I asked Adam Driver a question during Megalopolis

I didn't let myself be deterred. Many of our biggest movie stars struggled with rejection early in their careers. And that was the role I was born for. Reporter? I've been doing method acting for years! (In my imagination of the character, GQ still exists in New Rome.) Furthermore, among the names in the film – Cesar Catalina, Clodio Pulcher, Fundi Romaine, Wow Platinum – “Gabriella Paiella” fits right in, perhaps too absurd even for Coppola's wild imagination.

Finally, the film's representatives found a way to fulfill my wishes Job duties Dream of fame. On the opening weekend, select theaters would “Megalopolis: The Ultimate IMAX Experience” – and I would attend.

I took some time to think and consider how I would interpret the question in my debut, playing with different intonations:

Mr. Catiline, you said that when we jump into the FUTURE we should not be afraid.

Mr. Catiline, YOU said that when we jump into the future, WE should not be afraid.

What if when we jump into the future we have something to be afraid of?

Maybe I could do something with a British accent?

While I'm lost in reverie about accepting my Best Supporting Actress award – “she is.” not British?” – I received another email with very detailed instructions, down to the second:

“The reporter, breaking the 4th wall, begins to cross the stage from stage left (orchestra right) to stage right (orchestra left) (with microphone on microphone stand from stage left to stage right/center), taking Used a small flashlight or iPhone light for illumination (Walk quickly and leave a beat early to arrive on time.)”

Additionally, the audio would be pre-recorded, so I would have to voice the question into the microphone. (That was for the best, because the question I really wanted to ask Adam Driver was, “What combination of preparation and guidance made you say, 'Go back to the Cluuuuub'?”)

As soon as the sentence is spoken at the press conference, “The reporter pretends to take notes while making eye contact with Adam Driver on the screen.”

When I arrived at AMC Lincoln Square on the Saturday evening of opening weekend, I suddenly realized what I was about to do. Megalopolis would play on the largest IMAX screen on the East Coast with around 600 people in attendance. Two friendly representatives provided me with the space, explained all the logistics, showed me where the microphone would be waiting, and provided me with my props (a flashlight, a pen, and a small notebook). The theater around me started to fill up, and I realized that it must be really hard for actors not to keep telling people, unprompted, “By the way, I'm in the movie.”

I checked the clock periodically and raced down the stairs as the minute of my debut approached. The theater lights went completely dark. And that's when I froze for a moment too long. I jumped up, grabbed the microphone that was hidden in the corner, rushed to my seat and…missed the dialogue I was supposed to say by about half a second.