VanCon 2015: Friday Report
Sep. 1st, 2015 01:10 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
hells_half_acreWoot! First day of the con. I'm currently writing (most of) this report on Monday. So, let me recall the first day....
It's the first (and only?) year at the Convention Centre instead of the Sheraton Wall Centre, so I didn't know quite where I was going. Although I'm a local, I'd never actually been in the east building of the Convention Centre. It's pretty... marble-y (she says, while sitting in the hallway on her laptop on Sunday). It's also way more formal a feel than the Con felt at the Wall Centre. One thing is that they have us line up in a long cue in another room before they let us into the main theatre - this felt ridiculous after years of just milling around willynilly as we pleased... but I realized after my initial indignation that it's probably for fire safety reasons... and also because the Convention Centre's East Building doubles as a cruise-ship port, so you have a LOT of tourists coming through with their suitcases, and the hallways have to be kept clear of fangirls for this reason.
Anyway, I got to the Con, and I found some friends, and we eventually got into the theatre! Yay!
Louden Swain kicked things off with a high energy "Are you gonna go my way?" and then Richard Speight came out to host.
Richard is really an amazing MC. I don't know if newer con goers even realize just how much the cons have evolved from very sterile bland experiences (outside of the panels) to the all around entertaining show that they are today. The first year I went was the first year they turned karaoke into a real party, and that's really where the improvements started happening.
Anyway, I digress...
Richard and Rob are a great comedy duo and I really can't record all their jokes, because it would be like trying to record an improve/stand-up routine, and it's just not possible to a)write that quickly or b)capture the hilarity of the jokes. But it was great - from Rob doing a shaker solo, to Richard saying that he thought Rob was going to "pop something" and them both delivering the punch line of "it already popped" in reference to Rob's stroke two years ago... and see, that doesn't sound funny, but it was hilarious. You can't "report" comedy bits.
Gil McKenny
The first guest of the con! Yay! Gil started his panel by talking about how beautiful Vancouver is. Explaining that he and his wife were eating down by the water, and there was a seal, and a seagull swooping by, and it was so beautiful that it was like a TV show.
He started the panel by talking just briefly about Always Keep Fighting and the charity Attitudes in Reverse, which is trying to break the social stigma around mental illness and address mental health in youth. Gil talked about the SPN family and how everyone should know that they have friends they can lean on and that they aren't alone.
The first official question of the panel was whether Gil would be interested in a Men of Letters spin-off series.
- Gil is "definitely interested in working... in a spin off." He'd love it. He's just not sure it's going to happen, but he'd love it if it did.
He was asked about his recent move to New York.
- It's like starting over when it comes to auditions. New York is a very competitive environment. He's going to say and stick it out until January or Febuary, but then he might leave again when the weather gets really bad. Gil's dogs don't really like New York. Or, at least one of them doesn't. His dog, Willy, got bitten by another dog, and now Willy is being a jerk about New York. Sammy, his other dog, is doing well though, and likes to piss on everything in the city.
The next question was whether Gil was more comfortable in working environments that were all male, all female, or 50/50?
- "Depends on what the project is..." *suggestive look* "If New York doesn't work out..."
- Gil decided 50/50 was good.
Was Gil intimidated by the role of Henry Winchester?
- "It made sense to me..." that he would be related to such attractive men as JDM, Matt Cohen, Jared and Jensen, Gil joked. In truth, he didn't really realize how important the role was when he got it. He knew it was cool to be a Winchester, but it really didn't hit him until later.
Gil then recognized a girl in the audience as someone he had taken a picture of last year. She yelled and asked him if he still had it.
Gil: "Somewhere on my phone..." then he paused and started again, "I look at it every night, and sometimes in the morning." he suggestively replied.
If he could be a disney prince OTHER than Eric.
- Charming? But, he's also always wanted to play Gaston.
Was there a particular song that Gil likes to sing?
- Gil started singing "As Time Goes By" immediately, and we all clapped after the first verse... and then he paused only for a moment before going into the second verse.. then we clapped after the second verse, and then he paused again and went into the third verse... and we all had a good laugh.
Any pranks?
- Gil mentioned (briefly) Jensen's prank of doing an unexpected 180 in the Impala and scaring the crap out of Gil.
The next question, I have in my notes as:
"SPN Family - Part of your world - TOcon - guys."
And I can't remember what that means and what memory it's supposed to trigger. I know at one point, someone told him that he sang Part of Your World at Toronto Con... and but I'm not sure what the other words mean. Sorry! Note-taking fail! Instead, you get a glimpse into what my notes look like. They are literally mostly comprised of keywords that I'm supposed to remember the meaning of.
Gil was asked about his friendship with Alainna.
- He said they've become good friends, but it's been funny, because although they started in the same episode, Alainna ended up doing tons more episodes as Abaddon than Gil did as Henry (because she killed him, of course). So, he used to call her to help him with his auditions, and she'd be like 'I'd love to, but I'm in Vancouver shooting Supernatural...' and Gil would be like "I'm so happy for you, that's great..." *said while seething in envy*
- Gil says that it's kind of funny, because most of the Supernatural cast at the conventions have never worked together, but they all still feel like they have and that they're all family.
The next question was about GISHWHES
- Gil talked about how he ended up on a New York street corner, shirtless, with two girls applying butter to his torso. "Two girls... that I hope were of age." And there were two guys sitting in car not far off just staring at them in confusion.
What's been the single best decision of his life so far?
- Getting married - "Just in case she's here." Gil then went on to say that they didn't actually get a honeymoon, though immediately after their wedding, they went to a SPN con, but his wife said that didn't count. Still, they're going to an SPN Con in Europe next spring, and they're taking a few weeks to travel around it, so that will be a honeymoon.
Who would he like to play Millie Winchester?
- Annabelle Wallis. Gil is a big fan of hers, but she doesn't know who Gil is. Gil then asked the audience for suggestions and some guy (in a very deep voice) yelled out "Me!" Gil laughed and said, "That's what I'm talking about! [...] Milton, not Millie."
What's the weirdest thing he's seen in New York?
- Himself, getting covered in butter.
- Really, he's just seen a bunch of people vomiting on the sidewalk.
- And if he did see people covered in bodypaint and glitter, he'd be sure they'd be heading down to Time Square to do something for Misha Collins.
What Disney PRINCESS would he be?
- Probably Ariel. She was his favourite as a kid. An audience member suggests that's because of the clam-shell bra. Gil says, "clam-shell bra, red hair, fishtail... I'm really into fish."
- An audience member mentions the time that Osric cosplayed Ariel. Gil told us about how the Eric costume that Osric brought for him was too small - it looks like Eric had really let himself go. "Too much fried sea food." When the audience groaned, Gil chastized us for having dirty minds.
- Gil also really likes Jasmine, so probably her.
Who's his favourite character on SPN besides Henry?
- Adam Rose's character in Everybody Hates Hitler.
Would Jensen kill him if they cast Danneel as Millie Winchester?
- Gil was very excited about the idea, but joked that it would make for awkward dynamics on set. Ultimately though, he'd be okay with it, but he wouldn't want to fight Jensen.
Has SPN ever lead him to find himself in a conversation that would be very weird for someone to overhear without context?
- Gil was in a restaurant once when a fan recognized him. They had a chat. A year later, they ran into each other again while Gil was trying to buy groceries, and the fan was going on and on about his story story ideas and what the SPN producers should do with Henry's character - and it was all very well intentioned, but it got him VERY odd looks from the cashier and was very awkward.
