Did You Spot Jimmy Buffett's Cameo in 'Jurassic World?'
Ty Simpkins and Nick Robinson run for their lives — right past a Margaritaville (Universal)
This weekend’s blockbuster Jurassic World features a number of real-life brands on its fictional theme park’s Main Street. Among the most prominent franchises: Margaritaville, an outpost of the restaurant chain owned by beloved musician/beach bum Jimmy Buffett.
As with the rest of the stores and eateries on the boardwalk, the production team built their own fully functioning Margaritaville, which they then destroyed during one of the movie’s big dino rampages. Even better though, is one of the restaurant’s patrons during that key scene: Buffett himself, who makes a cameo while the Pteranodons are dive bombing the resort’s visitors.
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You might not recognize him at first, but according to the film’s production designer, Buffett was double-fisting liquor and mugging for the camera as the sky fell down around him. “It’s just a little tiny bit when the Pteranodons start to attack and you see him running, and he’s holding a couple of margaritas,” Edward Verreaux told Yahoo Movies earlier this week. “He’s trying to gingerly keep the margaritas safe.”
There’s no photographic evidence of Buffett in the movie yet, but we did discover a shot of him deep within the Jurassic World website, where you can see him having a typically joyful time during a marketing photo shoot.
A shot of Buffet from the ‘Jurassic World’ official site
So, how did the 68-year-old rock legend get so involved with the movie?
Buffett has been friends with Jurassic World producer Frank Marshall for over 30 years, and they frequently work together. Buffett acted in and provided music for the 2011 Marshall-produced family film Hoot, and he had a cameo in the Marshall-directed 1995 movie Congo. The two also partnered on a Facebook game back in 2013, appropriately titled Margaritaville.
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Given their friendship and Buffett’s presence in the film, it only made sense that the singer and his Coral Reefer Band performed at the Jurassic World premiere after-party this week. Star Chris Pratt generated some headlines when he went up on stage to help sing “Margaritaville” for the audience, giving Parrotheads even more incentive to see the film.
Afterwards, they can head on over to a still-standing Margaritaville (there are over 30 locations worldwide!) and check out the Pterodactyl Wings or the Indominus Rex Burger. Or, of course — the Mesozoic Margarita.
Watch a video of Chris Pratt performing with Buffet:
