Tom Hanks believed to be isolating in exclusive Gold Coast mansion
Reports that Hollywood star Tom Hanks and his entourage were isolating in a lavish Gold Coast hinterland estate have been denied.
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Reports Hollywood star Tom Hanks quarantined in a lavish Gold Coast hinterland estate costing up to $6000 a night have been denied.
Reports suggested the actor quarantined in the mansion after arriving in Queensland to resume filming on Baz Lurhmann’s Elvis biopic.
While thousands of ordinary people entering Queensland from COVID hot spots have been locked up in small quarantine hotel rooms guarded by police and soldiers, Hanks and his entourage were understood to have isolated at the secluded Rivermead Estate at Guanaba.
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The property boasts 22ha of manicured grounds, an international polo field and opulent Rivermead House with six bedrooms, billiard room, wine cellar, day spa and sauna, swimming pool and spa, tennis and basketball courts and outdoor teppanyaki bar, as well as a separate pool guesthouse.
But those reports have been denied by the Premier and others close to the production, who said Hanks was completing his 14-day mandatory quarantine in a hotel approved by Queensland Health.
The said he would be subject to police checks like anyone else.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk also slammed claims Tom Hanks was staying in a mansion for his mandatory quarantine and provided further justification for his arrival in Queensland.
“My advice is that he is staying in a hotel, so I am told that he is not staying in a house,” she said.
“There are other people who have flown in from LA into Sydney and are staying in New South Wales now obviously they would have had to get the exemptions and border force checks as well... but unfortunately we’re not hearing anything about that in New South Wales, all we are hearing is about Queensland.
“Scott Morrison flew up here a few months ago and talked about more incentives to get more movies here, so that’s okay, we put in on the table more incentives to get movies here as well, and I’ll tell you what they want to come to Queensland and film and that means keeping people on the Gold Coast in employment and I’ll fight for those jobs.”
The A-list actor and wife Rita Wilson came down with coronavirus and were hospitalised when they first came to the Coast in March to begin the movie, and production was shut down soon after and the couple returned to the US before flying back to Queensland earlier this month.
Elvis cast and crew were reportedly staying in the luxury Oracle resort in Broadbeach, popular with visiting celebrities, but sources had said that Hanks had been at Rivermead.
The property’s website quotes nightly accommodation rates of between $4000 and $6000a night.
Rivermead manager Zak Gordon, whose wealthy property developer father Tim owns the estate, denied any knowledge of Hollywood guests.
In controversial comments after Hanks’ arrival in Queensland, Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young said he had initially been given special treatment - a a special exemption to isolate in non-official quarantine accommodation - because ‘entertainment and film brings a lot of money into this state’.
The revelations come after The Courier-Mail revealed that hotel quarantine guests had been confined to rooms for as long as 24 hours, served late and inedible food and calls for help, including mental health pleas, were going unanswered.
Leading civil liberties lawyer has lodged an official complaint about the treatment with Queensland Health director-general Dr John Wakefield.
Originally published as Tom Hanks believed to be isolating in exclusive Gold Coast mansion