Professor Monica Cyrino said it was a gift from the gods when she saw actor Ray Stevenson, from HBO's "Rome," in the security line at Albuquerque Sunport Airport on Tuesday.
"I really want my students to think that I have deep Hollywood connections, but really it was fortune that my plane was late and I saw him and I said to myself that I had to approach him," Cyrino said. "He was so pleasant and so sweet."
Cyrino teaches a Classics course where students watch the show "Rome" for insights into the history and culture of the ancient civilization.
Cyrino published a book titled Big Screen Rome in 2005.
She said having a Hollywood actor speak to her class has been a dream of hers for many years.
When asked about how it was to live and work in Rome while working on the show, Stevenson said the city helped shape his performance in the series.
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"There is such a tremendous light coming into the city all the time - it's a pink and orange glow in the morning and especially at sunset, and there are these flocks of birds," Stevenson said.
Cyrino said Stevenson's musings on the storied city were enlightening for students.
"He got very poetic about talking about the way Rome itself influenced his portrayal of his character," she said. "He talked about the light and he said he would sit in the piazzas in Rome and close his eyes and listen to the many languages being spoken, and that would fill him with the ancient history and inspire his characters."
Stevenson said he is now working in New Mexico on his next movie, "The Book of Eli."
Student Brittney Sanchez said having Stevenson as a guest speaker was a great surprise for students. Sanchez said Stevenson plays the class' favorite character in "Rome."
"It was an honor that he came to UNM of all places, and it was a huge shock," Sanchez said. "The people who didn't come to class or left early are going to be disappointed they didn't see him. This was the highlight of my day."
Cyrino said this is the first year she has taught a Rome class using the HBO series.
"I was worried at the beginning that they wouldn't like the show, but I have been blown away by how much these students actually like it," Cyrino said. "Everybody comes to the viewing sessions on Tuesday, and there is great audience reaction, which helps me understand things better, and I'm learning a lot from them watching the series together."
