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Lugner invites Goldie Hawn as his date to Vienna Opera Ball

The Local Austria
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Lugner invites Goldie Hawn as his date to Vienna Opera Ball
Goldie Hawn at the Berlin Film Festival. Photo: Siebbi/Wikimedia

American actress Goldie Hawn will be billionaire Richard Lugner's celebrity guest at the Vienna Opera Ball on February 23rd.

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Her long-term partner Kurt Russell will not be accompanying her, as he is having an operation this month.

Hawn (71) won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress for her 1969 film Cactus Flower.

Lugner (84) said that it was his daughter’s idea to invite Goldie Hawn to this year's Opera Ball, and that he “likes her very much” and thinks she’s a great choice.

Hawn now runs a non-profit foundation dedicated to giving children around the world access to a good education.

The annual Vienna Opera Ball is a highlight of the European social calendar and Lugner always pays a (usually much younger) celebrity to be his guest at the event. Last year he invited American actress Brooke Shields.

Lugner’s 2014 guest - Kim Kardashian - made headlines after complaining that she experienced racism whilst in Vienna and labelled the whole trip a "nightmare".

She was confronted by an Austrian comedian in full 'blackface' during the ball, who pretended to be her husband, rapper Kanye West.

Lugner later said that Kim was “annoying” and that he regretted inviting her as she kept stopping to film her reality TV show.

Lugner’s previous guests to the Opera Ball have included Harry Belafonte, Joan Collins, Sophia Loren, Sarah Ferguson, Jacqueline Bisset, Pamela Anderson and Paris Hilton.

Last year Lugner - who made his money in the construction industry - made an unsuccessful attempt to run for the Austrian presidency, saying he was inspired by fellow building magnate Donald Trump's campaign in the US. 

In November Lugner divorced his fifth wife after just two years of marriage. He and TV presenter and former Playboy model Cathy Schmitz, 26, wed in September 2014.

He had previously sworn off marriage forever after his fourth divorce, but admitted that Cathy managed to change his mind.


 

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