The final question was from a professional-singer fan, who wondered if he'd do a duet with a fan at karaoke, and if he did, what would he want to sing?
- Gil couldn't decide and suggested that they come up with something before that evening, and he'd see what he could do.
Tyler Johnston
The next panel of the day was Tyler, who played Samandrial most recently, and Matthew Pike back in S1's Bugs.
Resurrecting the old "Porncouver" joke from the past few years, Richard asked him what his porn name would be - Shakey Cottonwood.
Does Tyler have any party tricks?
- Like to get the party started? Gangster hiphop and try to start the dance floor. Other than that - Cocktails. That's the G rated version. What's the R rated version? Take his clothes off and jump on the couch.
If he were a tree what tree would he be?
- Cottonwood... or a Christmas tree, so that people could "put gifts under me, hang things off of me... and then when your done throw me out!"
Favourite food?
- Sushi. Hamburgers - he nearly had Fatburger for breakfast. Tyler then just started listing foods, because he really likes food.
What was the major differences between his SPN experience in S1 and S8?
- "Jared and Jensen didn't speak to me either time," Tyler jokes. His first episode in S1, he was only 17 and it was the first time that he had been a guest star on an episode. He was very very very excited. In S8, Jared remembered him! Not by name, but he knew he'd been on the show before way back when.
The next question was extremely similar to the previous one.
- It was really cool to come back and be an angel. At a past convention, Tyler said that they had figured that maybe it had been the same character - Matthew Pike had left home, opened his own Weiner Hut, and then gotten possessed. They just couldn't explain the name change.
The next questioner asked him whether he was proud to be from Vancouver?
- Tyler recognized the questioner as someone he had gone to high school with! He seemed delighted, if not a little bit thrown by the circumstance of him being on stage and her asking him questions.
- His answer to the question is that he's very proud of being from Vancouver. He's very thankful to be from such a beautiful place.
- Tyler, as it turns out, lives in neighbourhood! Haha. He lives near Commercial Drive and went on a brief rant about how they want to put up condo towers and it would ruin one of the last old neighbourhoods in Vancouver (I agree). He then apologized for the rant (a true Canadian).
What would his wedding song be?
- Rough Riders by DMX or anything by Dr. Dre.
Favourite part of being an angel?
- The outfit. At first, he hated the outfit because it was super dorky, but then he realized that it was also very distinctive and made the character instantly recognizable and unique - and now he gets all sorts of cool fanart drawn of his character, and he loves it.
- He didn't realize what an exclusive club being an angel was until he died.
- He also thought it was cool that Misha, the main angel on the show, was the one "to kill me and hold me while I died... in his arms."
- He also thought it was cool to learn the angel language.
- So, learning the language and being held by Misha were his favorite parts of being an angel.
How were the torture scenes?
- They sucked! The metal thing was digging into his temples th whole time and they had him strapped in a chair so he couldn't move, and they didn't always have time between takes to unstrap him.
- But, Tyler pointed out that if you're comparing it to actual tortore, it wasn't that bad.
What's been the best advice he's been given?
- Tyler Labine, another Vancouver actor, told him that no matter how sucky the project he's auditioning for, he should "go into the audition and do the best job you can do, because whenever you audition you are representing yourself, and you don't want to represent yourself badly." The same people who are making a crappy project today, might be making an amazing project five years from now, and you want them to remember you as a good actor and a capable professional.
Was there any fooling around on set?
- Tyler watched Jared and Jensen pull a prank on a stunt guy. Jared pretended to get hurt in a stunt when fighting the stunt guy, just to make the stunt guy freak out. Jared was also trying to prank Misha, but Misha was on guard for it.
- SPN is a very friendly and efficient set. They have fun, but it doesn't get in the way of getting things done.
If he could play another character, who would he play?
- The boys are too easy an answer. "Misha's also too easy.. Mark's too easy."
- Tyler's friend Scott Patey once played someone who was roleplaying Sam and got killed in a hallway (Real Ghostbusters in S5) and Tyler thinks that would be a cool part to play.
Favourite joke?
- Why'd the robber take a bath? So he could make a clean getaway.
The next questioner said that Bugs is one of her favourite episodes. Does Tyler have any good memories of it?
- Tyler mentions how he knows it's not a fan favourite and is listed as one of the worst episodes. He went in to audition for a roll in Revolution and he was reading for John Faveau and Eric Kripke, and Kripke saw his resume and told him that it was ranked as the "worst episode" and Tyler sarcastically informed us that it was a real confidence booster for his audition.
- Tyler then went on to tell us about Kim Manners (the Bee Story as fandom has dubbed it.) Telling us that working with Kim was a good memory and he was a very sweet man.
What was the best prank pulled on Tyler in his life?
- Tyler said that he has a pretty good sense of humour, except when people are messing with him. He had friends stand him up completely once, as punishment for him always being late - but Tyler really just considers that mean, rather than funny.
- Tyler used to play hockey and lacrosse in school... and here he rerailed into telling us about the dream he had last night where Michael J Fox was his lacrosse couch and spent the whole dream yelling at him. Tyler wonders what it means. [And asks if anyone in the audience does dream interpretation... I actually do, but refrained from saying anything, as the kind of dream interpretation I do is the deeply psychological stuff that's more like therapy than things you talk about in public arenas.]
- Tyler got back on track and told us how one of his friends swapped out another player's body wash with Tiger Balm and yeah, it ended up on the guy's penis and that stuff burns like crazy...
Tyler: "I have so many burning penis stories."
- Again, Tyler doesn't think it's funny, just mean.
Favourite Superhero that he'd want to play?
- Batman, even though it's cliche. Tyler also wants to see Ant-Man, because he loves Paul Rudd.
- He'd also like to be Robin, but not the brightly dressed Robin, more the Nightwing Robin.
The next question was about the Hillywood Parody video and how he looked like was having so much fun in it.
- He felt ridiculous when he was doing it. And he literally only danced for 30 seconds. He then mentioned how he heard one cast member had their shirt off for it (Matt Cohen) and Tyler wanted to know why they hadn't asked him to take his shirt off. Someone told him "I don't think they had to ask" and Tyler laughed and said "okay then"
- Tyler then talked about how fans remember things. Like he told a story at a convention about how his friend didn't want to put sunscreen on his dick when they went to Wreck Beach (the local nudist beach here in Van) because he was worried people would see him putting it on and think he was playing with himself - and he ended up getting a sunburn - and he STILL gets people tweeting him pictures of "Sunny D"
What position did he play in Hockey?
- He was centre in High School, but now plays left wing. He sucks at defense because he forgets to come back and just turns into an offensive player.
What's his favourite place to travel to or where would he like to travel?
- He shot a show in France for a while, when he was 18. But his favourite place is probably Hawaii. He'd love to go to Japan. The questioner has been to Japan and urges him to do so.
Has SPN opened any doors to other projects?
- Well, Kripke certainly remembered him. :P
- Any experience is good experience, and it looks good on his resume to have a well known show, with a multiple episode recurring character.
And with that, Tyler's panel came to a close.
Osric Chau
Richard and Rob did a grand build up for Osric, wondering what costume he was going to be wearing... and then Osric showed up in his regular clothes.
