New Richard Armitage Fan Challenge Day 19

Last day of the A-Z Richard Armitage Fan Challenge

Y.  Choose a work of art or a song that reminds you of RA?

Difficult to select just one song that reminds me of RA, but if I have to pick one this would be the one (click below):




I made an RA video with the song a few years ago:

https://youtu.be/f_EO_yLJr6g


Work of art recently has been a portrait of Monet by one of his contemporaries that reminded me of RA as Claude Monet in The Impressionists.

Z.  A character headcanon you have?

I had to look up headcanon.

Even after looking it up I don't know if I understand the term fully.

Now, I don't write fan fiction, or read fan fiction, so that doesn't help me.  

Maybe the fact that I believe Lucas North is still alive and in deep cover on a secret MI-6/MI-5 operation that only he and Harry know about is a headcanon?     

Well, that is the end of the Richard Armitage A-Z Fan Challenge.  Thank you Guylty for creating and starting it.  

It was fun to take a look back to when I first saw Richard Armitage and some reflection on being a fan today. 

New Richard Armtage Fan Challenge Day 18

As I'm coming to the end of this challenge, a reminder of all the questions.  To find out more about the Fan A to Z challenge visit Guylty's blog:

https://guylty.net/2018/06/08/time-for-another-fan-challenge/


X.   Is there a fellow fan who got you into either delurking or convinced you to participate in the fandom?

No, no one convinced me.  I got into this all by myself. 

Unlike many Armitage fans, I wasn't new to fandoms when  I discovered Richard Armitage.  I had been active in the Sean Bean fandom for several years by then.  

I am grateful for the Armitage bloggers in my early RA fandom days.  It was really commenting on some of the blogs that got me started in the fandom.  

I'm also grateful for all who read my blog and especially those who have left a comment or two through the years. 

Grateful that the RA blogger community at the time invited me to participate in FanstRAvaganza back in 2011.

See link below for one of my favorite posts of that FanstrRAvaganza:

http://whiterosewritings.blogspot.com/2011/03/armitage-revisited-and-last-day-of.html
.  
I participated in two more FanstRAvaganza's after that. Probably my most active time in the fandom:

http://whiterosewritings.blogspot.com/search/label/FanstRAvaganza

Pics thanks to RichardArmitageNet and Richard Armitage Central. 

New Richard Armitage Fan Challenge Day 17

V.  Your favorite fan artist/author gives you one request, what do you ask for?

There are many extremely talented fan artists.  One of my favorites is Evankart. See link below:

https://evankart.deviantart.com/art/Thorin-603125372

I love all the drawings of Richard Armitage as Thorin.  I would love Evankart to draw a wearable miniature portrait of Thorin for me to wear as a pin/pendant. (A miniature portrait brooch/pendant similar to the one below.)

.

https://evankart.deviantart.com/art/Thorin-Oakenshield-420365763

W.  A prompt or AU for a piece of fan art/fiction?

I had to look up AU.  I can't think of anything for this one. 

New work - Actor @richardcarmitage shot on a windswept Hunstanton beach for @audible_com 's new production of Their Lost Daughters.... Thank you @sassyfilms x

A post shared by Dan Kennedy (@dankennedyphoto) on Jun 26, 2018 at 1:39am PDT

New Richard Armitage Fan Challenge Day 16

T.  What was the first thing you ever contributed to a fandom?

I'm keeping my answers focused on the Armitage fandom.

What did I first contribute?   Probably a video.  I used to make videos.

My videos are not very technically proficient, but they are from the heart.  I haven't made a video in a long time. Here's one from 7 years ago.





U.  Have you added anything stupid/cracky/hilarious to your fandom. If so, what?

I'm not sure what "cracky" is, but I made several videos about RA's sense of humor, so that I think would be my contribution in this category.  Here's one of those videos.




and a follow up, and we know the truth now. LOL

New Richard Armitage Fan Challenge Day 15

S.  Which actor would you like to see him paired with in the future?  



I have more than one actor that I would like to see him paired with in future.  Here are a few of them, two he has worked with before, but I think are a great match for him for any future role:

Rachael Stirling

Sally Hawkins

Nicola Walker

Claudia Michelsen

Kate Winslet

Back in 2012 I wrote a post, an even had a poll, about who should play Anne Neville if RA was playing Richard II in a movie or TV program. Some other actors I would like to see him paired with in the future at the link below:


http://whiterosewritings.blogspot.com/2012/03/armitage-as-richard-iii-who-should-play.html

New Richard Armitage Fan Challenge Day 14

R:  OTPs - What is your favourite pairing of RA''s past work?

