Celebrities will kick off opening of the metro Los Angeles location of Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. A VIP reception complete with red carpet arrival starts at 6 p.m. to welcome the 19th global location of the restaurant, based on the Academy Award-winning film “Forrest Gump,” to Los Angeles.

The first and only restaurant chain based on a motion picture, Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.’s southern-style kickoff party will feature a chocolate bar to evoke popular “Gumpism:” “life is like a box of chocolates…”, and guests including: Gary Sinise (“Forrest Gump”), Chris Pratt (Everwood), Efren Ramirez (Napoleon Dynamite); Countess Vaughn James (UPN’s The Parkers); Producer Steve Tisch (Forrest Gump); Darius McCrary (NBC’s Committed); Amy VanCamp and more.

Half of all proceeds of Bubba Gump Shrimp Co’s public opening on November 5th will benefit the Santa Monica/Malibu Unified School District Equity Fund.