Five-time Oscar nominee and one-time winner Nicole Kidman has opened up about her strangest filming rule. Known for starring in critically acclaimed movies and often being a key reason for their praise, Kidman is currently in the spotlight this awards season with her new A24 movie “Babygirl”, which has earned her a Best Actress Golden Globe nomination. The erotic-thriller is set to hit theaters on December 25, 2024.
Kidman has a rule of never looking at video playback on set. She’s quite firm about it, as she explained in an interview. She said she doesn’t like to break out of her acting “trance”. If the director’s speaking off-camera, she can hear it but prefers not to come out of character, even though some people might think she’s “a little crazy” for this stance. However, director Baz Luhrmann is one who likes her to look at the monitor, and if he insists, she’ll comply, but it’s not her preference.
What this means for her relationship with Luhrmann is significant. She had a huge hit with his movie “Moulin Rouge!”, which earned her first Oscar nomination and grossed $179 million. Her second collaboration with him, “Australia”, didn’t fare as well, though it was later reworked into a miniseries. Despite some initial doubts about playing Satine in “Moulin Rouge!”, she managed with his help, highlighting the strong trust between them. So it’s no surprise he’s the director who can make her break her rule, showing how close their artistic bond is.
Kidman’s aversion to watching playback extends beyond the set. She previously told that she hates watching her own movies, and she had an uncomfortable experience screening “Australia”. She’s not alone in this, as many Hollywood A-listers share a similar dislike for watching themselves.
Kidman’s no-monitor rule is that Method actors are often known for their eccentric behaviors. Some examples range from the amusing, like Peter Weller insisting on being called “Murphy” or “Robo” on the “RoboCop” set, to the creepy, such as Jared Leto sending his co-stars a dead pig and a live rat while preparing for the Joker role. Kidman’s process is just that – her own. She’ll only break character to check playback if she really trusts the director. Given her long list of acclaimed performances, directors are wise to respect her approach. Luhrmann gets an exception due to their relationship, but overall, Kidman seems okay with others thinking she’s a bit odd as long as she can stay focused and deliver great performances.
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