One of the things I love about Hollywood...

... is observing career path trajectory over the years, most particularly of actors. Over the weekend, I was able to watch Rise of the Planet of the Apes in the cinema (which was incredible. I mean it. I certainly did not expect to like it as much as I did) and then the following day, I watched Never Been Kissed with Ma and my sister.

These two movies respectively marked the last and first time I ever saw James Franco in a movie.

Helluva journey, right? I mean, when I first saw Never Been Kissed back in high school... 12 years ago... I would have never imagined that the dorky looking douche from the 'cool group' who almost said NOTHING aside from 'rufulicious'... would ever become Oscarbait.

Seriously.

The same could also be said about that really odd-looking chick I watched years ago in 'The Next Karate Kid'. Honestly, when I first saw that movie, not only did I think it was a completely stupid addition the the Karate Kid series, but if I'm brutally honest, Hilary Swank looked to me like a dude in a wig and I did not, in any way, expect big things from her in the future. Obviously, I was wrong.

Now I know this is the nature of the business but I can't help but laugh when I think of my first impressions of these, now pretty impressive, people. Sure, there are the obvious ones...

* I never imagined Will Smith going from Fresh Prince and Boom Shake Shake Shake the Room to Bad Boys, ID4 to Ali, Pursuit of Happyness and basically Oscars-ville (true, he did do Six Degrees of Separation very early on but I actually didn't know about it till much later in his career so I couldn't have counted it).

* I really never expected that Johnny Depp guy from 21 Jump Street to become, well, Johnny Fucking Depp.

* I loved Ryan Reynolds' Berg from Two Guys and a Girl. Funny, yep! Cute, yep! Future International Sex Symbol? Uhm... huh?

But the ones I love most are the ones I just REALLY DID NOT SEE COMING (like James Franco)...

*Scarlett Johansson - really, first thing I saw her in was Home Alone 3 and she annoyed me shitless (not that I'm her biggest fan now though...). She was the mean, odd-looking (yes, I really am a bitch), nasal older sister to Alex D. Linz's character and really, again I was hardly expecting to really see her again. Then I started seeing her in more oddball stuff like Manny and Lo and Ghost World and thought, ok, bittie stuff, interesting... then in Lost In Translation, I admit I became more intrigued but much like her ex, at that point I would have still never imagined her soon becoming the object of lust for men the world over and moreover kicking some serious ass in Iron Man 2.

* In Twister, there was this hilariously crazy dude with long blond hair who loved to yell and listen to hardcore metal while he chased the tornadoes along with the others. Yep, first movie I saw Philip Seymour Hoffman in was Twister and I probably would have gaped rather unkindly if anyone had told me then that he would pretty much become a regular attendee at the Oscars and, y'know, win one.

* In terms of unflattering reactions, I would have definitely laughed out loud if anyone had tried to sell the idea that that kid from Even Stevens would ever become an ACTION star. Yeah, that's right Shia LaBoeuf, I'm talking about you. Yes, even after your OCD-ing stint on Project Greenlight, I did not see you getting big at all.

* Michelle Monaghan was, in my opinion, the worst thing about the TV show, Young Americans, when it came out in 2000. She couldn't act for crap (although the crumby writing probably did her no favours) and she was an extremely minor character who I assumed was being played by a bit actress who wouldn't appear much ever again, as was the case for most bit parts in teen shows. MI:3, Gone, Baby, Gone, Eagle Eye et al would beg to differ.

* Speaking of Young Americans, Ian Somerhalder came a close second for crap-ass acting. Now, I didn't really love him on Lost or anything, but I won't lie, what I've seen of him on Vampire Diaries makes me smile. I know it's been 10 years but I still think it's fantastic just how much he's improved.

* I first saw Amy Adams in an episode of Charmed and then in Cruel Intentions 2 (hahahahahahahahahahahaha!). Though she was lovely and adorable in Charmed, CI2 made me want to thwack her senseless with something blunt. It's now 11 years later and I freaking ADORE her and, so it would seem, so do award-givers. Yes, Kathryn Merteuil's crappy understudy version has certainly gone a long way.

