It was a serendipitous event for me on a fateful morning in Hollywood as I came face-to-face with legend Kevin Costner during the McFarland USA global press conference at the W Hotel. A self-made man and phenomenal actor with numerous award winning movies under his belt, Kevin Costner has always meant more to me than just an actor. Kevin Costner and I graduated from the same High School in Villa Park, California and the same college at California State University, Fullerton. Costner was a bit of a legend around the VPHS halls, his graduating class yearbook was always missing from the library and his name was mentioned often (as if we were all somehow cooler because he went there too). Rounding out my slightly personal attachment to him was the chance to attend the press conference for McFARLAND USA – a movie that blew my socks off, it was an honor.
I sat in my front row seat like a giddy idiot with a smile plastered on my face, unable to speak, unable to move, just smiling – much like I do for any celebrity however this chance occurrence was extra special because I got to tell anyone that listened that he and I went to the same high school (and they all got sick of hearing it too). It wasn’t until the conference began that I realized there were other greats in the room, actors and people that are just beginning to make their mark and McFARLAND USA is just the beginning.
Costner crept into the conference room real cool, sunglasses on, dark pea coat and coffee in hand. My back stiffened and my heart raced and I was so honored to be in the presence of the fine young actors, the director and above all the real life people of McFarland.
McFarland is way more American than Apple Pie and Baseball
What was so unique and special about the McFARLAND USA press conference was the camaraderie amongst the actors, the director and the real life people of the film and their admiration and genuine affection for each other. They each spoke so highly of each other and highly of the experience that anyone in attendance simply could not deny the greatness of these people and the greatness of this film. McFARLAND USA is a film about the real human experience and as Kevin Costner said during the conference “McFarland is way more American than Apple Pie and Baseball, this is an American story about parents willing to do anything to better their children”
Going in to the McFARLAND USA global press conference I was most excited to see Kevin Costner in person, after attending the conferences I am most honored to have been in the presence of Carlos Pratts (“Thomas Valles”), Hector Duran (“Johnny Sameniego), Sergio Avelar (“Victor Puentes”), Johnny Ortiz (“Jose Cardenas), Rafael Martinez (“David Diaz), Ramiro Rodriguez (“Danny Diaz”), Michael Aguero (“Damacio Diaz”) and above all the real life McFarland people including coach Jim White, David Diaz, Danny Diaz and Damacio Diaz. The young boys turned out to be phenomenal actors and give McFARLAND USA a real human richness to the story, being in the presence of the great Jim White was inspiring and hearing David, Danny and Damacio talk about their experience with the film and actually living the story was amazing. I urge you to see this film, it is heartwarming, it is real and it is wonderful.
McFARLAND USA hits theaters nationwide February 20th 2015.
