The dramatic scenery that helped The Lord Of The Rings wow cinema audiences around the world has sparked a boom for New Zealand's film industry. More and more studio bosses are opting to shoot films on the Pacific islands, and Tom Cruise and Gwyneth Paltrow have both flown in to start work on their latest productions.
Tom is working on The Last Samurai on the North Island while Gwyneth is filming Ted And Sylvia - a biopic of the lives of Ted Hughes and his partner Sylvia Plath - at the southern end of the archipelago.
A few unusual demands made by the stars have raised eyebrows; Gwyneth had organic vegetables specially shipped in and Tom reportedly demanded that none of the film's junior employees look him in the eye.
He seems a little more friendly off-set, however, with locals describing him as very pleasant. "We were down in the paddock and he yelled out and introduced himself," said one resident. "We had a little natter and he said what a wonderful spot it was."
The country's film industry is going from strength to strength, with heavyweights like Russell Crowe, director Jane Campion and screenwriter Andrew Niccol (Gattaca, The Truman Show, S1m0ne) taking Los Angeles by storm. Other rising Kiwi stars include actors Anna Paquin and Temuera Morrison (Once Were Warriors and Star Wars: Attack Of The Clones) along with director Lee Tamahori of Die Another Day fame.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
