the massive fan outside.  Completely understandable.  But I wanted him to have the choice.

The day wore on and people started to leave. I saw extras leaving and I also saw lots of the same people coming out to smoke.  I wanted to chat with some of them to try and get the message out but also didn’t want to bug anyone on their breaks.  I wasn’t going to approach a group of workers on their social time, but I was waiting for individuals to come out and not be preoccupied with their phones.  

I saw a nicer transpo vehicle go in and park near the hair and makeup trailer that I could see.  Sort of on the side where the trailers were likely to be.  This had to be a pick up for a big cast member.  I figured it had to either be there for McCormack or Rico.  I’d seen other cast members leave in cabs or on foot since I’d started chasing this show.  But I wasn’t actually sure that Eric was acting on set today.  They had been very vocal about the fact they were working on the finale, scouting and prepping that. His status was unknown to me at that point.


I watched a guy come out and smoke and then go back and get in the driver's side of the vehicle.  My set experiences told me that he was my best chance.  If the driver knew what I’m about, had talked to me and deemed me not a psycho, that’s the best chance for Rico to find out since he’ll be driving him by be.  Time passed and I saw a guy come out to smoke that I’d seen a LOT already.  He was alone and I was thinking of going over to chat with him.  Then I saw the transpo driver get out and kind of start to walk toward the exit ramp.  This was my chance.  I quickly crossed the road and struck up a conversation with the guy that was already there telling him that I thought he was probably wondering what I was doing standing across the street for hours and so I thought I’d come and chat with him.  He smartly observed as the transpo driver rounded the corner that I hadn’t been standing that long, I was sitting for a while.  I laughed and agreed, that’s true.  I asked with a laugh if everyone on this crew smokes.  He said no, some people just do it sometimes as the transpo driver bummed a cigarette off him.  I kept chatting and then said that I was actually there to try and catch one of the cast members.  They both said various versions of ‘We know you’re here for Rico’.  I was a little surprised and mused that word travels.  In my mind I was thanking the PA that had said he’d try to catch Rico for me for spreading the word.  They also knew I was a teacher so he was obviously trying to make me sound not as crazy as I’m sure I seemed.  I was trying to work through my mind if it was good or bad that they knew exactly what my purpose was.  They said that it’s good to know who is on set just in case of people being somewhere they shouldn’t.  I shunned that idea telling them that I didn’t even like being on their side of the road and the first guy (who is the driver of the hair and makeup truck) kind of laughed and said yeah.  They didn’t think I was going to be trouble but that’s the way things are supposed to work. He turned to the transpo driver and said he thought Rico was a self-drive.  Transpo driver gave a noncommittal nod and my heart sank.  If he was going to be coming out the other door in his own vehicle my chance was basically gone unless someone had told him.  (In retrospect they were doing their jobs and this is why I don’t usually take people at their word on set, but I think the truck driver might have actually thought that Rico was driving himself whereas the transpo driver knew damn well he was driving him home, but he was the quiet one).


As they finished I went back across the street to my car and waited a little longer until I heard someone's walkie say they were wrapped.  I started to get really nervous.  This might be my only chance.  And he might not be even coming this way.  I kept asking myself at this location if I saw him walk by down the ramp from hair and makeup to his trailer or whatever, if I would call out to him or if that would be too pushy. I’m glad that I didn’t have to choose and never did see him until the very last opportunity.  Normally I’d never call to someone like that, but desperate times call for desperate measures.  I stood at the front of my car and leaned on it where I could see down the ramp still but also could see cars coming out of the crew park door down the block trying to figure out if he HAD rented a car while he was here what it might be so I would know when to give up.  I still felt this was unlikely.

A short time later I could see from where I was standing someone in a baseball cap that matched the description of Rico go to the passenger side of the vehicle.  He was getting a ride.  That’s good.  Out of necessity I crossed the street back to ‘their side’.  This way I was an easy target on his side of the vehicle.  He would see me and know what I was there for hopefully when he saw my Flashpoint Blu-Ray that I’d brought along failing that someone hadn’t told him that I was there.  Then the choice was entirely his if he wanted to stop or not. As I prepared to cross and kept an eye on the car I saw the driver talking to him across the car and looking out the door, kind of motioning in my direction.  I got to the point where I was now on the sidewalk outside the door.  I didn’t want to stand in the driveway but I didn’t want to hide either.  I was trying to find an angle where I could see them and not be in the way, where I could keep an eye but not be too obvious, but also be seen.  I ended up bobbing in and out seeing him get in the car, then again I saw it was on the move as I pulled my Flashpoint DVD out and turned my phone camera on just in case.  If this was going to happen it was going to be now.  

