Nicole Kidman’s uphill battle to change the industry: “I’m still in the trenches doing it”
Nicole Kidman is one of the greatest and most influential actors of all time, starring in some of the most artistically important projects of the 21st century and paving the way for women in the industry.
After starting her career with Australian television, she eventually found her way in Hollywood after starring in To Die For in 1995, dazzling Gus Van Sant with her sheer determination to play such a complex role. From this point onwards, she only continued to demonstrate her commitment to risk and challenge, starring in the monumental swan song of Stanley Kubrick in 1999, then leading to Moulin Rouge, The Others and Dogville.
Kidman has worked with great auteurs over the years, truly pushing her creative limits and chartering emotional depths that many people would be intimidated by. However, perhaps her biggest challenge and triumph has been her fierce advocacy for female filmmakers, championing the work of emerging directors and leveraging her power for good.
For many decades in Hollywood, there were many marginalised people who had their stories and experiences excluded from the silver screen. Whether it was a lack of substantial representation for people of colour or male-dominated narratives in which women were relegated to silent side characters or set dressing, the film business has always had an issue with inclusion and diversity.
But in the last ten years, many women in the industry have spoken up about the lack of substantial roles for women and few stories that focus on the female experience, with people like Reese Witherspoon, Kate Winslet and Laura Dern challenging the status quo and fighting for more equal representation in the industry.
“We don’t have the ability to fail upwards.”
nicole kidman
But while there are many people who have spoken empty words and don’t actively do anything to address the gender gap in Hollywood, Kidman has made it a key focus and passion project of hers in recent years, something that came after the colossal success of Big Little Lies. The actor realised that people in power needed to be the ones to make space for women in the industry, whether by funding or starring in their projects to amplify their voices.
When discussing her reasoning for doing this, Kidman said, “It was something I wanted to do because the only way to change the numbers was to actually get in the trenches and do it, and so I’m still in the trenches doing it.” The actor shared some of the boundaries that prevent women from directing, describing how harshly they are treated for their mistakes and not given the same opportunities to grow.
“We don’t have the ability to fail upwards. You deserve a second, third, fourth chance,” Kidman said. “The way you develop your talent—really, is it going to be immediate? It’s going to be layer upon layer, step by step. And that requires patience. I was one of the fortunate ones where I was given a chance over and over and over again, and I’m still being given that.”
This is a key point, as creativity is something that flourishes over time and can only do so if given genuine support and space. Kidman is slowly changing the landscape of the industry by elevating the voices of female creatives around the world, changing the business one film at a time.
