Last year, I attended the premiere of a movie franchise I knew nothing about, Breaking Dawn, the first of the final two movies of the Twilight series.
It was entertaining, sort of bizarre, and a true spectacle to see the thousands of people camped out in downtown LA, shrieking and sobbing as they watched Robert Pattinson and Kristin Stewart pout and grope each other in love scenes right out of a teenage novel written for grown adults. The whole thing was a sociological wonder to me and I didn’t feel judgmental about it so much as amused and fascinated.
So I went again this year to the final installment, Breaking Dawn 2. It was a lot like last year to be honest, but I knew better what to expect. Fancy Assistant Brandon came with me, wearing suspenders and a tie with his standard-issue Converse. (Sort of love him.) Read the rest of this entry →
Things you should know about “The Shiny Trinket Maneuver” AKA “Oh, it’s a tiara!”:
1. I only delivered the reaction to the tiara that way every single time we rehearsed it for five days. It was my instinct to do it exactly that way and I was never told to do it otherwise.
2. The original line was, “Oh my God, it’s a tiara!” but I don’t like to say God’s name “in vain” or in performance (since my “Blossom” days) so I just sort of vocalized my way out of the “my God” part and no one said anything to me so I kept doing it that way.
3. “Put it on me,” was scripted to be said five times, but the audience was laughing so hard I just kept it going to cover the time until the next line so Kaley Cuoco (who plays Penny) would not be left hanging and waiting.
4. I had no idea what the physicality of my performance looked like until I watched the scene at home. (I hate watching myself as I discussed in my review of “The Isolation Permutation” for Kveller.com.) I know what it felt like though; a total melting; a collapse; the conveyed intent was that Sheldon’s understanding of me was so deep and so perfect and so touching and so profound that it literally weakened my knees. I have been lucky enough to have that feeling a few times in my life of literally being weakened by a man’s affection, and I have found it powerful and comedic, even in its profundity and tenderness.
5. In one rehearsal, my “Of course I do [look beautiful]! I’m a princess and this is my tiara!” came out too intense. Our director, Mark Cendrowski, told me, rightfully, that I seemed angry. A point well taken. I adjusted it by backing off and making sure to gush instead of gloat.
6. Originally, Amy left the scene’s focus to admire herself in the mirror after kissing Sheldon. One of our executive producers suggested I embrace him after the kiss and linger in his arms awkwardly. I think it was a brilliant suggestion.
7. Jim didn’t put his hands on my back in every take to ‘embrace’ me after I hug him. Sometimes his hands just hovered, but obviously what you saw on TV was the version of the scene that our editors and producers liked best.
8. I never got to see Kaley Cuoco’s reaction to me during the scene because I was so all over the place and out of focus in the moment. I love how adoringly she looks at me after she puts the tiara on me.
10. I love performing the words of our incredible writers. I couldn’t have written that scene if my life depended on it. But I will perform it–and others–for you as if it does.
Mayim Bialik is the grandchild of immigrants from Eastern Europe and the mother of two young boys. She is best known for her lead role in the 1990s NBC sitcom Blossom, as well as her current role as Amy Farrah Fowler on CBS' The Big Bang Theory.
Last year, I attended the premiere of a movie franchise I knew nothing about, Breaking Dawn, the first of the final two movies of the Twilight series.
