2000 – Page 2 – Nikki Webster Press Archive

Webster Carries Torch For Kleiser On Indie ‘vanilla’

Oct 3, 2000Mar 21, 2011 2000 Comments Off

By Cathy Dunkley

Nikki Webster, the 13-year-old Australian girl who sang during the opening and closing ceremonies at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, is set to star in the independent African feature film “Vanilla Gorilla” to be directed by Randal Kleiser (“Grease,” “Honey, I Blew Up the Kid”). Production is expected to begin in February for a targeted Christmas 2001 release.

“Vanilla” is the story of a captive albino gorilla that learned American sign language and teaches it to a young girl (Webster) he befriends.

Craig Gardner wrote the screenplay and will be a producer on the film with Normandi Brown and Tony Sloman. Sam Kute will executive produce, and T.J. Mancini and Erika Branna are co-producers. The project was packaged by Jerry Zeitman of the Agency.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

Jumping for joy

Oct 2, 2000Mar 20, 2018 2000, Featured No Comments

Sydney schoolgirl and showbiz tyro Nikki Webster finds fame after her gravity-defying performance at the opening ceremony

On Sept. 17, Mark and Tina Webster did what they do most Sundays: took their children, Nikki, 13, and Scott, 16, to the movies. But this time all the stars weren’t on the screen. As the Websters strolled in Sydney’s busy Broadway shopping centre, they realised people were staring and pointing at Nikki. Soon she was besieged by autograph-seekers. “Everyone kept coming up to me and saying how great I was,” beams Nikki. “It makes me think they enjoyed the show.”

And how. The Olympic opening ceremony at Stadium Australia was acclaimed as the best ever, and stealing the extravaganza was Nikki Webster who, as Hero Girl, danced, sang, and soared her way into the hearts of billions. Since her triumph, the world’s media have flocked to the Webster’s two-storey weather-board home in a quiet, nondescript street in Croydon Park, just minutes by car from Homebush Bay. Nikki rattles off the names of some who queued to interview her: “Katie Couric, Steve Liebmann, Andrew Daddo…” On the kitchen table are a dozen bouquets sent from well-wishers, including Lisa McCune and the cast of The Sound of Music. “The house,” says Mark, 40, an electrician, “is looking like a florist shop.”
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Oz moppet Webster goes ape for Kleiser

Oct 2, 2000Mar 21, 2011 2000 Comments Off

Pic marks feature debut of stage actress

By Jill Feiwell

Thirteen-year-old Nikki Webster, whose solo performance at the opening ceremonies in Sydney helped kick off this year’s Olympic Games, is set to star in the African adventure film “Vanilla Gorilla” for “Grease” helmer Randal Kleiser.

Pic, skedded to go before cameras in February, marks the moppet’s feature debut — she previously appeared on stage in the tuners “Les Miserables” and “The Sound of Music.”

“Gorilla” tells the story of a captive albino primate who, with the help of a young girl, escapes his confinement from a zoo in Capetown, South Africa.

Pic, penned by Craig Gardner, is being produced by Normandi Brown, Tony Sloman, Gardner and exec producer Sam Kute for L.A.-based production house Neon Entertainment, in association with the Sharmat Organization. T.J. Mancini and Erika Brannan will co-produce.

Kleiser’s directing credits include “White Fang,” “The Blue Lagoon” and “Honey I Blew Up the Kids.”

Source: Variety

Olympics sparks sales in Australia

Sep 30, 2000Mar 20, 2018 2000 No Comments

Album Of Opening-Ceremony Music Benefits Local Acts

By Christine Eliezer

SYDNEY – There’s a veritable bush fire spreading across Australia’s music retail outlets, sparked by the arrival of the Olympic flame on those shores.

The fire’s been fanned by a gale of Aussie nationalism blowing across the continent, and local record labels are working their domestic roster hard. With Sydney’s population boosted by an influx of Olympics-fixated tourists, retail outlets throughout the city and beyond are draped with merchandising based around banners proclaiming “Our Heroes”.

The initial sales pickup has been impressive, and labels expect greater retail activity through the coming weeks. Paul Dickson, CEO of Festival Mushroom Records (FMR), predicts an extra $1 million Australian ($510, 000) of FMR back catalog sales at retail during September.