Need you ask!  My favorite pairing of RA's past work is: 

John Thornton and Margaret Hale

Will Richard Armitage and Daniela Denby-Ashe ever work together again.  I certainly hope so. Maybe in another period drama.  A girl can dream.

North & South 

From Desert Sky Screencaps

 I do have runner up, a #2 OTP.  This one involved a working partnership and not a romantic one.  I do think it would have been a great romantic pairing as well.

Ros Myers and Lucas North (MI-5 or Spooks)  

I wish they would have been a romantic pairing in the series.  I guess the writers thought they couldn't do so since they had already paired Ros with Adam, which never quite worked for me. Ros and Lucas had great chemistry together.  

I also hope Hermione Norris and Richard Armitage work together again.

New Richard Armitage Fan Challenge 2018 Day 13

O.  Casual RA or dressed-to-the-nines RA?

I love both really.    

There is something to be said for a sharp dressed man:

But my all time favorite is when Richard selects his own wardrobe, when he "dresses himself" as the fandom says:

Reason I love this the best is because this is the real Richard, and I think he doesn't need to change in any way.

A favorite because I was there to see him at this event.

P.  RA on the big screen or RA on TV?

On TV because we get to see him longer, especially if it is a multi episode series.   

Q. Third season of BS (Berlin Station) or not?

Yes! Third season of BS!  Hope he's in it, and I'm looking forward to it.  (Though I have to find a way to watch it live, since I "cut the cord" now.) If only Epix would let us join their streaming service separately, individually?  How about it Epix?

Yes, BS has its flaws, and Daniel Miller is an underwritten character, but still a pleasure to look forward to seeing Richard on my screen every week, for several weeks.  And I have to say, that given the recent news, BS has been good at anticipating what's happening in the real world.  I also have hope for Season 3 and Daniel Miller because there are new writers at work.  But we don't really know if Daniel Miller will be back for the entire season, do we? 

New Richard Armitage Fan Challenge Day 12

M.  RA has spoken Russian, French, and German in his roles so far. How good was he and which one was your favorite?

Also, let me say RA spoke a bit of Spanish in the first episode of Berlin Station Season 1. 

Since I don't speak Russian or German, I can't really judge.  I do speak French, but I'm not a native speaker, and I thought he did fine, I could understand him well, and thought he sounded very believable. Especially as someone who as Raymond had lived most of his life outside of France in a a country with a different native language. 

 I will say that a as bi-lingual speaker myself (Spanish/English) for many of us, though we speak our mother tongue, or the language we first learned as a child, the accent is not always exactly the same as someone who has lived to adulthood in their mother country.  I always spoke Spanish at home, but English outside and in school. And living in an area with native Spanish speakers from various countries, my accent when I speak Spanish is not entirely the one of my native country. Some people think I'm originally from Venezuela and not Cuba.  I say this in defense of Daniel Miller and Raymond de Merville and Richard's language/accent skills.

My favorite was Lucas North speaking Russian.  I don't speak or understand Russian, but I loved listening to Lucas speak it.

N.  Which language would you like him to speak in a future role?

I want him to speak English in his own British accent. That's my favorite. 

Or speak English in any and many varied UK accents.  That's always an added treat in all his audiobooks. 

New Richard Armitage Fan Challenge Day 11

L.  Dealbrakers - What would make you stop being RA's fan.

I'm a believer that we don't really know how we will react to any situation until it happens.  We may think we know how we will react, but we don't really know.

I can't imagine what it would be.  It would be something like a Bill Cosby situation. Causing harm to others.

I work with people every day, people that I've worked with for a long time, and I can't say that I know them beyond our work together.  We've never had a personal conversation. So even people that we see every day, we don't know always what is in their hearts. We all have a public persona that we show to those we don't know well.  So I'm aware, as I said in answer to an earlier question, that I don't really know RA personally.  

But everything that I know about him now, and the way his co-stars seem to have great affection for him, including some that recently came to his "rescue", makes me think he is as he seems, a good man. 

New Richard Armitage Fan Challenge Day 10

RA the day I met him (not my photo)

K.  Have you met RA? Where? Have you got a photo to share? and what did you say to him?

Yes, I have met RA, on December 6, 2012. Where?  In New York City, Hobbit AUJ, NY Premiere, AFI Gala Party.

No, sadly I don't have a photo with RA. The invitation said we weren't allowed to take photos, or bring a camera,and I didn't have a smartphone at that time. Yes, believe it or not, I didn't have a smartphone then. 

