The Weeknd Jolts CinemaCon Awake With Surprise Performance Touting ‘Hurry Up Tomorrow’
variety.comMatt Donnelly Senior Film Writer The largely corporate crowd at CinemaCon, rocking credential lanyards and jeans and button-ups, got to live the Sin City fantasy on Tuesday morning with a surprise performance from The Weeknd.
The top-selling artist thrilled the Colosseum theater at Caesars Palace Las Vegas during a presentation for Lionsgate, the distributor releasing his upcoming film “Hurry Up Tomorrow.” The Grammy winner performed two songs, an original from the new project and “Blinded by the Light.” Introduced by Lionsgate motion picture group chief Adam Fogelson — who gave audience members with epilepsy a headsup before the flashing lights began — Weekend was cheered on by his film’s star Jenna Ortega and director Trey Edward Shults.” The annual convention of movie theater owners is not the typical audience Weekend, aka Abel Tesfaye, is used to performing for.
He spotted a “Star Wars” icon in the front row as he was belting his hits. “I can’t believe I’m looking at Mark Hamill right now, that’s crazy,” the artist screamed from stage.
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