OMEN
01-20-2008, 09:11 PM
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PURPLE REIGN: Aussie pop princess Kylie Minogue lit up the red carpet at the G'Day USA event in Hollywood.
Kylie Minogue scorched the red carpet in Hollywood and then lived out a childhood fantasy.
Australia's pop princess watched her idol Olivia Newton-John perform songs from the Grease and Xanadu movies and then John Travolta presented her an award.
"Tell me this isn't happening," Minogue told the 1200 guests inside Hollywood's Renaissance Hotel for the G'Day USA black tie ball.
"John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John! I'm eight years old again and back in Melbourne."
Minogue was the star attraction at the event, with Travolta, Mel Gibson, Harrison Ford, Terri and Bindi Irwin, and Australian sports stars including former cricketers Steve Waugh and Mike Whitney in attendance.
Minogue wore a Grecian-inspired, purple chiffon dress with a gold braided belt from Melbourne fashion house J'Aton, while the Irwins gave her a run for her money.
Bindi wore a mint green dress a family friend had sent her and Terri showed off her physique in a fitted, hot pink, long dress with shoestring straps.
Terri bought the dress from a US department store for $US80 ($NZ105) and donated $US15,000, the cost of a designer gown, to a charity for Tasmanian devils.
Australian director Phillip Noyce also was honoured at today's event, with Ford presenting his award.
Noyce directed Ford in Patriot Games and Clear and Present Danger.
Minogue and Noyce were honoured for "significant contributions in their industries and for excellence in promoting Australia in the US".
Rock stars Sting and Bono sent their best wishes to Minogue in a video presentation.
"Like any man on the planet, I'm not immune to your iconic beauty," Sting said in his message.
Individual tickets to the ball cost a minimum of $US300, with big spenders including Hollywood studio and music industry executives shelling out up to $US20,000 for a table.
The 1200 seats for the event sold out just days after going on sale.
G'Day USA has grown from a week of events in Los Angeles in 2004 to this year's two week festival spread across the US, with major tourism, trade, film and sporting events and balls in LA, New York and Houston.
The LA ball has nudged its way into Hollywood's peak party period -- Oscar season -- matching the glamour film industry shindigs with plenty of Aussie star power.
Last year, the G'Day Ball in LA honoured Naomi Watts, Russell Crowe and the late Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin.
Other honourees include Cate Blanchett, Baz Luhrmann, Anthony LaPaglia, Mel Gibson, Olivia Newton John, Hugh Jackman and INXS.
Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban met at a G'Day Ball.
The glamour shifts to New York next week, where the Irwins and boxing legend Muhammad Ali are expected to attend a Queensland government benefit dinner for Wildlife Warriors Worldwide.
Actor Julian McMahon will be honoured at another sold out G'Day USA Ball at Manhattan's Waldorf Astoria Hotel, with his Fantastic Four co-star Jessica Alba introducing him to 1,000 guests who also paid up to $US20,000 a table.
AAP
PURPLE REIGN: Aussie pop princess Kylie Minogue lit up the red carpet at the G'Day USA event in Hollywood.
Kylie Minogue scorched the red carpet in Hollywood and then lived out a childhood fantasy.
Australia's pop princess watched her idol Olivia Newton-John perform songs from the Grease and Xanadu movies and then John Travolta presented her an award.
"Tell me this isn't happening," Minogue told the 1200 guests inside Hollywood's Renaissance Hotel for the G'Day USA black tie ball.
"John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John! I'm eight years old again and back in Melbourne."
Minogue was the star attraction at the event, with Travolta, Mel Gibson, Harrison Ford, Terri and Bindi Irwin, and Australian sports stars including former cricketers Steve Waugh and Mike Whitney in attendance.
Minogue wore a Grecian-inspired, purple chiffon dress with a gold braided belt from Melbourne fashion house J'Aton, while the Irwins gave her a run for her money.
Bindi wore a mint green dress a family friend had sent her and Terri showed off her physique in a fitted, hot pink, long dress with shoestring straps.
Terri bought the dress from a US department store for $US80 ($NZ105) and donated $US15,000, the cost of a designer gown, to a charity for Tasmanian devils.
Australian director Phillip Noyce also was honoured at today's event, with Ford presenting his award.
Noyce directed Ford in Patriot Games and Clear and Present Danger.
Minogue and Noyce were honoured for "significant contributions in their industries and for excellence in promoting Australia in the US".
Rock stars Sting and Bono sent their best wishes to Minogue in a video presentation.
"Like any man on the planet, I'm not immune to your iconic beauty," Sting said in his message.
Individual tickets to the ball cost a minimum of $US300, with big spenders including Hollywood studio and music industry executives shelling out up to $US20,000 for a table.
The 1200 seats for the event sold out just days after going on sale.
G'Day USA has grown from a week of events in Los Angeles in 2004 to this year's two week festival spread across the US, with major tourism, trade, film and sporting events and balls in LA, New York and Houston.
The LA ball has nudged its way into Hollywood's peak party period -- Oscar season -- matching the glamour film industry shindigs with plenty of Aussie star power.
Last year, the G'Day Ball in LA honoured Naomi Watts, Russell Crowe and the late Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin.
Other honourees include Cate Blanchett, Baz Luhrmann, Anthony LaPaglia, Mel Gibson, Olivia Newton John, Hugh Jackman and INXS.
Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban met at a G'Day Ball.
The glamour shifts to New York next week, where the Irwins and boxing legend Muhammad Ali are expected to attend a Queensland government benefit dinner for Wildlife Warriors Worldwide.
Actor Julian McMahon will be honoured at another sold out G'Day USA Ball at Manhattan's Waldorf Astoria Hotel, with his Fantastic Four co-star Jessica Alba introducing him to 1,000 guests who also paid up to $US20,000 a table.
AAP