(I do have a photo from that night of me with two Hobbits, Frodo and Bilbo, but that's for a different fan challenge.)

What did I say to him?  I was there with three other Armitage fans/friends and we talked to Richard as a group.  We had all just seen The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey for the first time.  Richard, if I remember correctly what he said to us, had seen it for the third time that night.  So we talked with him primarily about the movie, and working with Peter Jackson. We talked with him for about 15 minutes.  

I did have two direct interactions with him during our group conversation.  At one point he asked us what had been an emotional moment in the movie for us, and I said "Gollum realizing he had lost "his precious" (the Ring). Richard was so happy I had picked that scene, and he and I discussed the scene with Gollum one-on-one for a few minutes. Then my second one-on-one moment with him came at the end of our group conversation.  When he was leaving us to join the larger party, we were in an alcove in this large party room, as he came by me I said to him " It was a pleasure to meet you".  He stopped, faced me, looked me in the eyes, took my hand in his, and gave it an affectionate squeeze.  Then he left for the larger party room crowd. 

We all agree that night we had a real conversation with him for those fifteen or so minutes. 

New Richard Armitage Fan Challenge Day 9

I - What made you come out as a fan and participate in the fandom online?

I had already participated quite a bit in another fandom online for several years, so it was not difficult for me to decide to participate online in the RA fandom once I decided to join in.   

For the most part I find it part of the fun of being a fan.  And the "big fan moments" (Hobbit premieres, NIFF2018, to mention a few) that we've all shared together online as it's happening, and still will share in the future, are a wonderful part of being an RA fan.

When Richard joined Twitter I wasn't sure how I would feel about it, knowing how negative and cruel some people are on social media.  But now I'm glad he did, and I hope that he stays, despite some challenging incidents and people. 


Some younger people at work think I'm totally ignorant about social media and sometimes try to explain to me what Twitter is for example.  I just go along with it for the most part. Little do they know...😈

I do use a fan alias on social media for my fandom activities and not my real name.   


J.  Are you outed as a fan among your family and friends?

I would say no, but not because I've failed to mention him on occasion.  They know I've gone to New York to see a film or a play or something related to him, to this actor I like.  Once in a while I've had to mention he's the actor from The Hobbit. But they don't know my fan activity on social media, or at least if they have found out, they haven't mentioned it to me. 

New Richard Armitage Fan Challenge Day 8

H.  How has your attitude to RA changed over your time as a fan?

I have great respect for him as a person, now more than ever.  

When I first became aware of RA I didn't know anything about him, other than I liked him very much as an actor, that I loved the characters he created, and that he was (and is) a gorgeous man. As  I said in an earlier post, I first saw him as John Thornton in North & South, and then bought the DVD to The Impressionists, and next saw him as Guy of Gisborne on BBC America.  During this first phase I knew very little about Richard Armitage the man, and at the time I was OK with that.

But then came this interview (2007 I think)- and it was this interview that made me fall in love with RA the person:

https://youtu.be/YFeJ470dNKI

And since then, it has been his interviews, on video, or in print, or on Twitter, or live, that I adore the most.  

Whenever I think I've seen his best interview, another one comes along that becomes my favorite, so he surprises me and interests me every time, year after year.

-----

But I would say this question has several layers, because like any love affair, there is the first euphoria of "falling in love", and if this love is to last, it evolves into a deeper caring and concern for that person.  And that is in many ways similar to what has happened in my long term fandom. 

I also respect his privacy, as I respect everyone's privacy, and I know that I will never fully know this man, my favorite actor.  Despite all the interviews and the Tweets, he's still a mystery, because we don't really know each other. And that is the way it should be.

I did write some time ago about being a fan. Here's the link to that post:

My Two Richards:

http://whiterosewritings.blogspot.com/2013/12/my-two-richards.html

New Richard Armitage Fan Challenge Day 7

G.  How long have you been in the fandom and how has your attitude to the fandom changed during that time?

I've been thinking about this question since last night.  Not an easy one to answer.

I first saw and noticed Richard Armitage in 2005. One of my local PBS stations here in the DC area was showing North & South and I happened to catch it quite by accident that night. (Still today the first stations I turn to every night when I get home are the PBS stations to see what they have on.)  Yes, I know, I did say PBS station, but it was never widely distributed across the US by PBS to all the public television stations.  In my life since 2005 I've only met two other fans, in different states, who saw North & South on their local public television stations that year.  Somehow it was a special showing of the series on some local stations, maybe during pledge drive? I've never been able to discover how it happened.

