INDONESIAN OFFICIALS TO INVESTIGATE KITSCH INCIDENT

INDONESIAN OFFICIALS TO INVESTIGATE KITSCH INCIDENT

Report from pr-inside.com:

Immigration officials in Indonesia are to launch an investigation after Hollywood actor TAYLOR KITSCH claimed he was threatened with deportation on arrival in the country.

The X-Men Origins: Wolverine star spent a week shooting Oliver Stone's Savages in Indonesia, but during
an appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman last Wednesday (29Feb12), the actor claimed to have suffered a nasty run-in with an immigration officer at the airport.

Image Credit: interaksyon.com

Kitsch alleged the official told him he was to be refused entry to the country because his passport had run out of pages, and he had to convince the man he was really an actor with a proper work visa by showing him a trailer for one of his movies on his iPhone.

He told Letterman, "(He said) 'You're out of pages so I can't stamp it, so you're gone.' And I'm like, 'Hold on, I can work here; I've got the visa.' He didn't believe I was an actor, so I'm literally pitching myself to this guy."

Kitsch claims the officer then asked about his cell phone and said, "Can you give me one of those?" During the interview, Letterman wrongly suggested the incident had taken place in the Philippines, prompting a swift denial from officials in the country, and now a spokesman for the Indonesian immigration office, Maryoto Hadi, has confirmed they will investigate the allegations.

He tells Thejakartaglobe.com, "If an officer of ours abuses his authority and taints the image of the organisation especially, we will surely take action against him, in accordance to the existing regulation. We will surely investigate the truth behind this news."

source: http://www.pr-inside.com

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US actor tells Letterman about NAIA experience (Philippines)

US actor tells Letterman about NAIA experience (Philippines)

MANILA, Philippines - Hollywood actor Taylor Kitsch, best known for playing a football player in the NBC series "Friday Night Lights," revealed how he was stopped by a customs officer at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

In an interview with "Late Show With David Letterman" aired March 1, Kitsch said he was flying in and out of the Philippines to film Oliver Stone's new film "Savages."

"I had the visa to work there on a new Oliver Stone film called 'Savages' with Travolta, Benicio, Uma Thurman, Aaron Johnson," he said.

Image Credit: thehollywoodstory.com

When he recently went back to the Philippines, Kitsch said was stopped by a customs officer. Apparently, the customs officer discovered that there was no more space on Kitsch's passport for a new stamp, so the actor was told to go back to Japan, where he just came from.

"I'm in the backroom and he said, you're going back to Japan... He said 'There's not enough pages. You're out of pages, so I can't stamp it. You're gone.' I'm like, I can work here, I've got the visa. He didn't believe I was an actor So I'm literally pitching myself to this guy," Kitsch said.

Kitsch even told the customs officer that he worked on other films and was now working with John Travolta on "Savages." But the immigration agent didn't believe him, and even asked him, "Where's Travolta?"
Since the airport's computers were not working, Kitsch used his iPhone to show the customs officer the trailer of his newest film "John Carter". But the customs officer, who still didn't believe he was an actor, allegedly even tried to get Kitsch to give him an iPhone.

"Their computers are not working. So I told him,'you gotta look me up, I can show you something to prove (that I'm an actor) and he said 'You are on the next flight to Japan,' reminding me again. And then I'm looking on my iPhone because their computers weren't working. And he's like 'hey can you get me one of those?' And I'm like 'can you let me in and I will give you one of these.' And he still not believing (me)," Kitsch said.

"Finally I show him the trailer of John Carter on the iPhone and he stopped and he's like  'oh my God what's that?' And it's a great white apes that seen there that's in the trailer. And he’s like, ‘That’s not you.’ I’m like, ‘What?’ He’s like, ‘You have short hair.’ And I’m like, ‘Mate, I cut it. It grows. It’s me.' So, then finally he's like 'I love trailer, go ahead. You are in.' So, John Carter got me through customs."

Kitsch was also part of "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" where he played the role of Gambit."

Here is the video:

Video Credit: Youtube

source: ABS-CBN News

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