There are no boundaries for Nicole Kidman when it comes to her acting career, but Babygirl, set for release on Christmas Day, is going to be the mother of all boundary-pushing ones. The 57-year-old actress plays the lead role opposite Harris Dickinson, star of The Iron Claw, aged just 28, and veteran actor Antonio Banderas, 67, in a truly intense erotic drama.
Nicole admitted to some scenes being “difficult to shoot” and having left her emotionally shaken. Nicole, in the role of the highly successful CEO Romy, who initiates a passionate relationship with a younger intern, Samuel (Dickinson), found herself in an unfamiliar emotional realm. Given the character’s vulnerability and the intensity of the erotic scenes, there were moments when Nicole simply needed to relax.
A Passionate Scene on Set
Nicole admitted that sometimes acting out the intimate scenes with Dickinson and Banderas became too much. “There was an enormous amount of sharing and trust, and then frustration,” she said. “It’s like, ‘Don’t touch me.’ There were times during our shoot when I felt like I didn’t want to orgasm anymore. Don’t come near me. I hate doing this. I don’t mind if no one touches me again in my lifetime! I’m over it.”
They describe the depth of her shoot and how completely she immersed herself in her role as Romy. As Nicole notes, there was a constant presence of erotic tension throughout her shoot, to the point where it nearly overwhelmed her.
Venturing into New Territory
For Nicole, Romy was a new terrain to discover as an actress. Nicole had always been known for her ability to play around with faces, but this was something she had never experienced before. “As an actor, I’ve always been on a quest.” I’m constantly asking myself, “Where have I not gone?” What avenues can I pursue as a human being? This was an area I had never ventured into before.
It is all about Romy’s affair with her intern Samuel and how that affair may go on to affect her life both personally and professionally. The complicated relationship brings Romy to experience a feeling of freedom and emotional transformation, though it is a danger to all that she has made for herself through her hard work.
Appreciation of the Performance by Nicole
Nicole has been receiving massive accolades for her part in Babygirl, where she won the Best Actress trophy at one of the biggest forums in the Venice Film Festival. Critics have praised Nicole for her skillful portrayal of mixed emotions in Babygirl, positioning her as a top contender for numerous awards this season.
A glimpse into Romy’s life unfolds in the trailer for the film; she juggles the demands of her career and family along with the passionate and sometimes chaotic relationship that develops between her and Samuel. In the trailer, she first encounters Samuel after he calms a runaway dog, and their relationship quickly turns into a passionate affair.
Here is how Harris Dickinson describes his filming experience:
The shoot for Harris Dickinson was especially special because he had the opportunity to work with Nicole Kidman, and it was particularly challenging due to the more intimate nature of the scenes they shot. In conversation with Variety, the young actor spoke about the experience of working with Nicole and how much they relied on an intimacy coordinator to get through very challenging scenes. “We’d discuss this with the intimacy coordinator, then Nicole and I kind of did our own thing with it once we set the parameters of what we were both comfortable with,” he said.
This intimacy coordinator helped to ensure that both of the actors felt safe and supported through the filming process. Dickinson appreciates the efforts made to foster an environment that empowers them to challenge boundaries without compromising their trust.
One of the most “embarrassing” scenes for Dickinson was a dance in the hotel room to George Michael’s song. “That was just me moving,” Dickinson recalled. “Halina [the director] put the song on and said, ‘Just dance.’ I simply found a little rhythm. Maybe I had a little whisky before. But it was embarrassing.”
Perhaps with some qualms over some of the awkwardness, Dickinson realized that the film’s intensity worked for him as an actor. A lot, but I think those roles make you grow.”
Antonio Banderas is the devoted husband.
While the heart of focus strongly settles on the chemistry between Nicole Kidman and Harris Dickinson, Antonio Banderas also takes a significant part in Babygirl. He portrays Jacob as a deeply committed husband to Romy. Yet he is unaware of his wife’s act of infidelity. We delve into Romy’s marriage after she initiates an affair with Samuel, and watch as this blossoms into a complex, conflicting dual existence.
More grizzled actor Films like The Mask of Zorro and Pain and Glory have made Banderas famous. He plays the role of Jacob, which contrasts the intense and volatile affair between Romy and Samuel with a depth of emotional experience at the heart of the story.
The Influence of Babygirl
Babygirl is no other love triangle or erotic drama. Unfolding the movie is a conversion of emotions inspired by Romy’s affair and its implications on the identity of this beautiful woman, her career, and family life. Sally Potter’s new film explores the interplay between Nicole Kidman’s freedom-seeking desires and her responsibilities.
Among Nicole’s numerous daring film appearances, Babygirl stands out, demonstrating her versatility and fearlessness as an actress. Bold and intense, Babygirl promises to be a film that challenges conventional narratives on love, power, and vulnerability when it hits theatres on Christmas Day.