So this is to say that I noticed and started to follow what this handsome actor, Richard Armitage, was working on back in 2005.  But I didn't really join the "fandom" until about 2008/2009.

You see I was fairly involved in another fandom (see my blog heading and you'll figure it out), and just didn't have time to be involved in another. But unlike other Armitage fans, I was familiar with the "fandom" world in general by the time I decided to see what was out there in that world for Richard Armitage.

I first joined two forums, the old Armitage Army one, now long deleted/closed, and C19.  I didn't post a great deal in either, in part because I was a bit burned out from fan forums at that time. But they were both great resources to find out more about this actor, this man, I had fallen for and wanted to know more about.

It was really the many Richard Armitage blogs at the time, commenting on them, and visiting them regularly, that really brought me in touch with other fellow fans. And then I joined them on Twitter and Facebook.  There are some friends from that time I'm no longer in touch with, or who have dropped off the RA fandom, or who I've stopped following, and so we've lost touch. But I'm happy to say I have friends today from those early Armitage fandom days that I cherish and we wouldn't have met if not for our interest in Richard Armitage. And though we've moved on to share as friends beyond being his fans, I'm grateful to Richard and the fandom for bringing us together. 

And since I joined the now gone Armitage Army forum, I don't mind in the least being thought part of the Armitage Army. 

I'm a bit of a loner, so even back in my early Armitage fandom days when I was more actively active in the fandom, I've always felt somewhat apart, never fully belonging.  But now I feel even more so, more apart, as he's gathered new fans with every new project. I'm happy that new fans join though, I think it's good for him and his career. I'm not a Tumblr person, and I don't really understand Instagram (though I joined).  But I still check the RA news all the time, and still participate in the fandom on Twitter and Facebook every day in my own way. 

And I'm participating in this fan challenge. 

New Richard Armitage Fan Challenge Day 6

I love this photo 

F. Name a play that you wish RA would do.

I don't know if I have a particular play in mind that I wish RA would do.  

I was momentarily happy when he said some months ago he was going to be on stage again, even if I have no chance of going to London to see him.  He needs another role like John Proctor that will fit him like a glove. 

That's what I would like for him. A new play written with him in mind, a role tailored to him by a challenging playwright, a noted playwright, or even a new playwright.  

Maybe David Hewson would try his hand at a new stage play based on a new interpretation of Shakespeare's Richard III?

I would love to see him and Yael Farber work together again on a play, and at the Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington DC this time.

New Richard Armitage Fan Challenge Day 5

E.  Which of RA's audio characters do you think he should play in a film adaptation?

Lord Damerel the "Wicked Baron"

Link to the Audible edition of Venetia narrated by Richard Armitage

https://www.audible.com/pd/Romance/Venetia-Audiobook/B003MAZ5W8?ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_2&pf_rd_p=e81b7c27-6880-467a-b5a7-13cef5d729fe&pf_rd_r=S8QG63RCFRSMPNMRA1G1&

Update!

We have an addendum to this answer.  Please BBC we have to have a TV series with Richard Armitage as DI Rowan Jackman. 

New Richard Armitage Fan Challenge Day 4

D. Which of his selfies is your favorite?

I couldn't pick just one.

I love everything about this selfie. 

One of the reasons I love this one is that he's looking directly at us, at the viewer, or his fans. Also love the slight smile reflected in his smiling eyes. He's very "natural" in this selfie. 

New Richard Armitage Fan Challenge Day 3

C. Name a book that you think RA should star in a film in?


This is a tough one because there are probably many characters in many books throughout the years I've imagined being made into a film or series starring Richard Armitage. 


My favorite book genre, my favorite escape, are mysteries and detective stories. There are two detectives in two separate book series I would love to see made into a film, or series of films, or better yet, a TV series, starring Richard.

RA as Jonathan Argyll, art historian and detective, in Iain Pears art history mysteries.  I have read all the books in the series, but it has been years since.  Jonathan is a British art historian and art investigator who ends up in Italy investigating art crimes and murder. He also falls in love with Italian art detective and colleague Flavia di Stefano.  Each book follows a different case, and through the books we also follow the Jonathan and Flavia love story.  If I remember correctly the character of Jonathan is younger than Richard is now, but I think the age of the characters can be changed, as other books have been, without altering the stories. The series was written in the 90's, but it could be set in the present day.


