4 December 2002
Sydney Morning Herald - click here for
link to original source
Luhrmann
hints at filming with DiCaprio down under
By Chris Sams
Baz Luhrmann may be planning to film sections of his epic
Alexander The Great in Australia.
Despite creating a purpose-built studio in Morocco for the film, Luhrmann hinted at his
ambitions to bring some of the project down under, during a television interview in the
US.
While the director is yet to decide whether he will be here during post-production, or
principle photography, fans of Leonardo DiCaprio will be hotly anticipating Luhrmann's
final decision.
If key scenes are shot in Sydney, DiCaprio is likely to join the legion of Hollywood
superstars who have called Australia home.
Luhrmann, who is in New York for his stage production of La Boheme, is particularly fond
of working at Fox Studios in Sydney, where he filmed Moulin Rouge with Nicole Kidman and
Ewan McGregor.
His Oscar-winning wife Catherine Martin is expected to oversee production design and
costumes for the story of the Macedonian king.
Filming for the opulent production will begin next year in Morocco, and the final product
is due for release in 2004.
Despite being firmly in pre-production stage (Luhrmann is yet to dust off his cameras),
the project is already attracting enormous interest in the US, where fans have been
debating the pros and cons of Luhrmann's vision.
While some are thrilled the eccentric director is tackling one of history's great stories,
others are less than chuffed about Luhrmann's plans to explore Alexander's homosexual
liaisons.
A number of fans have complained about possible gay scenes, with concerns the film will
"tarnish the reputation" of one of history's most-admired rulers.
Others have criticised Luhrmann's choice of DiCaprio to play the legendary king, with some
calling for Heath Ledger as a replacement. But Australian fans will be keen to embrace
DiCaprio, especially if he ends up working in Sydney.