Baz Luhrmann - ‘I self-medicate with creativity’

Few filmmakers have a style as bold, romantic and unmistakable as Baz Luhrmann. From his breakout debut Strictly Ballroom to the glittering spectacle of The Great Gatsby starring Leonardo DiCaprio, and the fever-dream energy of Elvis, Luhrmann has built a career on transforming familiar stories into cinematic events.

In this episode, he takes us inside one of his most iconic creative decisions: the unforgettable fish tank scene in his 1996 adaptation of Romeo + Juliet - and reveals how that moment came to life.

We also explore his latest project, EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert, a return to Elvis Presley through newly uncovered footage from the legendary Las Vegas residency.

Beyond the films, Luhrmann reflects on the journey that shaped him. Raised in Herons Creek, a tiny rural town in New South Wales, Australia, he grew up surrounded by performance and storytelling: his father ran a quirky petrol station and cinema, while his mother owned a dress shop and taught ballroom dancing. We discuss the setbacks that tested him, his unconventional audition process, his enduring creative partnership with his wife and the viral TikTok moment that sent the internet into a frenzy.

I hope you enjoy this candid, wide-ranging conversation with one of modern cinema’s great showmen.

IN THIS EPISODE:

02:28 Creativity as Self‑Medication

05:52 Why Elvis?

09:22 The Romeo + Juliet Fish Tank Origin Story

11:01 Everybody’s Free to Wear Sunscreen: The Accidental Hit

13:56 Failure #1: Losing Instincts, Depression and Finding the Way Back

26:16 Casting Without Auditions: Baz’s Workshop Method

27:58 Creating a Fear-Free Room

28:47 The Big Break That Became a Public Flop

30:56 Rebounding with Strictly Ballroom

32:19 Choosing Collaborators

33:36 Marriage and Deep Trust

35:42 Criticism and Staying Humble (Plus the Viral TikTok Moment)

40:38 Future-Focused Filmmaking & Final Reflections

QUOTES TO REMEMBER:

I see my job as keeping fear out of the room. I take the fear on in the morning when I get up.

I was embarrassed about being this geek from a small country town... I was ashamed that I liked people - and that just didn't seem cool enough.

I always made my films for the future, not to be sort of hip in the moment... I want them to have a universality and I want them to move through time and space.

LINKS + MENTIONS:

EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert is in cinemas now

THAT TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@god_worthy/video/7374740069866884368?lang=en

Join the How To Fail community: https://howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content

Elizabeth’s Substack: https://theelizabethday.substack.com/

WANT MORE?

Stanley Tucci - On grief, cancer…and failing to swim swap.fm/l/WCW054IGNZnSnTzEXPTN

Phoebe Waller-Bridge - On creative risk-taking, ambition and what happens after a cultural phenomenon like Fleabag swap.fm/l/gTCOCJUmXX9t22mTABSa

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