‘The Rock’ returning to wrestling ring
‘The Rock’ returning to wrestling ring
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Dwayne Johnson’s latest movie just topped $300 million in worldwide grosses. He’s laid the smack down on Hollywood and become an in-demand action star for hire.
But the next time someone barks, “Action!” Johnson will slip back into his most famous role yet: The trash-talking, trail-blazing, jabroni-beating wrestler known simply as The Rock.
Think an established superstar actor like Brad Pitt would risk getting his teeth knocked out for a run in sports entertainment?
The Rock, who rose to stardom in the wrestling business, says there’s nowhere else he’d rather drop The People’s Elbow than in the ring. The Rock returns to the WWE for his first WrestleMania match since 2004 when he headlines the April 1 card against former champion John Cena at Sun Life Stadium in Miami.
For a company once home to Hulk Hogan and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, this bout is as close as it gets to a dream match.
“I came back to put on the biggest match of all time,” Johnson said. “That’s all I want to do. There’s no one I can do that with right now other than John. He’s far and above everyone else in terms of popularity. He’s the guy.”
Cena has a contrasting take.
“I was a fan in ‘99. I’m not a fan now,” Cena said. “I don’t know what he’s got going on upstairs.”
Hilary Duff, husband celebrate birth of son
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Hilary Duff is a new mom.
The 24-year-old actress announced the birth of her son on her website and Twitter feed Thursday.
Duff writes that she and husband Mike Comrie welcomed son Luca Cruz Comrie on Tuesday night. He weighed in at 7 pounds, 6 ounces and is the first child for the couple, who married in 2010.
Duff gained fame as the star of Disney’s “Lizzie McGuire” and more recently had a recurring role on “Gossip Girl.”
Comrie retired as a professional hockey player earlier this year.
Jimmy Buffett gets Nevada casino license
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Nevada gambling regulators have approved a license that will let singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett share in the gambling revenues from his Margaritaville casino in Las Vegas.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports the Nevada Gaming Commission unanimously approved a gambling license Thursday for Palm Beach, Fla.-based Margaritaville Holdings and its famous chairman Buffett.
The casino located inside the Flamingo on the Las Vegas Strip opened in October.
Buffett told commissioners he never imagined the laid-back beach tune he released in 1977 would eventually become a valuable piece of intellectual property.
But he added that “Margaritaville” was “a pretty good song” and said “it worked out.”