Nicole Kidman has opened up about the challenges of filming intimate scenes in her new movie, Babygirl, admitting that at one point, she had to pause filming because she “didn’t want to orgasm anymore.”
What inspired the erotic movie
The 57-year-old actress, who stars with Harris Dickinson in the A24 thriller, shared on The Graham Norton Show that even though the role took her out of her comfort zone, she was excited to try something bold and new.
In the steamy thriller, Kidman plays a powerful businesswoman who risks her career and family life by starting a passionate affair with her much younger intern, played by 28-year-old Harris Dickinson, who is known for Triangle of Sadness (2022).
The film, which was written, directed, and produced by Halina Reijn, was inspired by a story about a woman who had never had an orgasm during her 25-year marriage.
Reijn mentioned that her strong interest in exploring how women relate to their bodies was a major reason for making this sexy, dark, and unpredictable movie.
In the film, Kidman gives an outstanding performance, smoothly shifting from anger to fear, and then to a deeply passionate, lustful consent.
“I love the script, and I’m always trying to push myself beyond my comfort zone,” Kidman said. “This role was something I had never tried before, and I’m always on a journey as an actor to find new parts of myself.
Despite the role’s challenges, Kidman emphasized the importance of balancing her personal and professional life. The personal aspect also hit very close to home for Nicole Kidman after the film had been completed.
When she won the Volpi Cup for Best Actress at the Venice Film Festival in 2024, her personal life took a heartbreaking turn. Just as she arrived in Venice and was heading to the closing ceremony, she was informed that her mother had passed away. Kidman had to leave Italy immediately and was unable to accept the award in person. Instead, director Halina Reijn accepted the award on her behalf.
Had to stop the scene
When it comes to the really personal scenes in Babygirl, the 57-year-old Oscar winner said that it sometimes felt like too much to deal with. Acting out those moments, where she pretends to have orgasms with Dickinson and Antonio Banderas, who plays her husband in the movie, turned out to be a bigger challenge than she thought it would be.
She mentioned that while they were filming the steamy scenes, there was a sense of trust and openness with her co-stars, but there were also times of frustration. At one point, she said she had to pause the scene because she felt overwhelmed and needed a break.
“There was a lot of sharing, trust, and then frustration,” she confessed.
“There were moments during filming when I was like, ‘I don’t want to fake orgasms anymore,’” Kidman said, according to the Sun, and added:
“It was like, ‘Don’t touch me.’ Sometimes, I’d think, ‘I don’t care if I’m never touched again in my life!’ I was just done with it.”
Filming Babygirl was a tough emotional and physical experience for the actress, who said, “It left me feeling worn out.” Even with the challenges, her performance has already received a lot of praise, and she got a seven-minute standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival, where she won Best Actress.
Box office success
The movie was a success, both with critics and at the box office, making over $60 million on a $20 million budget. It was even named one of the top ten films of 2024 by the National Board of Review, with Kidman winning another Best Actress award.
Babygirl has definitely gotten people talking. With its bold approach to intimacy and personal boundaries, it’s sparked a lot of discussions.
Nicole Kidman’s performance and the film’s look at women’s relationships with their bodies have made viewers think about where art ends and real vulnerability starts. From the intense scenes to the deeper ideas of consent and desire, this movie is one that’s going to be talked about long after it’s finished.
Have you seen Babygirl? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments!
