Nicole Kidman names her four favourite movies
Nicole Kidman is one of the greatest actors of all time, with an unwavering bravery and obsession with being challenged that has led to a bold and unrivalled body of work. From the formative mastery of Eyes Wide Shut to the controversial exploration of grief in Birth and the chilling allegorical nature of Dogville, the actor has never been one to work within a box, and her career is defined by constant intrigue and curiosity for something that hasn’t been seen before.
But given her expansive collection of performances, many people have been curious about the films that she enjoys, and after revealing her favourite films, perhaps this can provide an insight into her source of inspiration.
With a surprising start, Kidman listed Clueless as one of her most loved films. Directed in 1995 by Amy Heckerling, it is one of the most cherished coming-of-age movies, given the offbeat humour, dreamy wardrobe of the main character and a strange tint of darkness that almost makes it bear a resemblance to a Yorgos Lanthimos production. The lead character is mugged, and she reacts with about as much despair as one would after breaking a pencil. The assault is merely inconvenient; it doesn’t get in the way of Cher’s life. It is one of those timeless classics that is endlessly re-watchable, with charming performances from Alicia Silverstone, Brittany Murphy and Paul Rudd in one of the most bizarre and delightful rom-coms ever.
After describing Michael Haneke as one of the directors she most wants to work with, the inclusion of his seminal film The Piano Teacher arrived as another unsurprising. Isabelle Huppert’s performance in the film led her to be defined as one of the greatest actors of all time, with her incredibly layered and disturbing portrayal of a sexually repressed woman who desperately craves attention from her mother instead forming a strange relationship with her younger student. It’s equal parts devastating, brutal and cold, with a close-up look at the effects of abuse.
In a musically related fashion, Kidman went on to describe The Piano as one of her favourites because of the mastery on display by director Jane Campion. The film follows a woman who is sent to a remote island for an arranged marriage, bringing nothing with her but a piano. It’s a subtle yet deeply expressive tale of desire and longing, all told through the quiet intensity of a woman caught between two men.
And lastly, Kidman included A Woman Under the Influence on her list, which is understandably most mentioned by actors and filmmakers who praise Gena Rowland’s groundbreaking performance and the direction from John Cassavetes. It’s a tragic story about denial and desperation, following a couple who are slowly torn apart by mental illness, with neither of them being able to acknowledge or confront what is really going on.
Kidman resembles many of the actors who performed in these films, with a similar level of ferocity and boldness to Huppert and Rowlands that has defined her contributions to modern cinema.
