Filming wraps up on Fremont Street
Pre-dawn revelers at the Fremont Street Experience were surprised to find themselves among famous company early Wednesday.
That long-haired guy with a black beard and British accent was actor Russell Brand. With him was a bloodied Julianne Hough, whose down-and-out character needed help getting in a cab.
It was a wrap scene for 2008 Academy Award winner Diablo Cody, who is making her directorial debut in the yet-untitled film about a small-town girl (Hough) who survives a plane crash but is left horribly scarred. Cody won her Oscar for best original screenplay for the film "Juno."
Hough's character has lost her faith when she meets a Las Vegas bartender (Brand).
Brand, who recently split with pop music star Katy Perry, scored some PR points with the extras during a cold night of shooting on a side street near the Golden Nugget.
After conversing with the 40-some extras, Brand had hot chocolate delivered to the wind-whipped group.
Hough, who attended Las Vegas Academy before gaining stardom on "Dancing with the Stars," had Easter dinner with boyfriend Ryan Seacrest at Kerry Simon's restaurant at Palms Place.
Also in town for the shoot: Oscar-winning actress Octavia Spencer. Scenes also were shot at the Riviera hotel-casino.
It was the second Hollywood shoot in Las Vegas in a week. "Now You See Me," starring Woody Harrelson, Michael Caine, Mark Ruffalo and Jesse Eisenberg, wrapped on Tuesday.
FIRST FAMILY'S HOBBY TIME
Under hobbies listed for Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval and first lady Kathleen Sandoval you can include antique collectors, aka "pickers."
That nugget from their pre-parenthood days came up Wednesday during a tour of Rick's Restoration, the downtown antique store that's home to "American Restoration," the History Channel's Wednesday hit. Big fans of the show, the Sandovals were joined by daughters Madeline, 15, and Marisa, 7.
The governor told store owner Rick Dale the first couple will be returning to the store with an item from their collection to have it restored.
Sandoval put on one of Rick's signature denim shirts and posed with Dale . The governor presented Dale with a governor's coin.
Thursday, the governor and his family showed up at the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop, home of the "Pawns Stars" reality show, where they met Rick Harrison and his father, Richard, better known as "Old Man."
SIGHTINGS
Spotted Thursday among the 500-plus at the 12th annual Governor's Black-Tie Invitational at Southern Highlands, one of the city's leading charity events: Fletcher Jones and family, recipient of the Philanthropist of the Year award; Southern Highlands developer Garry Goett; Nevada attorney general Catherine Cortez Masto; Cisco Aguilar of the Agassi Foundation; Bob Brown, publisher of the Review-Journal, and Mike Hengel, R-J editor; former mayor Jan Laverty Jones; restaurateur Freddie Glusman; Southern Highlands founding member Chuck Ruthe; Jack Sheehan, and Cliff Miller of M.J. Christensen, whose wife, Darlene, wore diamonds in her hair. ... R&B singer Brandy, having a South Philly cheesesteak with her boyfriend Thursday at Martorano's (Rio). ... Actor Nicolas Cage, at Vintner Grill on Thursday. ... Correction: Gina Carano's birthday celebration at Tabú (MGM Grand) is April 21.
THE PUNCH LINE
"It looks like Kanye West and Kim Kardashian are dating, and apparently they're getting serious. Friends say Kanye is the man Kim wants to spend the rest of her month with." -- Jay Leno
Norm Clarke can be reached at 702-383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com. Find additional sightings and more online at www.normclarke.com. Follow Norm on Twitter @Norm_Clarke.
