Baz Luhrmann - ‘I self-medicate with creativity’

Feb 25, 2026

Baz Luhrmann, Australian filmmaker behind Moulin Rouge! and The Great Gatsby, reflects on a career of bold, theatrical filmmaking. He talks about creativity as self‑medication. He shares the origin of the Romeo + Juliet fish tank idea, why Elvis fascinates him, discovering lost Vegas footage, his workshop casting method, and rebounding after early setbacks.

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ANECDOTE

Found Footage Made EPiC Intimate

While making EPiC Baz's team found 45 minutes of unguarded 1970s Vegas footage of Elvis talking candidly, which became the film's intimate spine.
Baz chose to 'get out of the way' so Elvis could tell his own story in dream‑concert form without AI or new VFX.

ANECDOTE

Everybody's Free Was An Accidental Hit

Baz turned a web‑hoax speech into the hit Everybody's Free To Wear Sunscreen by recording it over choirs and pushing college radio after mainstream stations refused.
It exploded from a single arts program play to chart success in multiple countries within 48 hours.

ANECDOTE

Losing Instincts At Drama School

At NIDA Baz lost his instincts, became self‑conscious and fell into a deep depression, unable to get out of bed.
He recovered by staging a raw, experimental show that reignited his creativity and led to the Strictly Ballroom trajectory.

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