He explained that his cosplay that day had fallen through - and that sometimes things just don't work out and that's life. Osric had been working with a guy from Georgia (the US state, not the country) to develope a cosplay for VanCon, and it was supposed to be ready at the beginning of July so that it'd have time to ship... but then it wasn't ready. And then finally it was, and the guy actually drove for FOUR DAYS to get to Vancouver, and he arrived that very morning with the costume.. but Osric realized that the guy wasn't happy with it. Osric knew it was important to the guy to put his best work forward, so he said it was okay if the guy wanted to take more time. The guy packed up and was now driving all the way home to try again.
Osric then decided to tell us about his fun cellphone game he discovered. He had to delete the game he was playing before, because it was starting to give him sore fingers... but he found this new game where you collect stray cats by putting food out for them, and then you take pictures of them and name them, and it's super cute. Osric was delighted by the fact that the cats have little Xs for buttholes.
Then Osric realized he should probably open the panel for questions.
What's the strangest food he's ever eaten?
- He's eaten a lot of things. The only thing he didn't try was Pig Brain, because he had just watched Silence of the Lambs and it was too similar. Osrics eaten boh cats and dogs though. He liked dog better.
- The only thing he regretted eating was silkworm, which tastesd like it looked.
- He also ate live octopus once - it's weird because if you don't eat it right, it will crawl into your lungs and kill you.
Osric: "Funny enough, I'm actually trying to live a vegan lifestyle."
- Osric then asked the questioner what the weirdest food she ever ate was. She once ate horse food. Like Hay? No, like pellets. Osric thought it was hilarious that horses had pellets. The questioner admitted that it was a dare.
- Osric says that Jared will accept any dare and once ate this really gross cheese in Italy because someone dared him to.
If Osric could fancast a video game movie?
- Osric's always loved Super Smash Bros, but isn't sure what sort of movie it would make.
- He might actually be working on of his favourite video games soon, but he can't talk about it.
His favourite cosplays?
- Osric finds it hard to answer "favourite" questions, because he likes different things for different reasons.
- He liked Princess Bubblegum and Repunzel, because they kicked everything off.
- He liked Ariel because of the entrance and exit.. and because he loves trolling Gil.
- He loved cosplaying Carl Fredrickson from Up, because he did a photoshoot with balloons in the park, and to the kids who saw him there, he wasn't Osric Chau cosplaying, he was Carl Fredickson, being played by some dude.
The next question was about GISHWHES
- Osric didn't think he'd have time this year to do a single item, but he ended up doing a bunch.
- The most fun was the underwater ping pong. He did that one because he was staying in a place with a pool and realized all they needed was a ping pong table and an underwater case for his camera.
- He also went hang-gliding. That was possibly the most fun. One of the next questioners in line had gone right before him, so they had a laugh together about how sketchy the place was. Apparently, it was a sketchy place run by sketchy guys, and Osric dressed up as the Elopus, and the tentacles/trunk get Osric a lot of dick jokes. So he ended up in a van with a buch of sketchy dudes making dick jokes at him.
- Osric likes GISHWHES because it shows ou the world of possibilities that you usually shut down. Osric really likes the lesson of "Millions of people will say no to you, you shouldn't be one of them."
What was it like to die on the show?
- On the day of Kevin's death, it was the saddest thing. The crew and cast had gotten used to the idea that he was always going to be around, and then suddenly that changed. His last shot was him lying on the floor with his eyes covered with prostetics, so he couldn't see, he could just here Jensen saying "Kevin? Kevin?" and he couldn't go back to set after taking his make-up off to say goodbye properly, because he was too sad.
- But then he did get to go back (as ghost!Kevin) and that was nice, and he gets to come to Cons. Still, Osric said that it was like moving out of your childhood home, where you have to get used to the idea that someone else is sleeping in your bedroom now. He's "still adjusting."
Does he have any memorable birthdays?
- When Osric was a kid, he refused birthday presents, because he felt that his parents couldn't afford it. So, his birthday was never a big deal. When he was living in Beijing though, his roommate decided that they should go out for his birthday, and they went to the only Fatburger in China, which had just opened in Beijing and was considered a fancy restaurant. His roommate texted a bunch of people and they ended up with a crowd of thirty. Someone had gone to a cake shop and bought a boob/penis cake. Then they went to a bunch of Chinese clubs, and everyone (except Osric) got really drunk and hilarious. "It was fun... there were so many lasers."
The next question was about the Hillywood Supernatural Parody and his Amy Wong cameo.
- Osric explained how it was his cosplay at VegasCon, because he was doing a panel with Lauren, so he wore it for the dance section of the Parody video too, because they filmed those at VegasCon.
Osric: "My most popular cosplays are the sluttiest ones."
If he were a tree, what tree would he be?
- Pine from the Pacific North West. Osric asked what the questioner would be - maple
Osric: "Ah, Canadian."
The next question was about Cosplays that Osric has made himself.
- The hardest one was Kirby, because he didn't know about constructing with chicken wire at that point, so it was all papermache and cardboard. He also made it too big at first and couldn't fit it through the door. Even when it fit through the door, it was so big and awkward that he had to borrow his mom's minivan to drive it around.
Would Osric cosplay as Gil?
- Osric laughed at himself and told us that he first thought the questioner was asking him if he'd skin Gil and wear his skin, and he was like "... maybe in the right circumstance."
- The questioner informed Osric of how Gil said that he liked Princess Jasmine, and Osric was delighted to hear this. "I like the idea of Gil as Princess Jasmine. [...] I could be Aladdin, or Abu, or the Tiger!!!! No, that's too crazy."
The next questioner taught Middle School and wondered if Osric had any memories of Middle School.
- Osric had to get her to specify what Middle School was, because "I never did that."
"You were never 10-13 years old?"
- Canada has a different school system than the US, and we don't have Middle School up here. Osric had Primary, Elementary, and High School.
- Ages 9-13 were a very dark time for Osric. He was a very violent child. He was a real proponent of social justice, but he always tried to solve everything through violence. Also, they introduced algerbra around that time and suddenly a subject that he had excelled at (math) became his worst subject and that affected his self-identity and self-worth a lot.
Osric: "I tried to kill my brother's friend in Grade 5 ... [...] instead of talking to someone, I tried to kill him."
- It was an important lesson for Osric, about how when bullying was happening, you should talk to someone about it instead of trying to murder people.
Osric: "We've all tried to kill out brother's friends, haven't we?"
[I really love the fact that Osric talks about this. There's a huge tendency these days to villify people for mistakes... to seemingly believe that if someone screw up once, they're a horrible person who can never be redeemed or can never learn and grow and become a better person because of it. I think it's a pretty toxic thing to believe that people are just bad or good forever and there's no possibility to change, and no understanding, and no forgiveness. Personally, I think that everyone goes through a stage (or two) in their life when they're a horrible person, and if you don't think that's true and you don't think you've ever been a horrible person, you are either forgetting 95% of your childhood and teenage years, or you are currently IN the stage where you are a horrible person. Anyway, my point is, I like that Osric is honest about how he was a violent child who tried to murder people at one point in his life, because it just goes to show that people can change and become wonderful, and you should give them a chance to... by explaining that murder perhaps isn't the answer.]
The next question was about Tough Mudder.
- It was so much fun! But Osrics knees and hips gave out on him.
- Tahmoh recommended a physical therapist that has helped a lot.
Osric: "And they're just massaging all my parts... so I can go the distance... no, so I can get back on my knees..." (At this point, Osric dissolved into accidental innuendo induced laughter.)
