From Will Smith to Tom Cruise to Anthony Bourdain to Anderson Cooper, here are some of the famous people who have visited Colombia and fallen in love with it.
Some famous people visit Colombia for their vacations. Others travel to Colombia to shoot movies. The one thing they all have in common is their appreciation for Colombia’s cultural diversity and its biodiversity. Here are just some of the Hollywood stars who have visited Colombia and fallen in love with it:
Will Smith’s love for Colombia
Actor Will Smith surprised Colombians when he showed his support for the country’s national soccer team during the 2014 World Cup. He appeared alongside singer Marc Anthony in a video filmed in Ibague, which was widely shared across social media.
Colombians’ friendliness and joyful attitude captivated the star, who visited the country again four years later to film Ang Lee’s ‘Gemini Man’ in Cartagena. Smith didn’t travel to Colombia alone that time, but brought his son, Jaden, to show him why his father had fallen in love with the country.
Smith shared numerous videos throughout their trip to the walled city (Cartagena) including nights out partying with singer Nicky Jam in one of Cartagena’s most renowned restaurants. The city’s beauty did the trick and inspired Jaden Smith to film the video for Nicky Jam’s ‘Icon (Remix)’ in Cartagena.
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Vin Diesel: Colombia is perfect
Actor Vin Diesel travelled to Medellín to attend his close friend Nicky Jam’s wedding. “Incredible, I love you Colombia, I love you Colombia, beautiful!” he said, when he arrived at José María Córdova airport and received a warm welcome from airport staff. “The people of Colombia are perfect,” he said, on a video he recorded during the last few days of his stay in the Antioquia capital.
Hugh Jackman in Huila
This Hollywood actor visited Colombia to film a commercial for his Laughing Man Foundation, through which he promotes the consumption of coffee grown in Huila’s coffee district. Laughing Man is currently undertaking a housing improvement program for families who are part of Huila’s Central Coffee Growers Co-operative, as well as providing 40 university scholarships for young people in the region.
Anderson Cooper and El Totumo volcano
The popular CNN anchor posted a photo on his Twitter account in 2011, which showed his head and torso covered in mud with the caption, “I’m gone for a few days. Guess where in the world I am?” He then revealed that the photo was taken at the El Totumo mud volcano, near Cartagena. Cooper visited Bogota, Medellin and Cartagena during his stay in Colombia. “Colombia is a fantastic country,” he told his Twitter followers. “Its people have overcome so much and there are so many exciting things happening here. It’s a great place to visit.”
Last night in #Bogota #Colombia at my favorite restaurant in the world. @GairaCafe. Great food, Guillo Vives singing on stage. Perfection.
— Anderson Cooper (@andersoncooper) July 24, 2011
Alessandra Ambrosio conquers Colombiamoda
The dazzling Brazilian model visited Colombia in 2015 to grace the catwalks at Colombiamoda, one of the region’s most important event in the textile sector. The former Victoria Secret Angel walked the runway for the Colombian brand Arkitect-Exito and also designers including Isabel Henao, Camilo Alvarez, Renata Lozano and Jorge Duque.
Tom Cruise recommends travelling to Colombia
The US actor visited Colombia to shoot ‘American Made’. Although the movie was shot in Medellin, the star took advantage of his trip to Colombia to visit the Amazon and said he is keen to return. “They have a warmth in Colombia that makes you feel at home,” he said. “I love that. You go to a restaurant late, go in and the people are very warm. It was beautiful. You have to go to this country,” he said, in an interview with Telemundo.
Colombian cuisine, by Anthony Bourdain
“Colombia is unique in South America. It has so many advantages that other countries do not … the incredible mix of its indigenous, European and African roots in its food, the diversity of its different regions and the variety of its ingredients.”
That’s how renowned chef Anthony Bourdain described Colombian gastronomy, when he visited the country to film his program ‘No Reservations’ in 2008. He met people from Bogota, Medellin and Cartagena and sampled typical Colombian dishes, such as tamales, arepa e huevo (egg arepa) and the coffee district’s hearty bandeja paisa.
Charlize Theron shoots ‘Flarsky’ in Cartagena
Residents and tourists in Cartagena were stunned to see Hollywood star Charlize Theron exploring La Heroica’s (Cartagena) historic center in January 2018. The South African actress was filming scenes from the movie ‘Flarsky’, in which she stars alongside Canadian actor Seth Rogen. The star took advantage of the trip to get to know the walled city.
Bogotá, star of a Mark Wahlberg film
Actor Mark Wahlberg fell in love with Colombia after filming ‘Mile 22’, directed by Peter Berg, in Bogotá. At the end of his visit, Wahlberg thanked the people of Colombia for their warmth and kindness and emphasized his determination to return on vacation with his family. “With everything we have experienced so far, the mere fact of being here, the restaurants are wonderful, the people are great and very helpful, overall it’s been fabulous. I’m eager to bring my family on vacation here,” he posted on Instagram.
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