Nicole Kidman reveals ‘disturbing’ scenes were axed from thriller dubbed 'naughtiest film of the year'
Nicole Kidman has opened up about filming her upcoming thriller, Babygirl, confessing that "emotionally disturbing" scenes were axed from the final cut. The Hollywood A-lister sat down with actress Zendaya on Friday for Variety's Actors on Actors video series.
Each year, the publication pairs filmmakers to discuss their latest projects. This year's cohort already features Angelina Jolie, Andrew Garfield, and Saoirse Ronan, with Pamela Anderson and Kate Winslet yet to take the hot seat.
In the latest instalment, the 57-year-old spoke at length about her forthcoming erotic film, causing a stir on social media since its trailer dropped in October.
However, as Kidman discussed Zendaya's role in HBO hit Euphoria, she revealed that the filming process was "intense" and emotionally taxing.
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She said: "It was very intense on Babygirl, and there were parts of Babygirl that are not now in the film but that fed into it [the emotional exhaustion] that we shot. It was exhausting, but it was also just emotionally disturbing."
The R-rated drama sees Kidman as a powerful CEO who strikes up an affair with her intern, threatening to destroy her family and career. Harris Dickinson, known for Triangle of Sadness, plays her on-screen love interest, with Antonio Banderas and Sophie Wilde playing supporting roles.
The Oscar-winning actress explained that the experience was similar to when she was starring in Reese Witherspoon's dramedy Big Little Lies. "And then the same when I was doing Big Little Lies because that was disturbing to my body and my psyche. Because I couldn't tell what was real and what wasn't," she confessed.
The actress portrays a victim of domestic abuse in Big Little Lies.
Kidman went on to explain how she moves on from difficult roles, saying: "I clean my chakras and pray and get out the sage, honestly I'm like I'll take whatever so that I can step into the next place free and not scarred or damaged or wounded. Which sounds like I'm bats*** crazy but I'm not."
Dutch director Halina Reijn helmed the erotic thriller, which was dubbed the "naughtiest film of the year" by a film fan on X, formerly Twitter after its trailer was released. Others confessed that the sneak preview left them "blushing."
Babygirl hits UK cinemas on January 10
