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For Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor, working on Baz Luhrmann’s musical Moulin Rouge 16 years ago was one of the most unique working experiences of their careers. Speaking with Variety, the actors teamed up to remember the year they spent filming the blockbuster – and the two week workshop to hone their singing and dancing skills prior to shooting.

“What about that?,” remarks Kidman. “I remember being in a dance studio with you and having to do all those different dances — salsa, tango … and we didn’t end up doing any of them [in the film]! And then the singing! I just remember you having this exquisite voice and me thinking, ‘I am never going to be able to hit these notes’. I was like ‘Come on, practice Nicole,’ and you’d come in and you were so much better than me.”

But aside from the workshops and the level of study it took to become Satine and Christian, the actors took method-acting to the next level and partied the nights away – like their characters – sharing bottles of Absinthe. Such events took place at Luhrmann’s Sydney mansion.

 

“We’d have great parties! Remember those Friday nights?” asked Kidman.

“Not all of them. Don’t remember all of them,” McGregor cheekily replies.

“We had some pretty wild nights. I remember Absinthe being passed out at one point, and me going ‘Is this safe?’ I was so naive,” said Kidman. “Then going ‘I suppose it is!’ Dancing on the tables …”

Come what may, hey?!