A NI street artist, Johnny Hamilton, recently got Hollywood actor Gerald Butler to visit his work of art.
Driven by his passion for art and admiration for the actor, the artist, also known as Jossiepops, devised a daring plan. He decided to capture the actor’s attention and get people to notice the artistic talent in the city by creating a mural near the picturesque seafront development in Bangor, County Down.
To his surprise, he received a message from Butler shortly after posting about the mural on his Instagram account.
“Brother, this is extraordinary. So honoured. I’ll totally swing by Bangor. But would love to meet you and say hello. You’re some artist, and you seem like an awesome dude,” said the actor.
Can this piece get @GerardButler to come visit Bangor? #gerardbutler pic.twitter.com/Pnm162nSc8
— POPS drawing stuff (@Jossiepops) February 10, 2024
Not long after, Hamilton was shocked to get a message on social media with a picture of Butler kissing his mural. The actor visited the street art with his two nieces.
Despite getting his wish, the artist missed the chance to meet Butler in person, as he and his wife are currently on a two-month trip to Australia.
Speaking with BBC News NI, Hamilton said, “I would be lying to say I was not a bit gutted that I wasn’t there to meet him, but I can’t complain too much as I’m near the beautiful Blue Mountains here just outside Sydney. It’s great to see my work being showcased like this, and I hope we can see more street art in the city. If you build it they will come, art has the power to bring people together and has the power to bring a Hollywood A lister to our wee city.”
Butler is currently in Northern Ireland working on the new How to Train Your Dragon animated film, which will be released in 2025. He has been spotted across Belfast, including the Titanic Belfast.
During St. Patrick’s weekend, he was spotted at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, where Ireland’s Six Nations clash with his native Scotland occurred.
