Show Biz
Bangkok film next project for Chris Lee
By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Editor
THE LOCAL ANGLE: Chris Lee, the Iolani grad who was one of the producers of the "Final Fantasy" film this summer, begins production on Warner Bros.' "Ecks Vs. Sever" Nov. 5 in Bangkok. The title refers to two dueling spies played by Lucy Liu and Antonio Banderas, who discover they have a common enemy. The director is a Thailand native, Kaos, and Lee is hiring as many local production workers as possible, including Keala Asato (recent Iolani and Loyola Marymount Film School grad) and Doug Nam (whose family operates Cinnamon's in Kailua). Following "Ecks Vs. Sever," Lee will launch "SWAT," an independent film to be shot in Beijing, possibly with Paul Walker from "The Fast and the Furious" in the cast ...
One of Lee's earlier interns, Iolani grad Matt Okamura (currently at USC's Peter Stark School of Film), has been hired by DreamWorks, to start in the story department "just like me, waaaay too many years ago," said Lee ...
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ITEMIZATIONS: When Jimmy Borges and Jazz All-Stars Jazz perform from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. tomorrow at the Hawai'i Kai Towne Center, there will be a dance floor, too. The band will include the best: Gabe Baltazar, Betty Loo Taylor, Noel Okimoto and Steve Jones, plus surprise guest performers ...
Kevin Iwamoto, former entertainer and currently air-travel-car manager for Hewlett-Packard Co., has been elected president of the National Business Travel Association. It's a two-year term, and Iwamoto — who sang here as Kevin I — intends to develop global relationships and address important issues facing the business travel industry ...
Visiting: Eliot and Bonnie Tiegel, at the Kahala Mandarin Oriental. He's an entertainment writer, she's an "Entertainment Tonight" producer ...
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HERE 'N' THERE: Emme Tomimbang's "Emme & Friends" winds up for the season, airing at 6:30 p.m. tomorrow and again at 2 p.m. Sunday on KGMB-9. James MacArthur, Ten Feet, Helen Chock and David Copperfield are her guests; with the magician, she reflected on his salad days at the Pagoda, when he invited her to join him on the road. She didn't, not expecting Kawika to become the No. 1 in his field ...
At the conclusion of the run of her "Aloha Friday" at Kumu Kahua Theatre, playwright Lee Cataluna took her cast and crew to celebrate at Compadres Bar and Grill at Ward Centre ...
Alfredo Romero Jr. and his group Jubilation appeared last month at the Spirit West Coast Festival in Monterey, Calif., performing original songs before 20,000. "I am very proud of my son and to see him continue his career in music," said the father, Alfredo Romero Sr., a former Society of Seven member. Next up: a CD ...
Little Albert — that's Albert Maligmat, also formerly of the Society of Seven — has moved back to the Islands from the Mainland and has been performing with Nohelani Cypriano aboard the Navatek ...
Aida Turturro, who plays Janice Soprano (sister of Tony Soprano) on HBO's hit show "The Sopranos," will be a special guest assistant to chef Sam Choy at his "Variations of Poke" demo at the Hawai'i Regional Cuisine Waikiki Farmers Market Festival tomorrow at the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center. Among other chefs involved in the demo: Alan Wong, George Mavrothalassitis and the team of D.K. Kodama and Russell Siu, who will create their version of the Hawai'i Regional Cuisine Plate Lunch ...
Paul Wilson, program director at KSSK, married longtime girlfriend Bobbie in an intimate ceremony recently at Kailua Beach. Guests included Chuck Cotton, the Ron Blommers and Debra West ...
And that's Show Biz ...
Wayne Harada's Show Biz runs Wednesdays and Fridays.
