Every year, Dragon Con calls upon many big name guests, from a multitude of creative outlets. Included are many actors appearing in SciFi related series and movies, among all mediums imaginable. This year was no exception. In fact, the talent list, in my humble opinion, seemed a bit off center, with many more interesting characters than previous years.
I am not known to be a star struck kind of person, which made a stroll through the Dragon Con Walk of Fame somewhat enticing. I am much more fascinated by the reactions others have to their favorite celebrities, and the measures people take to get that special selfie with the character of their admiration. Through my traipsing of the Marriott Ballroom, I saw a lot of what I expected; famous folks with long lines of people waiting to get a photo signed, enjoying the scenes where people were truly engaged with their admirers, and feeling sad for the few (who will remain nameless) who were simply going through the motions to get through the lines.
After a few minutes, I was happily the recipient of a little bit of serendipity. Rose Siggin, ‘Legless Suzi’ on the past season of American Horror Story (AHS), had just set up shop to meet her fans, and nobody else had noticed, yet. I was free and clear to walk up and say hello. Anybody who knows of Siggin, knows she is an extraordinary actor, who has overcome incredible physical challenges. Despite her hard persona on AHS, she is quite down to earth and humble. I found myself asking about her personal experience working on the set of AHS. Right from the first response, it was evident how much her family is the priority of her life. With her husband and daughter at her side, behind the table, she spoke of times when Kathy Bates endearingly chased her daughter on the set, the support of her family during filming, and the comradely among the cast (Bates, Bassett, Roberts). She has a true appreciation for her work and her life.
Adding to the fortune of my day, upon leaving the Marriot, I was informed I was selected to partake in a Q&A session with Amber Benson on the following day. Benson, who is well known for her portrayal of Tara on the cult classic, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, is a returning guest to Dragon Con. She started her professional career as a child actor at age 13. Twenty-five years later, she has migrated to the world of writing and directing. Among the many commitments she had throughout the weekend, she started Thursday by leading a two day acting workshop. This is where the discussion began.
A very relaxed Benson walked into the room of reporters, nonchalantly mingling among the crowd while migrating to the front of the room. She sat on the stool in a crossed legged, yoga style position and connected immediately with all in the room. I describe the Q&A session as a discussion, because Benson we talked about the topics as a group. It was relaxed, and open, and informative. Her career as an actress, her love of the scary, her advice for actors breaking into the business – all of it. For more details to the life of the former Buffy star, take a look at the video:
Keeping true to the Labor Day weekend tradition, a walk through downtown Atlanta produced visions of aliens, monsters, crime fighters and pretty much anything else the imagination can stir up. That’s right kids, Dragon Con 2015 came to town!