Posts filed under 'Hugh Jackman'
While filming in Kununurra in early September 2007, the two leading stars of Australia attended the inaugral NAIDOC Ball, which stunned the locals and made the event one of the most high profile gatherings of the year. Nicole Kidman and husband Keith Urban were the first to arrive, followed by Hugh Jackman and Deborra Lee-Furness (pictured with local resident Kenneth Torres). “It started off fairly low-key but suddenly everyone started whispering and pointing at the door and people realised Nicole was in the room,” said local resident Nathen Dyer. “At first, they weren’t sure whether to go up to them but when a few people introduced themselves, everyone rushed over hoping to shake hands.”
Sources: Kenneth Torres, The West Australian
September 28th, 2007
David Wenham, fellow cast member Hugh Jackman and wife Deborah Lee Furness all recently attended the Prince of Whales Hospital Gala Charity evening at Sydney Town Hall. No stranger to such charitable causes, Jackman also donated his signed bushman’s hat, used in filming Australia, to the black-tie Starball event held at the Westin Hotel last Saturday.
The cast of Australia have recently celebrated two birthdays, those of director Baz Luhrmann and David Wenham. We’re told Luhrmann celebrated his 45th birthday on September 17th by treating the film’s cast and crew to muffins and coffee, then apparently remained working at the studio until late. He did however make time to share a birthday cake with his wife and two children.
According to the Daily Telegraph, after hanging in Outback pubs while on location, the cast of Australia chose a restaurant with one of the most spectacular Sydney Harbour views for a bonding session on Tuesday night; likely a small birthday gathering? Leading lights Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman joined director Baz Luhrmann at Circular Quay noshery Cafe Sydney. Jack Thompson, Bryan Brown and David Wenham also scrubbed up for the private dinner. “It was probably the first time the cast had been out socially,” a film spokesman said. But it wasn’t a late night, with the cast having to be up early to shoot final interior scenes at Fox Studios yesterday.
sources: Daily Telegraph
images: defamer.com
September 27th, 2007
Another leg of the Australia production has come to a close. On September 6, Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman left Kununurra where they have been shooting for the last month.
As seen right, Perth Now reports that the pair hugged each other goodbye at the town’s airport on Thursday night before boarding separate flights. The rest of the 300 strong cast and crew wrapped up over the weekend.
Film publicist Edwina Wenkart said filming in the Kimberley had been arduous at times, but rewarding.
“We were filming at Digger’s Rest (station) this week in some very remote locations where you had strong winds and lots of sand and dust,” she said. “We were camping in tents out there and everyone would finish for the day covered in dust. …But it was very beautiful out there with the emus and horses, and we built up a really strong sense of camaraderie.” Ms Wenkart said Kidman and Jackman had “been amazing throughout, working really hard and supporting each other”.
Road trains carrying sets and other equipment are undergoing the three-day trip to Sydney, where the next phase of filming is due to start at Fox Studios. This third stint in Sydney is the last block scheduled for the shoot, with the movie’s primary stars speculated to wrap late October, early November.
source: Perth Now
September 10th, 2007
The recent Horse Influenza within Australia [info] may have caused further delays in the shooting of Australia. For several days the transportation of horses has been prohibited, preventing movement of the movie’s animal stars from their holding areas to the shooting locations. However, as of Wednesday the ban has been lifted in Western Australia so hopefully things will continue to run smoothly.
On the lighter side of things, The Sun reports, that the generosity of Nicole Kidman has been at work on the set of Australia. She’s decided to pick up the tab on the coffee cart serving hot drinks to the 200-strong cast and crew each day. However this is no cheap round of drinks by any means. Often, set catering is poor but this cart served stunningly good coffee, hot chocolate and iced coffee — all at $3.50AU a cup. On just one day last week more than 1,000 cups were served, costing near $4,000 for the day. Last week’s bill was apparently approximately $17,000! The Sun reports they’ve now decided that in true Aussie fashion the next round will be Hugh Jackman’s shout. Hear Nicole talk about the coffee crew and more by visiting our multimedia section.
+ We’ve added a new video from the top end (Darwin) about Hugh Jackman, special effects and crocodiles.
+ Plus a new audio interview with Nicole Kidman on the way to the set in Kununurra.
source: The Sun
August 30th, 2007
On Sunday 5th August, Hugh Jackman arrived in Kununurra, Western Australia, to begin another phase in the epic filming of Australia. The following afternoon, Nicole Kidman arrived and all were ready to get the show on the road.
The small town of Kununurra is packed to the brim, with the local Kununurra Turf Club playing host to approximately 80 camper vans to house the film crew. Most of the filming will take place at Carlton Hill Station, with several surrounding locations to be utilised in addition.
Finally, stay tuned for potentially interesting competition details. The Age reveals that as part of a charity endeavour Nicole Kidman auctioned off a highly sought after lunch on the set of Australia to be had with Hugh Jackman and director Baz Luhrmann. Apparently the highest bidder was Australian woman’s magazine, New Idea. One would expect, or hope (!), that they will offer the lunch as prize in a future edition of their publication.
Sources: Abc.net.au, Kimberley Echo, The Age
August 7th, 2007
The cast and crew of Australia are back in the big smoke, Sydney. They have returned to film at Fox Studios for the next two weeks. Following this they’ll head off to Kununurra in Western Australia’s Kimberly region.
Kidman and Jackman have been spotted around town over the weekend, taking advantage of the downtime with their families.
“It is just beautiful for me to be making a film here and him (Keith Urban) touring here at the same time . . . that’s a pretty big deal for us,” Nicole told The Courier Mail. “It’s just lovely that coming from the same country gives you so much to draw from and bonds you in a way that people just don’t understand. When you come from different countries you really don’t bond in the same way,” Kidman said of her relationship with Urban.
While in town Nicole has spent time catching up with her sister Antonia Kidman. The pair, who share a love of horse-riding, saddled up over the weekend for an outing in Centennial Park along with Nicole’s husband, singer Keith Urban.
Meanwhile Hugh took advantage of a morning off. He bundled up children Oscar (7) and Ava (2) and headed out to breakfast on a crisp Sydney morning with wife, Deborra-Lee Furness.
+ A new video has been added to the media section of Hugh, Nicole & Baz filming their brief stint in Darwin.
sources: The Courier Mail
July 23rd, 2007
After a quick stint in Los Angeles to fulfil other shooting commitments, Hugh Jackman is now back on the set of Australia joining the cast and crew in Darwin, Northern Territory. But first he made sure to stop and say hello to the hoardes of fans in wait.
Over the last few days Nicole Kidman, Bill Hunter and co have been on location at Stoke’s Hill Wharf shooting additional scenes for Lady Sarah Ashley’s arrival into Darwin. Many reports of alleged near hit and miss incidents with cast and crew members have been floating about. True or not, it does bring to light what a potentially dangerous environment all are in.
Regarding other planned disasters, film location manager Carl Wood says people should not be alarmed if they see smoke billowing out of Darwin’s wharf precinct.
“We’ll be having a fishing boat with flames on it and lots of smoke around,” he said. “The flames are very controllable, they’re non-toxic. We have what we call flame bars on the steel hull of the boat. They’ve welded on these steel bars and we pump propane gas through there.”
sources: NT News, abc.net.au
image: brad fleet
July 9th, 2007
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