#acting

Not many child stars go on to enjoy long, successful careers in show business – and fewer still have earned a prestigious Academy Award nomination before they turned 18. Patty McCormack has achieved both. The actress, who made her first film appearance in 1951 and went on to star in THE BAD SEED (’56, for which she received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress as the murderous Rhoda at age 11); THE ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN (’60) and THE YOUNG RUNAWAYS (’68), continues to work in Hollywood and shows no indication of slowing down.

I had the pleasure of speaking with McCormack recently about some of these titles and more, including the delightful film KATHY O’ (‘58) in which she plays a famous child star – an apt springboard for a discussion about growing up on screen and transitioning into more mature roles over her incredibly long, accomplished career.   

(This interview has been edited for length and clarity.)

I was watching KATHY O’ last night, and I really enjoyed it. In that movie they talk about your blonde pigtail braids as a trademark, and I realized it kind of was; you had that hairstyle in THE BAD SEED and ALL MINE TO GIVE (’57), too. Do you know how that style came about, or was it something you did that caught on?

Patty McCormack: It seems to be! I believe I even had them early on in Mama, which was an old live TV show that was a weekly event. I don’t know how that [trademark] happened. I think it just happened because of THE BAD SEED – I think it was the hairdo that I went in with or they just decided on. When you see the original artwork on William March’s book, there’s a very long face drawing of Rhoda, his Rhoda, and there were braids in it. I don’t know if they were looped or what, but that could have been it – or I honestly don’t remember if it was chosen by my mom because it was easy, but it stuck!

I loved KATHY O’ because I got to live the dream. I loved the notion of them cutting my hair off – except it was a wig that they cut. After a while it felt like I didn’t want to look like an older person with braids – you have to get rid of them eventually. As soon as I could, I wanted hair that was like, in that era, a page boy or something like that, where it landed on your shoulder. But I carried that long hair for a long time. And then you know how you revert back to certain hairdos years later? 

They come back in style.

PM: Yes, they come back, but now I have shortish hair, and I’m growing it one length. So I got over the braids – just in the nick of time!

Circling back to Rhoda, you originated the role on Broadway before the film version, so you obviously had a lot of practice and familiarity with the part before you took it to the screen. Since she’s such a chilling character, how did you get into that mindset at age nine, especially when you had to play the part multiple times a week?

PM:I always go back to the source, and the source was the director, Reginald Denham. He was so good with directing me. He made it fun, because I learned when I’d get an audience reaction on a face I’d make or something, I’d look forward to doing that again – you know, that kind of joy.

He made it so clear and simple, and his point of view was that Rhoda was always right. I know I’ve said this before, but it’s the truth. No matter what anybody says, Rhoda is correct, and anything she wants, she feels entitled to – not using that word ‘entitled’ – but I really wasn’t thinking of myself as a bad person, or especially not a murderer. I just thought it was their fault, which is classic, I guess. I had to kill him [the little boy] because he was so mean. So I think that was how I learned to be that character. I was aware of the murders – people were dead because of me, that I knew – but somehow it wasn’t disturbing to my mind. If you take a look at it knowing that, you see it. I’m not coming from some sort of evil place, I don’t think.

You were nominated for an Oscar for THE BAD SEED, which is amazing; it’s a true testament to your talents, of course, but it’s also such a big accolade to have at such a young age. Do you remember there being any pressure on you for your next role?

PM:Well, the role was so odd for a kid to be so noticed, in that era anyway. I can’t think of any jobs I didn’t get after that that somebody else got, you know? What happened, though, was that each year I grew, and so I just experienced the typical kid actor dilemma which is going from category to category and establishing yourself in that category and learning how to be in that category. I did do something on Playhouse 90 – I did a few PLAYHOUSE 90s back then – and I did a lot of television –

You played Helen Keller [in the original 1957 Playhouse 90 teleplay “The Miracle Worker”].

