Nicole Kidman Wakes Up at 3 a.m. to Write About Her Dreams

by

On a Sunday afternoon in Cannes, Nicole Kidman participated in a conversation as part of Kering’s Women in Motion series. Sporting a stylish black leather Balenciaga jacket and jeans, Kidman spoke enthusiastically about her commitment to working with and appearing in films directed by women. The discussion touched upon her pledge, made eight years ago, to collaborate with a female director every 18 months; since then, she has worked with no less than 27 directors (Australian calculations may differ). Was she, at the time, contemplating the possibility of achieving this?

Kidman stated, ‘I was planning to make it feasible,’ implying she intended to create opportunities. She mentioned a conversation centered around the imbalance in choices, questioning if a woman could direct certain projects, finding few suitable candidates or facing reluctance. Frustrated by this, Kidman started asserting, ‘This is how I’m doing it. This is what I’m doing.’ She was advocating taking risks, providing mentorship, support, and protection for women directors. She emphasized the need to protect them with a shield of encouragement so they can perform at their best. Simultaneously, she wanted to give them chances without making them feel like it was their only opportunity. She argued that nurturing female voices, especially those of directors and writers, requires patience and persistence.

Nicole Kidman expressed her optimism as she observed an upward trend in gender parity within the U.S. film industry. While 4% of top films were directed by women in 2017, that number has risen to 13% currently. However, she emphasized that more progress is necessary. “I can see change happening during my lifetime,” she stated. “The key is to be active, show up, and make it happen. As I demonstrated with Karyn Kusama and Destroyer, we were able to create a film despite limited resources in the heart of Los Angeles. We hustled and made it work.

Nicole Kidman discussed the types of roles she’s seeking at this stage of her career, stating, “I’m eager to explore new possibilities.” She emphasized, “I don’t desire limitations or safety.” However, she made it clear that she isn’t solely focused on collaborating with fresh directors. “There are budding talents who are emerging,” she said, “and there are those who are still thriving.

The moderator inquired about Kidman’s frequent use of wigs on screen, reading out a comment from social media: “Nicole Kidman, wearing her wig, came to slay again.” Kidman chuckled slightly, appearing somewhat surprised (it is worth mentioning that she had long, straight hair today). “It’s not just about the hair,” she responded. She explained that she considers herself a character actor who employs various internal and external transformations to immerse herself in a role. “When they want you for being a movie star, they say, ‘We just want you.’ However, I have never been sought after for that role. Instead, I’ve always been selected to portray characters,” she added. Kidman further shared that as an Australian actor, she was trained to master every possible accent and learn diverse ways of walking and breathing, acknowledging that it would be uncommon to use her own accent in roles.

She briefly touched upon the topic of “Practical Magic 2,” stating it was both entertaining and enchanting, quite distinct from something like “Babygirl.” It’s a complete turnaround, she admitted. Regarding her work habits, despite mastering quantum space-time on numerous occasions, she frequently rises at 3 a.m. to pen down ideas. She often shares these ideas with directors, suggesting they create work in similar styles. This comes from a lifetime of experiences and collaboration with brilliant minds. She’s deeply fascinated by philosophy and poetry, which undeniably aid in storytelling. However, she doesn’t have the time to write her own screenplay. Instead, she secretly writes during late-night sessions, jotting down dreams or thoughts that surface during these hours when one is slightly detached from reality, allowing for a heightened presence of dreams and psyche.

Regrettably, during the interview, the moderator overlooked an intriguing question about Nicole Kidman’s dreams and the accents she might dream in, instead focusing on whether she had ever considered directing or writing a screenplay herself. “No,” Kidman responded, yet she admitted to having a habit of saying ‘no’ only to eventually reconsider her decision.

Four minutes on, I unintentionally stepped into an elevator alongside Kidman – a tall and stunning woman who seemed almost otherworldly, having effortlessly collaborated with 27 female directors over the span of eight years. To keep myself from inquiring about her aspirations, I instead paid her a compliment on her attire. She returned my remark with a smile and playfully showed off her biceps. Several men in suits made an attempt to prevent another woman from joining us, but Kidman warmly invited her inside. “Come in, come in!” she said.

Read More

2025-05-19 20:54