We’d just stepped away from Lita Ford’s table before stumbling into an argument between a Days of the Dead volunteer and an attractive blond. The dedicated staffer was giving the woman a hard time about entering the celebrity room without a convention badge. While frantically digging through her handbag, she pleaded that she was a scheduled guest and needed to get in. It was at that moment we noticed she was Jordan Ladd,from Death Proof, Hostel II, and Cabin Fever. and daughter of Charlie’s Angels, Cheryl Ladd. Needless to say, we wasted no time intervening on her behalf.
Jordan Ladd (middle) in “Death Proof”
“Are you kidding???” said Russ. “That’s Jordan Ladd!”
I pointed to the wall, directing the volunteer’s attention to a banner hanging literally RIGHT next to the entrance, “Um, that’s her picture right there.” The man immediately apologized and let her through. Ladd gave us a huge smile (one that could have melted steel) and said, “Thank you guys SO much!”
The chagrined volunteer apologized. “I’m really sorry…I didn’t know and was just doing my job.”
Russ would have none of it. “Dude, who even cares if she’s a celebrity? That woman is HOT and should have been allowed in regardless!“
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Ms Ladd gave us a wink while taking her seat. In terms of celebrity encounters, you couldn’t ask for a better start.
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After she settled in we walked up and said “Hello.” I told her that I was a huge fan of The Grindhouse movies (both Death Proof and Planet Terror) and that I was so disappointed that it didn’t do well at the Box Office. Incidentally, Jordan also had a part in the most notorious of the “fake trailers” accompanying the films, Thanksgiving – a tribute to holiday slashers.
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“I know,” she said. “I think people weren’t sure exactly what it was (homage to those cheap, exploitative, drive-in films made in the ’70s and early ’80s) and that was a big problem. I don’t think they understood that it was supposed to be a double feature either.”
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Russ and I are both big fans of Quentin Tarantino’s work and asked what it was like working with him.
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Ladd paused. “Well…he is very meticulous and expects you to be at the top of your game. As long as you are, he’s an amazing person to work with and a lot of fun.”
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We’d have asked her about another one of our favorite Death Proof stars, Zoe Bell, but the two never shared screen time in it. Russ is so enamored with Bell that he named one of his daughters after her and his wife agreed that, should the unlikely option of those two ever hooking up happen, she’s willing to give him a Free Pass just that once.
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Russ hasn’t met Bell yet, but I have twice. Once in 2010 at Rock n’ Shock and at the Indy Days of the Dead 2011. She is absolutely worth meeting and a real doll. Anybody that falls in love with Zoe Bell has great taste!
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With Zoe Bell: Rock n’ Shock 2010–
Days of the Dead 2011–
We asked Ladd of all the films she’s worked on, which was her famous. She pointed to one of the stills on her table without saying its name. “This one.”
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8×10’s offered at Ladd’s table–
The movie was 2009’s Grace which, given that it was one one of her few lead roles, was not all together a surprise. This did, however, create a rather awkward moment. I’ve seen the film and, while it’s okay, it’s definitely not one of my favorites. The film features Ladd as a pregnant woman who loses her husband and unborn child in a car accident. Rather than aborting the dead fetus she chooses to delivery naturally, spawning a decisively unnatural child that’s not only “alive” but craves human blood.
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Jordan Ladd in “Grace”–
The movie was based on a 2006 short film and I’m guessing it worked better that way. To me Grace dragged a bit and made for a depressing watch…but I certainly wasn’t going to tell her that.
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“Great!” I said, “I think I like this shot!” and chose a still from Death Proof. This was an example of poor planning on my part as I should have brought one of the 8 x 10’s that Zoe Bell had signed – especially since Ladd offered the same prints. Clearly, I was in need of getting my Terror Dave groove back.
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One of my autographs from Bell that Ladd should have signed–
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Ladd was up for pictures and, as I mentioned in my last post, multiple ones.
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The only other celebrities we had on our agenda were the ones associated with John Carpenter’s The Thing. Russ had some special items packed away for them so we decided to do a walk through of the dealer’s room. There’s been a notable trend these past years of having more craftsmen and artists selling their work rather than retailer, collectible merchandise. This is a welcomed movement as it provides horror fans for the opportunity to own “one of a kind” goods with that little something extra. It was time to go shopping!
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Next up…The Home-made Horrors at Days of the Dead!
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Dave Fuentes~
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Jordan Ladd (middle) in “Death Proof”
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With Zoe Bell: Rock n’ Shock 2010
Days of the Dead 2011
8×10’s offered at Ladd’s table
Jordan Ladd in “Grace”
One of my autographs from Bell that Ladd should have signed
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Terror from Beyond the Dave 
You’re a lucky guy, Dave, getting to meet both Jordan Ladd and Zoe Bell. One of these days I’m going to HAVE to get out of this backwater town I’m stuck in, and make it to a convention. The last one I attended was in Ft. Lauderdale in 1981. How’s that for a long hiatus?
Another of Jordan’s supporting roles that I really enjoyed was in Broken Lizard’s Club Dread. I personally thought it was a pretty clever slasher parody, and Jordan was hugely appealing in it. Not to mention the fact that we got to see a LOT of Jordan in that film!
Thanks, Richard! If you do, we’d love to hear all about it!
Oh Dave and Russ, you gentlemen prove that chivalry isn’t quite dead yet! Well Done! And Zoe Bell is amazing! Another great post! Dave, I am so glad that I met you on FB, you have such interesting posts and wonderful pictures. This blog is da sh*t too. Thank you
Sharon