PM: That’s what I was going to say! That was after THE BAD SEED. But mostly, as far as movies went, there was KATHY O’ and a few here and there and at different levels of development. I was always aware that it had been a while since I worked, that I felt, but I didn’t think business, like “What will I follow up that with?” I didn’t have that kind of mentality, and I really don’t think my mother did either, so it just sort of went the way it went.

As you mentioned too, you were still growing up. So, you’re a child, then a teenager, then young adult. You probably wouldn’t be thinking about the business part of it. 

PM:No, it’s so strange. It’s not an easy transition, and as you know famous people go through really hard things. You don’t get to sit and relax in a certain mode for too long because before you know it you’re in the next one. And then you go through your ‘ugly period’ in front of everybody, which is horrible.

The movie that you mentioned TCM is going to air, THE ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN, when I see the headshots from that I just think, “Aw, I looked uncomfortable!” I could see it even in my body. I felt like I was at the awkward time – you know, part of me was getting bigger, developing – and that hairdo they gave me didn’t help; it was still the braids but wrapped up.

I want to ask you about that transition. Did you find anything difficult or surprising about navigating Hollywood and growing up on screen? 

PM:The most difficult part, honestly, as a person growing up – I think at the time I always say Sandra Dee was the person we all looked to. She was just so beautiful, and no one else looked like that – maybe Carol Lynley a little bit – but the bar was set very high. With that, you’re insecure anyways because you’re at that age, and more than anything you don’t want to be different. I think that’s true for a lot of kids. So the maturing, that part of development, was difficult when I look back. You don’t have the confidence that you had as a little kid when you don’t think about anything. You become all self-conscious about how you look, if you’re thin enough, if you’re pretty enough, if your hair looks nice. It’s a little bit of an adjustment to get through all that and go back to what you like to do, which is to pretend, and take the focus off what you look like or who you look like or any of that stuff. I don’t know if other kid actors had the same experience, but usually people grow out of a look that made them known – most of us anyway, not all of us. 

I know when you left Hollywood you went back to Brooklyn and finished high school there. What was that experience like for you?

PM: Well, I took my real name back, and I was going to the high school that my mother and older sister went to, so I was really excited. This is going to sound so weird, but it was almost like playing a part – I was playing the part of a high school student. My real name is Russo, so I was Patty Russo. The experience was really kind of shocking, because I think they expected me to be very conceited, and so I had to hide in the cafeteria in the early days, because it was Brooklyn and they were pretty tough – they were on me! But I made a best friend who helped me navigate through it, and it turned into a nice experience finally. I was glad to have had that.

Then I came back out here [Los Angeles], and I stayed with a friend of my mother’s family for a while. I wound up leaving Utrecht [her Brooklyn high school] – it’s a long story – but I did a soap opera in between while I was going to Utrecht, and that was kind of tricky because they weren’t flexible like California was. In California they were used to kid actors, and in New York at that time, they really weren’t. Then when I came out here, I went back to finish high school at Hollywood Professional and got my diploma that way. But I’m so glad I got to go back to Brooklyn. I’m pleased about that.

It sounds like you had a pretty grounded childhood, especially in attending a regular high school. Do you think that helped how you adjusted when you returned to the film industry?

PM:It was a little bit too grounded, I think! I came from a really good family. I never thought that I was a big deal, and they [her mom and dad] made sure of that. So, coming back to the industry after, I really didn’t know the ropes. People handled all that before – the only thing I knew was what I did, and so some things maybe didn’t get handled so well, but I learned on my feet when I came back out here. Then I married my childhood boyfriend and we had our children, and I kept working.

Yes, you’ve worked steadily since then.

PM:I did work a lot! It’s true. Nothing on the level of nominations, but I was a journeyman, I like to say.

You’ve spent six decades in the industry, which is really astounding, especially since you started as a child. I read an interview from 1974 that featured a humorous quote from you that I’d like to share. You said that you lamented that you never got the guy in movies and just once you wanted to “kiss the guys instead of kill them.”

