When Planet Hollywood, with its Bruce Lee suit from Enter the Dragon and US$30,000 letter on ‘inner harmony and happiness’, brought the stars to Hong Kong

Asia’s first Planet Hollywood opened on May 29, 1994 in Hong Kong in a star-studded event attended by big names in Tinseltown and local celebrities alike

The restaurant showcased rare film memorabilia, including a suit worn by Bruce Lee and his letter outlining his path to achieving ‘inner harmony and happiness’

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Big names like Bruce Willis, Jackie Chan, Charlie Sheen and Sylvester Stallone attended the opening of Asia’s first Planet Hollywood outlet in 1994 in Hong Kong. Photo: Corbis via Getty Images

Published: 10:11am, 1 Jun 2021Updated: 11:33am, 1 Jun 2021

“Stars on cue for ultimate invasion,” ran a South China Morning Post headline on January 28, 1994. “A massive $8 million will be spent on the opening party for the 21,000 square foot, 370-seater Planet Hollywood restaurant which occupies part of the former Ocean Theatre in Tsim Sha Tsui,” the story continued.

The themed restaurant chain opened its Hong Kong outlet – its first in Asia – on May 29 that year in a star-studded event attended by big names in Tinseltown and local celebrities alike.

“It was the night when Hollywood razz met Tsim Sha Tsui snazz with the resultant scenes of adulation reminiscent of an Oscar night,” the Post reported the following day.

“While other big names, including Bruce Willis, James Belushi, Don Johnson, Jackie Chan, Charlie Sheen and Patrick Swayze, chose to come to the party via limo, Steven Seagal decided to be a man of the people and walked,” the story went on.

Sylvester Stallone arrived in a rickshaw for the opening of Asia’s first Planet Hollywood outlet in 1994 in Hong Kong. Photo: AFP

Meanwhile “tough-guy Sylvester Stallone came in for some even tougher questioning as he drew up to the Planet Hollywood launch party in a maiden-drawn rickshaw”.