Anyway, I know that Hollywood (and admittedly, the world in itself) is pretty much made up of these kinds of stories of surprising meteoric rises and such but these are just some of my personal favourites. I picture myself going back in time to past Me and outlining what was in store for each of those actors and the likely look of sheer skepticism is clear in my mind.

If anything, it's always pretty cool having your expectations blown away and it's even cooler just getting to see where these people's persistence and hard work have been able to get them over the years. Hurrah the 'Dream Factory', eh?

Now that I think about it, while I was in New York, I am not kidding, I encountered actors almost everywhere. On the Subway, in Washington Square Park, walking down the street... and of course, during my incredibly brief visit to the Tisch School of the Arts... and a few faces come to mind. While I wandered around the city, it became pretty common for me to overhear conversations about 'rehearsals' and 'scenes' and 'auditions' and 'so-and-so's directing capabilities' and I actually really loved it...

Here's to whatever they've got in store for my future entertainment!

It's August already! Craaaazy...

Random thoughts/updates/non-tweets...

* I love my piano. Really, really, really.

* I'm liking work at the moment. Nice role with people worthy of both respect and admiration (moreso emphasised by almost 7 years of past experience with people of very different stock). Go the DCRC!

* I kind of miss working at Market. Such a completely unpretentious work environment will never be found again (not even at DCRC although they come a wonderful second)... not to mention the incredibly alive atmosphere whenever markets were open. I miss my Friday $1.50 chips and drink run! Oh, 2007, you were so long ago now...

* Thanks to the Aroma Festival, I have now eaten Chocolate Fudge. As it was also sugar free, the taste needed to grow on me but it did and I whoohoo that. Yummm... my world continues to expand with possibility. Thank you, vegans. If I weren't such a meatlover, I would... still probably not be vegan, but I thank you for giving me one word to summarise my encyclopaedic menu requirements.

* Head's been in the 80s lately (blame 21 Jump Street [I'm kind of in love] and Inspector Gadget [Penny is my childhood hero] and my proclivity for excessive nostalgia) and one funny thing I can't get over was that people used to have to WRITE their bowling scores down. Hee. Oh, that and 'Oh Mr Hart! What a mess!' - yep, there was something unattainably cool about 80s Australian media. I really mean that. Watch the old ads and you will see. Oh and 80s TV Themes were the bomb. Especially the sitcom ones. Ref. Growing Pains, Family Ties, Who's The Boss, Valerie, Perfect Strangers... my mp3 player is graced by your existence.

* Loved the last Harry Potter movie, even the ending I was dreading which I think was better handled in movie rather than book. Admittedly mostly liked what didn't happen in terms of potential cliches in dialogue and scenes and excessive exposition and it was certainly a veritable eyefeast (I almost regret not seeing it in 3D. I said, almost). Worthy fare thee well to an awesome series.

Now I must re-read the series as part of mourning.

* Speaking of movies, I blame my sister for a hopefully temporary loss of sense after staying up to watch WTF?! Movie of the Year - The Accidental Husband. Stupid, pointless, nonsensical, infuriating. It will be some time before I trust Uma Thurman, Colin Firth and Jeffrey Dean Morgan again. I don't care if it was 2008. How could they? How??

* Babycakes NYC's tweets make me desperately miss NYC and it's array of fantastically Jel-friendly food. Oh, Whole Foods... how did I ever leave you? And it's not just the food... oh, TKTS with your excellently cheap and surprisingly close seats on Broadway!

* 2011, although you still currently hold the position of 'oddest. year. ever', I can't I say I hate you. I believe it's called 'tough love'. Much as I often want to beat you to death screaming 'merciless bitch', I have seen the moments of unbridled kindness and I know it's all for my own good so... hugs?