Famous Like Me > Director > L > Baz Luhrmann
Profile of Baz Luhrmann
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Name: |
Baz Luhrmann |
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Also Know As: |
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Date of Birth: |
17th September 1962 |
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Place of Birth: |
New South Wales, Australia |
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Profession: |
Director |
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From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia Baz Luhrmann (born Mark Anthony Luhrmann, New South Wales, September 17, 1962) is an Australian film director. His films are distinguished by their flamboyant and colourful theatricality.
Biography and career
Baz Luhrmann was born on September 17, 1962 in Herons Creek, a tiny rural settlement in northern New South Wales where his father ran a petrol station and a movie theatre, both of which would influence his filming.
Theatre and opera
Luhrmann attended the National Institute of Dramatic Arts (NIDA), graduating in 1988. While there, he staged Peter Brook's adaptation of The Mahabrata, and also wrote a play, Strictly Ballroom, which would later become his first film. In 1985, Strictly Ballroom was staged at the World Youth Theatre Festival in Czechoslovakia, and Luhrmann won prizes for best production and best director. In addition, Luhrmann directed a musical, Crocodile Creek for the New Moon Theatre Company.
Upon graduating from NIDA, Luhrmann founded a theatre company, the Six Year Old Company, which revived Strictly Ballroom at the Wharf Theatre, Sydney.
Luhrmann subsequently became a highly respected director of opera. His biggest success was his extremely popular production of Puccini's La bohème. His other productions included Benjamin Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream, which won the Critic's Prize at the Edinburgh Festival in 1994.
Film
After his theatrical successes, Luhrmann moved into film, and has directed three so far:
- Strictly Ballroom (1992), starring Paul Mercurio and Tara Morice
- Romeo and Juliet (1996), starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes
- Moulin Rouge! (2001), starring Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor
These three films are now formally marketed as 'The Red Curtain Trilogy'.
Luhrmann was working on a biographical film about Alexander the Great, tentatively starring DiCaprio and Kidman, but the release (and subsequent box office failure) of Oliver Stone's film on the same subject in 2004 has cast doubt over whether the project will be completed.
Baz Luhrmann has listed Bollywood films as a major influence on his work, especially on Moulin Rouge!
Other work
- In 2004, Luhrmann directed a lavish multi-million-dollar commercial for Chanel No. 5, starring Nicole Kidman.
- Luhrmann is also credited with a 1999 UK number one single entitled "Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)".
- He directed a video for John Paul Young's "Love is in the Air" which was re-released to coincide with the release of Strictly Ballroom (in which the song featured promienently).
- He orchestrated the re-election campaign of Australian prime minister Paul Keating.
Personal life
Luhrmann married Catherine Martin, the production designer on all of his films, on January 26, 1997. They have two children, Lillian Amanda Luhrmann and William Alexander Luhrmann.
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