“I’ve been hurt because of that”: Despite Heartbreak With Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman Refuses to Change Her 1 Habit

Australian-American actress Nicole Kidman recently appeared in the erotic thriller film Babygirl alongside Harris Dickinson, Antonio Banderas, and Sophie Wilde. She was highly appreciated for her performance in the movie, with some critics stating that Babygirl can easily be considered one of the finest performances of the actress.

Nicole Kidman is not only regarded as one of the most influential actresses in the industry, but she is also one of the bravest performers. Kidman has been known for seeking eccentric roles in risky projects, which allows her to play characters that are out of her comfort zone. In an interview with Time Magazine, Nicole Kidman shares her approach to complex characters.

Nicole Kidman talks about taking a leap of faith with her characters and the filmmaker

In a recent Time magazine cover story, actress Nicole Kidman shared how she approaches complex characters and requires her to be vulnerable on-screen. It is no surprise that filmmakers who have worked with the actress admire her rawness, and while some actors feel uncomfortable with being vulnerable or raw in front of the camera, Kidman embraces it.

She said for her to be truly open with her director requires a leap of faith and goes on to describe herself as trusting to a fault. Kidman added,

It’s how I approach all of my relationships. I’ve been hurt because of that, but I am still not jaded. I’m delicate, but I’m very giving. The emotions I offer are very, very, very real, so I need to know that if I am giving that to you, you value it.

Kidman’s career was initially threatened by her highly publicized marriage to Tom Cruise, as people believed that she was riding on his career. The actress, despite being good at her job, wasn’t offered roles that challenged her enough until the late 1990s, when she starred in To Die For, The Portrait of a Lady, and The Blue Room, which proved that she was one of the finest actresses. Nicole Kidman refuses to let her rawness in terms of approaching a character go away.

After the success of Babygirl, it was noted that movies including All Fours, The Idea of You, Lonely Planet, and A Family Affair all featured women in their 40s and 50s entangled with young lovers. She said,

It’s always been there—it just hasn’t been told. Maybe it’s threatening.

Babygirl’s director Halina Reijn shared that Kidman’s character in the movie was inspired by her movie Eyes Wide Shut, in which she starred opposite Tom Cruise. The actress who pledged to work with a female director every 18 months has been able to work with various female directors in her four-decade-long career because she never stops working. She has worked with 19 female directors to date.

Jamie Lee Curtis, who starred with Kidman in Scarpetta, added that at times people work when Nicole Kidman works. The magazine mentioned that Kidman had noted that often she feels compelled to say yes to the project so that it creates more jobs. Her work makes her happy.

Nicole Kidman on her need to stay active as an actor

During the conversation with Time Magazine, Kidman shared that there was a moment in her life when she seriously thought about quitting. She recalled that when there wasn’t anything good and exciting coming her way, when she was being criticized for everything she was doing and Internet bullying didn’t stop, she thought of quitting.

When your self-esteem is shattered, when you’ve been hit with some massive loss or grief and go, ‘I don’t want to get out of bed. It’s too frightening.

In another interview with Variety, Kidman shared the reason why she tries her best to stay active as an actor. She said that there are so many opportunities in terms of being able to be of service to the people who are coming up, and they can use the resources she has and work on getting what they hope to achieve to make a difference.

She said,

It’s very hard for me to go, ‘Okay, I’m just going to take care of myself.’. Because I’m so much about taking care of other people. I’m thinking, ‘I can create more work for people. I can create jobs for people.’

The actress noted that she is passionate about acting, which is why she tries to stay as active as she can. Nicole Kidman mentioned that she just needs to take care of her body and do her best because she loves what she does and would like to continue to do that for a long time.

Babygirl is available to stream on Prime Video and Apple TV on VOD.