- Osric suggests doing Tough Mudder with friends, or joining up with a team when you get there.
Rob and Rich came on stage at this point and agreed with Osric that you should do Tough Mudder with friends. Then they told the story about how Richard had put their names and ages on the back of their shirts, but then people kept stopping Jared and Jensen for selfies. The hilarious part though was that at the end of the race, they went to order beer, but Rob and Jensen didn't have their IDs, but Rob tried to prove his age by pointing to the number on his shirt, like it was some sort of official document, rather than a number he had written himself.
And thus endeth Osric's panel.
Erica Carroll
This was Erica's first convention. And wow! She looks so different when she's herself and not Hannah - I wouldn't have been able to recognize her, honestly. Her face is so expressive and she has such a different personality... it's not like I expected her to be the same as Hannah or anything, but it's amazing how much a change in personality changes the way someone looks for me.
She thanked us for having her. She said that she's never had a role that people loved or hated so much.
If she could play a magical creature other than an angel?
- A unicorn. She wanted to be a unicorn as a kid and asked Santa for a costume, but he never came through for her.
Memorable stories from set?
- She was there the day that Jensen and Jared explained "You went to theatre school!" to Misha, and it was hilarious. It was the hardest she laughed on set.
- She was also in a shot with Misha when Jared and Jensen were really harrassing him - Jared was touching him inappropriately and everything. Erica was always trying not to smile though because she didn't want to get fired, so she just had to pretend like they were making her angry rather than amused.
- And there was one time that the whole cast and crew sang her Happy Birthday, and she had to try not to cry.
The next questioner started off by saying that they loved Hannah, even when she came back as a different vessel, she cried.
Erica: "Me too! *mimics crying* He's doing a very good job!"
3 words to describe Misha?
-Inspirational, Kind, and Intelligent.
-Erica can't make a joke about it, because she thinks he's a reallly stellar dude.
What kind of relationship does she think Hannah and Castiel had?
- Erica thinks that Hannah had a deep respect and care for Cas, but that it was not sexual at all. Hannah was confused because of the human vessel, but her own feelings weren't of romantic attraction.
What's her favourite place to travel to?
- Tuscany.
Best Advice she's ever received?
- There was a "moment I realized that there is no one like me and the value in that." The pressure in society is to conform, but your value is being yourself and unique.
If Erica could spend a day with Hannah, what would she do?
- She'd go to heaven.
To cause trouble or be good?
- Be good *Erica crosses her fingers behind her back*
- Erica has lots of people to visit in Heaven.
Where would you have liked Hannah to go if she hadn't left her vessel?
- The fact that she is running heaven is awesome.
- Hannah could have been a good influence on keeping the boys making positive choices. But, Erica knows that lots of people didn't like that Hannah followed the rules so strictly.
What would Erica have done differently in the nude scene with Cas?
- She would have had a bubble bath, not a shower.
The next questioner was wondering about the nude scene, because as an angel, it wouldn't matter, but as an actress, you'd have to be nude...
- It was a body double. Erica, personally, doesn't do those scenes. It's a choice she has made at the moment. For her close-ups, she was in a halter top. For the shot of her nude back, it was another woman.
If you could change somehting in the storyline?
- She wouldn't change things. She loved the way everyone hated her and liked that people had a knee-jerk reaction, and then had to reassess. She was sad when she left, but thought she created a lot of interesting conflict and drama, "which is why you watch TV."
Does she have a prediction for Heaven in S11?
- No clue. She watched the S10 finale just last night and was biting her nails "Is the car going to be strong enough!? Should they run back into the house?!"
- Erica asked the questioner what she thought - and the questioner thought it'd be cool to watch Hannah running the office. Erica agreed.
Favourite quality and least favourite quality of Hannah's?
- Hannah didn't want anyone else to die.
- She's so stiff! It was hard for Erica to not be expressive in her face. So, the physicality was hard, but she liked Hannah's childlike wonder too.
How did she feel about the male actor playing Hannah?
- She was biting her pillow watching. She thought he did a really nice job. "I forgive him."
Favourite Character she's ever played?
- Hannah is right up there. She also played a character in a webseries called Paranomal Solutions Inc, that she really liked. But Hannah is her favourite, because she likes angels.
Erica also played some characters in S1, what was it like coming back 8-9 years later?
- Much more relaxed. In S1, it was more of "OMG, he's so cute!!" She was able to enjoy it more this time.
At this point, Erica asked the audience if there were any location experts. A few people raised their hands, and she called them up to the stage. Then Ruth Connell wandered out from backstage holding a map and pretending to be lost.
Erica had prepared a little locations quiz!! She showed us stills from her episodes, and the locations experts had to say the location of the shot... or the episode number. They got cupcakes as prizes.
Ruth stayed out and explained that her and Erica had met online 4 years ago. They had a mutual friend named Liam who introduced them, and they become good friends. When Ruth got the Supernatural job, they asked her how tall she was, because "she might have to fight Erica Carroll" and Ruth was like "I might have to fight the only Canadian I know?!"
With that, Richard and Rob came out and joined the girls in some banter, that I didn't write notes on (most likely, I was busy laughing.)
And that's all my notes for Friday panels.
I went home for dinner at this point and then returned for...
Karaoke!
Karoke was a ton of fun. They had better songs this year than last year, and less technical difficulties. The DJ was pretty good too, because he could participate a little and help out the weaker singers without over powering them too much.
Matt couldn't make it, but he sent a funny video claiming that Rob had kidnapped him and stuffed him in a room somewhere, so that Rob could take his place.
Richard and Rob had come dressed as Thing 1 (Rich) and Thing 2.5 (Rob)
There was also a TON of actors there. Briana Buckmaster came! She was awesome! Really rocking and just a wonderful personality... I'm really disappointed that they didn't have her on a panel this year. I'm half tempted to go down to the Seattle Con in 2016, where both her and Kim are already scheduled to appear.
Theo Davaney also came to Karaoke and was ADORABLE. He danced around and loved singing...and yeah, super adorable guy, geez.
Tyler and Gil were there too. Gil sang on a few songs. Erica and Ruth showed up in costume as Thelma and Louise. I swear, if there isn't suddenly slash fic about Hannah and Rowena after this weekend, fandom has failed us.
The funniest thing I think I saw was the fact that Ruth had a flask with her, and was offering some of the girls who came up to sing a swig - she did this a few times, and I saw at least one girl take her up on it... and then, I saw Ruth offer the flask to one girl, and my lip-reading skills are good enough that I observed the following conversation:
Girl: "What's in it?"
Ruth: "Whiskey"
Girl: "I'm sixteen, so..."
*Ruth realizes with dawning horror that she may have been offering underage girls whiskey all night*
I burst out laughing in the audience.
I didn't manage to stay there until the end though. I was SUPER tired. At one point, my brain actually fell asleep. My eyes were still open, I was still standing up, I was still singing along to the song, but my brain fell asleep and then woke up again - and I was like "whoa, where am I? Why am I singing Journey?"
Anyway, I decided at about 12:15 that I should go get the train home.
And that was Friday!
