The name "Rian Johnson" might sound like a name you know, even if you can't quite put your finger on why.
It certainly does to Diane Gregorius, who watched Johnson in an interview on TV this week.
"I thought, 'Boy, he kind of looks familiar," she said.
The reason Johnson's name sounds familiar to a lot of people these days is because he directs The Last Jedi, also known as the latest movie in the Star Wars franchise. But Johnson's name may also seem familiar because he grew up in Denver.
Gregorius, once a full-time teacher and now a substitute, quickly realized her connection to Johnson once he mentioned Dry Creek Elementary.
She looked up Johnson online, found his birthday, did some math and realized Johnson looked familiar because he was in her 4th grade production of Oklahoma, once upon a time, or more specifically...
"It was Return of the Jedi time," she said.
Perhaps Gregorius' classroom was Johnson's inspiration.
"I had Star Wars stuff all over the place. Whenever a new Star Wars would come out -- you know teachers look for any way to connect with kids."
Gregorius couldn't find an email address for Johnson, so she figured out how to use Twitter and send him a message there.
"He replied, 'Wow, yes! Great to hear from you!' And I was like, ah, bless his heart because he's in the middle of a very busy week this week."
So when Gregorius goes to the theater this weekend, this now-retired teacher will be proud.
"I've told everybody," she said. "Did I really know he was the one to go off and be the great writer and director? Of course I knew... of course I didn't. Well, you know, you hope."
Johnson's getting rave reviews for his writing and direction. He also directed the 2012 film Looper, and did three episodes of Breaking Bad, among others.
