25 things you didn’t know about Moulin Rouge! as iconic Baz Luhrmann musical marks 25th anniversary

It’s the iconic move musical that has inspired West End and Broadway adaptations.

Yet it’s hard to believe that this year, Moulin Rouge! is marking its 25th anniversary.

Released in 2001, the musical drama Moulin Rouge is a love story set in the early 1900s. It centers on a poet (Ewan McGregor) and his romance with Satine (Nicole Kidman), the dazzling star of the famous Moulin Rouge cabaret.

Movie fans were thrilled on Sunday when Nicole and Ewan, stars of the film, came together at the Academy Awards to celebrate its anniversary.

Before announcing the Best Picture winner, Ewan playfully joked to Nicole Kidman that even after 25 years since ‘Moulin Rouge,’ hearing the word ‘love’ still makes him expect a chandelier to descend and an orchestra to start playing!

The film became so popular that a Lovefilm poll named it the best movie of the 2000s.

Yet even with its reach, there are still things you don’t know about Moulin Rouge!

Nicole was severely injured on set

Nicole Kidman once shared that she was determined to have a very small, 18-inch waist for the movie Moulin Rouge! and actually broke a rib while being laced into her corset.

While filming the 2001 hit movie, Nicole injured herself in a fall down the stairs. Later, she accidentally re-injured the same rib while trying to tightly fasten her corset for a burlesque performance.

The Australian actress explained on The Graham Norton Show that she injured herself by falling both while dancing in heels late at night and down a flight of stairs.

I actually fractured my rib again while putting on a corset. I was obsessed with achieving an 18-inch waist – that was the size Vivian Leigh had in Gone with the Wind – and kept trying to cinch it tighter and tighter.

The fall also resulted in her fracturing her knee, which forced her to pull out of another film.

Right after finishing the movie Moulin Rouge!, Nicole Kidman was scheduled to star in the 2002 film Panic Room.

It quickly became clear that the small fracture in her knee hadn’t healed as expected, and she wouldn’t be able to physically handle the demanding role of a mother protecting her daughter from armed robbers.

Jodie Foster ultimately starred as Meg Altman, and Kirsten Stewart played her daughter, Sarah.

Jodie discussed the issue in a Hollywood Reporter conversation, explaining that there’s a common misunderstanding that actresses are often rivals or dislike each other. She used an example, mentioning she once took over a film role that Nicole Kidman had to give up.

Nicole responded: ‘Yes! And thank you. I was in a really bad way.’

Nicole’s necklace

Nicole’s ‘Satine’ necklace was the most expensive piece of jewellery ever made for a film.

This stunning piece featured 1,308 diamonds and a 2.5-carat clasp decorated with intricate lace and scroll designs, inspired by the fashion of King Louis XVI’s France.

Created by Sydney jeweller Stafano Canturi, the diamond necklace was worth around $3 million.

The jewellery earned the movie two awards for Best Costume and Production Design at the Oscars.

For the scene where Richard Roxburgh forcibly takes the necklace from Nicole, they even used a duplicate necklace as a stand-in.

Ozzy Osbourne was originally set to play The Green Fairy

Ozzy Osbourne was initially considered for the role of The Green Fairy, but the idea was to portray him as a strong, muscular character with long hair.

Originally, he was going to do the voice work for the character, but they later decided to use Kylie Minogue, who brought a similar, whimsical quality to the role, much like Tinkerbell.

Kylie is a figment of the imagination that appears when young poet Christian and his artistic friends start drinking absinthe, a potent, green-colored liquor known for its hallucinatory effects.

Though Ozzy’s part was scrapped, he still voiced the scream we hear when the fairy turns evil.

Courtney Love lost the role of Satine to Nicole Kidman

Courtney Love tried out for the part of Satine, but Nicole Kidman ultimately won the role.

And the singer has made no secret about her resentment against Nicole.

You know, I always found it fascinating when Courtney Love dedicated her song ‘Miss World’ – it’s a really raw track about a beauty queen struggling with self-worth – to Nicole on Hole’s 1999 tour. It was such a personal moment, and it really highlighted the song’s themes. It felt like a direct connection between Courtney and Nicole, and a powerful statement about the pressures women face.

She quickly received a lot of attention and praise after licensing the rights to her late husband Kurt Cobain’s song “Smells Like Teen Spirit” for use in a film, earning $125,000 in the process.

Oh my god, you won’t BELIEVE this! Courtney actually got a deal where Marilyn Manson was allowed to contribute to the opening of Moulin Rouge! Like, a PART of the song! It’s just… incredible. She made that happen! I’m still freaking out about it.

Many male A-listers competed for the role of Christian

Multiple iconic male Hollywood actors competed for the role of Christian in Moulin Rouge!