It's the first (and only?) year at the Convention Centre instead of the Sheraton Wall Centre, so I didn't know quite where I was going. Although I'm a local, I'd never actually been in the east building of the Convention Centre. It's pretty... marble-y (she says, while sitting in the hallway on her laptop on Sunday). It's also way more formal a feel than the Con felt at the Wall Centre. One thing is that they have us line up in a long cue in another room before they let us into the main theatre - this felt ridiculous after years of just milling around willynilly as we pleased... but I realized after my initial indignation that it's probably for fire safety reasons... and also because the Convention Centre's East Building doubles as a cruise-ship port, so you have a LOT of tourists coming through with their suitcases, and the hallways have to be kept clear of fangirls for this reason.
Anyway, I got to the Con, and I found some friends, and we eventually got into the theatre! Yay!
Louden Swain kicked things off with a high energy "Are you gonna go my way?" and then Richard Speight came out to host.
Richard is really an amazing MC. I don't know if newer con goers even realize just how much the cons have evolved from very sterile bland experiences (outside of the panels) to the all around entertaining show that they are today. The first year I went was the first year they turned karaoke into a real party, and that's really where the improvements started happening.
Anyway, I digress...
Richard and Rob are a great comedy duo and I really can't record all their jokes, because it would be like trying to record an improve/stand-up routine, and it's just not possible to a)write that quickly or b)capture the hilarity of the jokes. But it was great - from Rob doing a shaker solo, to Richard saying that he thought Rob was going to "pop something" and them both delivering the punch line of "it already popped" in reference to Rob's stroke two years ago... and see, that doesn't sound funny, but it was hilarious. You can't "report" comedy bits.
Gil McKenny
The first guest of the con! Yay! Gil started his panel by talking about how beautiful Vancouver is. Explaining that he and his wife were eating down by the water, and there was a seal, and a seagull swooping by, and it was so beautiful that it was like a TV show.
He started the panel by talking just briefly about Always Keep Fighting and the charity Attitudes in Reverse, which is trying to break the social stigma around mental illness and address mental health in youth. Gil talked about the SPN family and how everyone should know that they have friends they can lean on and that they aren't alone.
The first official question of the panel was whether Gil would be interested in a Men of Letters spin-off series.
- Gil is "definitely interested in working... in a spin off." He'd love it. He's just not sure it's going to happen, but he'd love it if it did.
He was asked about his recent move to New York.
- It's like starting over when it comes to auditions. New York is a very competitive environment. He's going to say and stick it out until January or Febuary, but then he might leave again when the weather gets really bad. Gil's dogs don't really like New York. Or, at least one of them doesn't. His dog, Willy, got bitten by another dog, and now Willy is being a jerk about New York. Sammy, his other dog, is doing well though, and likes to piss on everything in the city.
The next question was whether Gil was more comfortable in working environments that were all male, all female, or 50/50?
- "Depends on what the project is..." *suggestive look* "If New York doesn't work out..."
- Gil decided 50/50 was good.
Was Gil intimidated by the role of Henry Winchester?
- "It made sense to me..." that he would be related to such attractive men as JDM, Matt Cohen, Jared and Jensen, Gil joked. In truth, he didn't really realize how important the role was when he got it. He knew it was cool to be a Winchester, but it really didn't hit him until later.
Gil then recognized a girl in the audience as someone he had taken a picture of last year. She yelled and asked him if he still had it.
Gil: "Somewhere on my phone..." then he paused and started again, "I look at it every night, and sometimes in the morning." he suggestively replied.
If he could be a disney prince OTHER than Eric.
- Charming? But, he's also always wanted to play Gaston.
Was there a particular song that Gil likes to sing?
- Gil started singing "As Time Goes By" immediately, and we all clapped after the first verse... and then he paused only for a moment before going into the second verse.. then we clapped after the second verse, and then he paused again and went into the third verse... and we all had a good laugh.
Any pranks?
- Gil mentioned (briefly) Jensen's prank of doing an unexpected 180 in the Impala and scaring the crap out of Gil.
The next question, I have in my notes as:
"SPN Family - Part of your world - TOcon - guys."
And I can't remember what that means and what memory it's supposed to trigger. I know at one point, someone told him that he sang Part of Your World at Toronto Con... and but I'm not sure what the other words mean. Sorry! Note-taking fail! Instead, you get a glimpse into what my notes look like. They are literally mostly comprised of keywords that I'm supposed to remember the meaning of.
Gil was asked about his friendship with Alainna.
- He said they've become good friends, but it's been funny, because although they started in the same episode, Alainna ended up doing tons more episodes as Abaddon than Gil did as Henry (because she killed him, of course). So, he used to call her to help him with his auditions, and she'd be like 'I'd love to, but I'm in Vancouver shooting Supernatural...' and Gil would be like "I'm so happy for you, that's great..." *said while seething in envy*
- Gil says that it's kind of funny, because most of the Supernatural cast at the conventions have never worked together, but they all still feel like they have and that they're all family.
The next question was about GISHWHES
- Gil talked about how he ended up on a New York street corner, shirtless, with two girls applying butter to his torso. "Two girls... that I hope were of age." And there were two guys sitting in car not far off just staring at them in confusion.
What's been the single best decision of his life so far?
- Getting married - "Just in case she's here." Gil then went on to say that they didn't actually get a honeymoon, though immediately after their wedding, they went to a SPN con, but his wife said that didn't count. Still, they're going to an SPN Con in Europe next spring, and they're taking a few weeks to travel around it, so that will be a honeymoon.
Who would he like to play Millie Winchester?
- Annabelle Wallis. Gil is a big fan of hers, but she doesn't know who Gil is. Gil then asked the audience for suggestions and some guy (in a very deep voice) yelled out "Me!" Gil laughed and said, "That's what I'm talking about! [...] Milton, not Millie."
What's the weirdest thing he's seen in New York?
- Himself, getting covered in butter.
- Really, he's just seen a bunch of people vomiting on the sidewalk.
- And if he did see people covered in bodypaint and glitter, he'd be sure they'd be heading down to Time Square to do something for Misha Collins.
What Disney PRINCESS would he be?
- Probably Ariel. She was his favourite as a kid. An audience member suggests that's because of the clam-shell bra. Gil says, "clam-shell bra, red hair, fishtail... I'm really into fish."
- An audience member mentions the time that Osric cosplayed Ariel. Gil told us about how the Eric costume that Osric brought for him was too small - it looks like Eric had really let himself go. "Too much fried sea food." When the audience groaned, Gil chastized us for having dirty minds.
- Gil also really likes Jasmine, so probably her.
Who's his favourite character on SPN besides Henry?
- Adam Rose's character in Everybody Hates Hitler.
Would Jensen kill him if they cast Danneel as Millie Winchester?
- Gil was very excited about the idea, but joked that it would make for awkward dynamics on set. Ultimately though, he'd be okay with it, but he wouldn't want to fight Jensen.
Has SPN ever lead him to find himself in a conversation that would be very weird for someone to overhear without context?
- Gil was in a restaurant once when a fan recognized him. They had a chat. A year later, they ran into each other again while Gil was trying to buy groceries, and the fan was going on and on about his story story ideas and what the SPN producers should do with Henry's character - and it was all very well intentioned, but it got him VERY odd looks from the cashier and was very awkward.
The final question was from a professional-singer fan, who wondered if he'd do a duet with a fan at karaoke, and if he did, what would he want to sing?
- Gil couldn't decide and suggested that they come up with something before that evening, and he'd see what he could do.
Tyler Johnston
The next panel of the day was Tyler, who played Samandrial most recently, and Matthew Pike back in S1's Bugs.
Resurrecting the old "Porncouver" joke from the past few years, Richard asked him what his porn name would be - Shakey Cottonwood.
