Baz Luhrmann Biography

He is married to his National Institute of Dramatic Art classmate. The couple has worked together in some of the great projects. She is known for her Oscar-winning work on the films Moulin Rouge! (2002) and The Great Gatsby (2014) directed by Baz Luhrmann. So to say husband and wife have almost all things in common and are made for each other. They have together shared two children and are happily living a family life.

Early Life Of Baz Luhrmann

Luhrmann was born on September 17, 1962, in the suburb of Sydney. His mother, Barbara Carmel was a ballroom dance teacher and dress shop owner, and his father, Leonard Luhrmann, ran a petrol station and a movie theatre.

Baz was raised in Herons Creek, a tiny rural settlement in northern New South Wales. He went to St Joseph's Hasting Regional School, Port Macquarie from 1975 to 1978. He then enrolled into St Paul's Catholic College, performing in the school's version of Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part. Meanwhile, he gained his high school education from Narrabeen Sports High School, where he met future collaborator Craig Pearce.

Luhrmann received the nickname "Baz" from his father Leonard. However, after his parents’ divorce, Luhrmann moved back to Sydney with his mother and siblings. He officially changed his given name from Mark to Baz sometime around 1979.

In 1983, he began an acting course at the National Institute of Dramatic Art. He graduated in 1985 alongside Sonia Todd, Catherine McClements, and Justin Monjo.

Baz Luhrmann's Career

Luhrmann is the most commercially successful Australian director, with four of his films in the top ten highest worldwide grossing Australian films of all time.

On the screen he is best known for his Red Curtain Trilogy, comprising his romantic comedy film Strictly Ballroom (1992), the romantic tragedy William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet (1996), and Moulin Rouge! (2001).

Baz Luhrmann's Personal Life

Baz Luhrmann is married to Catherine Martin, a production designer. They took their wedding vows on 26th January 1997. The couple shares two children named William Alexander Luhrmann (born June 8, 2005) and a daughter named Lillian Amanda Luhrmann (born October 10, 2003).

The couple met in the 1980s when Martin was a design student at Sydney's National Institute of Dramatic Arts (NIDA) while Luhrmann, already a graduate, was scouting for creatives for his theatre and opera projects.

Luhrmann claimed to distinctly remember the first time he saw her in a 'fantastic' green linen suit. He said:

"There was a tiny piece of cotton thread hanging off the shoulder and I remember thinking, I wonder if she made that suit because if she did then she really knows something about tailoring, too."

The meeting was pre-arranged after he checked out Catherine's extraordinary design work. The meeting lasted four hours and the romantic connection was clearly visible from the very beginning.

Over the course of a 30-minute conversation during an interview, Luhrmann described Martin as "the coolest chick in the world", the "love of my life", a creative "genius", "whippet smart", "hilarious" and "beautiful" on the inside and out

Meanwhile, Marin talking about their relationship claimed to be a superstitious person afraid of jinxing their great bond. However, she said:

"We really met as like-minded people and almost 30 years later we’re still speaking and arguing and discussing things and we’re still interested in the other person’s opinion. It all started with ideas and thankfully, touch wood, we are still interested in each other’s opinions and ideas."

The couple mostly live between Sydney and New York, where they are currently based for multiple projects.

Luhrmann claims his wife is an "overachiever" when it comes to motherhood. He said:

"She is always present with her children, they travel with us everywhere. The one thing we have in our little family is love. Those children are loved and they feel it."

Martin's life is no less challenging as a working mother with a hectic schedule. Although she knows she is a good mother, she sometimes feels inadequate as her children turn into harsh critics of her professional life. Catherine explains she believes those negative feelings are a necessary part of striking the right balance.

Baz Luhrmann's Net Worth

Baz Luhrmann's net worth is estimated to be $20 million. His popular movies Strictly Ballroom, Romeo + Juliet, Moulin Rouge!, Australia, and The Great Gatsby made lifetime grossed $11 million, $46 million, $57 million, $49 million, and $144 million, respectively.