Cast and Crew

 
Lady Sarah Ashley - Nicole Kidman

Nicole Kidman was the very first cast member to be associated with Australia as far back as June 2005. At the time, Nicole Kidman and Russell Crowe were being lined up for the lead roles. However, Crowe was replaced by Hugh Jackman in June 2006. Filming of Australia was originally supposed to begin in early 2006, however the movie shoot was pushed back by a year due to various reasons. On 26 April 2007, the very first pictures of Kidman and Jackman rehearsing together were released. And on 2 May 2007, the very first official picture of Kidman as Lady Sarah Ashley was revealed (pictured above left). Kidman's portrayal of Lady Ashley has been described as one of her best ever roles.

 
"The Drover" - Hugh Jackman

Hugh Jackman plays the lead male character in Australia, simply referred to as "The Drover". Originally, Russell Crowe was set to play this leading role, but he dropped out of the project in April 2006 due to creative differences with the studio. Jackman was announced as his replacement in June 2006. On 26 April 2007, the very first pictures of Jackman rehearsing were released, which were taken at Strickland House, Sydney, and featured Hugh Jackman in character wearing a white tuxedo for the Ball scene. In 2007 when the film was being made, the Drover's 'real' name was at the centre of much internet speculation. It was later revealed by a viewer at an early test screening that his name was mentioned in an early version of the film, however this dialogue was cut from the final film. We can therefore only assume that the Drover's real name was not of any real significance after all. Hugh Jackman's portrayal of the Drover has been hailed as one of his best performances to date.

Young Nullah - Brandon Walters

11-year-old newcomer Brandon Walters plays a young Aboriginal musterer. On 17 April 2007, ABC Kimberley reported "Young Brandon plays the Aboriginal boy Nullah, who lives on Lady Ashley's property and becomes a central figure in Jackman-Kidman relationship. It's a role the director describes as substantial. Baz Luhrmann says Brandon hasn't acted before but will bring something unique to the role. There was already an on-screen magic between him and Nicole." Walters' portrayal of Nullah has mesmerised audiences across the world. He brings a striking depth to the character and shows that this could be the start of a brilliant acting career.

Omitted Character - Adult Nullah - Aaron Pedersen

On 21 October 2007, The Herald Sun reported that Aaron Pedersen was going to be in the movie. His character name was not specified in the article, but it was later revealed that he was set to play the role of adult Nullah. This information caused much internet speculation as to how the role of adult Nullah would feature in the storyline. However, this role and storyline was omitted from the final film.

King George - David Gulpilil

On 19 December 2007, Moviehole reported, "Gulpilil's co-starring role as King George, a magic man in his tribe, requires the actor to sing a great deal of his role in several pivotal scenes in the film. The actor took this requirement seriously and is proud to showcase this unique aspect of his culture in Luhrmann's film. As the actor states, "Our tometic ancestors created the land in the dreamtime. Everything you see, including animals, tress, rocks and rivers were created in the dreamtime. Our ancestors called the land into life, giving names to places and animals through song. Our songs represent our stories and our connection to this land. Without our songs we would have nothing." Gulpilil has an intense and mystical onscreen presence and plays a powerful central role in the film.

King Carney - Bryan Brown
Lady Ashley's Love Interest - Ben Mendelsohn

On 11 January 2007, the Townsville Bulletin revealed that Bryan Brown was going to be in the movie. On 25 January 2007, The Daily Telegraph reported, "Bryan Brown's suitably weathered features will perfectly suit the role of cattle baron King Carney, the single greatest landholder in the country's north." Brown portrays the role of greedy King Carney with gusto and seems to have a lot of fun with the role.

On 16 April 2007, The Sydney Morning Herald reported, "Ben Mendelsohn has been cast as the third romantic lead in Australia." This indicated that Mendelsohn might play a mysterious love interest to rival the Drover. It was strongly speculated that Mendelsohn's character, Emmett Dutton, was originally involved in a storyline where he was romantically involved with Lady Ashley while the Drover was absent from Faraway Downs. Indeed, in the final cut of the movie, I do believe there are still traces of this scenario, with Dutton and Lady Ashley sharing some uneasy and heartfelt looks. However, this storyline was ultimately omitted from the final cut of the film.

Kipling Flynn - Jack Thompson

On 12 December 2006, the Courier Mail revealed that Jack Thompson was going to be in the movie. On 17 January 2007, the Bowen Independent reported, "[Jack Thompson] plays a cattle baron in the Baz Luhrmann epic, so it is most likely his scenes will be shot in Kununurra in Western Australia." And on 25 January 2007, The Daily Telegraph reported, "In a role almost seems penned especially for him, Thompson has been announced to play Kipling Flynn, a drunken accountant and flamboyant bon vivant." Thompson is fabulous as the drunken yet loyal accountant who does his best to help Lady Ashley in difficult circumstances.

Neil Fletcher - David Wenham

On 21 January 2007, the Sydney Morning Herald revealed that David Wenham was going to be in the film. And on 25 January 2007, The Daily Telegraph reported, "...it is understood David Wenham has joined the cast as the third lead, and will raise the dramatic stakes of the plot as Neil Fletcher, a station manager who plots to possess Faraway Downs." Wenham delivers a chilling performance as the villain in this film.

   
Lillian Crombie, Ursula Yovich, David Ngoombujarra

On 16 April 2007, The Daily Telegraph reported, "Australia will also sport a strong indigenous cast, including Lillian Crombie, Ursula Yovich, David Ngoombujarra". All of the indigenous cast brought great depth and emotion to their pivotal characters. Crombie as Bandy Legs and Yovich as Daisy gave heartbreaking performances as carers for young Nullah, and Ngoombujarra was outstanding as Magarri, who has a special bond with the Drover and provides much-needed guidance and support.

   
Barry Otto, Ray Barrett, Bill Hunter

 
John Jarratt, Bruce Spence, Essie Davis, Sandy Gore

For a complete cast and crew list,
visit the Australia IMDb page

PRODUCTION DETAILS

Estimated Budget: AU$150 million

World Premiere: Sydney, Australia, 18 November 2008

Release Date: 26 November 2008

Filming Dates: Shooting began in April 2007 and continued until October 2007. (Pre-production began in October 2006, with rehearsals in December 2006 & early 2007)

Locations: The movie was filmed entirely in Australia. Locations included Sydney, Bowen, Darwin and The Kimberley region.
Please see my Locations Page for further details.