When I was a kid, I used to collect stamps for a brief time. “Brief” because stamp collecting is very time-consuming and deserves a lot patience, patience which is difficult for a child to muster. I had some really beautiful stamps, though, and I learned a little about how and why each country puts certain things or people on their stamps. Many of Great Britain’s old colonies still put members of the royal family on their stamps, even after gaining independence. In America, we never put living people on stamps – people have to be dead for a certain number of years before they can be considered “stamp worthy”. Many other countries feel differently.
Australia is one of those countries. They have no qualms about putting their biggest exports – their actors – on their stamps. Their current batch features Nicole Kidman, Cate Blanchett, Russell Crowe and Geoffery Rush – all Academy Award winners. Australia’s Post released the stamps yesterday.
You’ve seen them on the silver screen, and now Oscar-winners Russell Crowe, Nicole Kidman, Cate Blanchett and Geoffery Rush may soon be starring in a letter box near you after their homeland Australia recognised their achievements by putting them on postage stamps.
The 55 cent (36 U.S. cent) stamps, which went on sale on Thursday, bear pictures of the four Australian Hollywood stars and are part of Australia Post’s celebrations for the January 26 national day, Australia Day.
“The four Academy Award winners were named the 2009 Australian Post Australian Legends in recognition of the outstanding contributions they have made to Australian
entertainment and culture,” managing director Graeme John said in a statement.In addition to their Oscar gold, the stars will also be presented with a 24-carat gold replica of their stamp in recognition of the honour, the statement added.
[From Reuters]
It’s a nice gesture, but what about Oscar-nominated Aussies? Naomi Watts must feel left out. And what about Heath Ledger? A stamp with Heath would have been a nice way to commemorate his life and work. Out of all of the stamps mentioned, though, I would most want to lick Geoffrey Rush!
Here’s Cate Blanchett on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on December 5, 2008. Images thanks to Bauer-Griffin.
cate blanchett isnt english?
Funny, Nicole Kidman isn’t australian. She was born in Hawaii, US. Russell Crowe isn’t australian either. He’s from New Zealand. And Naomi Watts is british.
Well, they could’ve used Hugh Jackman. Or Guy Pearce. I don’t know. Someone actually australian would be nice. At least, they gave Geoffrey and Cate some honor…
Truganini: The last full-blooded Tasmanian Aborigine died in Hobart on May 8th, 1876 aged 73.
She didn’t get a stamp until 1975.
May I say that doling out stamps to the above mentioned actors certainly lessens the auspiciousness of what a national stamp is supposed to convey.
Even Steve Irwin was deceased before getting his stamp.
It’s gauche, to say the least. Ledger hasn’t done enough to warrant a stamp and neither have any of the other ones. We shall see about Blanchett, but nobody should receive a stamp while alive, unless of course it’s a reigning monarch as is the current practice but that’s only because of the ‘Royal Mail’ aspect.
Hugh Jackman, Sexiest man of the year, mates? Stamp worthy even in wolfgear. Feh, lets just hope this was a start and they have plans to commemorate Heath Ledger. Hello!
Nicole Kidman was born in the USA!
Blanchett and Rush are the only ones I would consider worthy of legendary stamp status. One because they are actually Australian, and two because they have heaps of talent and are respected around the world. Nicole is going through a tough love stage with people finally clueing in that she’s really not all that great and Crowe’s behavior is less than desirable, not to mention his monotone Kevin Costner style of acting. Those two are overrated imo!
I just watched Geoffrey Rush on The View in the U.S. They mentioned the stamps and he said they were selected as “living” legends who had won Academy Awards. This is terrible…what a tricky way for them to keep Heath Ledger off of a stamp. Heath Ledger was an amazingly talented actor. His own country should embrace and celebrate that fact. Heath Ledger’s death did not extinguish his bright light.
Shocking allegations regarding Australia Post cast doubt on its recent association with celebrated actors Cate Blanchett, Russell Crowe, Nicole Kidman and Geoffrey Rush and what they might know of allegations of lies, bullying, harassment, victimization and alledged acts of discrimination against its workers.
In submissions at the AIRC it is stated that Australia Post has a great work-force with many very competent and well intentioned frontline managers, however the allegations and evidence submitted in a recent hearing alledge to show how Australia Post has bullied and harassed workers out of thousands of dollars of allowances.