Ashford Joins Jackman and Luhrmann for OSCARS Staging

The New York Times has reported that Tony winner Rob Ashford will lend his talents to director Baz Luhrmann's staging for Hugh Jackman's opening number for the 81st Annual Academy Awards.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced on December 12th, 2008, that Hugh Jackman will host this year's Oscar telecast.

Previous hosts have usually been TV or film comedians including Bob Hope, Johnny Carson, David Letterman, Billy Crystal, Whoopi Goldberg, Steve Martin, John Stewart, Chris Rock, Ellen DeGeneres and others.

Hugh Jackman was recently voted People's Sexiest Man of 2008. In 2000, he was cast as Wolverine in Bryan Singer's X-Men. Jackman later reprised his role in 2003's X2: X-Men United, and 2006's X-Men: The Last Stand. Jackman starred as Leopold in the 2001 romantic comedy film Kate & Leopold, for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy. Jackman also starred in 2001 action/drama Swordfish, along with John Travolta, and Halle Berry.

Jackman sang the role of Billy Bigelow in Carousel in a special concert performance at Carnegie Hall in Manhattan, New York City in 2002. In 2004 he played the title role of vampire hunter Gabriel Van Helsing in Van Helsing. In 2004, Jackman won a Tony Award for his Broadway portrayal of Australian songwriter and performer Peter Allen in The Boy from Oz. He hosted the Tony Awards in 2003, 2004 and 2005.

In 2005 after his award-winning role in The Boy from Oz, he jumped into Darren Aronofsky's sci-fi experience The Fountain. Then Jackman filmed The Prestige directed by Christopher Nolan and also starring Christian Bale.

In 2007, Jackman produced and guest starred in the unsuccessful television drama Viva Laughlin. Jackman is also preparing a number of movies which he will both produce and star in, including Wolverine, estimated to begin filming in early 2008, and a remake of Carousel in which he will play Billy Bigelow.

Baz Luhrmann is an Oscar and Golden Globe-nominated Australian film director, screenwriter, and producer. After theatrical successes, including the original stage version of "Strictly Ballroom" and the Broadway production of "La Boheme", Luhrmann moved into film, and has directed four so far: Strictly Ballroom (1992), starring Paul Mercurio and Tara Morice, Romeo + Juliet (1996), starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes, Moulin Rouge! (2001), starring Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor and Australia (2008), starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman.

Rob Ashford made his Broadway debut dancing in the 1987 Lincoln Center revival of Anything Goes with Patti LuPone. Soon after he found himself lending his dancing feet to Crazy for You, My Favorite Year, The Most Happy Fella, Victor/Victoria and the Hal Prince directed Parade.

As a choreographer his first show to shape dance wise was a production of Kiss of the Spider Woman in Buenos Aires. His return to New York City found him teaming with Kathleen Marshall to co-choreograph the 1999 revival of Kiss Me, Kate. His reputation firmly in place, Ashford's next gig was Thoroughly Modern Millie, for which he won the Tony and earned a Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding Choreography. He also was nominated for both awards for The Wedding Singer and the Tony for Curtains. Across the pond in London one of his many credits was his celebrated work on Guys and Dolls with Ewan McGregor and Jane Krakowski. He also staged the musical numbers for the film Beyond the Sea starring Kevin Spacey.

This past awards season, his work on Cry-Baby has brought a number of accolades to his crowded mantle, including both the Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards for Outstanding Choreography. He was also nominated for a 2008 Tony for Best Choreography.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2008 will be presented on Sunday, February 22, 2009, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is the world's preeminent movie-related organization, with a membership of more than 6,000 of the most accomplished men and women working in cinema. In addition to the annual Academy Awards - in which the members vote to select the nominees and winners - the Academy presents a diverse year-round slate of public programs, exhibitions and events; provides financial support to a wide range of other movie-related organizations and endeavors; acts as a neutral advocate in the advancement of motion picture technology; and, through its Margaret Herrick Library and Academy Film Archive, collects, preserves, restores and provides access to movies and items related to their history. Through these and other activities the Academy serves students, historians, the entertainment industry and people everywhere who love movies.

For more information visit www.oscars.org.

Photo Credit: Fernando Leon/Retna Ltd.