Paris is the city of romance and music! The jukebox musical Moulin Rouge, which film critic Roger Ebert once compared to “being trapped on an elevator with the circus,” hit theaters on May 18, 2001.
The 2001 film, co-written and directed by Baz Luhrmann, begins with English writer ChristianEwan McGregor) telling the story of his lover Satine (Nicole Kidman) who passed away. Christian tells the story of his 1899 move to Paris to live the Bohemian lifestyle. He met Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec.John Leguizamo) and his troupe of performers. The star of Moulin Rouge’s cabaret, Satine was quickly attracted to the young writer. But the jealous Dukes of Monroth (Richard RoxburghChristian threatened to kill Christian because he wanted the actress for his own use. Even though the love story ends in tragedy the Englishman is heartbroken and writes it all down, vowing that he will keep Satine in my heart forever.
The film grossed $179.2 millions on a $50m budget. It won eight Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture. In July 2019, a Broadway musical version was made of the film. The adaptation won ten Tony Awards in 2021, including Best New Musical.
While speaking at 2020 VarietyLuhrmann spoke at the press event for the musical and explained why Moulin RougeIt has become more important than ever.
“Overwhelmingly, the theme of the show is about the bohemian ideal,” the Great GatsbyDirector explained. “Now that’s said in a comic way — ‘Truth, beauty, freedom and love’ — but I think, even particularly in the world we are in now … people have no creative work. Things are terrible. Shakespeare understood that bad things could happen when theaters were closed. And so I think of young [people], the ideals and the idea of creative ideals and fighting to put on a show and tell a story that has a point to it: That means something that uplifts the spirit.”
Kidman was nominated to receive an Academy Award. Moulin Rouge In 2002, he went to see the musical adaption in 2019. The Dead CalmActress posing with Karen OlivoAt the theater, he played the role of Satine, the original Broadway character. “Two sparkling diamonds in one night,” the musical’s official Instagram account captioned a photo of the two actresses.
Sixteen years later Moulin RougeMcGregor and Kidman were in theaters when they recalled their experiences during a 2017 conversation. Variety.
“I just remember you having this exquisite voice and me going, ‘I’m never going to be able to hit these notes,’” Kidman told her former costar. The Star Wars alum contested the statement at the time, arguing, “No, that’s not true. We were all in the same boat.” He spoke fondly about how collaborative the film was, saying, “All those workshops we did, we’d work on a scene and then a week later the work that we’d done on it as actors would have been incorporated in the writing. It never happens. That’s very rare.”
The Rabbit HoleThe actress agreed. “It’s just gorgeous. It’s such a great thing to share. I always say this: when you get to share something like that together, it’s yours forever. It’s something we all created together and it bonds you in a very particular way, doesn’t it,” she said.
Scroll down to see McGregor, Kidman, and the rest Moulin Rouge cast are now:
