DECEMBER 2003
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22 December 2003
Chanel commercial details
- Yesterday, The Sun-Herald was the first publication to disclose substantial details of the Chanel No. 5 commercial shoot that is currently taking place in Sydney. As we know, the shoot is being directed by Luhrmann and stars Nicole Kidman. The article was called 'Operation Chanel No. 5' and reads as follows:
"Nicole Kidman has posed among fake paparazzi for her glamorous advertisements for Chanel No. 5, filmed in Sydney yesterday and Friday.
But even as Kidman was posing for the "fake" photographers, two of them were kicked off set for trying to take real photos of the Oscar-winning star.
The Sun-Herald has obtained the first details about Kidman's Chanel commercial being filmed by director Baz Luhrmann in Sydney, despite intense security surrounding the set.
Insiders have revealed first details of the shoot, including Kidman's stunning outfits, the grand sets used by Luhrmann and the intrigue surrounding two extras kicked off set. They have also revealed the actor may have been expecting regular phone calls on set from singer Lenny
Kravitz.
"Crew members have openly discussed the possibility that Lenny would call during the shoot," said one insider. She hinted that crew members believed Kidman would remain in good spirits during the shoot if she received a call from
Kravitz.
Scenes shot by Luhrmann on Friday included Kidman walking down a grand staircase, mobbed by paparazzi.
Luhrmann's set recreated the red staircase scene from the movie Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. But instead of Marilyn Monroe's pink satin dress, Kidman appears clad in a black evening gown designed by Karl Lagerfield - surrounded by lunging male photographers.
"It looks like she is being stalked by the paparazzi," an insider on the set said.
As part of the advertisement, Kidman stares directly into the camera as the paparazzi flashes ignite around her. Luhrmann also used strobe lighting along the staircase to add to the effects.
It was one of two scenes revealed by set insiders yesterday.
The other set recreates the look and feel of a Parisian apartment balcony with a giant Chanel billboard in the background. Yesterday Kidman posed on the balcony and passionately kissed Brazilian star Rodrigo Santoro , who also stars in the campaign. "It is very Moulin Rouge, very Baz Luhrmann," the source said.
Kidman was filmed posing in front of the billboard yesterday, wearing a black Chanel suit jacket, a white shirt and black shorts. Her trademark curls were tied in a loose ponytail.
The shoot has been surrounded in secrecy, with Chanel executives keen to keep details and even the location a secret. But details have quickly emerged of the superstar's $12 million campaign.
Even amid her top-secret poses, it seems Kidman could not escape the prying lenses which characterise much of her everyday life.
Two people were thrown off the set on Friday after being caught trying to take photographs of Kidman.
Both were paid extras in the paparazzi scene, who were found to have substituted their prop cameras for real ones to try to get pictures of the actor.
The shoot was temporarily stopped by Luhrmann while one extra was escorted from the studio. The circumstances surrounding the second person evicted from the set remain a mystery, but they were also trying to photograph Kidman.
Luhrmann, who calls Kidman "NK", has directed the shoot dressed in jeans and a T-shirt and a peaked cap sitting backward. The director, who worked with Kidman for Moulin Rouge in 2001, is said to be relishing the opportunity to work with his friend again.
"He works really well with Nicole and is very relaxed about the whole thing," the insider said.
"She [Kidman] is really nice and is so switched on."
The shoot is expected to continue at Fox Studios in Moore Park today."
The press soon got hold of the news that two extras had been escorted from the set, with several gossipy publications reporting the incident, including The Sun.
On the other hand, SunHerald.com reported an informative article about Nicole Kidman and her career that includes a couple of quotes from Luhrmann called 'Nicole Kidman bounces back'.
The other starring actor in the Chanel commercial is Brazilian actor Rodrigo Santoro. To find out more about this actor who was hand picked by Luhrmann for the shoot, feel free to read News.com.au article called 'Latin hunk makes debut'.
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18 December 2003
'Cold Mountain' Premiere
- On 17 December, Nicole Kidman was in Sydney to attend the Australian Cold Mountain premiere. Also in attendance were Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin. In an article by The Australian called 'Nicole home to a fantasy', Luhrmann was quoted as saying, "She lights up a room and she lights up a country." I couldn't agree more. Kidman looked stunning as she walked the white carpet in her symbolic green and gold dress, as seen in the photo above.
Another article that detailed the event called 'White Carpet Gossip' by The Daily Telegraph's Sydney Confidential also featured quotes from CM regarding Lillian. It reported:
"Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin have chosen to live a public life, but that's a choice they'd rather leave their newborn daughter, Lily, to decide for herself later in life, CM told Confidential at the premiere.
"That's something we're pretty adamant about. We'd rather keep her to ourselves for now," she said.
Lily's little legs had already "made their debut" in the press, she said."