Ewan McGregor eventually landed the role, but Heath Ledger, Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Ronan Keating were all potential candidates beforehand.

Oh my gosh, I read somewhere that Baz actually thought Heath was a little too young to act with Nicole back then! Can you believe it? It’s so hard to imagine now, because they had amazing chemistry, but apparently there was some initial hesitation about their age difference. It just goes to show you never know what could have been, but thankfully it all worked out in the end!

Jake had previously shared that he was one of the last three candidates, along with Heath and Ewan, after a lengthy audition process.

Oh my gosh, can you believe it? Before he was the musical theatre guy everyone knows, Hugh was actually up for this other role! I just found out, and it’s blowing my mind that someone so destined for the stage almost went a different way. It’s wild to think what could have been!

Many actresses competed for the role of Satine

Let me tell you, when the role of Satine came up, it caused a real buzz in Hollywood! Nicole Kidman ultimately landed it, but so many talented actresses were really hoping to get the part. It was a highly coveted role, and the competition was fierce!

Several talented actresses – including Catherine Zeta-Jones, Renée Zellweger, Kate Winslet, and Hilary Swank – were considered for the role, along with performers Natalie Mendoza, Sharleen Spiteri, and Sophie Ellis-Bextor.

I was so thrilled when Catherine finally landed the role of Velma Kelly in the Chicago movie back in 2002! It was a perfect fit for her, especially since she hadn’t gotten the part of Satine beforehand. Still, she really shone as Velma – a true star!

Come What May is the only original song in the film

Come What May is the only completely original song in the 2001 film Moulin Rouge!

The song was first written for Baz Luhrmann’s 1996 movie, Romeo + Juliet, but ultimately wasn’t included in the final cut.

David Baerwald and Kevin Gilbert wrote the song, but it wasn’t eligible for an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song because it had first been created for a different movie.

Can Can dancers had their own persona

Most of the Can Can dancers at the Moulin Rouge are created with distinct personalities, often inspired by common male desires.

The name of Can Can dancer Antoinette is based on the famous French Queen Marie-Antoinette.

The Arabia costume draws inspiration from traditional Arabian clothing, and the Babydoll costume, featuring baby-like attire, is frequently confused with the Bo Peep outfit.

A Garden Girl Can Can dancer is based on a hippie, bohemian earthy-seeming girl.

Nini, a dancer known for her impressive legs at the Moulin Rouge, performs with a costume adorned with windmills. This playful decoration highlights her reputation for having the most beautiful legs in the club and constantly showcasing them.

I’m a huge fan of Pearly Queen! She’s a dwarf woman who always dresses like a princess, absolutely covered in beautiful pearls and jewels. It’s such a stunning look!

The Paris landscape was digitally produced

Moulin Rouge! was mostly shot at Fox Studios in Sydney, Australia with no location filming at all.

It means the Paris landscape and Parisian feel was digitally produced and created through CGI.

It took hours to fit Jim Broadbent into his fat suit everyday

It took the costume and makeup team two and a half hours each day to get Jim Broadbent into his padded suit.

Jim, now 76, previously described the process of wearing the suit ‘agonising’.

To get the perfect fit for his padding and costume, the filmmakers created a complete plaster cast of his body.

Jim’s detailed costume and acting combined to create the over-the-top, dramatic style that film critics noted.

Nicole Kidman refused stunt doubles

The iconic scene of Nicole, sparkling in a corset and singing “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend,” is entirely her own performance and creation.

Despite performing many difficult and complex routines, the Australian actress insisted on doing all her own stunts.

It meant Nicole underwent two weeks of gruelling training for particular scenes.

Nicole and Ewan wore harnesses for the elephant scene

For the scene with the elephant, both Nicole and Ewan used safety harnesses because they were filmed 60 feet in the air.

The two actors, determined to perform their own stunts, were especially careful during the risky parts of the movie.

John Leguizamo had special prosthetics to play Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec

John, who is 65 years old, portrays French artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, a role that involved mastering both a French accent and a lisp.

He also trained to walk with artificial legs, creating the appearance of having dwarfism.

‘That was a little daunting,’ John admitted back in 2001. ‘I was afraid I was going to fail.’

John said the 45-pound prosthetic caused him back pain.

The show was visually stunning, combining impressive puppetry with special effects. They even used digital editing to make it look like my legs were completely hidden.

He explained that he could only comfortably wear the prosthetic legs for about 45 minutes before feeling a tingling sensation in his lower back.

Moulin Rouge! was almost set at Studio 54 In the 1970s

Believe it or not, this film – though shot in Australia and meant to evoke 1899 Paris – was nearly filmed in the famous Studio 54 nightclub in New York City.

