In this crowded movie season with global premieres almost every day, how can a star make sure his own arrival stands out? By arriving in a wacky vehicle, of course! Bradley Cooper's tank entrance to the A-Team premiere last night is only the latest example of the lengths that an actor must go to in order to make a splash, though the results are often more dorky than over-the-top macho. Here are five of the best examples.
Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes on a motorcycle at the premiere of War of the Worlds
Back in 2005, when Tom Cruise was more concerned with promoting his new relationship with Katie Holmes than War of the Worlds, he showed up for the film's premiere on a motorbike, Holmes holding onto him for dear life (and for the paparazzi, of course). After dutifully revving through the red carpet for pictures, Cruise and his paramour backed up and made a second motorbike entrance, just in case anyone had missed the first one.
Hugh Jackman arrives via helicopter and zipline for the press tour of X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Take it away, Contact Music:
Action hero HUGH JACKMAN's idea to arrive at a movie premiere via helicopter almost ended in a gruesome disaster when he came close to losing his hand.
The daring star was keen to make a big entrance for the start of his press tour for new movie X-Men Origins: Wolverine in Sydney, Australia.
But Jackman almost left onlookers below splattered in blood when he hung out of the aircraft and his hat was ripped from his hand by one of its propellers.
He says, "I was hanging out of a helicopter because... I just thought it was a good way to make an entrance.
"I'm kind of tall, I'm standing on the side and I put my hat on. (When I waved) the hat flew off. I look back and the guy (pilot) said, 'Your hand was about that far from the rotors!'"
The Batmobile at the premiere of The Dark Knight
To promote The Dark Knight, WB dutifully sent a Batmobile to several of the premieres, but not only was it too modded and impossible to drive for any stars to come out of it, but it also moved reeeeeally slow. Admit it, the Batmobile kind of loses its mystique when it needs five bodyguards to shoo people away and it's driven like your Grandma hunched over her Oldsmobile steering wheel.
Daniel Craig arrives in a speedboat to the press launch of Casino Royale
Though it may be hard to believe now, when Daniel Craig was initially cast as James Bond, the British press was skeptical that the actor was too short, too blond, and most of all, too wussy. How did producers seek to alleviate those concerns? By sending Craig to the Casino Royale press launch in a speedboat, though they mussed up the tableau by outfitting him in a not-very-Bond safety preserver. As he wobbled off the speedboat looking sick, snickering reporters christened the scene "Live and Let Lifejacket."
Bradley Cooper and Sharlto Copley arrive in a tank to the premiere of The A-Team
Bradley, Bradley, Bradley. The star of The Hangover may have wanted to butch up his image by arriving via tank with costar Sharlto Copley to the premiere of The A-Team last night. Still, what a missed opportunity! Men are already in the bag for this movie, B-Coop. If you really wanted to make an entrance -- and lured women in the process -- you would have pulled an old trick out of your hat and shown up naked a jaybird. (I guess Rampage Jackson must have vetoed the idea.)