Dan made an appearance on The Late Late Show with James Corden again, last Wednesday. and he’s still teasing us about the Downton Abbey movie!
Besides highlighting his infectious personality in these interviews, I also like them for the chance to view yet another of his playful shoe/wardrobe choices. this time it was boots showcasing album art from New Order’s Power Corruption & Lies.
I love his shoes! most fans dream of meeting their object of affection and getting lost in their eyes, live and in technicolor. I won’t say I wouldn’t enjoy that
I cannot tell a lie
but what I would equally enjoy, is getting a peek at his shoe collection. why do I fangirl over his shoes so much? because I like how he uses them to express his personality, to bring some unexpected whimsy to the same old norm.
me, falling apart over Dan’s shoes
Shoes make an outfit. You can throw on a crazy shirt and crazy pants but you add those shoes – done~Russell Westbrook
Shoes transform your body language and attitude. They lift you physically and emotionally~Christian Louboutin
a closer look at that jacket:
stealing things is a glorious occupation, particularly in the art world~ Malcolm McLaren
A shoe without sex appeal is as barren as a tree without leaves~Rita De Acosta Lydig
some people may find these lacking in sex appeal. I am not one of those people.
Putting on fierce boots is an instant pick-me-up~Nina Garcia
Never underestimate the power of a shoe~Giuseppe Zanotti
I’ve always looked at shoes as being immensely beautiful things~Graham Coxon
there are some days when I really want to write a blog post but I just…can’t. either I have so much to say but I can’t put it into pieces that make sense, or I feel like I should be writing about certain things but I don’t feel inspired to do so because my mind is somewhere else. blogging is not something I plan out. I blog because it feels good for me. I’m not going to make myself write when I don’t feel it, because then it will become a chore. when I feel good about what I write, I write better.
when you’re a blogger and you have a celebrity crush on an amazing actor who also happens to be an enjoyable and inspiring person off screen as well, sometimes it’s hard to write about things other than him. if you have a fanblog that’s dedicated to him, that frees you up to write about him all the time, but if you have a blog that isn’t designated as such, well, it can be a struggle.
being a fan of an actor and following his career, gives me the chance to experience situations and people I never would in my own life. I get to see things through other people’s eyes, over and over, as he portrays different kinds of people in different kinds of situations. I look forward to seeing him in interviews and at events because I like hearing him talk about his characters and the situations they find themselves in, what was in the characters head as they were experiencing certain things, what was in his head as he was portraying the character, what his reaction is to the world he helps create as well as the world that he’s met with when he hangs up his coat at the end of the day. I like when I’m exposed to things that I may be willing to try myself or things I’d never dare to attempt but can, through him. we are different people who sometimes share the same likes and values and so I’m more willing to give something pause, to consider, when it’s coming from him. I learn about myself from learning about him. all of that? it’s exciting and interesting and it lights a fire inside me.
it’s not just about him. it’s about me and it’s about you and it’s about them. it’s about that thing and that place and what did happen and what could happen. it’s colors and sounds and concepts and feelings, all wrapped up with a big inviting bow, just waiting for me to pull.
some days it’s really hard for me to write about other things, when all I want to write about is him.
In my previous post about Dan’s horror movie Apostle, which became available to view on Netflix Friday, I talked about my fears that it would be too scary and gore filled for me to enjoy. I was wrong. I did enjoy it. it wasn’t really as scary as I convinced myself it would be, and the gore factor was limited to small segments that I not only got through, but sometimes actually liked.
congrats for not dying of fright!
The majority of the reviews/reactions said that the story was a slow build but then the third act went crazy wild and climaxed in a twist ending. they also said it was full of gore and violence and it was super scary… it seems the internet and I have different definitions of what ‘gore’ ‘scary’ and even ‘river of blood’ mean. FYI: a sewage trench does not a river of blood make. don’t get me wrong, I liked the movie, but I saw that ending coming from the first time Thomas pricked his thumb outside his rooming house door. I didn’t think the third act came out of nowhere and hit you in the face either, I thought it flowed well. it’s true that a significant amount of time passed before the blood and gore made an appearance but the storyline needed that time to build the suspense. I want a story first and foremost, the ‘eew!’ moments, as fun as they sometimes can be, are secondary.
me, fighting my way to the story
Speaking of eew! moments, I felt there were 3 big ones. the first involved the birth of a malnourished lamb and the callous way it was disposed of. the second centered around a ‘purification’ ritual that drilled through someone’s skull. most of the scene was suggestive violence (sound effects) until they showed a quick shot of the aftermath, which I’ll admit I turned my head away from. the third instance was actually a scene that I enjoyed, due to the suspense. it was hinted at in the trailer, when Dan’s character is being pulled along a table towards a meat grinder. fishing hooks are involved and some meat does get ground. (there is also bloodletting, knife fights, and a violent spear incident, but those type of things don’t bother me)
Hell hath no fury like the father of a teenage daughter
I think tone matters a lot when it comes to thrillers and horror movies. the background music in this movie was classic horror fare, and the build up of the storyline felt very classic to me as well. when I first saw the trailer, I got a Children of the Corn vibe from it, which made me excited to see it. then I took everyone’s descriptions of it to heart and let them kill that excitement for me. I wouldn’t say the movie isn’t scary, because there were times my whole body was clenched in fear: that ‘river of blood’ scene that involved very little head room (I’m claustrophobic) and a supernatural being chasing Thomas through the water. THAT was scary. also, the secret shack where the meat grinder scene took place. that whole place was creepy! the scariest thing about the movie for me didn’t involve anything supernatural, but rather the cult member who went off the deep end in his lust for power. HE was scary. I did like Michael Sheen’s cult leader though, even if he was on the bad side.
this guy had one job and one job only, which he did methodically and robotically. He was scary too.
