America 1987

Chapter 41 The Australian Beauties

Bondi Beach, Sydney, Australia, January 1988.

The two girls found a quiet corner and sat on the beach towels they had brought from home.

Judging from their ordinary attire, it's clear why they chose to talk here—Sydney's public beaches are free to enter, a public service provided by the local government, and many young people with limited financial means choose to gather on the beach.

The girl with blonde hair, noticeably shorter, sat cross-legged, leaning back with her hands supporting her weight. She glanced at her best friend beside her and couldn't help but say, "Nicole, it's been almost half an hour! You should at least give me some response! You asked me out saying you had something to do, but now you haven't said a word. My legs are practically numb from sitting cross-legged. If you don't say anything more, I'm leaving!"

As she spoke, she made a move to get up and leave, but the red-haired girl who had been keeping her head down and silent quickly grabbed her arm. "Wait, don't go yet, Naomi, I..."

"If you have something to say, say it quickly," Naomi sat back down, shifting slightly backward. "In a little while, my shady spot will be almost gone."

Australia is located in the Southern Hemisphere, where the seasons are completely opposite to those in the Northern Hemisphere, so this time of year is summer for them.

Australia's sun is exceptionally strong, with very high ultraviolet radiation, resulting in Australians having the highest rate of skin cancer in the world.

Therefore, if you go to the beach during the day, you will usually look for shade and avoid direct sunlight.

"Have you ever been replaced at the last minute, Naomi?" Nicole suddenly lay back on the ground, staring blankly at the sky obscured by tree branches, her tone very low and full of frustration. "Yesterday, my agent informed me that the female lead who was originally cast would be replaced."

The casting director said it was Hollywood's idea, saying my age didn't match the character's description.

"Huh?" Naomi really hadn't expected it to be about this. "Didn't you tell me last time that the producer made an exception and agreed to let you audition?"

Nicole Kidman was in her early twenties when she filmed "Over the Horizon," while her co-star Sam Neill was about 20 years older than her. The producers worried that the two wouldn't look like a couple.

However, after meeting Nicole in person, he felt that she was actually much more mature than her age, and her audition performance was also outstanding, so he finally agreed to let her play the lead role.

and so……

"Does anyone know why that Hollywood director had to interfere in the casting process?!"

Nicole became extremely angry at the mention of it, her voice tinged with resentment. "I've already started preparing, and I'm even planning to go out and learn how to sail next week..."

"A Hollywood director?" Naomi immediately perked up and asked eagerly, "Which Hollywood director? What are his works?"

Nicole frowned and thought for a moment, then said uncertainly, "My agent told me it seems to be a new director whose debut film was released last Christmas, and it hasn't even been shown here yet."

In the late 80s, due to the transportation of physical copies, localization of dubbing or subtitling, and the release strategies of distributors based on market priorities, the situation changed.

Hollywood blockbusters are typically released in Australia 2 to 8 months later than in North America, with an average delay of about 3 to 6 months.

"Ghost" was released in November 1987, and it's January 1988 now, so it hasn't hit the big screen in Sydney cinemas yet.

Could a new Hollywood director really interfere with the casting of an Australian-American co-production? Naomi suppressed this doubt for the time being and instead asked, "So what are you doing now? Did the production company offer any compensation?"

The Hollywood Screen Actors Guild system has clear regulations that stipulate that actors who are dismissed without a valid reason will receive full pay for the unseen performances. A similar organization exists in Australia.

For co-productions like "Flying Over the Horizon," the country's labor union usually governs the project depending on the filming location and main production base.

The filming locations and main production base of "Flying Over the Horizon" are in Australia, so it is under the jurisdiction of the Australian MEAA (Members of the European Union Association).

"Yes," Nicole replied, somewhat puzzled, "but not for a salary, but for a script."

"script?"

"Yes, the producer said it was given to him by a Hollywood director, and it seems to be an art film."

Nicole's tone was somewhat resentful, "What the hell? They actually replaced my commercial film lead role with an art film role, knowing that I need commercial films more right now."

New actors from outside Hollywood and the European film industry generally prioritize taking on commercial films to maintain exposure at the beginning of their careers; otherwise, it's difficult to attract the attention of Hollywood producers.

In the late 80s, Hollywood filmmakers were generally perceived by their counterparts in other countries as being better at making commercial films. Their European counterparts, in particular, who valued artistry, would often publicly ridicule them in newspapers for being overly commercial and only capable of producing assembly-line products.

"Alright, Nicole, you should be content. Didn't you always say you wanted to break into Hollywood?" Naomi stood up, tidied herself up, and prepared to leave. "Now that this has happened, maybe your goal can be achieved right now."

"Hollywood has produced many good art-house film directors; you might just run into one. Okay, okay, stop being sad. I thought something bad had happened."

She patted the other person's shoulder lightly and laughed, "I think you've had such a smooth run in the past few years that you haven't experienced this kind of setback. I used to encounter these kinds of things frequently, sometimes even facing delayed compensation, but I always managed to get through it."

The two hugged briefly before saying goodbye and going their separate ways.

Nicole Kidman's acting career in Australia has been quite successful since her debut in 1983 at the age of 16.

Her debut project was a film-level project, and although she only played a supporting role, she was already far ahead of her peers.

In 85, she received a Best Actress nomination from the Australian Film Institute for her role as an anti-war girl in the miniseries "Vietnam". In 87, she starred in the miniseries "Bangkok Hilton", which was a huge success in Australia and made her a household name. Her career was even smoother than Catherine's at the beginning of her career, with almost no obvious lows or setbacks.

It's no wonder she reacted so strongly to being replaced in the role.

In 86, Naomi temporarily left her acting career in order to make money quickly and wanted to go to Japan to become a model. However, after staying there for four months, she couldn't find a single company willing to sign her. As a result, she had no choice but to return to the Australian film and television industry.

He landed a role in the TV series "Parting and Reunion Season 1", which premiered on January 16, 88.

It's quite amazing that the two can maintain their friendship despite such a huge gap in their social standing.

Unlike Nicole Kidman, Naomi had not received systematic acting training and attended several acting schools in Sydney. She met Nicole Kidman in her first class, and the two even took the same taxi home.

It is through such a fortunate connection that the relationship has been maintained to this day.