Worlds might collide in London this Saturday, should the Boss meet the Bear.
As Emmy winner Jeremy Allen White warmed his voice and practiced his guitar to prepare for the Bruce Springsteen biopic “Deliver Me From Nowhere,” he initially kept a distance from his storied subject to better ease into the role.
“I’m trying to have a bit of my own process,” he told Variety in June. “I wanna try to have an understanding, so when I meet him, I’ll have a bit of confidence somewhere in me to stand there.”
That day may soon be near. Speaking from the red carpet at a glitzy, pre-Olympics bash held at the Louis Vuitton Foundation in Paris, White revealed that he and Springsteen have now “texted and emailed” and might finally meet in person after Springsteen’s show at London’s Wembley Stadium this Saturday.
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“I’m really excited to see him perform,” White said.
And just how does Bruce text? “Like a boss,” said White, grinning ear to ear.
White was one of many guests at Thursday’s Prelude to the Olympics party overseen by CEOs Brian Roberts (Comcast NBCUniversal) and Bernard Arnault (LVMH) alongside Pharrell Williams and Anna Wintour. Given such pedigree, the event did not lack in star wattage, with the red carpet alone playing host to Mick Jagger, Steven Spielberg, LeBron James, Snoop Dogg, Charlize Theron, John Mulaney, Lorne Michaels, Rosalía, Serena Williams and many more.
Artists and athletes mingled as Zendaya rushed to give Spike Lee a warm embrace while gold-medalists Aly Raisman, Eileen Gu and Shaun White strolled by. Later on, musical performances by Pharrell and Tyla kept the A-list crowd moving as other guests hit the party with a mission.
“I’ve got to meet LeBron,” said “Bel-Air” star Jimmy Akingbola. “I have to tell him that I live in L.A. too. Can I get some tickets to see you and your son play together, please? I’ll carry your bags. I’ll handle security, I’ll do what it takes!”
Indeed, the event was very much intended to bring these worlds together, as athletes Lindsey Vonn and Raisman both beamed about a rumored Lady Gaga performance at Friday’s opening ceremony, while actors Omar Sy and Alan Cumming shared their favorite sports (judo and swimming, respectively).
“Nights like this, as ridiculous as it is, can be really positive,” Cumming told Variety. “Unity is important. We should all reach out to those who are different from us, to make everyone feel comfortable so to learn from different disciplines and peoples from all over the world.”
Of course, he was equally excited when he learned of that rumored performance. “Oh my God,” he said with visible awe. “Wow. That’s what I say. I might pee my pants!”
Director Baz Luhrmann was looking forward to Friday’s opening ceremony most of all.
“The very nature of the Olympics is that it’s epic,” he said. “Every opening ceremony is probably the height of both theater and sport brought together. Think of the great Zhang Yimou doing the [2008 Beijing opening]. It’s really a great expression of art and sport and the best that humanity can do.”
Might Luhrmann want to follow in similar footsteps?
“Well, I’m not saying it hasn’t happened,” he laughed. “They offer, but I’ve got a day job.”
The filmmaker would not have to look far had he a sudden change of heart, as Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass was nearby, scoping the surroundings as she readies her own city for the Olympic torch in 2028.
“Los Angeles still benefits [from the 1984 Summer Olympics],” Bass said. “Now, income inequality is our greatest concern. So we need to encourage attendees to visit all of our ethnic communities and inner city areas in order to see our cultural richness. That way everybody can financially benefit.”
Of course, the mayor also had a more urgent matter on the mind.
“I don’t need to physically be in the United States to be concerned about an election that’s a little over 100 days away,” she said. “But I feel really good and excited that the United States, in November, is going to catch up with the rest of the world and actually have a woman as the President.”
Spike Lee echoed those remarks, giving the presumptive nominee one more endorsement.
“First we’ve got to register and then we have to turn out the vote,” he said. “Who thought that we’d ever have a Black president of the United States? Now, we’ve got Kamala right behind.”
