UK: Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman step out in the freezing cold for the "Australia" premiere

Record ID: 218714

  • Title: UK: Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman step out in the freezing cold for the "Australia" premiere
  • Date: 12th December 2008
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (English) HUGH JACKMAN, ON MAKING THE FILM, SAYING: "It was longer (to make) than to watch, let me tell you. It was fantastic. I had an absolute blast. It was a, we were in incredible locations, with a cast including Nicole and other actors I grew up idolising. Baz and CM (Catherine Martin) in Australia, it was fantastic. Ticked every box possible." MORE OF KIDMAN SIGNING AUTOGRAPHS DIRECTOR BAZ LUHRMANN TALKING TO REPORTER ON RED CARPET (SOUNDBITE) (English) DIRECTOR BAZ LUHRMANN SAYING: "I mean, it wasn't really a film. It was a life experience. And you know, it went on very long, it was very difficult. But never was there a moment, where anyone involved in this film ever felt anything but passion, excitement."
  • Embargoed: 27th December 2008 12:00
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  • Reuters ID: LVAER5BRYIJIE21UDA7WB1T5J63C
  • Story Text: Cast and crew of epic film Australia talk about how much fun the film was to make.
    Stars Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman were joined by Director Baz Luhrmann on the red carpet on Wednesday (December 10) night for the UK premiere of "Australia".
    The epic film is set in the brink of World War II, and follows the life of English aristocrat Lady Sarah Ashley (Kidman) as she moves to the land down under. In the Outback she meets the Drover (Jackman) and together they travel the country, ending up in Darwin.
    Both actors talked about how much they enjoyed making the film.

    "It was a lot of fun, I have to say. I mean when do you get to ride horses, see Australia, and play a great character. It's rare, so,"
    said Kidman.

    "It was fantastic. I had an absolute blast. It was a, we were in incredible locations, with a cast including Nicole and other actors I grew up idolising. Baz and CM (Catherine Martin) in Australia, it was fantastic.
    Ticked every box possible," Jackman added.
    It took a long time and a few venue changes to put the nearly three-hour film together. Costs reportedly hit the region of 130 million U.S.
    dollars -- making it the most expensive film in the history of Australian cinema.
    Academy-Award winning costume designer and film producer Catherine Martin -- who's also Baz Luhrmann's wife -- touched on this on the red carpet.

    "Whenever you make a film, or a play or an opera, it's basically the same techniques applied to a different medium or a different story. But I think in this instance, in terms of all the other work I've done, the scale of it is enormous. And it's just scale I suppose. The number of costumes, the number of sets far outstrip anything I've done before," she said.
    This is not the first time that Kidman and Luhrmann worked together. In 2001 they released the hit film "Moulin Rouge" for which the now Oscar-winning actress received her first Academy award nomination.
    Kidman was all praises for the director.

    "I mean for me it's lovely. I know him (Luhrmann) so well. I find that he draws things out of me that nobody else can. And I think he's bold and innovative, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat," she said.
    Jackman echoed her sentiments, and praised his co-star as well.

    "Baz is, well, he's kind of a genius, he's a master, he's one of a kind. So, picture what that would mean to anybody, it was incredible. And Nicole was phenomenal and she was incredibly... she's been a friend of mine for ages. But to work with her, to see that side of her as an actress. How hardworking she is, how funny she is, how... I don't know, always electric. It was fantastic," he said.
    The film was an incredible production, and Luhrmann hopes that it sends a message.

    "There's a lot of comedy, and romance, and action and drama, but in the end she's (Kidman) reborn from the experience. She finds that life can be born again. And she lives from that moment on deeply and passionately and I hope, that the audience feel that after seeing the movie," Luhrmann said.

    "Australia" opens in theatres across the UK on December 26th.
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