Dream comes true for scorching Kylie
Kylie Minogue has scorched the red carpet in Hollywood.
Australia’s pop princess realised a lifelong dream when her
childhood crush John Travolta presented her with an award at
yesterday’s G’Day USA Ball.
Minogue was the star attraction at the event, sharing the red
carpet with Travolta, Harrison Ford, Terri and Bindi Irwin and
Australian sports stars including Steve Waugh and Mike Whitney.
Olivia Newton-John also showed off her new man,
multi-millionaire Hollywood film financier Michael Klein.
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 $US80
($A91) and donated $US15,000 ($A17,135), the cost of a designer
gown, to a Tasmanian Devil charity.
Australian director Phillip Noyce was also honoured at the
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”.
Individual tickets to the ball cost a minimum of $US300 ($A340),
with big spenders including Hollywood studio and music industry
executives shelling out up to $US20,000 ($A22,845) for a table.
The 1,200 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 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 Bindi and Terri
Irwin and boxing legend Muhammad Ali are expected to attend a
Queensland government benefit dinner for Wildlife Warriors
Worldwide.
At another sold out G’Day USA Ball at Manhattan’s Waldorf
Astoria Hotel, Julian McMahon will be honoured, with his Fantastic
Four co-star Jessica Alba introducing him to 1,000 guests who also
paid up to $US20,000 ($A22,845) a table.
AAP
