Meeting Christina Ricci: A Dream Come True for One Superfan

I went to Bookends Bookstore in Ridgewood, NJ, on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, to meet actress Christina Ricci. It was the best day of my life! I have met a few of my heroes, and she is the sweetest person you will ever meet. 

Ricci is an American actress known for her roles in The Addams Family, Casper, and Yellowjackets. Ricci has been acting since she was nine years old and first entered the acting world by taking part in the film Mermaids with big names like Cher and Winona Ryder. 

There’s a story she always tells when people ask her how she got into acting. When she was in school she was in a play but she did not get the main part. A boy did, and she was not happy about it. So, she provoked him to hit her so she would get the part. Determined, huh? 

Since then, Ricci has been one of the most beloved actresses in the film world. She has recently released her Christina Ricci’s Cat Full of Spiders Tarot Deck and Guidebook, available at Barnes and Noble and Amazon.  

The day started like any other, with me going to my classes. However, I was incredibly excited because I was about to meet someone I had looked up to for a long time, and my dream was finally going to come true. I couldn’t believe it. 

I went through my day feeling majorly nervous about meeting someone like this. I had no clue what I was going to say, but I got over the nerves (for the most part) when I got into the car with my mom. The whole ride, all I talked about was Ricci and how anxious I was. The closer we got, the more the lump in my throat grew. 

Someone we met on line told us that she was starting earlier than scheduled because she had to get back to Newark airport to go to Los Angeles for another signing a few days later. I did not wait too long in line though, maybe an hour at most.

They led us up to the door to wait some more and my heart was beating so fast because, soon enough, it would be time to meet one of my favorite icons in the world. I had no idea what I was going to say to her, but I knew I had better not freak out.

I saw her come in and I lost it. I just started crying because I couldn’t believe it was real. It was her–in real life. My mom cried, too, because I was crying. After that, they led us down the stairs and we waited some more. 

Ricci did some signings and pictures with people who had disabilities at the top of the stairs which warmed my heart. She did this because those people could not get down the stairs and she thought it would be fair for everyone, no matter what, to get the chance to meet her. She has the biggest heart, which is why I look up to her so much. 

When they introduced her again as she came down the stairs, I absolutely lost it again and my mom told me to stop crying. 

She signed and took pictures with the people in front of me. Then, it was my turn. I was third in line and terrified. I still had no idea what to say to her. I was pacing back and forth going sort of insane. 

When I got up there I still couldn’t believe that it was really her. She asked how I was, and I said I was good. Then I asked her how she was, and she said she was great!

Then, I said, “Thank you so much for Prozac Nation; it completely changed my life.” Prozac Nation, a drama starring Ricci as Elizabeth Wurtzel, a young journalist, was a movie that helped me realize what I was really passionate about–especially journalism.

Ricci was in awe and she said, “Aww thank you so much that means so much to me; want to come in to take a picture?” 

We snapped the picture and even looking at it now makes me take a second glance and wonder if it is even real or not. 

My mom went up and said, “Hey, how are you?”  Ricci asked the same. My mom isn’t a huge fan of hers, but she likes her enough and came to the signing to support me. She also does not get star-struck, which I don’t get, because, when I saw Ricci, I was literally breaking down in tears. 

My mom wanted me to get in the picture so she pulled me in. We walked out and I cried again, because I hadn’t processed what happened yet. I still haven’t, for days after. Ricci will always be someone I look up to and that experience makes looking up to her ten times more meaningful.

I know people say don’t meet your heroes, but I truly believe you should.