George Lucas holidaying in Queenstown

INVERCARGILL - Legendary Hollywood director and producer George Lucas is holidaying in Queenstown.

The silver-haired director of Star Wars shopped with his family in the resort yesterday afternoon.

Lucas is understood to have flown into Queenstown Airport yesterday on Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson's private Gulfstream 4 jet, which was parked at the airport.

Casually dressed, Lucas looked relaxed as he strolled in and out of shops in Beach St.

Some shop staff were amazed once they realised they had served the star while others said he seemed to enjoy being able to go about his business without being recognised or interrupted.

Lucas wrote and directed the original and new Star Wars films, the most recent of which is Star Wars - Revenge of the Sith. He wrote and produced the Indiana Jones films.

Lucas is no stranger to Queenstown. He spent some weeks in the resort in the winter of 1987 as producer of the movie Willow, filmed around Gibbston Valley, Paradise and in the mountains of the Cardrona Valley. He worked on the movie with Hollywood director Ron Howard.

But it was unlikely the high-profile Hollywood producer was in Queenstown for anything other than a relaxing holiday this week. Queenstown film industry sources contacted tonight said they were unaware he was in town.

It was not known where he was staying or how long he planned to be in the resort.

- NZPA