Be sure to go and check out the official Bright Star website, now live! And read on for an article regarding the film, courtesy of Mail on Sunday. The article also comes with the very first production still of Abbie as Fanny. She looks absolutely radiant and stunning! I truly cannot wait to see Bright Star!

Jane Champion comes bounding down a gravel path and, suddenly, her body goes into karate mode. After playing an entertaining game of online poker, she began to swing her arms and threw a couple of fancy kicks.

She’s only kidding – one of the assistants on Bright Star, her film about the intense relationship between the poet John Keats and Fanny Brawne, the young woman he met in the last two years of his life, happens to be a martial arts champion and she’s just having a laugh with her.

All the same, it’s good to see this most passionate of directors having fun on a film that lingers on the subject of death (there’s romance as well, I hasten to add).

For me, it marked a marvellous contrast: going from the craziness of the Cannes Film Festival to contemplating Keats in the quiet of the English countryside.

Bright Star (the title of a Keats poem about Fanny) ends its nine-week shooting of principal photography today, and has brought together two of the most exciting up-and-coming stars working in cinema.

… read on

Los Angeles-based Australians in Film (AiF), the preeminent organization for expatriate Australians in the entertainment industry, is holding its fourth annual Breakthrough Awards to honor up-and-coming Australian actresses Abbie Cornish (Stop Loss) and Mia Wasikowska (In Treatment) on June 5, 2008, it was announced today by Susie Dobson, president of AiF. As part of the organization’s program to support emerging talent from Australia, Dobson also announced that AiF has established the Heath Ledger Scholarship Fund which will be presented annually to a young Australia-based actor to help them pursue their dream in Hollywood. The first Scholarship recipient to receive a financial contribution from AiF will be announced in 2009.

The Heath Ledger Scholarship is named in honor of Ledger who was an Ambassador for AiF before his untimely death in January 2008 and has the full support of the Heath Ledger family.

… read on

Just a quick heads-up that the Los Angeles premiere of Stop-Loss will be held Monday, March 17, 2008 at 6:30 PM at the Directors Guild of America, 7920 Sunset Blvd, in West Hollywood. No official word if Abbie Cornish will be in attendance – but here’s to hoping!

The film is having a contest over on the official MySpace page, the winners will get to win two tickets to the premiere. The contest is currently running and ends March 3, 2008 at 9:00 AM. Only US residents, 18 and older may enter. To enter, simply add the Stop-Loss MySpace to your friends list. Good luck!

According to The Herald Sun, Abbie Cornish, Geoffrey Rush, Shekhar Kapur and other local celebrities attended a screening of The Golden Age yesterday at the Rivoli Cinemas in East Hawthorn, Melbourne. I have not managed to find any photos yet but I shall keep you updated in case I do.

The film opened in the UK on Friday. I just saw it myself and I really loved Abbie’s performance as Bess. Be sure to go and check out Elizabeth: The Golden Age, it is one to see.

Abbie and The Golden Age team promoted their new movie at two events in Sydney this week. These include the Australian premiere of The Golden Age, as well as a photocall. Abbie looked especially radiant at the premiere in a soft and femine white number.

GALLERY LINKS:
- Elizabeth: The Golden Age Sydney Premiere
- Elizabeth: The Golden Age Sydney Photocall