Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Entertainment/2023 May 1

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May 1

Is it possible or not?

Hello to all of you, nice people of Wikipedia. I would like to know if I can get an autograph or any memorabilia for my birthday from a little known actor from Canada. He's a really unknown actor to most but his acting changed my life. Should I contact his agents or his agency with my request? And lastly, how to request it formally in English language without sounding like a stalker, of whom the world of entertainment suffers so much? Thank you very much.

PS: I don't intend to have any form of direct contact with him, perhaps only something sent by his agency as you receive a postcard when you send a letter to the White House. Thank you. 190.246.97.81 (talk) 14:40, 1 May 2023 (UTC)

Starting with the agency seems like a good bet - and an un-stalkery kind of thing to do, so bonus points there. I'm not sure how easy it is to find what agency someone uses; I think IMDb has a paid subscription "pro" level that includes stuff like that, but you could just start with Google. As far as the language goes, your own words will work better than what we can come up with, but try to be brief. A line or two about your connection to him ("I really admired your portrayal of...") and then politely make your request. If there's something specific you want, ask for it specifically ("I'd love to get an autographed photo of you from..."). Don't make him guess or try to read between the lines. Besides any charge he or the agency might have, you'll definitely have to pay for any kind of postage or shipping, which may get complicated, so I'd suggest going for something that can be mailed (i.e. photo/paper) and state up front that you'll be happy to compensate for expenses. Matt Deres (talk) 20:10, 1 May 2023 (UTC)

As long as you have a credit card you can get a free trial of IMDb Pro. Just cancel once you're done if you want to avoid paying for it. I would agree with Bugs that a little-known actor would appreciate much more attention, and some low-level celebrities do occasionally put their direct contact information on IMDb Pro. IMHO, IMDB Pro should be included with the Wikipedia Library. InvadingInvader (userpage, talk) 02:26, 3 May 2023 (UTC)

The content of IMDb is largely user-generated. For that reason it is not an acceptable source of content, so there is no point in including it.  --Lambiam 20:38, 3 May 2023 (UTC)

If the actor is little known, they might appreciate the attention. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 02:33, 2 May 2023 (UTC)