Nicole Kidman, Meryl Streep and the “jaw-dropping” experiences on set
Nicole Kidman has given her fair share of jaw-dropping performances. Since finding her feet in the film industry in the late 1980s, the Australian actor has amassed an impressive filmography, shining in each and every role she takes on. She fronted Stanley Kubrick’s iconic final film, Eyes Wide Shut, appeared in the truly beloved live adaptation of Paddington, and adapted to Yorgos Lanthimos’ strange screenplay style with ease in The Killing of a Sacred Deer.
But her most remarkable role, at least in modern memory, is in HBO’s Big Little Lies. The show follows five women contending with motherhood, friendship, abuse and, eventually, murder, in the pictureseque sea-side city of Monterey, California. Amidst a star-studded cast including the likes of Reese Witherspoon, Zoë Kravitz and Laura Dern, Kidman plays the beautiful Celeste, a mother of two married to the seemingly perfect Perry.
As the plot unravels, we learn more and more about Celeste and Perry’s relationship, about his abhorrent abuse both inside and outside of it. Among a sea of stellar performances, Kidman’s performance as the simultaneously powerful, confused and terrified Celeste stands out as one of the best, affording the plotline all of the complexity and nuance that it requires.
She embodies the supportive friend, the caring mother, and the conflicted wife all at once, enhancing one of the most well-written characters in the entire show with every scene. But while Kidman left many viewers in awe with her own performance, she experienced the same effect watching one of her co-stars work on-set.
After leaving viewers with one of the greatest season finales in television history at the end of season one, Big Little Lies returned in 2013 with an even more star-studded cast. Meryl Streep joined the ranks as Mary Louise, the father of Celeste’s late husband, seeking revenge for her son. Her presence and work on set stunned Kidman, as she recalled during a chat with Tatler.
“Meryl Streep is a godsend,” she commented, “She’s on set and it’s jaw-dropping.”
It’s easy to see why Kidman felt this way. With decades of acting experience behind her, Streep has become one of the most well-known and well-respected names in Hollywood. From The Devil Wears Prada to Mama Mia to The Post, she’s starred in classic after classic after classic, picking up Academy Awards and unparalleled acclaim along the way.
She delivered another spectacular performance in Big Little Lies, taking on the antagonistic role that her son had provided in the first season. Delivering scathing lines to her fellow cast-mates, manipulating other characters for her own wicked goals, and seeking to avenge her abusive son, she succeeds in distressing and disconcerting those around her and, in turn, those watching.
Kidman wasn’t the only person who lauded the actor for her appearance in the series. Streep took home an Emmy nomination for her performance in the series, though she lost out to Julia Garner for her role in Ozark, and amassed widespread critical acclaim for her role in upholding a slightly disappointing second season. But even Streep couldn’t outshine Kidman’s performance in Big Little Lies.
Though the show has more than its fair share of jaw-dropping performances, Kidman remains the most outstanding actor on the show, truly embodying and enhancing the character of Celeste with every artistic choice. It’s one of the finest performances in contemporary television.