So how was Dan in this movie? there is a scene where Thomas blackmails a teen boy into helping him in the quest to find his sister. Dan is threatening in that scene and I really liked it. his character is grumpy and suspicious through most of the movie, so all those glowers are enjoyable too. when he’s scared, his eyes get really wide and when he’s blissed, his smile is so serene it borders on comical. there was a scene where he experienced a mind meld, if you will, and he’s all blissed out, draping himself across the person’s lap. I don’t know if that was meant to be funny, but I got a good chuckle out of it. I liked the ending of the movie too. I’m glad it ended that way.
so, yeah. I survived Apostle and liked it. I’ll even go so far as to say, I’ll watch it again.
Yes, you read that right. not Harry. why the change of heart? because Harry Kennedy has no depth, no internal struggle, his life in the cozy little town of Dibley is full of sunshine. that’s not a bad thing, there was a time when I really needed that. among all the Richard Armitage characters and their redemption arcs, Harry was a soft warm blanket that I enjoyed sinking into. as time went on though, saying that Harry Kennedy was my favorite became a rote answer.
I’m just as confused as you are, Harry!
So who is my favorite now? I can’t decide! I’ve been thinking hard about this for three whole days. Lucas North, Thorin Oakenshield, Guy of Gisborne, John Thornton- I could make strong arguments for each of them. I think I need to do some rewatches and then maybe I can give a more definitive answer. in the meantime, here’s my favorite RA character fanvid. if only this video were a character…
Dan Stevens: David Haller, Legion
Not a big surprise here. I did pause, wondering which David is actually my favorite (Haller or Collins), but that lasted all of 10 seconds. who do I have as both my desktop background and my lock screen on my computer? whose symbol is both on the lid of my laptop and the avatar of my profile? who dominates my Twitter banner? yeah, I think it’s pretty obvious which David occupies my thoughts the most.
When we first meet David, he is a sweet quiet man on the outside and a lonely troubled boy on the inside. he thinks the life of schedules and medicines inside the psychiatric hospital walls are all he will ever know, all he deserves to know. then he meets a strong, understanding girl who tells him he’s not sick, he’s special. that all the nightmares and voices and unexplainable occurrences that have plagued him all his life are byproducts of his mutant powers, and she knows a group of people who can help him learn to control them. David is constantly confused, never sure what is real and what isn’t. he’s pulled back and forth, not knowing who he can trust, or what course of action he should take. because he’s not merely a mutant with super powers, he’s the mutant with all the super powers, and everyone wants a piece of him. my arms long to hug him when he’s lost, my hands itch to hold his when he needs encouragement, and my heart is so proud of him when he believes in himself enough to chase down his destiny. haters gonna hate; I’m here for the long haul.
Jamie Dornan: Sheriff Graham/The Huntsman, Once Upon a Time
I only watched the fairy tale inspired television series for one season, because when they kill off your favorite character, it’s easy to become bitter about it. when Emma Swan stumbles into the town of Storybrook, the Sheriff takes a liking to the new lawbreaker. after many failed attempts at leaving the small strange town, Emma decides to turn detective instead, and what better way to do that than to befriend the local sheriff? Graham is good looking, Graham is cynically witty, Graham is being blackmailed by the mayor.
As Emma and Graham team up to uncover the secrets the mayor is hiding, feelings start to creep into their partnership. when Graham begins having flashbacks to a life he didn’t remember living, he realizes too late that his heart belongs to both Emma and the Mayor, though in very different ways.
I was looking back through the chats of a fan forum I used to spend time on, when I came across me talking about Dan. I got side tracked then, sifting through the conversations to see what I had said about him at the beginning of my crush. my memory isn’t always the greatest, especially when dealing with dates, so I often mix up the timeline of events.
newbie me, practicing for my fangirl license
It was informative to see what I had said about Dan, as a complete newbie, and how specific roles and interviews influenced what I sought out next. what follows are excerpts from those posts (and a few e-mails too).