As they reached the top of the ramp the passenger window was down in the car and he slowed and stopped in front of me.  “Hi Rico” I said with a smile taking in Rico sitting there in a t-shirt and a pullover, LA Kings hat (to my dismay).  He smiled and asked in a tone that had no judgement or frustration, but genuine caring “How long have you been here?”  I stumbled, “A LONG time, hours…days.”  As I was still talking he popped the door open and got out of the car, stepping toward me with his arm out and pulling me into a big, squishy hug. “Oh my god” I blurted out into his shoulder as I hugged him back and tried to hide my surprise.  Not what I expected. As I pulled away I looked at him, the brown eyes that I’d analyzed so many times in one of my favourite characters and told him clearly “I love your work.  And the work you do with TEMA.”  This is where I had planned to dive off into an admission about a previous job I had had and how important that work is but my words failed looking at him right in front of me.

Of course, meeting actors often times part of the attraction is to see what the person behind the character is like. Part of the fun is getting a little taste of the person. However, already in this short encounter I couldn't help but draw a parallel between Rico and the character of Sgt. Parker. His careful speech and chosen few words, the looks that he seemed to communicate with and his soft, quiet and calming demeanor. It sounds crazy but the closeness between the two in this moment and afterwards really jumped out at me. I know a quick chat with an actor doesn't get someone a real glimpse of their personality, often just a taste, but as a people reader I feel like I can usually get a sense of the person from an interaction. This one had already taken me for a spin.

He smiled again and I held out my Flashpoint DVD asking him to sign it.  As I watched him sign it ‘To Julie’ I kind of blanked but he said something about Twitter.  It wasn’t an accusation and certainly didn’t hold any judgement but I took the opportunity to apologize, again mesmerized by his calm presence, no pretense and no rushing. I looked at him and said, “I am SO sorry.”  He didn’t interrupt me as I admitted it was hard to figure out what he was going to see and what he wasn’t since he doesn’t tweet much but I wanted to make sure my message got through.  He nodded with a soft smile, looked me in the eyes and answered, “It’s hard not to see it as flattering.” His even and caring demeanor really shining through as he looked at me again and handed my Blu Ray back. As he did, he noticed my Flashpoint jacket.  I had it in my car and had been freezing in the wind tunnel and shade of the post office building.  I told him I was a huge fan of that show and I had actually met Hugh not far from there.  I babbled that I didn’t have to tweet him as much and kind of laughed thinking that I’d put my foot in my mouth and didn’t have the word skills at that exact moment to try and rectify that.  Rico looked at my phone and didn’t even hesitate to reach out and take it from my hands.  I said to him as he started pushing the camera switch button “Are you good at selfies? My selfie game is pretty weak”.  I would normally have followed it with a self-deprecating comment like ‘for obvious reasons’ but I found myself not able to finish the thought aloud.  He said he could do it as he flipped the camera around back to the back side (I had already put it front ways) and held it up, but then flipped it back to us.  I put my hand on his shoulder and he snapped the photo expertly and turned back to give me the phone.

As he did, a loud noise, almost like a firework, came out of the studio garage.  I felt him jump as I was pulling my hand from his shoulder and he turned around and said, “That scared me.”  I admitted me too but I was also already too overwhelmed to really be that scared.  A bomb could have destroyed the Queen Elizabeth theater in front of me at that moment and I probably would have just shrugged and continued to be mesmerized by Rico’s calm, steady, reassuring presence.  He looked back down the driveway and I asked him how he liked Vancouver.  He turned back and actually looked tired for a second while he said he was just in and out for work, hasn’t spent much time here.  

He stepped back to the car and I thanked him, he again turned with a soft smile and studied me asking, “It is Julie, right?”  It wasn’t until right then I realized he’d personalized my DVD without asking my name.  He knew exactly who I was.  Another wave of regret for over-tweeting regret combined with a hint of nausea passed over me as I said yes and promised to leave him alone now. Smiling and giving me a reassuring look I said thank you again. I was also trying to get that message to the driver but I'm not worried if one or both of them thought I was talking to them. It was a blanket statement anyway.  

I went right to my car and left before my parking luck ran out. I do have to say though, that this encounter left me a little shaken in a few ways. I feel guilty for being so pushy, especially since he obviously saw most of what I had to say. I realize now that he is a man of few words so his lack of response seems to just be a reflection of his personality. The fact he responded to me at all (as well as the next day) makes me realize that he probably saw everything. And I feel bad.


I also was struck by that character similarity. It was so unexpected that I wasn't sure how to react. It really threw me.

I am so grateful for Rico and the PA's and drivers on Travelers for making this happen. I felt like I went all out to get this done and without the help of the people here in Vancouver that go to sets and track them as well as the crew, I would not be as happy or lucky as I am regarding this right now.

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