Whether it be his muse, Nicole Kidman, the dazzling costumes expertly designed by his wife and collaborator Catherine Martin, the beloved music or the enchanting story he created; every discussion point I pitch has the Australian director seeing stars.
A then 33-year-old Kidman was also suffering personal setbacks, as she navigated one of the most high-profile Hollywood splits ever from her husband, blockbuster star Tom Cruise.“Nicole was going through her struggle in her personal life, I don’t need to tell you what that was …” Luhrmann says.“Yes, it was absolutely ,” he adds.“We both probably went deeper into the show itself. It was a metaphor for our own journey. “The ethos of the Moulin Rouge is incredible inclusiveness.
“It’s a journey of a young man who doesn’t want to give up on that idealism and looking for an ideal love,” he said. “They’re not unlike theatre or film. They create a space in which everyone can leave their bullsh*t outside and commune, be it through music or dance or being inebriated. “The team have totally respected the original show and kept all the key musical moments that you’re going to love,” he says.