People would ask for my autograph because they had never seen a woman behind the camera before.
Every time the races would come to Richmond, my mom would have a sheet of where each driver was doing appearances. And we’d go on a Thursday night road trip to each stop to get each driver’s autograph.
Hey, over here! Have your picture taken with a reclusive author! Today only, we’ll throw in a free autograph! But wait, there’s more!
I’ve had lots of kids come up and ask for my autograph, I’ve had a grandmother stop me and ask me if I know a good place to buy underwear.
When kids want a picture or autograph, you reflect later on and realize you did something good. Then you see them come back five years later, they’re all grown up, have their own lives and they tell you how much you inspired them. You’re like, ‘Whoa.’
That type of autograph, pictures and apparel thievery was not part of what I grew up with. I loved the artists and their music. I would be thrilled to meet them, but the thought of getting a scribble or stealing an article of clothing never occurred or appealed to me.
I was shooting for ‘Kahaani’ and ‘GOW’ back to back. I was in a village on work, where a man extended a paper to me. For a minute I thought he wanted another actor’s autograph. I looked back and forth, but there was no one. That was quite an experience.
When a kid smiles because you take an extra 30 seconds, minute, minute and a half to go over and ask them what their name is, give them the shirt you just wore to the ring, you just see them light up. We’ve all been kids before; we’ve all had our heroes, been fans of somebody and needed that autograph.
You don’t have to do the picture, you have to do the autograph, but it’s important to take that moment to make a human connection.