Does Tyler have any party tricks?
- Like to get the party started? Gangster hiphop and try to start the dance floor. Other than that - Cocktails. That's the G rated version. What's the R rated version? Take his clothes off and jump on the couch.
If he were a tree what tree would he be?
- Cottonwood... or a Christmas tree, so that people could "put gifts under me, hang things off of me... and then when your done throw me out!"
Favourite food?
- Sushi. Hamburgers - he nearly had Fatburger for breakfast. Tyler then just started listing foods, because he really likes food.
What was the major differences between his SPN experience in S1 and S8?
- "Jared and Jensen didn't speak to me either time," Tyler jokes. His first episode in S1, he was only 17 and it was the first time that he had been a guest star on an episode. He was very very very excited. In S8, Jared remembered him! Not by name, but he knew he'd been on the show before way back when.
The next question was extremely similar to the previous one.
- It was really cool to come back and be an angel. At a past convention, Tyler said that they had figured that maybe it had been the same character - Matthew Pike had left home, opened his own Weiner Hut, and then gotten possessed. They just couldn't explain the name change.
The next questioner asked him whether he was proud to be from Vancouver?
- Tyler recognized the questioner as someone he had gone to high school with! He seemed delighted, if not a little bit thrown by the circumstance of him being on stage and her asking him questions.
- His answer to the question is that he's very proud of being from Vancouver. He's very thankful to be from such a beautiful place.
- Tyler, as it turns out, lives in neighbourhood! Haha. He lives near Commercial Drive and went on a brief rant about how they want to put up condo towers and it would ruin one of the last old neighbourhoods in Vancouver (I agree). He then apologized for the rant (a true Canadian).
What would his wedding song be?
- Rough Riders by DMX or anything by Dr. Dre.
Favourite part of being an angel?
- The outfit. At first, he hated the outfit because it was super dorky, but then he realized that it was also very distinctive and made the character instantly recognizable and unique - and now he gets all sorts of cool fanart drawn of his character, and he loves it.
- He didn't realize what an exclusive club being an angel was until he died.
- He also thought it was cool that Misha, the main angel on the show, was the one "to kill me and hold me while I died... in his arms."
- He also thought it was cool to learn the angel language.
- So, learning the language and being held by Misha were his favorite parts of being an angel.
How were the torture scenes?
- They sucked! The metal thing was digging into his temples th whole time and they had him strapped in a chair so he couldn't move, and they didn't always have time between takes to unstrap him.
- But, Tyler pointed out that if you're comparing it to actual tortore, it wasn't that bad.
What's been the best advice he's been given?
- Tyler Labine, another Vancouver actor, told him that no matter how sucky the project he's auditioning for, he should "go into the audition and do the best job you can do, because whenever you audition you are representing yourself, and you don't want to represent yourself badly." The same people who are making a crappy project today, might be making an amazing project five years from now, and you want them to remember you as a good actor and a capable professional.
Was there any fooling around on set?
- Tyler watched Jared and Jensen pull a prank on a stunt guy. Jared pretended to get hurt in a stunt when fighting the stunt guy, just to make the stunt guy freak out. Jared was also trying to prank Misha, but Misha was on guard for it.
- SPN is a very friendly and efficient set. They have fun, but it doesn't get in the way of getting things done.
If he could play another character, who would he play?
- The boys are too easy an answer. "Misha's also too easy.. Mark's too easy."
- Tyler's friend Scott Patey once played someone who was roleplaying Sam and got killed in a hallway (Real Ghostbusters in S5) and Tyler thinks that would be a cool part to play.
Favourite joke?
- Why'd the robber take a bath? So he could make a clean getaway.
The next questioner said that Bugs is one of her favourite episodes. Does Tyler have any good memories of it?
- Tyler mentions how he knows it's not a fan favourite and is listed as one of the worst episodes. He went in to audition for a roll in Revolution and he was reading for John Faveau and Eric Kripke, and Kripke saw his resume and told him that it was ranked as the "worst episode" and Tyler sarcastically informed us that it was a real confidence booster for his audition.
- Tyler then went on to tell us about Kim Manners (the Bee Story as fandom has dubbed it.) Telling us that working with Kim was a good memory and he was a very sweet man.
What was the best prank pulled on Tyler in his life?
- Tyler said that he has a pretty good sense of humour, except when people are messing with him. He had friends stand him up completely once, as punishment for him always being late - but Tyler really just considers that mean, rather than funny.
- Tyler used to play hockey and lacrosse in school... and here he rerailed into telling us about the dream he had last night where Michael J Fox was his lacrosse couch and spent the whole dream yelling at him. Tyler wonders what it means. [And asks if anyone in the audience does dream interpretation... I actually do, but refrained from saying anything, as the kind of dream interpretation I do is the deeply psychological stuff that's more like therapy than things you talk about in public arenas.]
- Tyler got back on track and told us how one of his friends swapped out another player's body wash with Tiger Balm and yeah, it ended up on the guy's penis and that stuff burns like crazy...
Tyler: "I have so many burning penis stories."
- Again, Tyler doesn't think it's funny, just mean.
Favourite Superhero that he'd want to play?
- Batman, even though it's cliche. Tyler also wants to see Ant-Man, because he loves Paul Rudd.
- He'd also like to be Robin, but not the brightly dressed Robin, more the Nightwing Robin.
The next question was about the Hillywood Parody video and how he looked like was having so much fun in it.
- He felt ridiculous when he was doing it. And he literally only danced for 30 seconds. He then mentioned how he heard one cast member had their shirt off for it (Matt Cohen) and Tyler wanted to know why they hadn't asked him to take his shirt off. Someone told him "I don't think they had to ask" and Tyler laughed and said "okay then"
- Tyler then talked about how fans remember things. Like he told a story at a convention about how his friend didn't want to put sunscreen on his dick when they went to Wreck Beach (the local nudist beach here in Van) because he was worried people would see him putting it on and think he was playing with himself - and he ended up getting a sunburn - and he STILL gets people tweeting him pictures of "Sunny D"
What position did he play in Hockey?
- He was centre in High School, but now plays left wing. He sucks at defense because he forgets to come back and just turns into an offensive player.
What's his favourite place to travel to or where would he like to travel?
- He shot a show in France for a while, when he was 18. But his favourite place is probably Hawaii. He'd love to go to Japan. The questioner has been to Japan and urges him to do so.
Has SPN opened any doors to other projects?
- Well, Kripke certainly remembered him. :P
- Any experience is good experience, and it looks good on his resume to have a well known show, with a multiple episode recurring character.
And with that, Tyler's panel came to a close.
Osric Chau
Richard and Rob did a grand build up for Osric, wondering what costume he was going to be wearing... and then Osric showed up in his regular clothes.
He explained that his cosplay that day had fallen through - and that sometimes things just don't work out and that's life. Osric had been working with a guy from Georgia (the US state, not the country) to develope a cosplay for VanCon, and it was supposed to be ready at the beginning of July so that it'd have time to ship... but then it wasn't ready. And then finally it was, and the guy actually drove for FOUR DAYS to get to Vancouver, and he arrived that very morning with the costume.. but Osric realized that the guy wasn't happy with it. Osric knew it was important to the guy to put his best work forward, so he said it was okay if the guy wanted to take more time. The guy packed up and was now driving all the way home to try again.