PM:That is funny!

But throughout your career, you played Helen Keller, you played a career woman in THE BEST OF EVERYTHING (’70), you played Pat Nixon more recently in FROST/NIXON (’08), so you’ve had a lot of experience with different characters. Was there any genre or any type of character that you wish you could explore further?

PM:Well, I’ll tell you the truth, it’s actually seven decades from when I started, although if you want to make me younger, I don’t mind! At this point in time, I’m so grateful when I work, because there could be nothing now, you know? I do enjoy what comes along. The only thing I never got to do, which I would have loved, was to have been in a habit – I would have loved to have played a nun in a habit.

That’s interesting.

PM: Isn’t it? It’s the Catholic school thing.

We’ll have to find you a role like that!

PM:I know, wouldn’t that be fun? And it would be a nice way, in your later years, to go from a killer to a nun, you know? I think it would be a good idea.

Going in the right direction!

PM:Yes! But anyways, little things change here and there, and I sometimes do voiceovers, and I did something recently that I had never done, which was so much fun. Did you notice on Netflix a show called ARSENE LUPIN [working title for LUPIN]?

I haven’t heard of it, but I know there’s an old movie with the same name.

PM:Yes, this is a remake. It’s in French, and I dubbed a French woman into English, and it was so much fun to do, to have someone else’s face up there. I know some people watch foreign movies and they say, “Oh it’s so unfair to dub the other actors,” and I probably wouldn’t love it if somebody dubbed me either, but I had such a ball doing it. So, if you catch that show, you’ll see somewhere in there I’m speaking English for a French woman.  

I wanted to talk about two of your more recent roles. I know you starred in MOMMY in the 1990s, kind of a grown-up Rhoda, and you played a psychiatrist in the Lifetime remake of THE BAD SEED in 2018. This story has been filmed a few times; what do you think resonates with people, and how did it feel going back to that character and story but from different perspectives?

PM:Right. Well, to be honest, the Rob Lowe production [for Lifetime] was really a totally different story. There was no mom – he was the mom character – so the writing was really different.

There were two MOMMY movies: MOMMY (’95) and MOMMY’S DAY (’97). Those were written by a writer who lives in Muscatine, Iowa: Max Allan Collins. This is a long time ago now, but it was fun to grow her up, you know, physically. I talked to you about how that is the strange thing about transitioning, and it was so enjoyable to do that. It really was a journey for me internally.

There was also something about shaking hands with that, because in my day, it was never a good thing to have something so long ago be talked about all the time. I got that impression by other people’s opinions, not my own, and as time went on, the world changed and people started knowing actors’ work from 20 years ago. So, the appreciation for that old work came back, and I learned to feel good about it through other people’s feelings about it. I do have such a different perspective on it now, and it’s a character that was so special. That really changed my ability as to how I could hold it [the role].

It’s nice to be able to do that.

PM: Yes, it is. 

I have one more question for you. I know we’re in a pandemic and many productions are halted, but do you have any upcoming appearances that I can share with fans to look out for? 

PM:Aw, I wish! It’s funny, I did some Hallmark Christmas movies. Well, I did one, and then last year I was supposed to do another one, and they cut our parts because of COVID. So, I’m rooting for [the next one], and I have a good feeling, you know, when we have our vaccinations. Also, a downside was that they shoot in Canada, and they have to bring you up there, and at that time you had to stay in 14 days.

A lot of rules!

PM: Yes, a lot of rules. So hopefully there will be a new one. I can’t honestly say, but there’s no reason there shouldn’t be!

My dad loves the Hallmark Christmas movies, and I watch a lot of them because of him, so I’ll be rooting for you and looking out for you!

PM: I know, there’s so many. People have blankets and all these things! There are real hard-core fans – it’s amazing.

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Read-through of Coriolanus.

