Always ready to lend a hand. After Debbie Reynolds died at age 84 on Wednesday, December 28, from what is believed to be a stroke, Frozen songwriter Kristen Anderson-Lopez shared a heartwarming story on December 29 of her years-ago encounter with the late acting legend.
Anderson-Lopez, who won an Oscar for cowriting “Let It Go” with husband Robert Lopez, tweeted that she got a pep talk from the Singin’ in the Rain star back in January 1995. At the time, Anderson-Lopez was a 22-year-old acting apprentice at the Jupiter Theatre in Jupiter, Florida, and was struggling to walk in heels and a headdress as an ensemble member of the showgirls revue.
“This is not in my DNA, and they did NOT teach this at Williams [College],” Anderson-Lopez wrote, referencing her alma mater. “So Debbie Reynolds is there doing a weekend of concerts, and I am struggling. Like, tears-streaming-down-my-face struggling because I am practicing on the rehearsal steps.”
She continued, “And Debbie watches me lurch sideways as my headdress falls off yet again and says, ‘Honey, can I show you a trick I learned in my studios days?’ And I say, ‘Sure, Debbie Reynolds! Also, sorry about my shoddy spotlight work during your concert tonight.'”
“And she says, ‘You know you are horrible at this,'” the songwriter continued. “And I say, ‘Yup.’ And she proceeds to show me how to keep looking at the light and following the lip of each stair with the heel of my shoe. She had me practice a few times, always correcting me as I looked down. ‘Keep looking straight ahead!’ she yelled.”
Anderson-Lopez pointed out that Reynolds’ tutelage paid off: “While I didn’t look like a showgirl, I didn’t knock anyone over. Headdress always stayed on.”
She ended her post with, “RIP Debbie Reynolds. I certainly hope you have a better spotlight operator wherever you are.”
A number of stars have shared their grief following Reynolds’ sudden passing, including Will & Grace costar Debra Messing.
