Fan Expo Chicago 2023 Highlights
Image Source: Fan Expo HQ
Over the weekend I had the pleasure to attend Fan Expo Chicago. This was my second year attending this convention, and it’s always a fun time. However, this year was a little different due to the SAG-AFTRA strike in Hollywood. While it didn’t affect the con too much, it did affect panels, as Fan Expo was good about respecting the SAG guidelines and helping the celebrities and guests steer away from discussing struck work. This made the panels a bit more personal, as we learned more about the celebrity themselves, which was quite entertaining.
The convention takes place over 3 and a half days. I went Friday and Saturday this year and was exhausted by the end of the week. I had the pleasure of meeting Harvey Guillen and Dee Bradley Baker both of whom were wonderful.
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The first panel I saw was that of Harvey Guillen. He plays Guillermo de la Cruz in the FX show, What We Do In The Shadows. He talked about his life and how he got into acting. He discussed his time living in Japan. He moved there after getting a role in a production of Sesame Street Live! He was also a standby for the Wizard in a production of Wicked and sang a quick verse to us in Japanese. He told us how he never planned to be a Hollywood actor, but it worked out that way.
He reminded us that it's good to have goals and go after them but also to be flexible on the route you may take to achieve them. He discussed his time in quarantine and told a story about how he created Amish friendship bread for his cast mates, which takes 14 days to make, and in the end, couldn’t give it to any of them because of the quarantine rules.
Image Source: CultureSlate
The next panel was Dee Bradley Baker. He voices many different characters in various animated shows, but Star Wars fans will know him as the voice of the Clones in The Clone Wars and The Bad Batch. While voice acting doesn’t fall under the SAG guidelines for the strike, Disney does, so they refrained from discussing any previous work. He talked about how he has always loved monsters and monster movies. He said A New Hope blew his mind when he first saw it and he eventually started drawing his own scenes.
He originally wanted to work in VFX, but the technology wasn’t there yet at the time. He loves how voice acting is a collaborative occupation. He also reminded fans to pursue what lights them up because it will always be with them, even if it isn’t practical. He then said how he has a voice-acting website called, iwantobeavoiceactor.com, and all the materials are free and good for anyone who wants to get into voice acting.
Image Source: CultureSlate
The last panel on Friday was that of Giancarlo Esposito (Moff Gideon), Katee Sackhoff (Bo-Katan), and Emily Swallow (The Armorer). Giancarlo Esposito talked about how with COVID, and now the strike, he can pursue other avenues, like theater, and told us he will be on Broadway later this year. They all agreed that one of the best parts of their job is interacting with fans because that is where the magic lies. He then got heated about the strike, in full support of it, but knows that actors will reach their deal in the end. They ended the panel with each saying what brings them joy. Katee said her daughter, Emily said it's the connection to the audience, and Giancarlo right now is the happiest he's been in his life.
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Saturday was another long day, and also the busiest. I was able to meet Felicia Day, who was super sweet. I shopped around, and some some great cosplays and art. I also saw more panels.
The first panel was the Raimi Brothers, Ivan and Sam. There were no pictures and videos allowed to be taken during this panel. They discussed how when they were kids, local films would be shown, and that is where they got their creativity from. They were asked about who would be on their Mount Rushmore of directors, and they agreed that it would be Steven Spielberg, Alfred Hitchcock, Wes Craven, and Sergei Eisenstein. The moderator told the brothers that they deserve their own mountain. Sam then told the story of the Oldsmobile that appears in his films. It was his mother's car and he used it in films he made in high school. Then it was used in Evil Dead because no one else wanted to lend him a car. Now it's been in every movie he has ever made, and he calls it a good luck charm.
Next up was the Danny Trejo panel. This man is very inspiring, and influential. He talked about his life, and how he went from a convict to an actor. In one of his first roles, he was asked if he was able to play a convict, and he joked about all the prisons he was in. He also told the story about he eventually was paid to train actor Eric Roberts in boxing. He said when he got his SAG card it changed his life. He’s not afraid of being typecast either, because it gets him work. He also told us that everything that has happened to him, was a direct result of him helping someone else. He ended it by saying that he thinks tacos are the all-American food, and can please everyone.
Image Source: CultureSlate
Lastly was Felicia Day. She started out making web series on her channel Geek and Sundry. She was in Mystery Science Theater 3000 and played Charlie Bradbury in Supernatural. She talked about her daughter a lot, and how her daughter is a lot like her. She says that parenting has made her a better person. She told us that if we have a story, to get it made, even if only a few watch it. She then ended by talking about how to separate the creator from the creation and that it's important to do and to let the art speak for itself, but also something you don’t have to do if you don’t feel comfortable supporting it.
Image Source: CultureSlate
Even though struck work wasn’t allowed to be discussed, the panels I saw were still interesting and inspiring. Conventions are a lot of fun, but also extremely tiring. I can’t wait to do it all over again next year!
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