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Read-through of Coriolanus.

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Read-through of Coriolanus.

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Read-through of Coriolanus.

Coriolanus, or why your mom shouldn’t choose your job for you

Read-through of Coriolanus.

Coriolanus, or why your mom shouldn’t choose your job for you

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Read-through of Coriolanus.

Power to the people or might makes right?

A corpse. 

His wonderful, beautiful Christine was now just a corpse. He could barely look at the limp form of his muse, as the blood from the shot flowered across the white linen of her dress. Ironically it had bled into the shape of a rose, the same colour as the ones he had given to her all those years ago when she was alive and triumphant. 

He lay her body down gently on the cold, damp wood of the jetty, supporting her head so that it did not knock harshly against the surface. As he crossed her arms over her chest, barely suppressing the tears that pressed against his eyes, he heard footsteps and looked up into the gloom. 

It was Meg. She looked distraught and wild, her hands still shaking from what she had done. 

“No….No!”Brushing past him, she sat by Christine’s head and cradled it in her lap, pushing away the strands of hair. “No… Christine… What have I done?” She sobbed, allowing her tears to flow freely. Erik stared at her, numb. Reaching up to the clasp around his throat, he undid it and handed Meg his cloak, getting up from his knees.

“Here.” He said, voice rough and thick. Meg accepted it with a trembling hand, laying it over the body she held as if she were tucking up her babe. 

“I am so sorry.” She sobbed, brushing her thumb against Christine’s still warm cheek. Erik did not respond. He didn’t know who she was talking to. Instead, he walked further away, sick to the stomach, his mask pressing uncomfortably against his face. He didn’t even see Gustave, who was tentatively making his way back until he was only a few feet away. Erik stopped where he stood, cocking his head as Gustave got closer and peered up at him through eyes glazed with tears. 

“Is she…?” Again Erik, did not speak, merely shifted his body so that he could see Meg cradling his mother as she lay unresponsive and limp. But Gustave had already known from the moment he saw the blood bloom on her shirt what the outcome would be. He choked down a sob, brushing his tears harshly away as he looked at this man… his father… who stared back at him blankly. It was like there was no one there. He didn’t know what to say so instead he reached for his fathers hand and grasped it. That seemed to jolt him out of his state as he looked down in wonderment at their entwined hands, then at the boy. He took in a shuddering breath and sat down on the edge of the jetty, bidding Gustave to do the same. They looked across the eerily calm ocean and at the moon who cast her perfect, shimmering form across the surface. 

“I’m sorry that… that you found out like this. That I am your father.” Still holding hands, Gustave peered up and was met by a cold, white mask that was completely emotionless and hard for him to look at. He no longer wanted to see this… thing… that hid his father. His mother had taught him a wise lesson. Look with the heart and not with the eyes. It was time for him to do so. Reaching up with his free hand, he rested his hand against the mask and curled his fingers under the seamless lip that almost seemed to melt in with his fathers face. Erik jerked away and glared at him warningly, softening when he saw the quiet determination in his eyes that reminded him of Christine.  

“Gustave… Is this truly what you want?” The innocent boy nodded, withdrawing his hand as his father reached up and pulled away his mask and wig slowly, turning away almost immediately to place them on the ground next  to him. He was stalling. Gustave touched his arm, felt the hard, sinewy muscle underneath and beseeched him to look his way as he tugged gently. Erik let out another quivering sigh and turned haltingly until the ravaged side of his face was in full view, not even daring to watch his sons reaction. Instead he stared and stared at the moon, now allowing the tears to run freely down his cheeks. He had had enough of holding them in. 

