WATCHED by husband Keith Urban, a costumed Nicole Kidman joined a rugged-looking Hugh Jackman yesterday for shooting of the $100-million outback epic, Australia.
The north Queensland town of Bowen was transformed into 1938 Darwin for the scenes, which feature Kidman, who plays an English aristocrat, arriving in Australia for the first time.
Star-struck locals watched as director Baz Luhrmann, Jackman, Kidman, Urban and 400 cast and crew took part in a Aboriginal welcome to country ceremony.
Jackman, who was dressed in period costume with a three-day growth and cowboy boots, won fans by posing for photos with the baby of a local couple.
The X-Men star lived up to his reputation as a good guy of Hollywood, shaking hands and admitting he was yet to relax into the laid-back north Queensland lifestyle.
Asked if he had time for a beer, Jackman reluctantly admitted he was too busy.
That would be nice, that would be great, but they are working me hard, he said.
Jackman's character is a hard-working, hard-drinking, brawling ringer.
The actor, producer and Boy from Oz stage star won fans as he posed for photos cradling the baby of a local Aboriginal couple.
Luhrmann told more than 400 cast and crew gathered for the mid-afternoon ceremony he felt a special magic in the air.
We have a big creative challenge ahead, said the director of Moulin Rouge, flanked by his stars.
But we can all see and feel how this is a really pristine spot, and cinema needs magic, and this place feels very magical to us, he said.
Transformed into 1938 Darwin, the seaside end of Bowen is dominated by hundreds of cattle, a huge set of rough-hewn wooden stockyards, a hotel, pearling luggers, brothel, Chinese opium den and market garden, all built from scratch over the past six weeks.
Sunshine Coast retiree Rowan Stanley, 63, who has been cast as one of three government officials, gushed about meeting Kidman.
She is beautiful, lovely, and even after she walked past a dozen or so times in different takes she was still gorgeous, he said.
I got the cut, I'm too busy any way, he said.
But now standing on the set I have hairs standing up on the back of my head.
To see how realistic it looks is amazing.
He said the film was worth multi-millions of dollars in exposure for the region in both tourism and marketing.
If this is a blockbuster we will be rattling the cage for years to come ndash; if it's a dud we will accept it and move on.
YAY!
I for one just can t get enough of our Nic
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