April 3, 2017- I’ve recently found a new rabbit hole to fall into: Dan Stevens. Downton Abbey fans know him as Matthew (I’ve still not seen any of that show, not one episode. or even clips from it, just screen captures) but I just discovered him through the FX show Legion. I had no idea he was British before I clicked on an interview for Beauty and The Beast! his voice is delicious. I just started looking into him a few days ago, so who knows how deep into the rabbit hole I’ll actually fall. it’s nice to get excited for someone new now & then though, to supplement my other obsessions 😉
April 4, 2017- [friend mentions how Dan lost a lot of weight to become an ‘american star’ and that she misses Cousin Matthew’s cheeks] wow, he did lose a lot of weight! I like his angular face tho. the jaw and the adam’s apple and those lanky limbs…
[I complain about Photobucket not working. friend tells me to quit screwing around and watch Downton Abbey instead] I did just watch a trailer thing for it, so now I can at least say I’ve watched some of it 😉 it showed Matthew & his mom coming to the estate for the first time. Matthew talked about his job & that it wouldn’t be a problem b/c he’d still help run the estate, even on the weekend. then Maggie’s character asked what a weekend was.
April 6, 2017- Photobucket is still not working for me. they did send an e-mail to say that they’re aware of the problem & are working on it. do they not care that I’m in the midst of a new crush? I.need.to.post.all.the.pictures! 😛
~~~
Interviewer: right now, when you think about your fans, who are they? for example, my mom is a really big fan.
Dan Stevens: there you go! your mom. I’ve always wanted that to be an answer to a question. Your mom.
~~~
April 10, 2017- [friend asked if Legion was any good. she also said to watch The Guest, which she claimed wasn’t good but worth it for the eye candy] yes, Legion is how I first found him. the season is over now but it’s been renewed for a 2nd, so I’m really happy about that! the first episode was kinda weird, artsy, and you really weren’t sure what was going on. after that though, it pulls you in; you’re still confused but you want to stick with it to find out what’s actually happening. as it goes along it gets creepy and fun and more weird- I really liked it. I haven’t looked that forward to watching a show since Lost ended 😎
The Guest– I’ve seen a lot of press for that one (I’ve been spending an embarrassing amount of time on youtube watching interviews b/c I love his voice & facial expressions) it looks good, in a ‘don’t expect too much plot but have fun watching me beat people up’ kind of way, and I’m all for that 😛
I also took my daughter to see Beauty and The Beast this weekend. it was really good! I was never all that attached to the animated version. I watched it, of course, but we were what, 16-17 when it came out? but seeing it look so real was impressive.
April 11, 2017- just popping in again to say I watched the movie [The Guest] this morning & I LOVED IT, LOL! it had a very 1980s feel to it, I miss those cheesy movies 😎 I love when bad guys skip the monologuing & just shoot people. it’s unexpected, and then I laugh at myself for my vocal reactions 😛 so now I can add twisted sense of humor to the ‘things to know about Dan’ list 😉
April 19, 2017- I just discovered the Carte Noire series, where Dan Stevens reads excerpts from classic books. Holy Shit! 😯 his voice, his facial expressions, his eyes… “are you sitting comfortably? then I’ll begin”
May 5, 2017- it’s hard to connect with other fans when you’re in a different place, fan wise, then they are. and yet it’s really exciting when you find fans that you know through one crush who also share your crush on someone else…so you need to look into Dan Stevens. I’ll wait. *plays outdated muzak*
me, biding my time until you all catch up.
May 23, 2017- Dan checks off all the boxes and fits in a way I didn’t expect. serendipity.
June 7, 2017- I’m crushing HARD on Dan Stevens. I’d apologize for not having a thought in my head that doesn’t concern him, but I’m not sorry. here’s a random vid, b/c I’m in love w/his eyes:
September 20, 2017- well, I’ve gone and done it. I’m watching Downton Abbey for the first time 😯 I’m two episodes in, and I love it already. damn it!
September 21, 2017- I watched the whole first season in one day 🙄 I get it now. I understand the Matthew love. as I was watching the scene where Mary & Matthew make out at the dinner table, my son and husband were carrying on a conversation in the same room as me, talking to each other across the room from each other. I didn’t want to miss any part of that scene, so I backed it up and watched it again…twice. son was affronted, and I said, “but they finally kiss!! I CANNOT miss that. it’s really important” 😆 I knew that I’d love Matthew but I did not expect to love all the other characters too. well, except for Thomas. he was horrible.
horrible, but fun
I know that Matthew eventually joins the war & gets injured, so I’m curious to see that. I was surprised to learn that Dan himself had a back injury and lost the use of his legs for a time, due to a sports accident. so when people were saying that Matthew walking again was far fetched & not possible, he was like, yes it is! b/c it happened to me 😎
November 27, 2017- [friend asks if I’ve finished Downton Abbey] I watched the first season, but I’m afraid to continue! I’ve gobbled up enough fanfic to know the storyline, and I’m just not sure I want to put myself through the heartache (Lavinia, unrequited love, wounded Matthew).
December 17, 2017- I just read an interview with Dan where he said he saved the hubcap of the car that killed Matthew Crawley, “is that weird? it’s a memorial” 😀
I still haven’t seen seasons 2 and 3 of Downton Abbey. I’m not really sure why. maybe I like the distinction of being a Dan Stevens fan who wasn’t a Downton fan first.