Erik gasped when he felt a little hand brush his ravaged cheek, then cupped it, before it explored the rest of his deformity. He looked then, curious to know his reaction and was surprised to see acceptance as the hand crawled up further and brushed his non existent eyebrow. What he didn’t expect was for the boy to suddenly crawl into his lap, wrapping his arms tight around his torso and resting his head against his chest. Stunned, Erik sat with his arms rigid at the side, knowing the boy could hear the erratic thumping of his heart before he came to his senses and hesitantly wrapped his arms back around him. When he felt the boys tears wet his shirt, he rocked his son ever so gently side to side and rubbed his back soothingly. It felt good, albeit a little strange for him. They sat in silence like this for a while, until Gustave pulled back a little and inspected him again. 

“I’m… I’m glad that I found out by the way. I’ve always felt a little different, a little odd and I never knew why.” He laughed softly, “I guess it all makes sense now.” 

Erik dared to brush the hair out his sons eyes and cocked his head in curiosity.

“What do you mean?” He watched as his son reached up to his hairline and pushed back his fringe, revealing a small puckered bit of skin that zigzagged back through his hair. Proof that Erik lived in him. A blemish of his own. 

“I was born with this. My father… Well, my other father… he was really angry apparently. I know because I overheard him when I was a little bit older talking about it, throwing accusations against mother. She always held steadfast that I was his son. But I knew… I knew something wasn’t right. The way I looked, my eyes…” Again he studied his father’s face and grinned, “I have your eyes. Then it was the love of music. Father accepted that because of mother but the other things… The love for weird, unnatural things… He didn’t accept that one bit. I guess he always knew.” Erik brushed back his hairline again, touching the blemish gently. 

“I’m sorry that… That I wasn’t there for you. It must’ve been very confusing growing up. Especially with a little bit of me in you.” He joked, though it sounded hollow. 

“A lot of you. I realise now how similar I am to you.” Gustave rested his head back on his father’s chest. “But… I’m happy I finally understand everything now. Yet… What happens now?” 

“Well… You’ll probably have to go back to Paris with your father. As for your mother I don’t know-” His voice broke and he bit the inside of his lip as he stared out across the ocean, tears streaming down his cheeks. 

“You loved her, didn’t you?” Erik nodded and sighed. 

“More than anything.”

“I think… I think she loved you to. This will sound odd but she always told me about this character called ‘The Angel of Music’ and how he saved her life when she was at the opera house. Was… Was that you?” 

“I… Well it’s a long story but yes, it was.” Erik murmured, stunned that Christine had disguised their time at the opera house as childhood stories for their son. He felt Gustave nod against his chest and when he spoke again, it truly shocked him.

“Do you think I could stay here with you? I don’t want to go back to Paris.” 

“I… You’d really want that? To stay with me? Gustave… I’d love nothing more. I’ve already missed ten years of your life and I don’t want to miss any more. But you must understand, I don’t really have any say in this. It’s down to your other father and I know he will be very against the idea.” 

“But if I beg him?” 

“We will see what we can do. For now… Let’s just savour the moments we can have together.” 

They remained sitting there, on the edge of the jetty, son in his fathers lap as they gazed across the ocean. Both of them were hurting, their hearts raw but it was relief to both that they had each other and they clung to each other like lifelines. It seemed that Gustave did not want to let go and Erik was fine with this, for the shock he still felt after Christine’s death still rocked him to the core. In fact, he was still half convinced that she still lived but the other, more stern half berated him and told him that she was dead. Still, at least he hand tangible proof that something of her, something of them,was here and he knew that he would never let go of this blessing again. 

Yes they finally did a Phantom themed buzzfeed quiz… here is the link for you all!
https://www.buzzfeed.com/maggles/which-phantom-of-the-opera-character-are-you-1g4pl?origin=nofil&utm_term=.vrqNYpbGyx#.nqDA0bQDoV

Guess who I got…?

The Phantom

Leave you who got in the tags!

My future husband better be able to put up with my obsession with Phantom of the Opera i think to myself as i cry for the hundredth time listening to the soundtrack 

anyone else crumble when in the 25th anniversary version of phantom you hear Phantom whisper “I love you” under his breath when Christine walks away with Raoul? In the Down Once More scene? Because I crumble every damn time. MY HEART.

