Not just Professor Lockhart

The man single-handedly responsible for my fondness for Shakespeare (other than old Bill himself).

Kenneth Branagh is not just Gilderoy Lockhart in HP2, he's an actor, director, writer and producer. But what surprised me most about Branagh is that, in real life, he is nothing like his larger-than-life characters. In fact, I didn't notice his arrival until he was right in front of the press photographers.

Branagh is the director of The Magic Flute, the English-language screen adaptation (written by himself and Stephen Fry) of the Mozart opera. Purists might not be impressed, but when was popularizing and modernizing opera ever wholeheartedly accepted by the elite?

I knew that the premiere would be small, but finding no crowd at all at 5pm, I decided to spend half an hour reading at the nearby McDonalds, passing time with an evil McFlurry. After an hour of standing in front of Odeon West End with the red carpet regulars, I got an autograph and a photo with one of my most admired actors. What better reward for a week of hard work. Ika nga ni Jon by text: "Gaga ka talaga! Gagang maganda!"

Didn't stay so long though. I had dinner to catch and the man behind me was pressing too close against me for comfort. So all I got were shots of these kids and glimpses of lead actress Amy Carson, Sir Peter Moores and Brian Blessed. If I remember correctly, the boys below are William, Luke and Jamie.