Thanks to reader Peter for the heads up — looks like a collaboration is in the works. No word yet on whether it’s really going down:
It looks like the Academy Awards will provide a reunion for Tony-winning actor Hugh Jackman (The Boy From Oz) and Oscar-nominated director Baz Luhrmann (“Moulin Rouge”).
Fox News reports that Jackman has asked Luhrmann (and Luhrmann’s wife Catherine Martin), who directed Jackman in the recent film “Australia,” to stage his opening number for the upcoming Oscar telecast. As previously reported, Jackman will be the host of the 81st Academy Awards.
25 Responses for "Baz and Hugh?"
*Sigh*… “Australia,” so under-appreciated.
I hope it doesn’t turn out as good as AUSTRALIA. :/
lol. Speaking of Australia, where are all the people who said Australia was going to be a front runner at the Oscars? I wonder where they are.
Whilst I love the idea of a big opening number, the Oscar audiences are so stilted. It could rather awkward.
***Whilst I love the idea of a big opening number, the Oscar audiences are so stilted. It could rather awkward.***
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qeygd0qPDM
Actually though, if they were to do like a big dance number thingy it could work because of Slumdog Millionaire’s ending. Remember Moulin Rouge had that big Bollywood type number in it. Eh, maybe. But you’re right, the audiences always seem a little too cool for school. A big dance number like that would be lost on them.
@Afrika – yeah, including Oprah!
A Baz Luhrmann stage production with less than a month to go? Someone will hurt themselves on the trapeze.
lol x3 @ Antoinette, Afrika, jwright40
Don’t know whether to laugh or offer some lotion for that dry humor. I’m feeling chafed just reading these comments. Too funny!
Afrika, you’re a lot easier to tolerate since you dropped the backto1960 attitude. Hope you can keep it up.
Baz Luhrmann is unfortunately not an Academy Award nominated director – if we remember back he was actually snubbed for Moulin Rouge!
Oh dear God.
I just hope it involves Snow White and Rob Lowe singing and dancing; together again at last.
Well actually I hope it has more in common with Billy Crystal’s opening numbers, but that’s more dependent on the writing than who’s doing the set and lighting.
“lol. Speaking of Australia, where are all the people who said Australia was going to be a front runner at the Oscars? I wonder where they are.”
You can add Blindness, Miracle at St. Anna, Synechdoche NY, Body of Lies.
I admit I was one of the people calling it for Body of Lies. But that was, like, a year ago. I stopped when the reviews started coming in. But that didn’t stop the Australia nuts, oh no.
On topic: I like this news, because this is the sort of gig Luhrmann should be doing. Flashy, stagey, and especially, non-narrative.
Hey, Australia really could have done well. Everything indicated that it could and would’ve been big (I think you could actually sense the gap it left at the BO- suddenly everybody just wants to see Four Christmases and Marley and Me?!), but there is simply no accounting for what the film is actually going to be like in the prolonged run up.
Just don’t start doubting the value of that prolonged run-up, because that is questioning all that is sacred.
This is exciting! Moulin Rouge is my favorite movie. Looking forward to the show.
Does anyone know why there are only 3 best song nominees? Is it because five performance would take up too much time? I would rather watch the performances than those crappy movie montages
As the Oscars continues its path towards becoming the Tony’s…
Hugh Jackman doing a opening number with Baz Luhrmann. Sounds like what Billy Crystal does with that Best Picture Melody.
“You can add Blindness, Miracle at St. Anna, Synechdoche NY, Body of Lies.”
…and W., Revolutionary Road, Gran Torino and Che.
If the show opened with a Billy Chrystal type number, that would be awesome. Those are hilarious.
I hope this is good and not some awkward mess that makes me cringe and grind my teeth.
“You can add Blindness, Miracle at St. Anna, Synechdoche NY, Body of Lies.”
…and W., Revolutionary Road, Gran Torino and Che.
…and The Reader and…wait…
daniel, it it’s good people are happy/if it sucks people are happy.
“You can add Blindness, Miracle at St. Anna, Synechdoche NY, Body of Lies.”
…and W.,
Revolutionary Road, Gran Torino and Che.…and Defiance (a.k.a. Home For Purim, as one of my best friends calls it, with her genius wit)
…and — dare I say it? — Mamma Mia!
Che’s in my top 15 of 2008. Don’t be hatin’ on Che.
I’m really a little worried about this idea but Hugh is a showman. I trust they won’t try to copy Billy Crystal – it would not be a good thing. Hell, maybe they should do a trapeze – Hugh Jackman swinging above everyone’s heads – hmmmm
I personally loved Australia’s melodrama and old-fashioned cheese – I cried a few times in the movie, I’ll admit it. And Moulin Rouge is definitely a favorite. So, I’m excited.
But then, I thought Revolutionary Road was brilliant too and it was raked across the critical coals about as well as Australia.
I wasn’t criticizing the movies I mentioned (some of my favorites of the year), just pointing out that they looked like frontrunners at some point or other during the year and turned out to be anything but.
I just hope they dress him as a big fat bat! LOL BWAAAA HAHAHAHA.
Ok, I’m done.
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