Erik didn’t want to have kids. It wasn’t that he didn’t like them or he couldn’t, it was something that he did not want in his life to worry about. Especially if it was born with his face. 

And then, the child was born, on a stormy October night with the wind howling through the nooks and crannies of the house. It battered the shutters, guttered the candles that he had lit on any flat surface he could find as Christine writhed in agony. It was painful to watch, painful to sit next to her helpless. 

It was a difficult birth and when it was over, it was as if the world had gone still. The midwife cleaned up, was payed for her silence, wrapped the baby in swathes of blankets and thrust it into the stiff arms of Erik before she left. It was as if she took any normality left of their life with her. Erik felt the warmth squirm in his arms, wriggle this way and that but he didn’t dare look at it. His eyes remained trained on Christine who lay in a languid stupor, looking at him blearily.

“Well, Erik… What is it?” She asked, overwhelmed by the whole affair. 

“I…. I don’t know.” Christine reached out her arms and he all too gladly handed it over, his eyes never resting on it’s face. Manoeuvring the baby in her arms, she peeked under the blankets and smiled, looking at Erik only to met by a blank emotion his eyes. She knew all to well what he was avoiding and gently pushed the blankets out of its face. 

“Oh…” Was all she could say, as she stared down at it. Erik felt his hot tears trail down his cheek, crestfallen by her voice.

“Is it… Ugly? Is it like me?” She looked up at him, smiling sweetly. 

“If it was?” 

“Then I’ve damned you both.” He murmured, resting his head in his hands, letting the tears flow freely. 

“Take off your mask, Erik.” She commanded gently, and he obliged, too full of anguish to object. “Look at me.” Slowly, he looked up, and choked at the love that swam in her eyes. “He has your eyes.” He dared to peek down, but quickly averted his gaze until Christine reached for his hand and brought it down to rest on the babies chest. “Look at our son, Erik.” 

It took Erik every ounce of his courage to dare look at his son and when he did, he let out a choked sob. There was not a blemish on his face and sure enough it was his eyes, staring back at him curiously, those amber orbs so full of wonder already. 

“H-Hello.” He whispered, stroking the babies fat little cheek. A chubby hand poked out and grasped at the finger, a vice like grip that refused to let go. The eyes never left Erik’s face but for once in his life, he found himself unable to care. Let his son look upon his face. Let him see the kind of father he had. 

“I think he likes you.” Christine laughed, watching how their son stared at his father in curiosity. 

“He has your face.” Said Erik and she laughed again, patting the empty space next to her. It was long until she was resting against his shoulder, the both of them looking down at their son. “What would you like to call him, my love?”

“What we agreed on. James Gustave Destler.” Christine announced, before looking at him for approval. Erik smiled and stroked his cheek. 

“My little James” He bent down to whisper in his ear, “I will make sure that no one ever hurts you. I will make sure that you live a life of a wonder. I will make sure that your future is bright. You are me and more, James. Me and more.” 

“Erik.” 

One word, his name, uttered in such desperation, was enough to make him stop in his tracks. With his back still facing Nadir, he cocked his head to the side to indicate that his friend could continue. Nadir’s eyes flashed with surprise before he hurried on with what he had to say. If he had a chance to stop him, he would take it, no matter how impossible it seemed.

“Erik, what you’re doing is madness.You cannot win her like this, acting like some stupid, headstrong fool!” Erik chuckled darkly, fingering the catgut he hid in the inside lining of his cloak with impatience. 

“Nadir… I am mad. Insane.”A merciless grin rippled across his mouth as he turned to look at Nadir. The worry on his face meant nothing to him now. “I’ve tried being courteous but that has never got me anywhere, so why bother with it now? Might as well revert back to what I know…” Erik trailed off as the revealed side of his face slackened with shocked surprise. Nadir followed his gaze and sucked in a shuddering breath as the girl that had caused all this trouble in the first place stood at the edge of the lake, trembling with what could’ve been cold… or fear. Nadir was first to react, pacing over to her shaking form. Was she even paler than before? Was that possible? 

