With the GTA 5 Trio at Comic Con Brussels
OPla G
11 May 23:45
20
0Lately, we’ve often written about how Ned Luke, Shawn Fonteno, and Steven Ogg were reuniting once again at another convention and we hoped that if not us, then at least one of our readers would be lucky enough to meet the main cast of GTA 5. And sure enough, one such lucky person emerged. Serhii Vasyliev attended Comic Con Brussels, held this past weekend in the Belgian capital, and shared his impressions and photos from the event.
We should start with the fact that for our impromptu correspondent, this wasn’t his first encounter with the trio. He had previously ordered autographs from the actors through a dedicated website. Here’s how it works: you pay online, the celebrity signs the postcards, and they are then mailed to you. The surprise for Serhii was that Michael himself called him via Instagram (naturally, this is done through a manager) to wish him a belated happy birthday.
As expected, Comic Con Brussels had all the classic elements: stars from various video games, films, and TV shows, cool exhibits, and lots of cosplay.
But the main reason for visiting Brussels was to meet Franklin, Michael, and Trevor. Unlike in the game, in real life they may act like their characters, but they leave the impression of being kind, friendly, and open people. Despite his character being the youngest, Shawn is actually close in age to the other two. Ned is a jokester who clearly loves fans, and Steven is an attentive conversationalist. He asked where Serhii was from and was surprised to hear “Ukraine” (though Serhii currently lives in Luxembourg). One interesting detail: the actors really got into character again. Mr. Ogg interacted with fans as Trevor, though he doesn’t like being called that, and Mr. Luke often quoted a line from GTA 5 that he personally doesn’t enjoy, though fans love it.
Of course, a trip like this costs money: €150 — for three autographs (€50 each), €150 — for individual photos with each actor (€50 each), €150 — for the group photo. Total: €450 just for the full GTA 5 experience. And then there’s the ticket, travel, and accommodation. Mission budget: around €1,000. But it was absolutely worth it!
We should start with the fact that for our impromptu correspondent, this wasn’t his first encounter with the trio. He had previously ordered autographs from the actors through a dedicated website. Here’s how it works: you pay online, the celebrity signs the postcards, and they are then mailed to you. The surprise for Serhii was that Michael himself called him via Instagram (naturally, this is done through a manager) to wish him a belated happy birthday.
You forget a thousand things every day. Make sure this is one of ‘em.When it came time for the photo session (you receive printed professional photos on the spot, while digital versions are available after the event), the trio treated Serhii like an old friend — calling him by name, asking how he was doing. A required part of the interaction: asking which of the three endings in GTA 5 you chose. All while tossing out a stream of iconic quotes.
