Nine (12A)

OSCAR-winning director of Chicago, Rob Marshall, joins forces with an all star cast, to bring the classic Broadway show NINE (12A) to the big screen in this year's big Christmas release.

Daniel Day Lewis, Judi Dench, Nicole Kidman, Penelope Cruz, Kate Hudson, Marion Cotillard and Sophia Loren star in this sultry and enchanting musical following the life of world famous film director Guido Contini as he prepares his latest picture and balances the numerous women in his life including his wife, a producer, a mistress, a film star, and his dead mother.

The character of Guido is inspired by the legendary Federico Fellini and played by Day Lewis.

Loren says: "Daniel is one of the best - scary, intimidating, hypnotic, beautiful, magnetic... unforgettable!"

Cruz plays Guido's mistress, Varla, and relished the chance to sing and dance, especially the number, Call From the Vatican.

She said: "We rehearsed for weeks and weeks, which I loved, and then when we shot the number, I was so sad, because I knew I would never get to do it again."

Kidman is his inspiration and muse, Claudia. She says: "Nine was the film everyone wanted to do. Rob Marshall had his pick.

"He came to me and said, 'Would you play Claudia?' and I said, 'Absolutely.' I was sitting with him in the Polo Lounge in the Beverly Hills Hotel, in the middle of a press junket, so it was a very movie star moment!"

Dame Judi plays the flamboyant Lilli, Guido's costume designer and confidante.

She says:"Lilli is obviously older than Guido, and knows him very, very well, has worked with him many, many times and, yet, like the other women in his life, she is utterly bewitched by him. Who wouldn't be?"

And Loren was delighted to be working on a Hollywood musical for the first time, as Guido's mother. She said: "To work with Nicole Kidman, Pen�lope Cruz, Judi Dench, I wondered if we would all kill each other! But no. It was like family."

The film is open in the West End and goes on nationwide release on Boxing Day.