by Sami DeSocio
As actors we all have those that came before us that serve as inspirations and reminders of why we do what we do. There are even some that we consider our heroes, and we will look up to them and emulate them-and if we’re lucky, we might even meet them one day.
One of my personal heroes is Robby Benson. He voiced Beast in Beauty and the Beast, and I have been a follower of his ever since. Not only have I watched the movie on repeat, but I’ve also read both of his books, I’m Not Dead…Yet, and Who Stole the Funny? Both of which taught me more about being an actor and brought me more peace with myself than I have words to describe.
This past weekend, I stepped out of the world of theatre and into the world of convention-Chiller Theatre to be more specific, a con geared towards old TV and movie stars. The reason was simple. Robby Benson would be attending his first con and it was less than an hour from my house. There was no way I could miss this! And as I stood on the line to meet him, I couldn’t help but think of how lucky I was to meet one of my heroes and it got me thinking: is meeting your hero a good thing, or not?
The only reason I question this is because I’ve heard more than once that you shouldn’t meet your heroes. What if they don’t live up to your expectations? What if they’re just plain rude? Well, I’ve met some of my heroes and while I don’t always walk away with a warm, fuzzy feeling inside I’m always very thankful that our paths crossed-even for just a few moments.
If you ever do have the opportunity to come face to face with one of your heroes, just try to remember to take a deep breath, and try to tell them the most important thing you need them to know. You never know what might brighten their day! Say thank you, those words aren’t heard nearly enough today and it goes a long way in people remembering you. And finally, enjoy your time with them since it won’t last very long.
And how did I do with meeting Robby Benson? Well, he’s one of the nicest, sweetest, kindest heroes I’ve ever had the pleasure to meet.