“Christine, what are you doing here?” He whispered urgently, before pain shuddered through his shoulder. Erik’s vice like grip propelled him to the floor in a grunt, grimacing as the gravel bit his cheek, Christine’s wide eyes following him with fear. “Stop it now!” He bit out, as his friend prowled closer to the poor girl. 

“Shut up, you fool!” His attention was quickly fixed on the soprano’s face, his fingers ghosting against her cheek. She held back a shudder at the near touch, squeezing her eyes shut instead. Erik marvelled at the delicate strands of her eyelashes brushing against her pale cheek before realising he’d been staring at her for an uncomfortable amount of time. “Why are you here?” Christine looked up at him through her lashes, trembling.

“I-I… I thought over your proposal.” Erik felt his heart lurch into his mouth and took a step back.

“And?” He asked, tightly. Nadir stood up on shaky legs, rubbing his aching shoulder. 

“If it means you’ll leave Raoul alone, if it means you’ll promise not to hurt him then I’ll…” She let out a jittery breath, refusing to make eye contact, “I’ll be your bride.” Breath exhaled heavily out of both men, both staring at her in surprise. 

“What…?” They said simultaneously as the madness that had been reigning control over Erik slowly slipped away. 

“I’ll marry you. Be your… Living bride.” She choked this out in unrestrained disgust, clenching her hands together. “If it means Raoul is safe, I’ll do it.” 

“I…” 

“Promise me.” Christine demanded with sudden, surprising vengeance. Biting his lip in annoyance, Erik gave her a mock bow, the merciless grin back on his face.

“If my bride commands it, it shall be done. I promise.” She stared at him in distaste, turning then to Nadir who still stood in shock. 

“If you could escort back up to the surface, that would be very much appreciated.” Nadir nodded hastily, staring from one to the other, before going to her side. Erik, slightly panicked, started to walk forward but Christine held up her hand. “I will marry you at the end of the week. I will move down here after. So help me God, Monsieur Le Fantome, you so much as lay a finger on Raoul until then, I will call the authorities on you.” Nadir led her away at that, surprised at her bravery and slightly amused that Erik was left seething on the shore, uncertain what to do with himself. When they were out of earshot, he whispered urgently into her ear.

“Christine, are you sure you want to do this?” She sighed wearily.

“Of course I don’t want to do this but what choice do I have? I cannot allow Raoul to be hurt because of me. It is this, or nothing.” Nadir, knowing fully well that Erik could be pacing in the walls after them, whispered even lower.

“I will be by your side. I will make sure Erik does not do anything reckless.” 

“Erik? That’s… That’s his name?” 

“I… Yes. I thought he would’ve told you that…” Nadir muttered, surprised.

“He has not told me anything about himself. All I know is that he haunts this place, and is a lost soul. If I can maybe fix him, then I’ll be free.” She shrugged delicately.

“You’ll have a lot of work to do.” 

“If it means freedom, I am willing to put the work in. If it means Raoul is safe… I will do everything in my power to make sure that is so.” She uttered in determination and left Nadir in silence as they wound their way up the damp tunnels, back to the sunlight and a world of broken hope. 

Gustave: dad why is this cloak covered in bling in my wardrobe?

Erik: I thought maybe you could grow into it…

Gustave: it’s a bit tacky tho

Erik: how dare you! Those are Swarovski crystals and they made me look pretty

Gustave: yeh pretty ugly

Erik: *under his breath* dick

Shout out to not only razor commercials with hairless actresses, but also to no-gray hair product commercials with 20 year old models.

im so excited for Percy Jackson and The Olympians auditions, i don’t even want to be have a big role i just want to be an extra at Camp Half-Blood

Something new!