GREECE: FILM STAR BRUCE WILLIS GIVES RARE MUSICAL PERFORMANCE WITH HIS BAND IN ATHENS BRANCH OF HIS RESTAURANT CHAIN PLANET HOLLYWOOD

Record ID: 390037

  • Title: GREECE: FILM STAR BRUCE WILLIS GIVES RARE MUSICAL PERFORMANCE WITH HIS BAND IN ATHENS BRANCH OF HIS RESTAURANT CHAIN PLANET HOLLYWOOD
  • Date: 23rd August 2000
  • Summary: BRUCE WILLIS AND THE ACCELERATORS PERFORMING
  • Embargoed: 7th September 2000 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: ATHENS, GREECE
  • Country: Greece
  • Topics: Business,General
  • Reuters ID: LVA2RHZ232VBQSRGS89W6LONHS4H
  • Story Text: Hollywood actor Bruce Willis gave a rare performance of his musical talents in the Greek capital of Athens where he stayed to promote the local Planet Hollywood restaurant.
    The Planet Hollywood restaurant chain has been in rough shape since filing for bankruptcy in 1999.
    Now financiers are trying to bring some life back to the restaurants - and what better person to do that than "Die Hard" Hollywood superstar Bruce Willis.
    And Bruce didn't just turn up to talk business, he threw in a special performance with his rock 'n roll/blues band The Accelerators.
    Playing the harmonica was a nice break for Willis who has just finished working on a film with "Sixth Sense" director M.
    Night Shyamalan. "Unbreakable" will be released in the United States in November.
    But the actor is already thinking about his next project: "I start work in about a month on a film by Barry Levinson which also stars Kate Blanchett and Billy Bob Thornton. But I really don't have any set plan you know I wish I could tell you I have a set plan on how I choose films. I just read scripts, and the ones I like or I have a cast I like to work with or someone whose films I like. I got kind of bored with doing the Die Hards, those are the only ones I have done sequels to."
    Asked about the U.S. presidential elections, Willis, who was on the guest list of the Republican convention, said he wasn't really that much into politics anymore: "I don't know, one of those three guys will be elected, I don't know who and I am sure it will be fine. I am not as interested in politics anymore as I used to be. I am sure whoever is going to get the job is going to be okay."
    So what about Planet Hollywood? "In November in New York we are going to have a relaunch of Planet Hollywood. What happened was three or four years ago we opened a lot of restaurants all within about a two year period. We just got a little top heavy. What we've done is close some of the stores that weren't doing as well and the stores that are open now are doing very well."
    Planet Hollywood was set up in 1991 by Hard Rock Cafe veteran Robert Earl and film producer Keith Barish. It received financial support from Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
    Schwarzenegger terminated his relationship with Planet Hollywood in January.
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