Alexa Rucinski (left) and Lina Smythe dressed up as Lord Voldemort and Harry's owl, Hedwig, respectively, for the midnight Harry Potter premiere. (Photo by Maryland Newsline’s Ilana Yergin) More photos in slide show
Wizards, Other Costumed Fans Come Together to Celebrate Potter Premiere
Maryland Newsline
Friday, Nov. 19, 2010
SILVER SPRING, Md. – Thirty-two University of Maryland students donned intricate costumes, boarded a party bus and then descended on the Regal Majestic Theater Thursday night, eager to line up for the midnight premiere of the latest Harry Potter movie.
They came as “everyone from the cast that you could think of,” said Alexa Rucinski, 18, who was dressed as a terrifying Lord Voldemort.
“I think it’s similar to Star Wars and Star Trek” [mania], she said. “It’s just celebrating fiction and friends and fun.”
The students were among the hundreds of Harry Potters, Hufflepuffs and just regular folks who came for the first of the two-part series finale at the Regal Majestic, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows."
“I’m so excited,” giggled Elizabeth Stone, a 17-year-old high school student from Washington, D.C. “On the way over, we were going legitimately crazy.”
“I’ve been anticipating this for months,” said Alex Boldin, 17, a friend of Stone’s.
The Silver Spring theater was showing the film on 13 screens, including one in the new IMAX theater.
Enthusiasts began to arrive around 7 p.m. to ensure they would get the best seats, although no one was allowed to start a line until 10 p.m., causing some frustrations for both the theater staff and patrons.
But as the evening progressed, worries gave way to excitement.
“I like the atmosphere for midnight showings, because you know everyone there wants to be there and will be clapping or just all excited to see this movie,” said Liz Cameron, 21, of Silver Spring.
“I feel like there’s just this drive that you have to see it,” said Amy Cochran, 22, from Silver Spring, who came to see the movie with Cameron. “I’ve read the books so many times that now that it’s here, I really, really want to see it.”
Rucinski said the idea for dressing up as a group began when one student at Maryland said she was going to go as Harry Potter. Soon more and more people were involved, and they had enough to recreate all of the main characters, even some who had died in the series.
The friends helped each other find pieces for their costumes for weeks leading up to the premiere, looking mostly at thrift stores and online, she said. Her costume of Lord Voldemort took about an hour and a half to put together the evening of the premiere, she said.
“We’re Harry Potter nerds,” said Rucinski, as other fans stopped to grab a photo of her costume. “It’s good times.”