Farmington Hills, Farmington

Roller skate with Drew Barrymore

FARMINGTON HILLS — Actress and director Drew Barrymore is coming to Farmington Hills Sept. 11 to promote her new movie, “Whip It.”

The public can roller skate at an event Barrymore will host from 3-6 p.m. at BonaVenture Skating Center, 24505 Halsted, north of Grand River.

“It’s very exciting,” said Christie Kolis, general manager at BonaVenture.

The doors will open at 3 p.m., and the first 955 people in line will be admitted. The doors close at 3:30 p.m. The event is free, though people who don’t bring their own skates can rent them for a fee.

Barrymore will appear with members of the Detroit Derby Girls, a local roller derby league. Members of the Detroit Derby Girls had roles in the movie, which is Barrymore’s directorial debut, filmed in Michigan.

The movie stars Ellen Page of “Juno” fame, whose rebellious character goes from competing in beauty pageants to competing in roller derby. Others in the movie include Marcia Gay Harden, Kristen Wiig, Juliette Lewis, Jimmy Fallon and Daniel Stern.

The movie’s roller-skating focus could be good for the whole roller-skating industry, and the event should be good for BonaVenture.

“The word is spreading quickly,” said Kolis.

The movie did not film at BonaVenture, but radio station WKQI-FM is an event sponsor, and the station is just up the road from the roller rink, at the corner of 12 Mile and Halsted. The station is at 95.5 on the dial and goes by “Channel 955,” hence, the 955 people being let inside.

A red-carpet arrival is scheduled for 3:30 p.m., and a roller-rink introduction will be held at 4 p.m. Janet Lockwood, Michigan Film Office director, also plans to attend the event.

BonaVenture has had some brushes with celebrity in the past.

“Renée Zellweger actually had her 30th birthday here a few years back,” said Kolis.


— David Wallace