If the story had been different, it would have followed a young songwriter and singer relocating to New York City and becoming involved with famous celebrities during the 1970s.

20th Century Fox told audiences Moulin Rouge! wasn’t a musical

Interestingly, 20th Century Fox deliberately didn’t reveal much about the movie Moulin Rouge! to the public before its release.

The filmmakers deliberately kept the fact that the movie was a musical a secret from test audiences, worried it would discourage people from seeing it.

The Moulin Rouge! cast had wild parties during production

The cast of Moulin Rouge! had wild parties back when the movie was being filmed in the noughties.

Nicole and Ewan had hinted at wild nights in the past, but the actor jokingly claimed he has no recollection of them.

Nicole stated: ‘We’d have great parties. Remember those Friday nights, those Saturday nights?’

Ewan chimed: ‘Not all of them. Don’t remember all of them.’

Baz Luhrmann’s father passed away on the first day of filming

Director Baz’s father sadly passed away on the first day filming took place for Moulin Rouge!

It really hit me hard when production finally began – I found out my father had lost his battle with skin cancer. It was a shock, and honestly, incredibly difficult to process while trying to focus on work.

Before his father’s passing Leonard told his son to continue filming whatever the outcome.

And so, Baz followed his father’s instructions and made the world-wide success.

Two huge bands refused to lend their music to the movie

The Rolling Stones and Cat Stevens were the two bands who refused to lend their music to the movie.

Baz collected contemporary songs by artists like Paul McCartney, Madonna, and Elton John, but the other members of the group didn’t approve his choices.

It took Baz two years to clear the rights for the music.

Paul McCartney’s songs, including “Silly Love Songs” and “All You Need Is Love” (co-written with John Lennon), helped make the soundtrack a hit.

The film famously includes Madonna’s hit song “Like a Virgin,” and also features a cover of Elton John’s “Your Song.”

The show features music from iconic artists like David Bowie, The Police, and Christina Aguilera.

Original drafts of the script

Early versions of the script featured Satine as a mother to a three-year-old, and the story unfolded through flashbacks narrated by Christian to their child.

Moulin Rouge! is based on The Myth Of Orpheus

Moulin Rouge! is a love story about a writer who falls for a woman with a serious illness. He tries to rescue her from both a cruel Duke and the dangerous world of the Moulin Rouge.

As a huge fan of Moulin Rouge!, I always found it fascinating to learn that the whole story is actually inspired by the classic myth of Orpheus. It makes so much sense when you think about it – the tragic love story and the journey to bring someone back from the depths… it’s all there!

The story of Orpheus is much like others of its kind: he loses the one he loves and journeys to the Underworld to try and bring her back to life.

Marilyn Manson was removed from the soundtrack

The 57-year-old American rock musician was originally chosen to sing the song ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit,’ but he was later cut from the movie’s soundtrack.

Baz was forced to change singers due to the longstanding feud between Courtney and Marilyn.

Courtney used a clause in her contract that gives performers final approval, causing the movie production to change course just six days before its release.

Baz quickly found an unknown band to re-record the song instead of Marilyn.

Stars Wars pushed production back

As a lifestyle expert, I always say timing is everything, and that definitely proved true with Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge! Production actually had to be put on hold because it was scheduled to release around the same time as Star Wars: Attack of the Clones. You can imagine the studio didn’t want those two massive films competing with each other, so they made the tough call to pause Moulin Rouge until a better window opened up.

Filming for a new Star Wars prequel was originally planned to take place on the same Australian sound stages used for the movie Moulin Rouge!

Coincidentally, both of the much-loved films starred Ewan McGregor.

Moulin Rouge! is part of Baz’s Red Curtain Trilogy

Baz Luhrmann’s films Strictly Ballroom (1992), Romeo + Juliet (1996), and Moulin Rouge! (2001) are collectively known as his Red Curtain Trilogy.

Even though the movies aren’t connected, he put them together in a DVD collection in 2002.

Moulin Rouge won two Academy Awards

This movie was the first musical to be up for the Best Picture Oscar since Beauty and the Beast in 1991.

The musical received eight nominations at the 74th Academy Awards, including top honors like Best Picture, Best Actress, and awards for its cinematography, makeup, editing, and original song.

Despite its nominations, the film only won two awards: one for Best Art Direction and another for Best Costume Design.

Moulin Rouge! became a Broadway musical

Back in 2019, the Academy Award-winning musical launched on Broadway.

Moulin Rouge! is now a Tony-winning Broadway musical having premiered six years ago on stage.

The Broadway musical, directed by Alex Timbers and written by John Logan, has been nominated for 14 Tony Awards and has won 10.

2026-03-21 13:40