Nicole Kidman has revealed she had to pause filming during the production of her upcoming erotic drama Babygirl due to the intensity of intimate scenes.
The actress, who plays a high-powered CEO embroiled in an affair with a young intern, confessed to feeling overwhelmed by the experience.
“There were times when we were shooting where I was like, ‘I don’t want to orgasm anymore’,” the 57-year-old Hollywood star told The Sun.
The film, directed by Halina Reijn, explores themes of power, gender, and age through a forbidden relationship. Kidman stars alongside Harris Dickinson, 28, and Antonio Banderas, who plays her husband.
“It was so present all the time for me that it was almost like a burnout,” the actress added, describing the challenges of portraying such intimate moments on screen.
In Babygirl, Kidman portrays Romy, a powerful CEO who risks her career and family life for an intense affair with her young intern, Samuel, played by Harris Dickinson. The film explores the complexities of power dynamics and sexual tension in the workplace.
Nicole Kidman has garnered critical acclaim for her role in Babygirl
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“Being a CEO means being a collaborator and a nurturer,” Kidman’s character muses in the film. “Everyone’s just waiting for me to buckle under the pressure.”
The sexual tension between Romy and Samuel is palpable from their first encounter. During a one-on-one meeting, Samuel boldly suggests, “I think you like to be told what to do.”
As their affair unfolds, the boundaries between power and submission blur. Samuel asserts: “If we’re going to do this, we need to set some rules that you and I both agree on. Starting with I tell you what to do and you do it.”
Kidman’s candid remarks shed light on the challenges of filming such intimate scenes. She described the experience as involving “an enormous amount of sharing and trust and then frustration”.
Actress Nicole Kidman admitted she had to pause filming for Babygirl
PA
“Don’t come near me. I hate doing this. I don’t care if I am never touched again in my life! I’m over it,” Kidman confessed.
Despite the difficulties, the actress was drawn to the project as it represented uncharted territory in her career. “I’ve always been on a quest as an actor, I’m always going, where have I not been? And what can I explore as a human being? And this was an area I’d never been,” she explained.
The film’s director, Halina Reijn, stated that the affair allows the characters “to play out their confusion around power, gender, age, hierarchy, and primal instinct”.
The trailer for Babygirl offers glimpses of the steamy encounters between Romy and Samuel. In one scene, Samuel instructs Romy to “Get on your knees now,” highlighting the power dynamics at play.
Kidman’s performance in Babygirl has already garnered critical acclaim. Following the film’s premiere at the Venice Film Festival, she was awarded Best Actress.
The Independent’s Geoffrey Macnab praised her portrayal, stating: “Here, she digs much deeper… Reijn elicits Kidman’s best performance in years as the headstrong, fiercely independent business woman whose sexual submissiveness never seems like weakness.”
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Nicole Kidman is starring in a steamy new film
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The film has been described as “witty, subversive and emotionally revealing” by critics.
Babygirl is set for release on December 25, 2024 in the United States and January 10, 2025 in the United Kingdom.
The movie promises to be a provocative exploration of power dynamics and sexuality, with Kidman’s performance at its centre.