I was only able to make the event on Sunday but the experience was still awesome. The organisation and overall feeling is excellent and I can see why both fans and guests alike enjoy the experience offered by Monopoly Events

Mission for the day was to visit the Supernatural folks for autos and soak up some of the panels. I have been lucky enough to have met Jared, Micha and Jim at previous events, so was headed for Ruth Connell, Briana Buckmaster, Kim Rhodes and DJ Qualls. I’d also added Morfydd Clark to the mix when she was recently added to the line-up. Whenever I go to a convention there is always someone who unexpectedly wows me and Morfydd was that someone at this event but more of that later.

Mark Shepherd was the first Supernatural guest to arrive; I said Hi and asked him how is was now feeling to which he replied “I wasn’t ill… I was dead!” which is classic MS, I should have seen that coming 

Ruth was a lovely first guest – hope she enjoyed her secret chocolate stash – yes we saw it! I was interested and sad in equal measure to hear the dreaded Netflix “algorithm” had been responsible for the demise of Dead Boy Detectives – need to check out her podcast Anomalie. Next Briana who was radiant and charming and then Kim Rhodes who was more full of life than anyone deserves to be at that time of the morning (still pre 10AM). And finally DJ Qualls, who gave me a lesson in how to do selfies properly and may or may not need to check what goes into a Baby Guinness before he attends his next Monopoly con  Also thanks to some wiley sales – from one of the organisers I believe – I added a selfie to my auto. Not something I usually go for but it turned out great. Must be in the air, DJ also has a podcast Locked and Probably Loaded – more listening homework.

Fade to Lord of the Rings, well not exactly, Rings of Power, heading to Morfydd Clark’s table – having been lucky enough to meet the hobbits – sheesh, over 20 years ago now – shortly after the films were originally screened. Unbelievably this was her very first convention – I felt so privileged to be one of the first to meet her. Her manner and tone was open and generous and she was so genuinely happy to be there. We of course gave her a warm convention newbie welcome.

Aaand finally back to Supernatural to see Emily Swallow, last but definitely not least, she’d been having a great time visiting London shows and had a few more lined-up. Her case of auto-pens is a sight to behold for all you stationery nerds out there. Pens by colour, shape and size in a very spiffy multi-sheet – I can only call it a pencil case, which probably ages me!

I hadn’t intended to go to ALL of the panels on Sunday, so I listened in on the last of Tyler Hoechlin’s talk and enjoyed it; also gave me the chance to take a few test shots in prep. for later panels.

First full panel for me was Morfydd Clark. I admit to feeling a little anxious. First convention, first autos, first SOLO panel – a big ask for a young actor – but she was put at ease by the panel host, So Cal Val and absolutely nailed it! Answering all questions thrown at her by the fans she displayed a considerable knowledge of Tolkien to boot, The Two Towers apparently being her fave film of the trilogy. Morfydd admitted to being a fan herself and that she has found her people which was easy to believe – everyone in that room felt that I’m sure. Amusingly she really enjoys vampires and would like to appear in that genre – anyone listening? Great stories about the cloak and dagger way in which she auditioned for the role and travelled to NZ STILL not knowing which role she had landed until it was leaked to her by someone in make-up I believe. The openness about her ADHD and the “maintenance” she puts in to live her best life was truly inspiring. I always come away from these events feeling pumped and positive – which is good maintenance for me too!!! If EVER there was a case FOR another podcast, I would listen to anything Morfydd has to say. Apparently she was in the same room as Cate Blanchett during an awards ceremony but fan-girled so much it made her faint and she never met her!

Next was the ShadowHunters panel. Full disclosure, I’ve never watched the show but the chemistry between the 4 leads was obvious, their humour infectious and some interesting theories on which of them should be god!!!

Supernatural panel. Yes! Now this show I’ve watched, all 15 seasons and it was still too short. Not the last time I’m going to say it in this post but WHAT A LINE-UP. L-R: DJ Qualls, Felicia Day, Jake Abel, Mark Shepherd, Micha Collins, Jared Padalecki and last but defo not least Jim Beaver. The afternoon definitely went down-hill from here but in the best way. A famous Hollywood actor once said “Insanity runs in our family, in fact it practically gallops!” Yep, that’s the Supernatural family. No offence to So Cal Val but wrangling the likes of Mark, Micha and Jared is a fruitless task  their antics and camaraderie was sooo on-show, even after 15 years of working together and a few years after that. One Q from the floor cued a round of happy birthday sung to Micha, including Jared’s own take on “happy birthday Mr. President” and flouncing – it’s a word – all over Micha  Some revealing answers to the “What was your happiest memory?” Q. Jared thought he’d heard happy-arsed memory and bounced his water bottle not realising UK bottles don’t quite work the same way as those in the US  Micha’s memory, when he was 6, his parents let him out of the cage he’d been in and gave him a potato! These are some seriously broken people.

Aaaaand… deep breath, the LOTR panel. The piece of resistance for this weekend, I know, I was only there for Sunday. I think Monopoly outdid themselves snagging Sir Ian McKellern for this event and when you place him amid Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan, John Rhys Davies, David Wenham, Craig Parker and Bruce Hopkins, yep, I gonna say it again WHAT.. A.. LINE.. UP! From the start of the panel with Elijah Wood calling offstage to Sir Ian “Gandalf you’re late” to Sir Ian’s stentorian “A wizard is never late Frodo Baggins…” we knew this panel was going to be special. I guess unsurprisingly many questions were angled towards Sir Ian and even though it’s his very first con appearance anywhere – which I still find hard to believe – he was obviously enjoying himself. Maybe he could mention that to Viggo for next year? There were so many lovely moments in this panel. Billy telling his story of being kissed by Viggo – yes really; Sir Ian pointing out in the nicest possible way that Orlando Bloom spent a goodly proportion of the time on the shoot looking at himself in the mirror; stories of Sean Bean travelling to locations on foot due to his fear of helicopters; the subsequent sealing in of the real actors sweat by the make-up crew upon their arrival as it looked so authentic; that some of the locations had never actually seen a human presence prior to the shoot. My personal favourite was when asked what they’d do with the ring if it came into their possession today, David Wenham quick-fired “sell it on e-bay” which got a roar.

The final words went to Sir Ian of course. He told a wonderful story about filming the Balrog scene, how he had to emote to a tennis ball on a pole and asking Peter Jackson what it looked like he replied “I don’t know but it’ll be scary”; ending with an ear-splitting “You, shall not … bounce” which raised the roof. Given the last word he –possibly- pre-announced that Gandalf AND Frodo would be appearing in the upcoming Andy Serkis helmed The Hunt for Gollum movie. IMDB still listing a single cast member: Andy Serkis. Hmmmm???

What a convention, not sure how the folks at Monopoly are going to top that in 2026!