Osric then decided to tell us about his fun cellphone game he discovered. He had to delete the game he was playing before, because it was starting to give him sore fingers... but he found this new game where you collect stray cats by putting food out for them, and then you take pictures of them and name them, and it's super cute. Osric was delighted by the fact that the cats have little Xs for buttholes.
Then Osric realized he should probably open the panel for questions.
What's the strangest food he's ever eaten?
- He's eaten a lot of things. The only thing he didn't try was Pig Brain, because he had just watched Silence of the Lambs and it was too similar. Osrics eaten boh cats and dogs though. He liked dog better.
- The only thing he regretted eating was silkworm, which tastesd like it looked.
- He also ate live octopus once - it's weird because if you don't eat it right, it will crawl into your lungs and kill you.
Osric: "Funny enough, I'm actually trying to live a vegan lifestyle."
- Osric then asked the questioner what the weirdest food she ever ate was. She once ate horse food. Like Hay? No, like pellets. Osric thought it was hilarious that horses had pellets. The questioner admitted that it was a dare.
- Osric says that Jared will accept any dare and once ate this really gross cheese in Italy because someone dared him to.
If Osric could fancast a video game movie?
- Osric's always loved Super Smash Bros, but isn't sure what sort of movie it would make.
- He might actually be working on of his favourite video games soon, but he can't talk about it.
His favourite cosplays?
- Osric finds it hard to answer "favourite" questions, because he likes different things for different reasons.
- He liked Princess Bubblegum and Repunzel, because they kicked everything off.
- He liked Ariel because of the entrance and exit.. and because he loves trolling Gil.
- He loved cosplaying Carl Fredrickson from Up, because he did a photoshoot with balloons in the park, and to the kids who saw him there, he wasn't Osric Chau cosplaying, he was Carl Fredickson, being played by some dude.
The next question was about GISHWHES
- Osric didn't think he'd have time this year to do a single item, but he ended up doing a bunch.
- The most fun was the underwater ping pong. He did that one because he was staying in a place with a pool and realized all they needed was a ping pong table and an underwater case for his camera.
- He also went hang-gliding. That was possibly the most fun. One of the next questioners in line had gone right before him, so they had a laugh together about how sketchy the place was. Apparently, it was a sketchy place run by sketchy guys, and Osric dressed up as the Elopus, and the tentacles/trunk get Osric a lot of dick jokes. So he ended up in a van with a buch of sketchy dudes making dick jokes at him.
- Osric likes GISHWHES because it shows ou the world of possibilities that you usually shut down. Osric really likes the lesson of "Millions of people will say no to you, you shouldn't be one of them."
What was it like to die on the show?
- On the day of Kevin's death, it was the saddest thing. The crew and cast had gotten used to the idea that he was always going to be around, and then suddenly that changed. His last shot was him lying on the floor with his eyes covered with prostetics, so he couldn't see, he could just here Jensen saying "Kevin? Kevin?" and he couldn't go back to set after taking his make-up off to say goodbye properly, because he was too sad.
- But then he did get to go back (as ghost!Kevin) and that was nice, and he gets to come to Cons. Still, Osric said that it was like moving out of your childhood home, where you have to get used to the idea that someone else is sleeping in your bedroom now. He's "still adjusting."
Does he have any memorable birthdays?
- When Osric was a kid, he refused birthday presents, because he felt that his parents couldn't afford it. So, his birthday was never a big deal. When he was living in Beijing though, his roommate decided that they should go out for his birthday, and they went to the only Fatburger in China, which had just opened in Beijing and was considered a fancy restaurant. His roommate texted a bunch of people and they ended up with a crowd of thirty. Someone had gone to a cake shop and bought a boob/penis cake. Then they went to a bunch of Chinese clubs, and everyone (except Osric) got really drunk and hilarious. "It was fun... there were so many lasers."
The next question was about the Hillywood Supernatural Parody and his Amy Wong cameo.
- Osric explained how it was his cosplay at VegasCon, because he was doing a panel with Lauren, so he wore it for the dance section of the Parody video too, because they filmed those at VegasCon.
Osric: "My most popular cosplays are the sluttiest ones."
If he were a tree, what tree would he be?
- Pine from the Pacific North West. Osric asked what the questioner would be - maple
Osric: "Ah, Canadian."
The next question was about Cosplays that Osric has made himself.
- The hardest one was Kirby, because he didn't know about constructing with chicken wire at that point, so it was all papermache and cardboard. He also made it too big at first and couldn't fit it through the door. Even when it fit through the door, it was so big and awkward that he had to borrow his mom's minivan to drive it around.
Would Osric cosplay as Gil?
- Osric laughed at himself and told us that he first thought the questioner was asking him if he'd skin Gil and wear his skin, and he was like "... maybe in the right circumstance."
- The questioner informed Osric of how Gil said that he liked Princess Jasmine, and Osric was delighted to hear this. "I like the idea of Gil as Princess Jasmine. [...] I could be Aladdin, or Abu, or the Tiger!!!! No, that's too crazy."
The next questioner taught Middle School and wondered if Osric had any memories of Middle School.
- Osric had to get her to specify what Middle School was, because "I never did that."
"You were never 10-13 years old?"
- Canada has a different school system than the US, and we don't have Middle School up here. Osric had Primary, Elementary, and High School.
- Ages 9-13 were a very dark time for Osric. He was a very violent child. He was a real proponent of social justice, but he always tried to solve everything through violence. Also, they introduced algerbra around that time and suddenly a subject that he had excelled at (math) became his worst subject and that affected his self-identity and self-worth a lot.
Osric: "I tried to kill my brother's friend in Grade 5 ... [...] instead of talking to someone, I tried to kill him."
- It was an important lesson for Osric, about how when bullying was happening, you should talk to someone about it instead of trying to murder people.
Osric: "We've all tried to kill out brother's friends, haven't we?"
[I really love the fact that Osric talks about this. There's a huge tendency these days to villify people for mistakes... to seemingly believe that if someone screw up once, they're a horrible person who can never be redeemed or can never learn and grow and become a better person because of it. I think it's a pretty toxic thing to believe that people are just bad or good forever and there's no possibility to change, and no understanding, and no forgiveness. Personally, I think that everyone goes through a stage (or two) in their life when they're a horrible person, and if you don't think that's true and you don't think you've ever been a horrible person, you are either forgetting 95% of your childhood and teenage years, or you are currently IN the stage where you are a horrible person. Anyway, my point is, I like that Osric is honest about how he was a violent child who tried to murder people at one point in his life, because it just goes to show that people can change and become wonderful, and you should give them a chance to... by explaining that murder perhaps isn't the answer.]
The next question was about Tough Mudder.
- It was so much fun! But Osrics knees and hips gave out on him.
- Tahmoh recommended a physical therapist that has helped a lot.
Osric: "And they're just massaging all my parts... so I can go the distance... no, so I can get back on my knees..." (At this point, Osric dissolved into accidental innuendo induced laughter.)
- Osric suggests doing Tough Mudder with friends, or joining up with a team when you get there.
Rob and Rich came on stage at this point and agreed with Osric that you should do Tough Mudder with friends. Then they told the story about how Richard had put their names and ages on the back of their shirts, but then people kept stopping Jared and Jensen for selfies. The hilarious part though was that at the end of the race, they went to order beer, but Rob and Jensen didn't have their IDs, but Rob tried to prove his age by pointing to the number on his shirt, like it was some sort of official document, rather than a number he had written himself.
And thus endeth Osric's panel.
