Celine Dion walks red carpet at ‘I Am: Celine Dion’ screening; vows to see fans ‘very, very soon’
"I Am: Celine Dion" New York Special Screening NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 17: Celine Dion attends the "I Am: Celine Dion" New York special screening at Alice Tully Hall on June 17, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images) (Cindy Ord/Getty Images)
By Natalie Dreier, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
Celine Dion made a rare red carpet appearance for the New York premiere of the documentary “I Am: Celine Dion” on Tuesday night.
She called the Amazon MGM film “my love letter” to fans, adding, while fighting tears, “I hope to see you all again very, very soon,” Variety reported.
Dion had been out of the spotlight after being diagnosed with stiff person syndrome. The documentary chronicles a year in her life dealing with the disease, which is a neurological and autoimmune condition affecting the muscles. It leaves her with an inability to walk or sing. The premiere was also streamed live in Los Angeles, CNN reported.
The singer credits her doctor, neurologist Dr. Amanda Piquet for helping her on her path.
She “delivered an important result for me: she has replaced my fear with hope,” Dion said. Piquet will serve as the chair of the Celine Dion Foundation Endowed Chair in Autoimmune Neurology at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, which Dion announced, donating $2 million to start the foundation.
Dion also joked, telling the audience, “this is by far the biggest crowd I’ve had in a few years,” CNN reported.
Dion announced in April 2022 that she had to postpone her tour that had been delayed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic because of a health issue that resulted in “severe and persistent muscle spasms,” E! News reported. In December, she revealed that she had been diagnosed with stiff person syndrome and months later said her tour was being canceled.
In April 2023, she released new music for her film “Love Again,” which stars Sam Heugan (of “Outlander” fame) and Priyanka Chopra Jonas. It was Dion’s first time appearing in a film.
In January, she announced the filming of the documentary,
“As the road to resuming my performing career continues, I have realized how much I have missed it, of being able to see my fans,” Dion said in a statement, according to E! News earlier this year. “During this absence, I decided I wanted to document this part of my life, to try to raise awareness of this little-known condition, to help others who share this diagnosis.”
“I Am: Celine Dion” premieres on Prime Video on June 25.
Celine Dion through the years LAS VEGAS, NV - AUGUST 27: Singer Celine Dion performs at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace as she resumes her residency on August 27, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The show had been on hiatus since August 2014 when Dion stopped performing to care for her ailing husband Rene Angelil. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Celine Dion through the years LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 22: Singer Celine Dion performs onstage during the 2015 American Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on November 22, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Celine Dion through the years LAS VEGAS, NV - MAY 22: Singer Celine Dion performs onstage during the 2016 Billboard Music Awards at T-Mobile Arena on May 22, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Celine Dion through the years PARIS, FRANCE - JULY 04: Celine Dion attends the Christian Dior Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2016-2017 show as part of Paris Fashion Week at 30, Avenue Montaigne on July 4, 2016 in Paris, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images for Dior) (Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images for Dior)
Celine Dion through the years PARIS, FRANCE - JULY 04: Celine Dion attends the Giambattista Valli Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2016-2017 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on July 4, 2016 in Paris, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images) (Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)
Celine Dion through the years NEW YORK, NY - JULY 22: Singer Celine Dion performs on NBC's 'Today' show at Rockefeller Plaza on July 22, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images) (Michael Loccisano/Getty Images)
Celine Dion through the years LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 09: In this handout photo provided by American Broadcasting Companies Inc, actor Bradley Cooper and singer Celine Dion attend Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C), a program of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), staging its fifth biennial fundraising telecast at the Walt Disney Concert Hall on Friday September 9, 2016 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET/PT) in Hollywood California. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/American Broadcasting Companies Inc via Getty Images) (Handout/Getty Images)
Celine Dion through the years LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 12: Singer Celine Dion attends The 59th GRAMMY Awards at STAPLES Center on February 12, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for NARAS) (Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for NARAS)
Celine Dion through the years LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 02: Singer Céline Dion and actress Emma Watson arrive for the world premiere of Disney's live-action "Beauty and the Beast" at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood as the cast and filmmakers continue their worldwide publicity tour on March 2, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney) (Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney)
Celine Dion through the years NEW YORK, NY - MAY 01: Celine Dion attends the "Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garcons: Art Of The In-Between" Costume Institute Gala at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 1, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images for People.com) (Mike Coppola)
Celine Dion through the years LAS VEGAS, NV - MAY 21: Singer Celine Dion performs during the 2017 Billboard Music Awards at T-Mobile Arena on May 21, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Celine Dion through the years PARIS, FRANCE - JULY 03: Celine Dion and Anna Wintour attend the Christian Dior Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2017-2018 show as part of Haute Couture Paris Fashion Week on July 3, 2017 in Paris, France. (Photo by Victor Boyko/Getty Images for Christian Dior) (Victor Boyko)
Celine Dion through the years LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 13: Celine Dion performs onstage at All-Star Lineup Pays Tribute At "Aretha! A GRAMMYÂ Celebration For The Queen Of Soul at The Shrine Auditorium on January 13, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Rich Fury/Getty Images for NARAS) (Rich Fury/Getty Images for NARAS)
Celine Dion through the years PARIS, FRANCE - JANUARY 22: Celine Dion attends the Giorgio Armani Prive Haute Couture Spring Summer 2019 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on January 22, 2019 in Paris, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images) (Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)
Celine Dion through the years PARIS, FRANCE - JANUARY 23: Singer Celine Dion attends the Valentino Haute Couture Spring Summer 2019 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on January 23, 2019 in Paris, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images) (Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)
Celine Dion through the years NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 06: Celine Dion attends The 2019 Met Gala Celebrating Camp: Notes on Fashion at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 06, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images) (Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)
Celine Dion through the years PARIS, FRANCE - JUNE 29: Celine Dion attends miu miu club event at Hippodrome d'Auteuil on June 29, 2019 in Paris, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images) (Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)
Celine Dion through the years PARIS, FRANCE - JULY 02: Celine Dion attends the Alexandre Vauthier Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2019 2020 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on July 02, 2019 in Paris, France. (Photo by Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images) (Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images)
Celine Dion through the years PARIS, FRANCE - JULY 01: Celine Dion attends the Schiaparelli Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2019 2020 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on July 01, 2019 in Paris, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images) (Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)
Celine Dion through the years PARIS, FRANCE - JULY 03: Celine Dion attends the Valentino Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2019 2020 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on July 03, 2019 in Paris, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images) (Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)
"I Am: Celine Dion" New York Special Screening NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 17: Celine Dion attends the "I Am: Celine Dion" New York special screening at Alice Tully Hall on June 17, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images) (Cindy Ord/Getty Images)