The primary catalyst was the opening ceremony of the games, held Sept. 15 at the 110, 000-capacity Stadium Australia. The global telecast was to an estimated 3.5 billion viewers; the national telecast by the Seven network was the highest-rated ever, watched by 10 million out of Australia’s 19 million population.
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Little diva who stole our hearts

Sep 17, 2000Oct 19, 2022 2000, Olympics No Comments

By RICHARD ZACHARIAH

IT is no coincidence that Nikki Webster’s dog is called Star. To be a star is her reason for living and her life is dedicated to the stellar heights of show business.

“I love being on stage; I just want to make people happy,” she said.

She is prepared to work for it and, in fact, has spent more than half her life becoming the overnight sensation we now know.

The 13-year-old star of the Olympic opening ceremony began as a professional at age five, appearing in a TV commercial for biscuits.

Now, the McDonald Performing Arts College student devotes about 30 hours a week to a mixture of study, singing, dancing and acting.

While Nikki stole our hearts on Friday night and while we feared for her flying 30m above us, she was not the least bit nervous.

But as she sat in the back garden of her parents’ Croydon home yesterday, with an NBC crew setting up for yet another interview, there was just a hint of tiredness on her face – not surprising after only 11/2 hours’ sleep.

Her face lights up, though, at the thought of featuring in a movie, or making a CD.

“All I have ever wanted to do was to dance and sing, and now the only thing I really want to do is cut a CD and make a movie,” she said.

They may be within reach after Friday night and Nikki’s agent, Lisa Hamilton, hints that a recording contract could be just around the corner.

Her parents, Mark and Tina, are a little more conservative and put that in the category of dreams. “I want what she wants,” her father says simply.

Source: The Sunday Telegraph

Nikki scales the heights and a star is born

Sep 17, 2000Oct 19, 2022 2000, Olympics No Comments

SHE is the face of the Opening Ceremony.

The Opening Ceremony and her flight through the air have made her famous, but Nikki Webster is keeping her feet firmly on the ground.

Nikki, 13, relaxed yesterday at her home in Sydney’s inner west.

“It was amazing to be such a big part of the ceremony,” said Nikki. “And doing a press conference and live TV was just like being in the movies, but I’m still the same – I’m enjoying it all but it won’t change me.”

She captured our hearts on Friday night, sent our pulses racing as she swam through the air and shivers down our spines with her rendition of Under Southern Skies.

She was watched by a worldwide television audience of almost four billion people, but yesterday Nikki was just like any other 13-year-old as she took it easy with her proud parents, Tina and Mark, her 16-year-old brother Scott, and her dog, appropriately named Star.

Nikki beat off strong competition to win the role in the Opening Ceremony, but she has one special talent in her favour – she knew how to fly. She said: “I have flown before for a TV ad, but it wasn’t as high up as 25m. My gymnastics helped, too, so it came pretty easy to me.”

So easy, in fact, she wanted to fly even higher. “It was an amazing experience. I would have gone higher if I could. I felt safe and secure in the harness. I just told them when I was ready to be lifted. Singing live was amazing too.” There were no butterflies when she was suspended 25m in the air above the giant stadium.

Nikki, who sang a duet with Michael Jackson in 1996, said: “I met him during his HIStory tour with my dance company. We had a big M&M fight. He was great fun.”

Nikki has also starred as Brigitta in The Sound of Music beside Lisa McCune and John Waters and appeared as the young Cosette in Les Miserables.

But the Olympics has helped her fulfill her biggest ambition – to record a CD. Her song, Under Southern Skies, will feature on the Olympic album

– Vickie Maye

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Source: Sydney Morning Herald

Hero Girl harnesses world’s delight

Sep 16, 2000Oct 19, 2022 2000, Olympics No Comments

By Deborah Hope and Sally Jackson

NIKKI Webster became one of the most watched faces in the world last night as Hero Girl, the biggest non-sporting star of the Olympic ceremony extravaganza.

The 13-year-old Sydney schoolgirl and aspiring actor had the most demanding role of any of the 12, 500 performers in the hour-long cultural segment, not only having to act, sing and dance, but also to fly 30m into the air in front of 118, 000 enthralled spectators as well as an estimated television audience of about 3.7 billion.

Like all the other performers, Nikki had to sign a confidentiality agreement that meant even her parents, Tina and Mark, did not know the full extent of her role until they were able to see it last night.