Erica Carroll
This was Erica's first convention. And wow! She looks so different when she's herself and not Hannah - I wouldn't have been able to recognize her, honestly. Her face is so expressive and she has such a different personality... it's not like I expected her to be the same as Hannah or anything, but it's amazing how much a change in personality changes the way someone looks for me.
She thanked us for having her. She said that she's never had a role that people loved or hated so much.
If she could play a magical creature other than an angel?
- A unicorn. She wanted to be a unicorn as a kid and asked Santa for a costume, but he never came through for her.
Memorable stories from set?
- She was there the day that Jensen and Jared explained "You went to theatre school!" to Misha, and it was hilarious. It was the hardest she laughed on set.
- She was also in a shot with Misha when Jared and Jensen were really harrassing him - Jared was touching him inappropriately and everything. Erica was always trying not to smile though because she didn't want to get fired, so she just had to pretend like they were making her angry rather than amused.
- And there was one time that the whole cast and crew sang her Happy Birthday, and she had to try not to cry.
The next questioner started off by saying that they loved Hannah, even when she came back as a different vessel, she cried.
Erica: "Me too! *mimics crying* He's doing a very good job!"
3 words to describe Misha?
-Inspirational, Kind, and Intelligent.
-Erica can't make a joke about it, because she thinks he's a reallly stellar dude.
What kind of relationship does she think Hannah and Castiel had?
- Erica thinks that Hannah had a deep respect and care for Cas, but that it was not sexual at all. Hannah was confused because of the human vessel, but her own feelings weren't of romantic attraction.
What's her favourite place to travel to?
- Tuscany.
Best Advice she's ever received?
- There was a "moment I realized that there is no one like me and the value in that." The pressure in society is to conform, but your value is being yourself and unique.
If Erica could spend a day with Hannah, what would she do?
- She'd go to heaven.
To cause trouble or be good?
- Be good *Erica crosses her fingers behind her back*
- Erica has lots of people to visit in Heaven.
Where would you have liked Hannah to go if she hadn't left her vessel?
- The fact that she is running heaven is awesome.
- Hannah could have been a good influence on keeping the boys making positive choices. But, Erica knows that lots of people didn't like that Hannah followed the rules so strictly.
What would Erica have done differently in the nude scene with Cas?
- She would have had a bubble bath, not a shower.
The next questioner was wondering about the nude scene, because as an angel, it wouldn't matter, but as an actress, you'd have to be nude...
- It was a body double. Erica, personally, doesn't do those scenes. It's a choice she has made at the moment. For her close-ups, she was in a halter top. For the shot of her nude back, it was another woman.
If you could change somehting in the storyline?
- She wouldn't change things. She loved the way everyone hated her and liked that people had a knee-jerk reaction, and then had to reassess. She was sad when she left, but thought she created a lot of interesting conflict and drama, "which is why you watch TV."
Does she have a prediction for Heaven in S11?
- No clue. She watched the S10 finale just last night and was biting her nails "Is the car going to be strong enough!? Should they run back into the house?!"
- Erica asked the questioner what she thought - and the questioner thought it'd be cool to watch Hannah running the office. Erica agreed.
Favourite quality and least favourite quality of Hannah's?
- Hannah didn't want anyone else to die.
- She's so stiff! It was hard for Erica to not be expressive in her face. So, the physicality was hard, but she liked Hannah's childlike wonder too.
How did she feel about the male actor playing Hannah?
- She was biting her pillow watching. She thought he did a really nice job. "I forgive him."
Favourite Character she's ever played?
- Hannah is right up there. She also played a character in a webseries called Paranomal Solutions Inc, that she really liked. But Hannah is her favourite, because she likes angels.
Erica also played some characters in S1, what was it like coming back 8-9 years later?
- Much more relaxed. In S1, it was more of "OMG, he's so cute!!" She was able to enjoy it more this time.
At this point, Erica asked the audience if there were any location experts. A few people raised their hands, and she called them up to the stage. Then Ruth Connell wandered out from backstage holding a map and pretending to be lost.
Erica had prepared a little locations quiz!! She showed us stills from her episodes, and the locations experts had to say the location of the shot... or the episode number. They got cupcakes as prizes.
Ruth stayed out and explained that her and Erica had met online 4 years ago. They had a mutual friend named Liam who introduced them, and they become good friends. When Ruth got the Supernatural job, they asked her how tall she was, because "she might have to fight Erica Carroll" and Ruth was like "I might have to fight the only Canadian I know?!"
With that, Richard and Rob came out and joined the girls in some banter, that I didn't write notes on (most likely, I was busy laughing.)
And that's all my notes for Friday panels.
I went home for dinner at this point and then returned for...
Karaoke!
Karoke was a ton of fun. They had better songs this year than last year, and less technical difficulties. The DJ was pretty good too, because he could participate a little and help out the weaker singers without over powering them too much.
Matt couldn't make it, but he sent a funny video claiming that Rob had kidnapped him and stuffed him in a room somewhere, so that Rob could take his place.
Richard and Rob had come dressed as Thing 1 (Rich) and Thing 2.5 (Rob)
There was also a TON of actors there. Briana Buckmaster came! She was awesome! Really rocking and just a wonderful personality... I'm really disappointed that they didn't have her on a panel this year. I'm half tempted to go down to the Seattle Con in 2016, where both her and Kim are already scheduled to appear.
Theo Davaney also came to Karaoke and was ADORABLE. He danced around and loved singing...and yeah, super adorable guy, geez.
Tyler and Gil were there too. Gil sang on a few songs. Erica and Ruth showed up in costume as Thelma and Louise. I swear, if there isn't suddenly slash fic about Hannah and Rowena after this weekend, fandom has failed us.
The funniest thing I think I saw was the fact that Ruth had a flask with her, and was offering some of the girls who came up to sing a swig - she did this a few times, and I saw at least one girl take her up on it... and then, I saw Ruth offer the flask to one girl, and my lip-reading skills are good enough that I observed the following conversation:
Girl: "What's in it?"
Ruth: "Whiskey"
Girl: "I'm sixteen, so..."
*Ruth realizes with dawning horror that she may have been offering underage girls whiskey all night*
I burst out laughing in the audience.
I didn't manage to stay there until the end though. I was SUPER tired. At one point, my brain actually fell asleep. My eyes were still open, I was still standing up, I was still singing along to the song, but my brain fell asleep and then woke up again - and I was like "whoa, where am I? Why am I singing Journey?"
Anyway, I decided at about 12:15 that I should go get the train home.
And that was Friday!
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no subject
Date: 2015-09-01 09:37 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-09-02 06:08 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-09-01 11:03 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-09-02 06:08 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-09-01 12:05 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-09-02 06:09 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-09-01 01:06 pm (UTC)I am in awe of your mad note-taking/memory skills!
Can't wait for the next part!
no subject
Date: 2015-09-02 06:10 am (UTC)And my skills thank you for your awe, they've worked hard. ;)
Next part is officially up! (and split in two, because of LJ post limits (no wonder if took me all day to write it.)
no subject
Date: 2015-09-01 03:14 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-09-02 06:10 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-09-02 02:37 am (UTC)Sounds like a great con. :)
no subject
Date: 2015-09-02 06:11 am (UTC)It really was a great con. Perhaps the best? I don't know, it's hard to measure these things.
no subject
Date: 2015-09-02 11:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-10-11 02:36 am (UTC)