With much of the Australian creative industry in the doldrums due to lockdown in some areas of the country and the dispersal of actors and producers, Nicole Kidman has announced she’ll fund the filming of Liane Moriarty’s latest book, Nine Perfect Strangers, bringing an international cast and crew to Australia under strict COVID-19 guidelines.
News of the project was released in a story in The Sunday Telegraph which outlined how Kidman plans to fly in a cast and crew from overseas under strict COVID-19 guidelines, with permission from the state and federal governments.
The Telegraph reported police will supervise the pre-production of the $100m blockbuster at Kidman’s Southern Highlands property with the team being quarantined for the usual 14 day period.
Moriarty’s latest book will be shot as a series by Kidman’s Blossom Films and Bruna Papandrea’s Made Up Stories, in conjunction with Endeavor Content and the US streaming company, Hulu – with a possible release on Foxtel and Binge here in Australia.
Nicole Kidman and Asher Keddie to star
Kidman is set to star in the series along with fellow Australians, Asher Keddie and Samara Weaving. Welsh actor, Luke Evans and US actors Melissa McCarthy will also star.
Kidman told The Telegraph she was “thrilled” to be “able to make Nine Perfect Strangers in Australia. She added she’s glad she can “give back to the community that nurtured me through so much of my career.”
This will be the first major production in Australia since COVID-19 brought the industry to a halt earlier this year.
Everything comes with the Prime Minister’s approval
The Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, has already approved the project saying he’s proud to host this production locally: “Australia is in the box seat to attract productions to our shores and we are proud and privileged that one of the first is Nine Perfect Strangers with our Nicole Kidman.”
“Not only is Ms Kidman an acclaimed, Oscar-winning actor and producer but she is an outstanding ambassador for our nation,” he added.
The project re-unites Moriarty, David E. Kelley, Kidman, Blossom executive producer Per Saari and Papandrea, all of whom collaborated on the Emmy and Golden Globe-winning hit, Big Little Lies.
Moriarty’s book, Nine Perfect Strangers, was at the top of the New York Times bestseller list for 13 weeks after its release in late 2018.
