Getting personal with Michael Cera

The Bridge had all the makings of a Hollywood premiere last night as students lined up for the chance to see a free advance screening of Youth in Revolt and chat with stars Michael Cera and Portia Doubleday.

The Miguel Arteta film, scheduled to open in theaters in January, was presented jointly by the Social Planning and Events Film Committee and a marketing group representing the film’s production company, according to College senior Allison Seelig, one of three SPEC Film co-directors. Following the screening, audience members took part in a question-and-answer session with Cera and Doubleday themselves.

The movie, which was based on a popular novel, follows Cera’s character Nick Twisp, a lovable yet awkward teenager, as he falls in love with the whimsical Sheeni Saunders — played by Doubleday — while vacationing with his family. When the couple is separated by their parents, different neighborhoods and different schools, Twisp develops an evil alter-ego — also played by Cera — who steers him through a path of teenage rebellion in order to ultimately be with Sheeni.

Following the screening, Seelig introduced Cera and Doubleday to the eager audience and opened the floor to questions.

During the panel, Cera and Doubleday acted more like fellow Quakers than movie stars, joking with the audience, accepting an invitation to fill two open spots on a Quizzo team and even inviting one fan to give each of them a hug.

“It’s nice to get to talk to you guys and get a sense of your reactions,” Cera said, emphasizing that his favorite part of acting is doing tours and talking with fans.

Doubleday, who played a leading role for the first time in the movie, spoke about her “conventional” path into show business, describing how she spent her childhood auditioning for parts in Hollywood. She stressed that “if you’re really driven by what you love, you can do it.”

According to Isabel Fan, a College sophomore who attended the screening, getting the opportunity to meet stars like Michael Cera is something she feels is unique to Penn.

“I don’t hear about other schools doing things like this,” she said.

Seelig agreed that Cera’s appeal was a large draw for most of the audience members, referencing the huge turnout last year when Cera came to campus to promote Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist.

“It always fills up once his name is in the picture,” she said. “He’s a bit of a phenomenon right now.”

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