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| Photo hosted by GB.Net |
Wow. This gets kind of complicated.
You see, I had seen Gerard Butler in numerous films, all the way back to Her Majesty, Mrs. Brown, and had always thought
he was an outstanding actor. He rocked my world with Attila, got me thinking in Timeline ... and totally won
my heart with Phantom of the Opera.
It was that performance, more than any other, that really got me interested in the man behind the mask, so to speak. I went
on the internet and found GerardButler.Net, and started learning about this former lawyer who decided to pursue his true dream.
I discovered a man of incredible generosity (how many stars do you know of who phone a fan on Christmas Day after learning
that she's caring for a dying relative?) and character.
I found myself profoundly moved by Gerry's performances. I've now seen most of the work on the "Filmography" page, and he
continues to blow me away with the depth and wealth of his talent.
Here is part of the letter I wrote to Gerry. The effect he had on my life is sometimes difficult to articulate, but I managed:
Here is the thing: I deal with depression and anxiety that make it hard to function in my everyday life sometimes. I have
a stressful job (who doesn't?) where I have very little support. There are days when I want nothing more than to hide under
the covers on my bed and not come out.
You are probably wondering why I shared that. Well, your movies give me a reason to leave the house. Your acting skills
are such that I don't think "Gee, I'm watching Gerard Butler"; instead, I think "I'm watching Frank Borghi ... or The Stranger
... or Erik (The Phantom)" ... or any of the other roles you've performed. We have very few real actors nowadays, and I think
you are one of the finest out there. My favorite of your films to date is Dear Frankie and I look forward to seeing
new works as they appear on the horizon.
Likewise, I enjoy seeing your interviews. It is refreshing to see someone who is educated, down-to-earth and sincere, to
say nothing of having an excellent sense of humor.
I've had the delightful experience of discovering your "tarts" on GB.net; what a wonderful and supportive group of people
they are. I'm the "Heather Honey Tart" ... again, at age 41, I would never have envisioned myself joining a fan club ...
but here I am.
Finally, I am also writing to say "thank you." There are people out there whom you’ll probably never meet ... people
like me ... to whom you mean a great deal.
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And that really is it. In many ways, I have found the courage to pursue my dreams (I've nearly finished writing a novel)
because of this man's work. I've made some wonderful new friends, and I am very grateful to the man who brought us together.
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