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Edward Furlong signs an autograph.
It’s 2 p.m. on the second day of FanX 2021, and the line of fans excitedly awaiting their brief one-on-one moment with Edward Furlong is at a standstill — again. “Does your son’s name have a special meaning?” Eddie leans forward and asks while he autographs a Pet Sematary 2 poster, personalizing it with a dedication. The young dad, appropriately dressed as superhero, beams as he’s handed back one of his most prized movie memorabilia — now signed by his son’s favorite actor. “Dude, that’s really cool…” Eddie chats away. He patiently devotes just as much time learning about each fan as they do getting to know the 44-year-old actor behind the strong performances that gave Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991), American History X (1998), and Detroit Rock City (1999) their cult status in cinema history.
“I wandered to his booth after his autograph time window was closed, and still, he took the time to meet me and sign a print for me,” said longtime fan Dylan Hamar, an Iowa-based videographer. “I realize that Hollywood has ruined many child actors, but he appears to have found his ground in life and has remained a humble human being. I can’t wait to see what he does next.”
This is the first convention of the year for Eddie, since many other in-person fan forums were cancelled or postponed due to COVID-19 concerns. “What were some of the highlights of this year’s FanX convention?” I asked Eddie between autographs and selfies with his devotees.
“Spending time with fans, seeing my old friends Tara Reid and Tom Arnold, and experiencing that good old-fashioned Utah hospitality, of course,” he replied. Then he turned his attention to a cosplayer approaching the booth with a large stack of oversized posters tucked under his arm. Arnold Schwarzenegger as the Terminator peered out from the pile. Even though most of Eddie’s fans associate him with the wisecracking John Connor, his resume includes more than 30 additional movies filmed in six different countries.
“Even though many have portrayed the character, he IS John Connor,” Hamar said. “I’d have to say my favorite performance of Edward Furlong’s is probably Danny Vinyard from American History X. In that film, he took on a whole new level of acting. Norton is well known for his brother, Derek, and he’s a huge star these days, however, I’d argue that Furlong drove that narrative forward. It’s such an important film.”
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About Ashley E. Dykstra
