Blind Faith!
Close your eyes and imagine you’re in a race where every car is driven by a blind driver who is helped by a sighted co-driver to complete the required ten laps; some would say a rather hare-brained vision. In 1988, Foundation Mira set up the maddest, slowest race in the world, the Défi-Vision, a world-first born from the idea of a blind person, M. Pierre Morin.
Once again this year, the very popular fundraising activity returned to the track on the 14th June to celebrate its fifteenth outing. The twenty six racers and their sighted co-drivers from showbusiness and the media got together at the Granby Autodrome for the purpose of collecting funds to enable the visually handicapped to receive a guide dog free of charge. “It’s something I like a lot, uniting animals with human beings,” explained Roy Dupuis, who has supported Mira year after year for seven years. “Even though it’s my seventh race, I’m still a bit nervous. You never really know what to expect because there are blind people at the wheel (little nervous laugh) and it’s your responsibility to get out safe and sound,” added the Quebecois actor before taking his place alongside his English speaking driver Lawrence Eutenier. To Roy’s great surprise, he had a third passenger in the car sponsored by Échos Vedettes: me.
Amongst the ecstatic crowd, more than two hundred women from Roy Dupuis’ fan-club, The Royettes, have come from the four corners of the globe to cheer on their idol. Securely belted in the back seat of the beat up old Nissan I wait nervously for the start. Even though I know the car can’t go above 40km/h, I can’t help regretting my rashness. During this terrible minute that seemed like an eternity, co-driver Dupuis and driver Eutenier practice their reactions “right, left, straight, right, left, throttle, stop, left …” I’m much too young to die!
1,2,3, GO!
And they’re off! The twenty or so cars ready for the scrap heap set off blindly along the oval-shaped track; the driver and his co-driver seem very calm … more than I am! I have the distinct impression that my heart is going to burst out of my chest. “Right, straight, right …. RIGHT!” Seeing a car rushing towards us, I hang on tightly to the back of the seat, close my eyes and yell, “Look out!” Bang! A bit shaken by the impact I open my eyes, happy to still be here. “Throttle, throttle, throttle!” orders Roy.
A dozen collisions later, we finish the race in fourth place. A trifle disappointed at not having won, co-driver Dupuis nevertheless seems very proud of their performance. So am I.
No holidays for Roy Dupuis
As we know, Roy Dupuis took an important change in direction when he accepted the role of Michael in the American-Canadian series La Femme Nikita. Since 1996 he has become the idol of thousands of women across the world: “I greatly admire his acting, I like the love he has for Foundation Mira, I love his endless generosity,” declares Debra Hensley, a member of The Royettes fan-club.
Despite his great popularity, our local actor has chosen to keep his feet firmly on the ground. “The Royettes have done great things in my name, and I’m very proud of them. It really makes me happy, but I simply don’t feel I have the time and the energy to get involved with a fan-club”, he explained shyly.
On thing is certain, his fans will be happy to see the character of Ross Desbiens in the follow-up to the series The Last Chapter. “We’re going to be filming a good part of the summer until mid-September. After that I will probably make some films, but I don’t know which ones. Most are waiting for funding. I can’t give you a title at the moment.”
Roy Dupuis’s Fans have Field Day
Roymania gripped Saint-Hyacinthe on Sunday afternoon at the Hôtel des Seigneurs. Around a hundred fans of Roy Dupuis assembled in a room in the hotel where an auction took place for Foundation Mira. The gathering looked more like a family reunion (the women hugging and kissing each other) than a group of fans who had come to buy things signed by the actor.
The audience consisted mostly of Americans and some Europeans who first met on websites dedicated to Roy Dupuis and who now had the opportunity of seeing each other in person! That’s what all the fans pointed out: the reason they had come here was not just for the actor but also for the friendship that has built up between them.
These women all began to follow Roy’s career with the Canadian television series La Femme Nikita where he plays the enigmatic Michael. Later they were able to see him in numerous Quebecois productions, Les Filles de Caleb plus Scoop and J’en Suis, all dubbed or subtitled in English.
For many, it might seem a little crazy to pay 300$ for a coffee mug with a photo on it or a mere 350$ for a single autographed photo, but for them, to love the actor also means to espouse a cause, that of Mira, and to get involved. The programme enabling guide dogs to be offered to children touches them particularly. “Mira has a different philosophy from that of other charities for the blind,” explains Joyce Wolf who runs the Californian section of the Foundation. In most other countries children have to wait until they’re 16 or 18 before getting a guide dog. With a dog they can make the most of their childhood and become self-sufficient sooner.”
When asked why they have chosen Roy Dupuis (for after all, they have an assortment of actors who live a lot closer to them!), they all reply that he is particularly good looking and sexy, but ask us not to write that down! Of course they have many other reasons for liking the actor who can next be seen playing the role of Alexis in the film Séraphin. “He is an excellent actor, very intriguing,” suggests Joyce Wolf. “I really liked the story of Filles de Caleb. He can play a variety of styles, from comedy to suspense and drama.” Many of them talk about how far they have gone thanks to their love of Roy Dupuis and their involvement with Foundation Mira. “I love him for what he gives, what he shares, for his love. I want to thank him for being who he is and for having such an influence in our lives,” explains Linda DeVore of Arizona. For the fans, to take part in a such a fund-raiser and to organise an auction is a real recognition. This is not a fan-club like any other for, with Mira, they feel valued for the work they accomplish for the cause of their idol.
The fans declare they have had a great trip despite the dull weather. On their arrival here, they did not even think about meeting Roy, but he gave them a wonderful surprise by spending a few minutes with each one of them. A memory which, for these women, is well worth all the dollars they spent in coming here!
Crazy about him!
After a guide dog race, a meeting with Roy Dupuis, a supper in the dark laid on by the Hôtel des Seigneurs, a film evening and a pyjama party, The Royettes and other fans of the actor had an auction of almost 150 articles all signed by him. All the money collected goes straight to Foundation Mira, which the actor is particularly fond of. Amongst the objects sold to the highest bidder were several photos, videocassettes and newspapers, of which an Échos Vedettes of 9th March 2002, containing an article on Roy Dupuis, went for 100$ to a Californian lawyer who declared it wasn’t just for the newspaper but also for the cause! Sharon Smith, an American, paid 350$ for the trousers that Roy wore while filming Séraphin. The Nikita fan had also bought trousers worn by actress Peta Wilson on the programme. What was she going to do with this pair? “I’m going to wear them! If they fit** me of course!” she replied laughing. But that’s nothing compared with another American, who was absent, who absolutely had to have the hat Roy wore in Séraphin, and for which she paid 7,500$! As for another fan from California, she paid 750$ for the official Mira poster with Roy Dupuis, greatly prized because he is smiling on it. Of course all these Americans are rejoicing as the prices are in Canadian dollars! And so, according to these women, the expense is well justified when you know you aren’t paying just for the article, but are also making a donation to a good cause …
<< ** Sharon, this verb is a bit ambiguous. Let me know if this is not what you said. – ViV>>
Many thanks to Sherry for sending me this article