Opening ceremony artistic director David Atkins said the little girl’s journey, which was used to link all seven sequences of the creative segment, was what held the story together.

“Whether it’s the Hero Girl materialising out of a waratah, feeding the Kelly Horse or interfacing with Djakapurra, she and Djakapurra are the links,” he said. “All the pieces form a story about who we are and what we feel.”
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Schoolgirl transforms into flying Hero Girl

Sep 16, 2000Oct 19, 2022 2000, Olympics No Comments

SYDNEY, Australia – Sydney schoolgirl Nikki Webster became one of the most-watched faces in the world Friday when she appeared as Hero Girl, the biggest nonsporting star of the Olympics opening ceremony.

The 13-year-old aspiring actor had the most demanding role of any of the 12, 600 performers in the hour-long cultural segment: Not only did she act, sing and dance, she also “flew” in a harness about 100 feet into the air in front of 110, 000 spectators and millions of TV viewers.

Like all the performers, Nikki had to sign a confidentiality agreement that meant even her parents didn’t know the full extent of her role until they saw it Friday night.

She was chosen from about 500 hopefuls, a field that was eventually cut to three finalists after the contenders were put through their paces in the dafety harness.

“Flying at the stadium for the first time was amazing,” she said in an interview in The Australian newspaper. “The flying is a bit demanding. There’s lots of practice, especially to stay stright.”

“They took us up very high and we did some swimming strokes. Then I had to sing.”

Her voice and stage presence made her a natual, organizers said.

Opening ceremony artistic director David Atkins said the little girl’s journey, which was used to link all seven sequences of the creative segment, was what held the story together.

She had previous “flying” experience from television commercials.

Despite her youth, the girl is also a showbiz veteran who, according to her agent, started in the entertainment business when she was 5.

Source: Detroit Free Press

Young star shines brightly

Sep 16, 2000Oct 19, 2022 2000, Olympics Comments Off

By Nikki Webster

When I flew last night, I wasn’t scared – just thrilled to be a part of the opening ceremony seen by billions of people around the world.

I couldn’t see anyone in the crowd while I was swimming, and just concentrated on pretending I was at the beach and in the ocean to make people believe the story. The Deep Sea section of the ceremony was my favourite because I love going to the beach. It was amazing to be up there, 25m off the ground, and so much fun. Even in my first audition I wasn’t scared when they lifted us up to test our nerves, then took us up a bit higher into the stadium.

When I won the part I was so excited, and since then the training has not taken that long. I had to spend the most time learning the flying sequence, and that is a great new skill to have.

It was a great honour to be part of the ceremony and perform in the stadium, and also to meet some of my idols like John Farnham and Olivia Newton-John. I look up to Olivia because I love her voice and she’s gone so far with her career, which I hope will happen to me too.

I hope my performance last night helps me with further opportunities and pushes along my dream of being a pop star and an actor. Olivia has given me some encouraging words which I will always remember, saying I have an amazing voice. I just love her, she has been my idol since I first saw Grease when I was about five years old. That was when I first started performing and I have been dancing, singing, and acting ever since.

I sang at the Royal Easter Show, and I’ve been in the Sound of Music, but last night’s performance was the most thrilling.

But even though I know my life will change today because of the publicity, it won’t change me.

Source: The Herald Sun
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Sydney’s Spectacular Show

Sep 16, 2000Oct 19, 2022 2000, Olympics Comments Off

The Australians staged a strange and wonderful Opening Ceremony for the 2000 Olympic Games yesterday that took us to the Thunderdome and beyond. Now we know why they call this place Oz.

When cute 13- year-old Nikki Webster started the show by stepping to the middle of Olympic Stadium, flashing an ethereal smile, and suddenly shooting 100 feet into the air and began doing back flips, it was clear we were heading into something completely different. We’re not in Atlanta any more, Toto.

“I wasn’t scared at all,” said Nikki, who spent much of the program suspended high above the crowd hooked to a harness and a wire. “I was just having heaps and heaps of fun.”

So was everyone else, with the possible exception of Nikki’s parents, who had been kept in the dark about her high-flying stunts. She told them it “wouldn’t be a surprise” if she told them what she would be doing. Asked how they reacted after watching her sail clear up above the cheap seats with only a harness to hold her, Nikki said they were “both in tears.” So we can assume they were surprised.
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