When the Australian actress meets the press at the film festival in Venice, she talks about the vulnerability she feels before the premiere, including the nude scenes in the film.
It's a film that exposes me. It feels scary now that we're going to show it to the world. At the same time, I'm incredibly proud of what we've done.
In the film, directed by Dutchwoman Halina Reijn, Kidman plays the successful business leader Romy. She is sexually frustrated – in the film's first scene, she has sex with her husband (Antonio Banderas) and immediately afterwards rushes to another room to masturbate.
Threatens the Family
When she meets assistant Samuel (played by Harris Dickinson from "Triangle of Sadness") at work, a relationship begins that eventually threatens both her job and family.
It's a film about desire, about sex, about your innermost thoughts, about marriage, about power. The sexual language is complicated, says Nicole Kidman and continues:
This is a woman's story, and it feels unique that I've been able to do this in a woman's hands. Unfortunately, it's all too rare. How many female directors have films here at the festival this year?
She emphasizes that the film is not about blaming anyone.
What I want to do is explore what it's like to be human and what it's like to be a woman. The film is reminiscent of the 80s erotic thrillers like "Fatal Attraction". But it didn't always end with the woman being punished. That's not the case here.
"Not Exploited"
Nicole Kidman means that it could easily have become a film that exploited female sexuality, as many of the 80s erotic thrillers did, but she trusted Reijn.
I knew I wouldn't be exploited. Every part of me was on board. We were all kind to each other, we all wanted it to feel authentic.
For Nicole Kidman, it was important to feel safe with the director.
Because I surrender completely to that person's hands. We talked a lot about psychology before and during filming, I give myself up, it wouldn't be possible to do it any other way.
Age: 57 years.
Lives: In Nashville.
Family: Husband Keith Urban, four children (two with Tom Cruise).
Occupation: Actress, producer.
Previous films and series in selection: "Days of Thunder", "To the Limit", "Portrait of a Lady", "Eyes Wide Shut", "Moulin Rouge", "The Others", "Dogville", "Grace of Monaco", "The Killing of a Sacred Deer", "Big Little Lies", "The Undoing", "The Northman".
Currently with: "Babygirl", which will have its cinema premiere in Sweden at the beginning of next year. The film is selected for competition at the Venice Film Festival.