The second character and series I think RA would be great in is playing former policeman and private detective William Monk in Anne Perry's historical detective series set in the Victorian era. Monk is another British detective. I don't think the Monk series has ever been made into a series, or any of the books into a film, but I could be wrong.  Below is a description of William Monk from Wikipedia:


"William Monk is a clever man who wields irony and sarcasm with considerable skill while remaining obstinate, proud, and impulsive. This normally disastrous combination of attributes (for which he was dismissed from the police force) is offset by his intelligence, unswerving sense of justice and humanity to those he deems worthy. He is highly emotional and this passion drives his excellence with the single-minded determination of the obsessed. He will solve the case, he will see the evildoers brought to justice, and he will be fearless in doing so, come what may."


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Monk

New Richard Armitage Fan Challenge Day 2

B. Which of his chaRActers do you think RA is most like? Which is he most unlike?

Richard himself has said that the character of Harry Kennedy in the Vicar of Dibley is most like him, and he knows himself best, and I agree.

But I also think he has some of John Thornton and Trevor Belmont too.  For me he's a combination of Harry Kennedy, John Thornton, and Trevor Belmont.  

Which is he most unlike?  

I think he's most unlike John Mulligan (Moving On) and Percy Courtney (Miss Marie Lloyd).  Maybe two roles that new fans might not have seen, but seek them out if you can.  Two charming cads and con men.

New Richard Armitage Fan Challenge Day 1

It has been a very long time since I've participated in any kind of Armitage fan challenge. When I first joined the Armitage fandom as a more or less active member I did participate a little bit. But I'm a bit of a "lone wolf" by nature.

Challenges can be fun sometimes, and in the interest of having some fun in these troubled times, I thought I would take a stab at this challenge.

Guylty set up this new fan challenge in her blog. If you want to know more about it, go to her blog at the link below:

https://guylty.net/2018/06/08/time-for-another-fan-challenge/

On to the first question:

A. If you added up all the money you have spent on DVD’s, cinema tickets, accommodation, theatre tickets, fan art, audiobooks etc., how expensive has RA been so far?

I have no way of knowing how much I have spent on RA so far.  I've never kept track, and don't expect or plan to.  I've been a fan for a long time now, so it is bound to add up.  But it has all been well worth it.

Some examples of RA related expenses:

1.  Six trips to NYC:  If I'm counting correctly there have been 6 trips to NYC, that includes train fare, one night in hotel for 5 of the trips, to see him for most of them, ticket for one play (Love,Love,Love), ticket to TRIBECA to see Pilgrimage. Also other movie tickets somewhere in there, special events like for the Hobbit trilogy Marathon in my neighborhood. Oh yes, my biggest expense, ticket to the AFI US NYC Hobbit Premiere in 2012. 

2.   DVD's:  With a few exceptions I only buy DVD's (or in the old days VHS tapes) for my two favorite actors. I'm a bit of a small collector for both.  With exceptions, I own the DVD's of most of RA's work, including old favorites like Sparkhouse, Miss Marie Lloyd, The Golden Hour, etc.  I try to get them on sale, and I have self imposed limit on how much I will spend, but so far, so good.  Now I've also purchased online streaming "products", though how permanent those purchases are who knows.  The Crucible of course, and Season 1&2 of Berlin Station, purchased, and I think that will be the way of future as less DVD's are produced. 

3.   Audiobooks:  I have every single audibook Richard Armitage has recorded, including those on CD's .  My most treasured audiobook purchase is BBC Audiobooks (2007) The Lords of the North by Bernard Cornwell, ready by Richard Armitage.  I started collecting his audiobooks when he first started recording the Robin Hood audiobooks, was it back in 2007?  Now of course I have my very active Audible subscription.  I try to use only my credits for audiobooks, though once in a while I will purchase extra credits.  I use Audible not only for RA's narrations, but he does keep us busy.  I listen to audiobooks in my car on my commute to and from work, and sometimes at home too.  RA audiobooks worth every penny (and Audible credit). 

4.  Fan Art and Fan Merchandise:  Not much on fan art, though I do appreciate all these supremely talented fans. Maybe a T-shirt or two and some magnets for my fridge, but that's all. Commercial merchandise I am guilty a bit, especially for Hobbit stuff.  A variety of stuff there, but less than the serious collectors. I have an Orcrist letter opener, and I'm sorry I didn't buy the lovely Orcrist pendant. (Still thinking I might for a birthday or holiday one day) And yes, I even bought a Castlevania T-shirt.   

Watching, listening, or wearing something RA related brings joy into my life, it's all been worth it.