AS IF Johnny Depp weren't enough. Canberra girl and burgeoning screen star Mia Wasikowska will have extra star power on her side when she takes the title role in Tim Burton's up-and-coming Alice in Wonderland, as she will be joined not only by perennial Burton leading man J.Depp but by Hollywood beauty Anne Hathaway, who will play the White Queen, as well as Helena Bonham Carter (also Burton's wife). The classic role elevates the 18-year-old to a trio of big-budget flicks in the works Defiance, with Bond hunk Daniel Craig; Amelia, with Hilary Swank; and Alice. Having spent her childhood studying ballet, Wasikowska gave up a career in dance to take up acting. She appeared in Aussie drama All Saints and several Australian films before moving to Hollywood. She currently stars in US television drama In Treatment, with Aussie expat Melissa George. From Canberra to Tinseltown. A true ''down the rabbit hole'' tale.
The Ferrari side
WE'VE received the below photo as part of a (we hope) gag email on the continuing global financial crisis. The tagline? ''Retrenched Lehman Bank management stage a protest by blockading the entrance to the Bank's Headquarters.'' Cute. Or not so cute, depending on which side of the fence you are sitting.
AND the hot three are ...
WE PUT the impossibly gorgeous Canberra International Film Festival artistic director, Michael Sergi, on the spot yesterday and asked him for his ''hot top three films'', a tough task given that he personally compiled 41 magnificent selections from around the globe for this year's event. Never one to lose composure, Sergi smoothly replied, ''Black Ice (Finland), Honeydripper (USA), Terribly Happy (Denmark) and Y.P.F. (Canada).'' Uh, that's four but we were so impressed with the selection we will let it slide. Oh, and if you were wondering, Y.P.F, a rather amorous and youthful flick, actually stands for Young People F----- ... well, you get the idea. Let the reels roll.
BUT is it politics?
THE ACT Libs have taken quite an interest in public art of late pledging a different strategy this week to the current ''per cent'' policy implemented by Labor. Never one to miss a chance to capitalise on a hot topic, Molonglo candidate Clinton White has organised a ''debate'' titled Art Ache:The Great Public Art Hypothetical, to be moderated by Senator Gary Humphreys.
The cases for and against will be argued by a panel of high-profile arty types, including Helen Musa, Coralie Wood, Joy Warren and former federal MP Michael Baume. The only catch is it is an election fund-raiser for White, with tickets $25 a pop. So we have well-known arts community figures, gallery owners and ex-pollies taking part in a debate-cum-political fund-raiser. We are not so sure of the ethical guidelines in such a case but it does raise some questions. Does this mean these figures (some quite influential) support the recently announced arts policy of no more public art per se? A bridge too far? In any case, to be sure, public art in Canberra surely continues to create more controversy than it is worth.
Get his thrust
NOW WE know finance and economics aren't the sexiest of subjects, and especially these days (unless you are into S&M) but we are still impressed with Victorian Senator Mitchell Fifield's attempt at spicing things up. The good senator gave a speech to the Australian Adam Smith Club in Melbourne on Tuesday night. It's title? ''Fiscal Contraception: Erecting Barriers to Impulsive Spending.'' We like it.
Hot SPAs
MORE SEXY stylings from unusual corners. Greening Australia is branching out and has just published a risque{aac} pamphlet under the titillating title of ''Sex in SPAs''. SPA is an abbreviation for Seed Production Areas ostensibly places where native plants of known seed source are grown to bolster supply of rare species and complement seed sourced from wild populations. Who knew that? To get hold of a copy, phone 6253 3035.