Chanel No. 5 Commercial Update
- The above article, 'White Carpet Gossip', also gave an update about the much anticipated Chanel No. 5 commercial. It reported:
"HANDS down, the biggest babe of the premiere was Mr too-damned-smooth, Brazilian actor Rodrigo Santoro, who has appeared in Charlie's Angels Full Throttle and Love Actually.
But he also has a purpose here in Sydney. He's the other man in the Nicole Kidman, Baz Luhrmann, Catherine Martin Chanel No. 5 advertisement shoot, which we hear is taking place today, location well guarded."
An earlier Daily Telegraph article further states that the shoot will take "about three days". I look forward to hearing more about this mini-project! :-)
Nic nominated for Golden Globe!
- Congratulations to Nicole Kidman who has been nominated for the Best Dramatic Actress Golden Globe for her role in Cold Mountain. She will be up against Scarlett Johansson for Girl With a Pearl Earring, Cate Blanchett for Veronica Guerin, Charlize Theron for Monster, Uma Thurman for Kill Bill - Vol. 1 and Evan Rachel Wood for Thirteen. The Golden Globe nominations were announced today and the ceremony will be held on 25 January in Los Angeles. Full details can be found on the NBC Golden Globes website.
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11 December 2003
ATG to film in 2005
- As reported in my last
update, there has been recent media speculation that filming of ATG would not go
ahead. I did not believe this was true, and now producer Dino De Laurentiis
himself has confirmed it is not. The rumour originated from Heat
magazine, a clearly unreliable British tabloid. The rumour then began to
circulate, but luckily Dino has spoken out to set the record straight. On 8th
December, the New York Daily News reported the following snippet under
the heading 'Side dish':
"Famed producer Dino De Laurentiis tells us he's pushing ahead with his movie about Alexander the Great. Britain's Heat magazine reported this week that the Baz Luhrmann-helmed project was dead because Dino and his wife Martha hadn't attracted foreign investment. "It's absolutely not true," Dino says. "Baz Luhrmann is finalizing the script." Leonardo DiCaprio and Nicole Kidman are onboard to star, and shooting on the Universal/DreamWorks film will begin in 2005, he said. Director Oliver Stone is well on his way toward finishing his rival Alexander epic, starring Colin Farrell and Angelina Jolie."
There we have it direct from Dino himself. ATG will go ahead. Furthermore, the snippet implies that Leo and Nicole are still set to star in the epic, plus filming is scheduled to begin in 2005.
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4 December 2003
Luhrmann ATG update
- A couple of weeks ago, Variety reported there is a possibility Luhrmann's ATG could be delayed for two or more years. Since this article was published (and admittedly before so), there has been media speculation that the movie will never go ahead. Personally, I do not believe this is true. I do understand why such a lengthy delay could cause alarm but, like I've said before, it is common for Luhrmann to take his time creating new projects. I think ATG will probably still go ahead, but I do believe Luhrmann will embark on another project in the meantime. One possibility could be concentrating on his stage production of La Boheme, which is due to open in Los Angeles next month. It is also possible that Luhrmann could work on Strictly Ballroom or Moulin Rouge, both of which have been long rumoured to be transformed stage productions. I am very interested to see what Baz does next, and look forward to reporting news of his latest endeavours in future updates.
Chanel ad update
- On Tuesday, the Daily Telegraph reported an article called 'Will Nicole bring Lenny to Sydney'. According to the press, Kidman is currently in a relationship with rock singer, Lenny Kravitz, and the article speculates whether or not he will accompany her to the Sydney premiere of her movie, Cold Mountain. Near the end of the article, a snippet of information updates us on the progress of the Chanel advertisement, and implies Baz is set to shoot the commercial around 17 December.
"THE invitations are still on the way but it's pretty safe to mark December 17 down in the diary as the night a certain flame-haired actress will be the talk of the town.
Nicole Kidman will return to her home town in the next fortnight for the premiere of Cold Mountain.
She'll stroll the red carpet on December 17 with director Anthony Minghella but unfortunately her co-star Jude Law won't be making the trip to Australia.
In the wake of scurrilous rumours that Law and Kidman were romantically linked during the filming of the American Civil War love story, the pair seemed more determined than ever to appear together to promote the movie.
But Confidential is assured it's conflicting premieres and not a sudden onset of shyness that will keep the co-stars apart.
While Kidman is doing her stuff here in Sydney, Law and the other star of the film, Renee Zellweger, will be promoting the film in America and the UK.
But who cares about Law? The question now is will she bring Lenny Kravitz?
No firm word yet, but from her schedule while she's here, Kidman is unlikely to have much time for her new beau.
Not only will she be promoting the film, she'll also be shooting her first Chanel No 5 advertisement, to be directed by her Moulin Rouge mate Baz Luhrmann.
Kravitz is more likely to join Kidman in Fiji for Christmas."
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