Australia. Not just the Land Down Under, but also the title of a new movie starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman, and the home of a ton of movie stars and directors working in the Hollywood film industry.
Russell Crowe, Naomi Watts, Mel Gibson, the late Heath Ledger, Anthony LaPaglia, Cate Blanchett, Rachel Griffiths, Guy Pearce, Kidman, Jackman . . . the list goes on and on. Ever since the buckle-my-swash days of Errol Flynn, Aussies have made their way across the Pacific and onto our movie screens.
Why? Well, a common language doesn't hurt. Nor does a relatively similar history, in which outcasts (theirs were criminals, ours were mainly religious) were thrown onto wild shores and wound up taming the land. Then there's the whole “G'day, mate” thing – we dig Aussies because they're friendly, down to earth and can really party.
Last but by far not least, Aussie actors don't come with a bagful of “artistic” pretensions like some Brits do. And their country is so small – only 20 million people, just a tad more than New York State – they see the chance to work on a bigger stage – Hollywood movies – as a major opportunity.
Did we mention they're also talented? Kidman, Crowe, Blanchett and Gibson have all won Oscars. Watts, Ledger and Toni Collette have been Oscar nominated. And Judy Davis has not only been in the running for the coveted statuette on two occasions, but has won three Emmys.
Want to see Aussies at their best? Here are five top-notch Oz performances in American movies:
“The Adventures of Robin Hood” (1938). Errol Flynn in Sherwood Forest. Maid Marian. The evil Sheriff of Nottingham. And the lovely Olivia de Havilland. Costume dramas don't get any better than this, and romantic heroes don't come much better looking than Mr. Flynn.
“Lethal Weapon” (1987). One of the best cop buddy flicks ever made, with Mel Gibson acting up a storm as suicidal Detective Martin Riggs. Put-upon Danny Glover is great as Mel's partner, and the Aussie boy even gets to flash his butt! Who could ask for more?
“L.A. Confidential” (1997). Down Under boys Russell Crowe and Guy Pearce as two L.A. cops trying to crack a murder case and fight departmental corruption. Vivid performances from both in one of the best films noir ever made.
“21 Grams” (2003). As a reformed junkie who loses her family in a tragic accident, Naomi Watts gives the kind of petal-to-the-metal performance that reminds you of a roadside accident – you don't want to watch, but you can't help yourself. No wonder she received a best-actress nomination for her work.
“The Dark Knight” (2008). They don't come much better than Heath Ledger's scary, eccentric and totally believable performance as The Joker, the embodiment of chaos unleashed on an unsuspecting world. From the off-kilter makeup to the lizardlike tongue movements, Ledger immerses himself in this creepy character. Too bad he never lived to see how it played on-screen.
