Kidman/Jackman Film Causes Controversy
------------------------------------------Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman's new movie Australia has sparked a storm of controversy on location Down Under over plans to use a World War I memorial for a cattle stampede scene. Moviemaker Baz Luhrmann offended locals in tiny Bowen, where the film is shooting, when he continued shooting as his actors clambered all over the statue. The director has been forced to cut the controversial sequence after a film extra and former serviceman threatened to quit the film if Luhrmann didn't rethink his plans.
The upset extra, Brian Germain, says, "We were supposed to be standing along the fences watching the cattle come down the main street and we were waving them along. Later on they changed it and had two guys standing beside the replica and they actually climbed on top of it and I told them that was wrong." Germain contacted a local Vietnam Veterans Federation and urged them to help him fight the plans. A spokeswoman for the film tells the Sydney Daily Telegraph the incident was accidental and would not be used in the final cut of the film.
Kidman and Jackman Pay Visit to Local Town
--------------------------------------------------Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman delighted fans in a small Australian town on Wednesday (after they made an impromptu public appearance. The stars, who are currently filming Baz Luhrmann-directed war epic Australia in Bowen, took a break from filming - and the pair were smitten by the small town.
Jackman says of the area, "Oh, it's beautiful, the people are fantastic and it's a beautiful part of the world and I'm excited to be here." Kidman told locals she wanted to enjoy a few drinks with them - but only when she got some time off from work. She says, "I'll be coming to the pub, I plan on doing that. (But) I've got a tight schedule, they've got me working about 13-14 hours a day so I go home and I go to sleep and I wake up at 5:00am and I'm back here."
Hugh Jackman To Star in 'Carousel' Remake
------------------------------------------------X-Men star Hugh Jackman is producing and starring in a remake of the classic musical Carousel. The original film was released in 1956 starring Gordon MacRae and Shirley Jones. The actor's production company is working with the Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization for rights to use the music and lyrics the duo wrote for the 1945 stage musical. Jackman is set to play Billy Bigelow, a carnival barker whose temper puts him in the middle of a botched robbery and leads to his death. Stuck in purgatory, he's given one day to return and fix the problems he left behind - namely a teenager who has lot of his rebellious traits. Jackman is familiar with the part, having sung the role in a 2002 Carnegie Hall concert in New York City to honor Rogers & Hammerstein. Carousel was last revived on the Broadway, New York stage in 1994 in a Tony Award-winning run. Jackman won a Tony Award in 2004 for his portrayal of Australian songwriter and performer Peter Allen.