Kate Winslet

Leonardo Di Caprio

Billy Zane

Titanic

Painted in December 2006

Acrylic on canvas - 30 inch x 24 inch

Sold to a client in Singapore

Autographed by Kate, Billy & Leonardo between

January 2007 and January 2009

My first experience of the chaos at a film premiere!

Leonardo Di Caprio 

In 2006, at the end of my first year as an artist, I read that Leonardo Di Caprio was appearing at a film premiere of 'Blood Diamond' in London, January 2007.

I had never attended a film premiere before and decided to paint a portrait of Leonardo and Kate Winslet from the film ‘Titanic’, and see if I could get his autograph on it at the premiere.

Earlier in the year, shortly before I began my painting hobby, my mum had sadly passed away to great shock to us all in the family. So at Christmas I travelled 120 miles to Luton to spend a week with my dad and sister and took my canvas and paints with me to work on the painting during the week in time for the premiere in early January. A poignant time as my mum was a big fan of this film and this would be our first Christmas without her.

I worked for over 70 hours on the painting during the week, carefully depicting their characters and incorporating a paste to create a 3D effect in the painting and also an iridescent paint to create a shimmer on the sea.

When the day of the premiere arrived I had no idea what to expect. I travelled up in the morning and arrived at Leicester Square around midday to find hundreds of fans already lining the street.

I squeezed into a space behind a barrier and waited 6 hours in the freezing January weather for Leonardo to arrive.

The moment came and as Leonardo stepped out of his car the fans began screaming and pushing me from all sides. I held my painting over the barrier to protect it, with a pen in the other hand and my camera hung around my chest to film the moment, I braced myself.

It was all over in a flash. Leonardo came over to me with a pen in his hand and kindly said "Nice! ....Nice!" and signed the painting, during which time I was still grabbing my camera, dropping my pen, being shoved from all sides and attempted to film it. Eventually raising my camera just as Leonardo walked away.

I learnt a lot about trying to film a signing at a film premiere! A technique I perfected at subsequent events!

Billy Zane

Still at the ‘Blood Diamond’ premiere, watching Leonardo continue to sign autographs for many other fans, a person next to me asked if I realised that his co-star in the film, Billy Zane, was appearing in a play just around the corner. A wonderful synchronicity. So I thanked him for telling me and made my way away from the crowds to the nearby theatre and waited at the stage door, with a small group fans already there.

When Billy came out he saw the painting and asked "Did you paint that?"

I said "Yes",  he replied "Oh that's beautiful!" and stood to gaze at the painting for a few moments before signing it. 

I was touched by how warm-hearted he was and it was so kind of him to autograph it even though his character was not on the painting.

Kate Winslet 

All that was left to complete the painting was to gain Kate Winslet’s autograph.

I had to wait 2 years for Kate to appear at a film premiere in London, and the day came at the premiere of ‘Revolutionary Road’ in January 2009.

I left home at 6am to drive to London.

I arrived at 10am and waited all day in the January cold weather, once again, with all the fans. Ironic that all the autographs on this painting were obtained in the freezing cold given the film had a poignant icey theme!

Kate arrived at 6pm and signed autographs for hundreds of fans.

When Kate saw the painting she said "That's really amazing! That must have taken you ages!", I replied “It took over 70 hours.” She kindly autographed it, looked up at me and with a wink and smile said “It’ll be worth a lot of money now”.

A wonderful moment to remember. Kate was wonderful, very friendly and so at ease talking to all the fans, giving time for everyone.

A few minutes later, I had another special moment when I met Leonardo Di Caprio again, who was her co-star in ‘Revolutionary Road’, and was also attending the premiere. 

He came over to me with the intention of signing the painting and I told him he had already signed it at the 'Blood Diamond' premiere 2 years ago, he said "Its beautiful".

I handed him my business card so maybe one day he may commission me for a painting!

It was a fantastic evening and worth waiting 10 hours for!

Below is the first film of Leonardo Di Caprio signing the painting at my baptism into the chaos of film premieres.

Below is the film of Billy Zane signing the painting in the calm of a theatre stage door.

Below is the film of Kate Winslet signing the painting