Highlights of the A Wrinkle in Time World Premiere
Growing up I dreamt of being a celebrity and attending a red carpet premiere. I used to analyze all the dresses and imagine what it would be like to wear a beautiful long gown. This week that red carpet dream came true.
On Monday, I had the privilege of attending the red carpet premiere of Disney’s A Wrinkle in Time. While I was not a celebrity there and the carpet was blue instead of red, it was every bit as magical as I dreamed it would be as a child.
Disney invited a group of 25 bloggers to cover the event, including me! I squealed when I opened my inbox and saw the invitation. Our group walked the carpet, were among the first people in America to see the movie, and attended a Hollywood after party.
Yes, it was as spectacular as it sounds.
The Blue Carpet
Instead of red, the carpet was blue, which tied to the color palette of A Wrinkle in Time. (Ironically, the only other red carpet I have attended had a blue carpet too – Finding Dory!).
The carpet was lined with promotional images from the movie. Staff on the carpet are constantly pushing people to keep moving, but we did stop and get some photos. I felt so pretty in my dress (all the details here).
Across from us were media outlets filming interviews with the cast, screenwriters and director.
I love this video from Facebook that shows a bunch of the celebs that were there with us.
We then walked a few blocks to the El Capitan, which was the movie theater where the premiere was being held. Normally, the carpet would have been directly leading into the theater, but because of the Oscars on Sunday, which take place across from the El Capitan, the carpet couldn’t be in its normal location.
Once we arrived at the theater we were given special cases for our phones to be locked in. No cameras, phones or recording devices were allowed in the theater. Everyone was given free drinks and buckets of popcorn to enjoy during the movie.
The After Party & Celebrity Guests
The after party was held at nearby hotel in multiple rooms. There was tons of food, drinks and desserts. Loud music boomed throughout. Special photo booths and free gifts from Alex and Ani and Elizabeth Arden were also on hand.
It was especially exciting because so many celebrities were in attendance. My new friend Jennifer and I buddied up and went on a mission to meet the cast. We patiently waited near Oprah and Reese Witherspoon as they greeted and talked with friends.
After a little bit, Oprah walked toward us and we were able to politely ask for a quick photo. Taking a photo with Oprah was truly was a highlight of the entire experience for me. My only regret is that I was so very nervous that I lost all thoughts and didn’t share how much she has impacted me. (Read more about her impact on my life here.) We did not get to meet Reese because of her security. I so wish I could have shared our Nashville connection and how much I love her book club.
We also met Mindy Kaling! She was standing with a table of people, so we only spoke briefly, as I didn’t want to take too much of her time. She was kind and gracious. I loved her spirit.
We also met many of the kids from the cast including Storm Reid, Derric McCabe and Levi Miller. I asked each of them to sign my movie tie-in copy of A Wrinkle in Time
Toward the end of the night, I had the opportunity to meet director Ava Duvernay. It would not be exaggerating to say that the interview our group conducted with Ava the day before was transformative (more coming next week!). She is a force for good and someone that I esteem to the highest level. I had the opportunity to thank her for the good work she is doing and what an incredible privilege it was to meet her. I totally teared up. She is such a beautiful soul. (You might know her for her Oscar-winning director’s work on Selma or the Netflix documentary 13th.)
Other celebrities I saw included Tracee Ellis Ross, Angela Bassett, Laura Dern, Salma Hayek, Issa Rae, Sasha Lane and Susan Kelechi Watson. Beyonce and Jay-Z were also at the movie premiere with Blue Ivy, but I didn’t get to see them. I did overhear someone talking with Ava about them being there and enjoying the film.
My friend Vera made this great video recap of the night, if you want even more behind the scenes peaks!
Attending the A Wrinkle in Time premiere was a phenomenal, once in a lifetime experience that I will never, ever forget. In the coming week, I will share a full review of the film, which I loved, and interviews with the cast. Definitely pre-order your movie tickets now. This is a film you will want to see in the theater!