Postby *$kїđž!™ » August 24th, 2013, 12:33 am
STAR STRUCK
Hollywood superstar Gerard Butler loves West Indian cricketers
By Faine Richards CCN Multimedia Journalist
Story Created: Aug 23, 2013 at 9:19 PM ECT
Story Updated: Aug 23, 2013 at 11:20 PM ECT
“I get star struck like anybody else. I tell you, I’m kinda like ‘Oh my God, it’s Chris (Gayle).’ And he’s like, ‘Yea mon!’”
It’s difficult to fathom how a Hollywood superstar renowned the world over for his portrayal as Spartan war hero, King Leonidas, could ever get nervous about meeting anyone.
However, actor Gerard Butler, who is in Trinidad for the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) T-20 tournament and has invested in one of the franchise teams, is starry-eyed about meeting some of West Indian cricket’s biggest players.
“It’s just so exciting. My team is in the semi-finals and I love hanging out with the players,” the Scotsman said yesterday, a beaming smile on his face.
The actor has visited Trinidad once before, having stopped here for a day while cruising in the Caribbean. He returned to the country just in time for the first CPL semi-final clash on Thursday, and after just over 24 hours, Butler already seemed at ease as he spoke exclusively with TV6 on the patio of the Hyatt Regency hotel in Port of Spain.
Donning an old, dirt-layered pair of Adidas sneakers and three-quarter length khaki shorts, he arrived for the interview with coffee in hand, still recovering from his first night of festivities.
“Is this going to show up on camera?” he asked, pointing to a coffee stain on his dark blue V-neck t-shirt.
Though conscious of the lenses, Butler has already settled comfortably into the revelry that accompanies most sport tournaments in the Caribbean.
“The second you walk in you feel this great atmosphere in the (Oval)....it was just a great atmosphere and just all types of people there. I’m glad I got involved in it,” he said.
Butler decided to invest in the Limacol CPL at the behest of his friend, the tournament’s founder Ajmal Khan. He chose to put his money behind the Jamaica Tallawahs because he has an affinity for the island and its people after numerous visits there.
While a Jamaican team attracted his investment, it’s a legendary Trinidadian batsman he holds in the highest esteem.
“Growing up as a kid I always remember the West Indies (cricket team). Whenever they played, it was awesome and it’s such a great team...(My favourite player) would be Brian Lara, just because watching him play was always so exciting and cheeky and he is such a performer and entertainer.”
Butler, who met Lara for the first time during the semi-final clash between the Trinidad and Tobago Red Steel and Guyana Amazon Warriors on Thursday, described him as “cool and down to earth and funny”.
His experience here has already made such an indelible impression that he has vowed to maintain his CPL investment during the tournament’s sophomore year next season.
“I’m in for the long haul,” Butler declared. Mustering his strongest Scottish accent, he added, “In for a penny, in for a pound. I’m glad I was involved and I don’t intend to bow out anytime soon,” he said.
Does he think sport in the Caribbean would appeal to other stars of the silver screen?
“I think Hollywood would take the West Indies, the Caribbean very seriously. Joining this league is going to be great for the local economy and great for tourism, great for cricket. I think it says maybe people here shouldn’t have a chip on their shoulder about what they feel about their presence in the world because I think that this area is very well respected. A lot of smart people come out of here. It’s a beautiful sun-kissed place to come and there’s also a lot of economic opportunities,” he said.
Sport isn’t Trinidad’s only point of attraction for the Hollywood star. The country’s stunning beauties haven’t escaped his attention either.
“The way they hold themselves, their skin, their glow. They have loads of personality. From the second we arrived, I’ve been taken with how beautiful and graceful and fun and smiley. You know, there’s some places you go where the women are beautiful and they know it and they use it. Here, it doesn’t matter.”
CPL celebrity power
Ajmal Khan, chairman of Verus International and Founder of the Limacol CPL says “celebrities owning sports teams is nothing new but to have two Hollywood actors taking a vested interest in cricket teams is quite novel”.
“The Limacol CPL continues to attract that ‘star power’. I think it’s a testament to the quality of the tournament, the carnival party atmosphere, the music, the entertainment, the fans, and the experience that only the Caribbean can deliver. I am excited to have my good friend Gerry (Gerard Butler) come to the Limacol CPL to join the party,” he added.
Butler is supporting the Jamaica Tallawahs in the Limacol CPL while actor Mark Wahlberg is supporting the Barbados Tridents.
Butler’s next movie, How To Train Your Dragon 2, comes out in 2014. He is best known for his roles in films such as Olympus Has Fallen, 300, Law Abiding Citizen, The Ugly Truth, P.S. I Love You, and sports themed movies—Chasing Mavericks (surfing) and Playing for Keeps (soccer).
The inaugural Limacol Caribbean Premier League began on July 30 in Barbados, and concludes today at the Queen’s Park Oval.
