« Val's Reaper Blog
Of Sexy Stars, Dirty Socks and Cheaters
"Wanna fly, you got to give up the s--t that weights you down." — Toni Morrison
Packing
The last day of filming for Reaper is scheduled to be this morning. As I type this, my co-workers finish out the last few shots of our final episode for the season.
I was wrapped a week and a half ago. I packed up lots of the last 9 months or so of my life and toted it home with me on the plane from Vancouver to Los Angeles.
Valuable lesson learned: I really need to learn to pack lighter. Existentially and literally. My bags are heavy and unpacking sucks almost as much as packing.
Stuff that was too big to carry and should be shipped was left behind in my B.C. apartment. It will wait in the apartment that I have paid up until mid-June. We should hear if the series is picked up in the next two weeks. If the show is picked up, the actors then have to wait until mid- June to hear if we will be picked up individually for the next season. So much uncertainty.
The whole undertaking of filming in another country is a little different than anyone would likely imagine. We get a relocation fee that covers our deposit and possibly the shipping fee for our cars, then we are on our own. We find our own apartments – preferably furnished. This is done with very little notice. Last time it was about two weeks before we had to report to work in a city that most of the cast had only been to during filming of the pilot many months earlier. Some actors give up their Los Angeles digs and truly move. Bad choice, if you ask me. If the show gets cancelled, you are not only unemployed, but also homeless.
My return to Los Angeles left my living room cluttered with massive suitcases. The night after my return, I scrambled to find something to wear to the TV Guide Sexiest Stars party. The only harrowing thing about such parties is what to wear for the press line.
When you see the evolution of a starlet’s style on the red carpet bear this in mind- in the early shots, she’s likely dressing herself. The better she looks, the more professionals (hair, wardrobe and make-up) were involved. The natural look is not easy to achieve.
Sexy Party
The press line is daunting. You have to make sure no unsightly straps are showing or worse- that you are not wearing anything that will make a “fashion don’t” line up. The comedy there is when I worked on Dark Angel there was a girl took great pride in wearing the most heinous combos because she believed there was “no such thing as bad press.” Her unwavering belief in this tenet had her on someone’s worst dressed stars list for that year. As my brother would say “set your goals low and you know you can always achieve them. “
The TV Guide party was pretty laid back. I had fun. Usually these things are a little stiff and remind me a lot of a junior high school dance. So many people holding up the wall, trying to figure out who is important enough to get to know. This party had a more laid back vibe. The music was eclectic. I was told that the DJ was a celebrity DJ and I should know who she was. I go to bed at 9 pm most nights, so that sort of stuff is often lost on me.
I did end up dancing. By myself. The beauty of that was I didn’t have to worry about someone else’s sweaty palms or having my toes stepped on.
I never know who anyone is at these things. If I haven’t worked with you or met you at another function, chances are I won’t recognize you here. I never read tabloids- unless the covers at the checkout stands count. Not because I am necessarily too good for them as much as I just don’t care enough about who people I don’t know are dating. Bad behavior gets too much coverage these days. It only leaves me sad for the youth that think that releasing sex tapes are the best way to get a movie deal. Sad.
Fantastic
One of the best things about this party is the fans that I got to meet outside the party. People who really watch the shows and care about their favorite characters enough to stand and wait for a glimpse or an autograph. That’s who this stuff should be about.
Magazines might want to have a “most dedicated fan party.” Allow them to be part of the festivities. I used to be a little creeped out by the whole idea of people dressing up like Klingons to go to conventions but now I think I see it a little differently. I think they are awesome. Dedicated fans who want to be a part of a fantasy.
I think I would love to see people with horns on dressed like Glady’s the DMV demon or Demon Tony in full winged glory at a convention. Nothing would make me happier.
Now if you walked up on me in an alley dressed like that… it might be a different story… I’m just sayin...
Campaign
I just found out that there’s a “Save Reaper” campaign going on to keep the show on the air. The fans are sending in socks, clean or dirty, to the network. Genius.
Unfortunately some of them have been going to the old WB offices where no one will see them but some security guard and an unhappy mail carrier (who would also probably make great demon at yet another viable portal to hell.)
The correct address to send your lovely socks to is:
Attn: Dawn Ostroff
CW Network
3300 W. Olive Avenue
Burbank, CA 91505
Cheaters?
OK… so I know lots of people have viewed our music video and have voted for us on www.ibeatyou.com (we’re the main event right now), but I’m still amazed that with the astounding number of votes and views we have that Cash’s video keeps edging us out somehow. It does present a few questions about how votes are tallied. I also wonder if they aren’t entering lower scores amid our real votes to bring our average down. Hmmm…
If you haven’t voted for us yet, please take the time to do so. Feel free to vote for the other two videos as well and keep in mind that their scores don’t have to be as high as ours
Wish us luck on the pick-up. Thanks for reading. Thanks for watching. Tuesday night a new episode of Reaper airs on the CW. Watch. Get some ideas for your demon costume.
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TVGuide Links:
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May 5, 2008 5:12 PM
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Instead of wearing fake horns and stuff, can I just dress really stylishly like either Demon Tony or Demon Steve? I feel like that'd be the easier of the options.
I'm reading articles that are pointing to a renewal for the show, so that's good news. Hope everything works out for all you folks at RPR. You've all done such a terrific job this first season.
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May 5, 2008 7:06 PM
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Thanks for the new address Val. Hopefully their forwarding order hasn't expired.  Enjoy your break and try not to sweat it too much. We're all sending positive vibes and hoping like mad that Reaper returns. Best of luck. ![]<img border=](http://community.tvguide.com/images/emoticons/devil.gif) ">
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May 5, 2008 8:56 PM
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Thanks for blogging, Ms Miller.
I really enjoy the show, and I hope it (and you) get picked up for next season.
The video your cast and crew made lip syncing to Public Enemy (link below) is very funny, but where was Bret?
http://tinyurl.com/666fpm
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May 6, 2008 3:48 PM
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Thanks for the blog ... you are a very funny, down-to-earth lady.
Here's hoping for a Reaper renewal very soon!
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May 6, 2008 6:23 PM
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How much ya wanna bet the "no such thing as bad press" girl was Jennifer Blanc?
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May 6, 2008 10:58 PM
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Good luck on the pick up.
It' nice to see Valarie Rae in action again. "Original Cindy" was a great character in "Dark Angel." The new character "Josie" looks super sexy and sassy in a more 'professional' kind of way. It would be nice to see her in more scenes.
Thanks for the information about what actors and actresses who live in LA experience when working in Vancouver. It was very interesting input. I have considered moving to Canada (for political reasons), but it is a long way from Florida.
It was also interesting information from the perspective of a fan. What do you celebrities go through to show us some entertainment?
In fact, the whole blog spoke to the drama of working in drama. Where did you go to college, Valarie Rae and was your major in Theater?
Steve
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May 8, 2008 3:34 PM
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I would like to tell you how impresses I am with your acting abilities. WHY??? I loves the Dark Angel show and loved the attitude and sass of Original Cindy. I just rewatched the sreies from Netflix and decided to look up the actress--Valarie Rae Miller to see what else she has done. Surprise--I also watch reaper regularly and did not know you were one and the same. Just added your 3 movies to my netflix list also. I also admired your answer on a 10 question list stating keeping your integrity and supporting yourself in an industry not known for endorsing that. Congratulations on your success. You deserve it.
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May 8, 2008 5:39 PM
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