TRINITY, Fla. — A group of Pasco County seniors were invited to see an advanced screening of the new movie “80 For Brady” thanks to 101-year-old superfan Alice Proctor.
“I’m very surprised,” said Proctor. “I feel it’s an honor.”
Proctor used to live outside of Boston and is a lifelong Patriots fan who has been rooting for Tom Brady since the quarterback joined the team in 2000. The elderly superfan was excited when Brady transferred to the Bucs in 2020, but felt he should have retired last year.
“I agreed to his first decision to retire,” she said. “I thought it was a good time.”
Last year, Proctor made news at the Trinity Regional Rehab Center when she publicly hoped Tom Brady would call for her 100th birthday. The phone call from Brady never happened, but Paramount Pictures, the company distributing the “80 For Brady” movie, recently picked up the phone.
“I thought someone was pulling my leg and she’s like, ‘Hi, I work for Paramount Pictures,’” said Activity Director Stephanie Golden, 33. “I’m like, ‘How did you find us?’ She said, ‘Well, I saw the segment on (Spectrum) Bay News 9. I saw it and I thought it was really perfect and suiting for this movie.’”
A Paramount Pictures representative sent Spectrum Bay News 9 a statement about Proctor:
“We saw the original story from last year with Alice and what a big Tom Brady fan she is. Naturally, she needed to be one of the first in Tampa to see 80 FOR BRADY, before it comes out on February 3. We are thrilled she is joining us at the advance screening.”
Inspired by a true story, the movie is about four friends in their 80s who embark on a trip to see Brady play in the 2017 Super Bowl. It stars Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, Rita Moreno and Sally Field. Tom Brady is one of the producers of the film and makes a cameo appearance along with former teammate Rob Gronkowski.
Proctor was allowed to invite four friends from the Trinity Regional Rehab Center and nearly all of them are in their 90s.
“She (Alice) was the one that liked Brady,” said Angie Candelora, 93. “We all got to like Brady really through her.”
Candelora, along with Eleanor Trimm, 93, Pearl Noffz, 97, Sarah Douglas, 79 and Proctor wore bright red sunglasses and T-shirts that read “I love Brady” as they traveled from Trinity to the AMC theater at the Sundial in St. Petersburg for the advanced screening on Jan. 19.
“When I drive with them it’s like extra precious cargo,” said Golden. “I feel honored that I’m able to drive them around and do things like this.”
A Paramount Pictures rep greeted the seniors before the movie started and Proctor told her she was excited to see it.
“I feel it’s a great privilege to be part of all this,” she said. “I told Stephanie that I really have not done anything spectacular in my life. So, this is spectacular.”
A group of friends tackling life together, just like in the movie.
"80 For Brady” will be released nationwide on Feb. 3.