Las Vegas fighter Carano stars in ‘Haywire’
Mixed martial artist Gina Carano has traded the glaring lights of the octagon for a star-studded Hollywood debut.
Oscar-winning director Steven Soderbergh is taking one of his biggest gambles by putting the Las Vegas beauty in the lead role of his action film "Haywire."
If Soderbergh has another hit on his hands, "it could catapult Carano into a mainstream action-film star the way 'Tomb Raider' helped reinvent Angelina Jolie's career," according to WallStreetJournal.com.
Soderbergh envisioned Carano as the next female action star when he watched her suffer her first MMA loss 2½ years ago to Brazilian fighter Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos.
On Thursday, at the Playboy-hosted "Haywire" premiere in Los Angeles, Carano, 29, was surrounded by the impressive cast Soderbergh lined up: breakout actor Michael Fassbender, Michael Douglas, Ewan McGregor, Antonio Banderas and Channing Tatum.
The former Trinity Christian High School basketball star told red carpet reporters she got a cram course in acting, calling it "Hollywood 101."
She plays a U.S. black ops superstar who gets double-crossed and exacts revenge MMA style.
Her father, Glenn Carano, led UNLV's football program to its last undefeated regular season in 1974 before spending six seasons as a backup to Roger Staubach and Danny White with the Dallas Cowboys.
The film is being released Jan. 20.
THE SCENE AND HEARD
Former Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman is in talks with Anthony Zuiker, creator of "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," to schedule a book signing at Oscar's Beef Booze Broads steakhouse (Plaza) in March. Zuiker, a former late-night tram operator at The Mirage, titled the book, "Mr. CSI: How A Vegas Dreamer Made A Killing In Hollywood, One Body At A Time."...
Among the "15 food predictions of 2012" by Esquire's food critic John Mariani: "The opening of new steakhouses will slow way down, and expect the closing of some famous-name restaurants in Las Vegas." ...
Talk show host Alan Stock of KDWN-AM, 720, is branching out. He's starting a weekday cable talk show on Vegas TV, Channel 14, noon to 12:30 p.m. His guests will range from politicians and civic movers and shakers to entertainment personalities.
SIGHTINGS
At Celine Dion's show (Caesars Palace) on Saturday: Tennis great Monica Seles, Jennifer Love Hewitt and R&B singer Brian McKnight. ... Boxing champion Floyd Mayweather Jr., with friends watching the action in a high-limit salon at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas about 12:30 a.m. Saturday. Earlier in the day, Justice of the Peace Melissa Saragosa granted a request to allow the postponement until June 1 of a 90-day jail sentence for his domestic violence case. ... Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, partying with Pitbull at the rapper's 30th birthday celebration Friday at 1 Oak nightclub at The Mirage. Also at the party: pop star Ryan Cabrera and actor Michael Peña. ... Actress Teri Polo, in town to judge the Miss America Pageant, was spotted Saturday dining at Strip House (Planet Hollywood Resort) . ... The 53 Miss America contestants, each dipping the palm of a hand into marinara sauce at Buca di Beppo on Saturday to create a large canvas featuring their handprints. During dinner -- nibbles of salad for many -- the pageant hopefuls serenaded Miss Alabama Courtney Porter, who was celebrating her 25th birthday. ... Love Hewitt and beau Jarod Einsohn, celebrating his 28th birthday at Lavo (Palazzo) Friday. ... ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons, showing up at the Gypsy Den, the vintage store in the arts district downtown, for First Friday.
THE PUNCH LINE
The Kardashians have a brand new magazine coming out that will be called 'K.' And I said, thank God we finally have a glimpse into the lives of these mysterious recluses." -- David Letterman
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.
