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Dua Lipa spooked and intrigued by Chateau Marmont’s infamous history
Dua Lipa is too petrified to visit the room where John Belushi died when she stays at the Chateau Marmont.
The 28-year-old ‘Houdini’ singer has recently been staying in the infamous hotel in LA while promoting her new single and upcoming album, and says she constantly wonders about the mysteries and scandals that have hit the celebrity hotspot.
Referring to the Chateau suite where ‘The Blues Brothers’ comic Belushi died from a drugs overdose more than 40 years ago, she told Rolling Stone magazine during a chat at the hotel: “If these walls could talk, I wonder what they would say.
“I wouldn’t go into Bungalow Three.”
Rolling Stone noted that despite its grim past, Lipa “likes coming to Chateau when she’s out in Los Angeles” as it has a “spooky vibe”.
It added the singer loved hearing about the secret tunnels she has heard about beneath illusionist Harry Houdini’s estate in LA’s Laurel Canyon, and said she hosted three fans events there to promote her recent ‘Houdini’ single – the lead track from her upcoming third album.
John Belushi was an original ‘Saturday Night Live’ cast member and checked into his favourite private bungalow at the Chateau on February 28, 1982, nearly a week before he suffered his fatal overdose on 5 March aged 33.
A recent book titled ‘The Castle on Sunset: Life, Death, Love, Art, and Scandal at Hollywood’s Chateau’ by Shawn Levy, gave details of the comic’s final days.
It said the ‘Animal House’ star was visited by celebrity friends, including Robert De Niro and Robin Williams before he died – but claimed De Niro left after being freaked out by the state of Belushi’s $250-a-night (about R4,700) bungalow.
The book revealed cocaine had been piled on the living room table, there was dirty laundry everywhere and the suite was littered with discarded pizza boxes and wine bottles.
It described the lounge area as a compete “shambles”, but added it was not just “sloppy” but appeared to have been “actually trashed, as if in a rage”.
Belushi was found unconscious by his bodyguard Bill Wallace.