Wahlberg films ‘massive hit’ at the Plaza
MARK WAHLBERG has invited the Plaza to the “Hollywood 2.0” dynamic. The A-list actor and active Las Vegan wrapped on-location shooting at the classic hotel-casino Thursday. Wahlberg and his crew worked for about three hours on site.
A few vintage cars were spotted near the front of the hotel, parked on Main Street near the ongoing construction at the porte-cochère.
“Obviously we love having Mark there, and the energy he brings,” Plaza CEO Jonathan Jossel said Friday. “His team is great and professional, so they’re easy to work with. The exposure for the Plaza and downtown is wonderful.”
Wahlberg and his crew filmed at Aria on Tuesday and Wednesday, Bellagio on Wednesday night, Caesars Palace on Thursday night, Hoover Dam on Monday, The Strat on Tuesday, and Luxor’s Hyperx esports arena on Wednesday.
Michelle Monaghan, Maggie Q, Zoe Colletti, Van Crosby and Ciarán Hinds join Wahlberg in the cast of what is reportedly an Apple Original Films and Skydance Media action comedy. Simon Cellan Jones, who recently collaborated with Wahlberg on “Arthur the King,” directs. No release date has been announced.
The film’s IMDB synopsis: “A former top assassin living incognito as a suburban dad must take his unsuspecting family on the run when his past catches up to him.”
Wahlberg said in an Instagram Reels clip from The Strat on Wednesday: “It’s gonna be a massive hit.”
Still dancing
Column friend Norm Johnson turned 90 this week, marking the event Wednesday night at the Italian American Club Showroom. Johnson wasn’t even the oldest person in the room. I heard later one guest was 103.
Johnson moved to Vegas in 1965 as a reporter for the Las Vegas Sun. Two years later he co-founded the Mint 400 offroad race.
Johnson was also a fine dancer in his younger days before moving to Vegasville. He was a backing dancer in “Jailhouse Rock,” alongside Elvis himself.
Johnson’s “audition” was actually winning a dance contest at a club on the Sunset Strip in L.A. Choreographer Alex Romero, who was working with Presley, caught Johnson’s victorious moves and invited him to join the “Jailhouse Rock” cast.
“That’s the only reason I was in the movie, because the choreographer happened to be there that night,” Johnson said Friday.
He also recalled that Presley twisted his ankle during filming and had to sit for a week.
“Elvis couldn’t dance, but we rehearsed a little and he watched us,” Johnson said. “But he paid us, in full, for an entire week when we really didn’t do any work. He didn’t have to do that. He was a great guy to work with.”
Presley himself choreographed the iconic “Jailhouse Rock” scene, and paid his dancers $90 apiece — about $950 in today’s money — while he healed.
Jackson show to Orleans
“MJ the Evolution” has survived the closing of Mosaic on the Strip last summer to move into a four-show run at the Orleans Showroom. The dates are March 20, 23, 24 and 25. The show performed what I heard was a pretty wild showcase in November at Vu Studios in Las Vegas.
Michael Firestone continues his uncanny portrayal of Jackson, with music director and guitar great Christian Brady leading a terrific backing band.
Raiding the Hard Rock Cafe
Raiding the Rock Vault celebrates its 10th anniversary in Vegasville in March. The show is relocating to Hard Rock Live on the Strip. RV has played the Hilton/lvh, the Tropicana, Vinyl at the Hard Rock Hotel (now Oxford 24 at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas), Club 172 at the Rio, and currently the Duomo at the Rio.
It was Ozzy Osbourne who famously cried out, “You can’t kill rock ’n’ roll!” He could have been talking about Raiding the Rock Vault, helmed by the tireless producer Harry Cowell. See you at the Hard Rock.
What works in Vegas
Human Nature at the South Point Showroom. The band is listed on Ticketmaster for nine additional dates this year, running at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 5, 6 and 7, Oct. 3, 4 and 5 and Nov. 14, 15 and 16. Those tickets are available at noon March 7.
Those dates are in addition to shows in March, April, May and June. HN typically sells out the venue.
Cool Hang Alert
Country artist Tom Yankton is back at the Dawg
House Saloon at Resorts World on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Yankton has opened for Luke Bryan, Brothers Osborne, Walker Hayes and Riley Green, among other artists. Go to Dawghouselasvegas.com for more info.