History Trivia / MoulinRouge

* AllThereInTheManual: Each of the courtesans at the Moulin Rouge has a specific name, along with a costume that reflects that name. Examples include French Maid, Petite Princess (a dwarf), Madame Fromage (a BigBeautifulWoman in clothing that suggests desserts), Travesty (which anyone who listens to [[Creator/EddieIzzard Eddie Izzard]] will know is French for "transvestite", who wears a man's suit and top hat on the top of her body, and a can-can dress on the bottom), and Pearly Queen (who wears various expensive-looking items, such as furs and pearls).

** In original drafts of the script, Satine had a three-year-old child and the story was told in flashbacks, told by Christian to the child.

* NonSingingVoice: Averted with Creator/EwanMcGregor and Creator/NicoleKidman, who performed their own singing, but played straight with Jim Broadbent (Zidler) whose more operatic notes are dubbed by singer Anthony Weigh.

** Creator/CatherineZetaJones and Creator/HeathLedger were contenders to play Satine and Christian. Music/CourtneyLove also lobbied hard for the role, and called losing it to Creator/NicoleKidman one of her biggest career regrets. She did however allow "Smells Like Teen Spirit" to be covered for the film, a rare instance of her allowing late husband Music/KurtCobain's work to be used.
** Other possible Christians included Creator/LeonardoDiCaprio, Creator/HughJackman, Creator/JakeGyllenhaal and [[Music/{{Westlife Ronan Keating]]. Other possible Satines included Creator/KateWinslet, Creator/HilarySwank, Creator/RenéeZellweger, Creator/DrewBarrymore, Natalie Mendoza, Sharleen Spiteri, and Sophie Ellis-Bextor. [[Music/{{Ash}} Tim Wheeler]] also auditioned for Christian, which led him to write the track "Orpheus".

* AFIS100Years100Songs:
** #85, "Come What May"
* AFISGreatestMovieMusicals: #25

* TheCameo: Tara Morice, who played Fran in Baz Luhrmann's ''Film/StrictlyBallroom'' cameos as a prostitute in the opening sequence.

* RealLifeWritesThePlot: Nicole Kidman fractured two ribs and hurt her knee while rehearsing, so in a few scenes she's shot from the chest up only to hide that she was actually in a wheelchair.
* RetroactiveRecognition: We find out [[Literature/HarryPotterandtheHalfBloodPrince Slughorn]]'s previous profession.

** Creator/CatherineZetaJones was in consideration for the part of Satine. Courtney Love also lobbied hard for the role, and called losing it to Nicole Kidman one of her biggest career regrets. She did however allow "Smells Like Teen Spirit" to be covered for the film, a rare instance of her allowing late husband Kurt Cobain's work to be used.

** The first musical number was to be "Father & Son" between Christian and his father. Cat Stevens however objected to the sexual content in the film and would not allow the song to be used. The special edition DVD has the scene included in the complete script.
** The Duke was originally going to sing a rendition of Frank Sinatra's "My Way", but it never happened. There's a reference to this in the finale, as the Duke repeatedly yells "my way!"
** Kelly Jones, lead singer of the Stereophonics, claims he turned down a role.

* FakeNationality: The French characters are played by Australian and British actors [[Creator/JohnLeguizamo (and one Colombian actor)]], and an Argentinian character is played by a Polish actor.
* NonSingingVoice: Whilst the cast for the most part do their own singing, some of Zidler's more operatic notes are dubbed by singer Anthony Weigh.

** Creator/CatherineZetaJones was in consideration for the part of Satine.

* AllThereInTheManual: Each of the courtesans at the Moulin Rouge has a specific name, along with a costume that reflects that name. Examples include French Maid, Petite Princess (a midget), Madame Fromage (a BigBeautifulWoman in clothing that suggests desserts), Travesty (which anyone who listens to [[Creator/EddieIzzard Eddie Izzard]] will know is French for "transvestite", who wears a man's suit and top hat on the top of her body, and a can-can dress on the bottom), and Pearly Queen (who wears various expensive-looking items, such as furs and pearls).

* TalkingToHimself: José Ferrer plays both Henri and the Comte.

* FakeNationality: The French characters are played by Australian and British actors, and an Argentinian character is played by a Polish actor.

** Tim Wheeler from Irish band {{Ash}} auditioned for the part of Christian.

* AllThereInTheManual: Each of the courtesans at the Moulin Rouge has a specific name, along with a costume that reflects that name. Examples include French Maid, Petite Princess (a midget), Madame Fromage (a BigBeautifulWoman in clothing that suggests desserts), Travesty (which anyone who listens to [[Creator/EddieIzzard Eddie Izzard]] will know is French for "tranvestite", who wears a man's suit and top hat on the top of her body, and a can-can dress on the bottom), and Pearly Queen (who wears various expensive-looking items, such as furs and pearls).

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Originally Music/KylieMinogue's Fairy role was going to be portrayed by Music/OzzyOsbourne. The warped roar her voice turns into is all him.

* AllThereInTheManual: Each of the courtesans at the Moulin Rouge has a specific name, along with a costume that reflects that name. Examples include French Maid, Petite Princess (a midget), Madame Fromage (a BigBeautifulWoman in clothing that suggests desserts), Travesty (who wears a man's suit and top hat on the top of her body, and a can-can dress on the bottom), and Pearly Queen (who wears various expensive-looking items, such as furs and pearls).

* NonSingingVoice: Jim Broadbent and John Leguizamo are both dubbed over when Ziddler and Toulouse sing. (The rest of the cast members do their own singing.)

** Tim Wheeler from Irish band Music/Ash auditioned for the part of Christian.

** Tim Wheeler from Irish band ''Music/Ash'' auditioned for the part of Christian.

* FakeNationality: The French characters are played by Australian and British actors.

* NonSingingVoice: Averted for everyone except Jim Broadbent and John Leguizamo.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Originally KylieMinogue's Fairy role was going to be portrayed by Music/OzzyOsbourne. The warped roar her voice turns into is all him.

* TalkingToHimself: Ferrer plays both Henri and the Comte.