Las Vegas Weekly

February 3, 2010 · 11:28 AM

Photo Gallery: Heather Graham fulfills Cirque dream on her birthday

By Robin Leach

Heather Graham, center, and Ka performers Emma Nicholson and Jason Biltz rehearse on Ka's "Battle Wall" at the MGM Grand.

Photo: Denise Truscello/WireImage

Actress Heather Graham, from the blockbuster comedy The Hangover filmed here in Las Vegas, overcame her fear of heights to fulfill a longtime dream to fly with the acrobats and aerialists of Cirque du Soleil.

It was a surprise birthday gift from her boyfriend, film director Yaniv Raz, that only the artists of Cirque du Soleil could pull off. Yaniv first put together a secretly planned overnight trip here for her weekend birthday celebration.

The couple stayed in an exclusive villa at The Mirage and enjoyed a birthday dinner at Japonais, but unbeknownst to Heather, it was all in preparation for a surprise visit to train onstage with the cast of Ka, which is celebrating its fifth anniversary at MGM Grand this week.

All Heather knew was that she had to forget the glitzy gowns and sexy dresses and just wear workout gear. She admitted that she was overwhelmed and amused as she started her special day with a Pilates warm-up in the Ka training room with the show’s head coach. Heather didn’t know yet that the main part of her surprise gift awaited her in the theater.

Celebrity photographer Denise Truscello was at the theater to capture Heather’s extraordinary day as a Cirque performer with these memorable photos.

Sufficiently warmed and limbered up, she walked out to discover the 50-foot high wall, a harness and a joystick waiting for her. Our story and photos yesterday detailed the amazing fun facts that comprise Ka’s intricate machinery and equipment.

For the next hour, Heather got a first-hand idea of what it takes to perform in the Ka Battle scene by two performers, Emma Nicholson and Jason Biltz. They put her through a workout of walking, running, racing, jumping and sliding down face first on the vertical stage.

Heather told them: “This was a blast, even though I’m slightly afraid of heights. It was always my dream to fly onstage with Cirque du Soleil, and you’ve helped bring my dream to life.”

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

Follow Robin Leach on Twitter at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.

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Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter at Twitter.com/VDLXEditorDon.

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