September 17, 2007

AMG To Donate In Memory of Danny Roddick

Athletic Model Guild President, Dennis Bell announced today that he will make AMG Brasil’s prescheduled contributions to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in memory of Buckshot Man Danny Roddick, who passed away last Thursday. Roddick was the star of the studio’s upcoming two-part feature, Amazônia: Capture and Amazônia: Release. He spent two weeks in and around Rio de Janeiro in late July and early August working on the film.

“Over those two weeks I learned that Danny Roddick and I shared the same love for Brazil, for all the same reasons, the natural beauty of the land and its people,” Bell said. “He was as concerned about the protection of this environment as I am. For this reason, the donation to the WWF’s Amazon Region Protected Area (ARPA), which we are preparing from the sales of Amazônia: Capture and Amazônia; Release will be made in Danny Roddick’s [real] name. I know that he found peace in those days, and I am honored to have shared that experience with him.”

Discussions of Roddick’s appearance in Amazônia began in early July 2007. Bell had been looking for a major American star to appear in the film for over a month. When Roddick was introduced as a possibility, Bell knew that he had found the perfect man for the job. He said that after working with him, there was still no doubt in his mind.

“With his Portuguese heritage, he was ecstatic to have the opportunity to go to Brazil,” Bell said. “Danny spoke some Portuguese, and fell in love with the calm, sensual demeanor of the Brazilian people. During a day’s work, he was like a little kid intrigued by each new discovery. He found beauty in everything there. I remember him carrying a banana leaf with a large butterfly chrysalis attached, so he could take pictures of it at the end of the day. His love of nature was obvious.

Danny was a horticulture enthusiast, and during our photo shoot, he was so happy to be surrounded by wild orchids growing from the jungle floor. I remember him telling me all the Latin names of the tropical plants he came across.”

One week before his death, Bell and AMG Promotions Manager Christopher Trout visited Roddick in his SF home to record Director’s commentary for Amazônia.

“His house was like an Orchid museum,” Trout said. “He took such pride in those flowers. He also had a small South American parrot, which he bought when he got back from Rio. He named it Beija-Flor, Portuguese for ‘kiss the flower’. It’s the name they use for humming birds there. I remember when he learned that – he couldn’t stop talking about how beautiful it was. I will always remember him for his love of nature.”

Posted by lavenderlounge at 11:30 AM

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